I leaned on the sagging breasts of my mother, while she rambled the long laces of my dark, thick hair. Her shining face, reflected the bewitching nature of the sun.
After a while, being satisfied from inhaling the heat, the fragrance of her skin, I hopped to the door to watch the playtime of my blossom friend. A bit taller, she scrubbed my hair with her hands, chuckling so, I got the message to join in the newly activated performance right away. We took turns completing our special kind of relay race, known as the “first to finish” game.
My head rested on the pillow on my couch. These flashes replayed in my mind as a scene; a replay of a favourite comedy show. And I smiled like a moron, at the ceiling, at nobody, for no obvious reason. But, this particular one flashed, and stayed a long while unlike the others.
There, I was, at home, on our crystalline greenish marble.
Tears from my eyes, gradually formed an ocean, and like a fool, I left the cover, untilted. You wouldn’t blame the 7-year-old me. Being awarded a medal for immaturity was a ritual.
My smile widened more as my mom stepped into the scene, wearing her lion-like face. A mask she puts on in order to strike a scolding. Instead of holding me to her chest, I received a kick from the back, a type I would have given Bisi, the troublesome brat who caused me hurt.
“Why did you let her beat you? Don’t you have hands too?”
Like a flash of light, they were gone. I, still on the couch sobbed uncontrollably. My mom did no wrong in raising me to be a strong kid, but here I was, once again, leaving the cover untilted.
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Afemikhe Angel is a writer, and 300-level student with a passion for exploring the human experience beyond the physical. She’s currently studying English and Literary Studies at the University of Abuja, Nigeria. When she’s not writing or studying, Afemikhe Angel loves to tap into her creativity through music and movies especially K-drama and nature. She’s always on the lookout for new sources of inspiration and is excited to share her unique perspective with readers. Afemikhe Angel’s writing spans short stories, flash fiction, and poetry, blending her Nigerian heritage, imagination, personal experiences, and observations on life. She’s building a portfolio of work and is eager to connect with readers who share her love for writing.
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Read – Hide and Seek – A Flash Fiction by Abdulsamad Jimoh – Nigeria
