A Collection of Short Stories
Tales-from-the-Other-Side-2015 Tales-from-the-Other-Side-2015
Sibbyl Whyte Cracks customary family hug. The twins are unchanged, playing at the table till Chizaram, snaps at Chimaobi and a fight ensues. Mother rushes out - late for work - and instructs Evelyn to make lunch and dinner just in case they return late. She stares at her breakfast, appetite lost. She yells at the still bickering twins, they listen and finish their food. She packs up and does the dishes while they migrate to their room and games. Chores finished, she lies in bed and looks upon the crack now as wide as the baby snake her father once found in the flower hedges and killed. She knows everything has changed. Later, after her siesta, she inspects the house for cracks. Thirteen of them she finds— seven in her parents’ bedroom. She knows some people say thirteen is an unlucky number but seven is good. Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Seven days of creation. She learnt that in catechism. In the night, they sit for dinner; daddy complains, mum flinches and bows her head, apologetic. He smiles then, a baring of fangs like a lion they once saw at the zoo. Evelyn coughs, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat and the words form: “Daddy, do you know our house is breaking? “How?” He asks, a spoonful of rice halfway to his mouth. The twins turn to look at her. “There are many cracks in the walls. Especially in you and mummy’s room,” she says, looking from one to the other. “Haven’t you people seen them?” 29
Cracks Sibbyl Whyte “Oh. That? Nothing will happen, it will not make the house break, my dear.” His words come out in mishmash as he chews on his meat and leaves the table, phone ringing in his pocket. “Evelyn, stop talking. You children finish your food and go to bed. I will clean up,” her mother says, pushing back her chair, in pursuit of her husband. She nods and looks down on her food. It is difficult to chew now; unspoken words war with each spoonful she swallows. From their bedroom she hears the shouts that beget the slaps that beget the slamming of doors; daddy gone. Why can’t they see it? The house is breaking, everything is changing. She shovels the food in, hardly chewing, not tasting. Maybe nothing is wrong with her parents. Maybe every house breaks into pieces too. Once, when the house was being built, dad had taken them all one Saturday afternoon to watch. She had seen the men moulding blocks, sweat streaming down their backs as they mixed cement, sand and water. Maybe it is the fault of the builders. Maybe they added too much water and the blocks became weak in some parts. Maybe the walls would stop breaking at one point. Maybe... She chews viciously on the meat, bites her tongue and tastes blood. Standing up, she packs up the plates, careful not to let angry tears drop. Years come, years go. It is New Year’s Eve. The New Year will be Evelyn’s last in secondary school. She looks forward to the university where she would be free of rules and spend more time away from home if she feels like it. She gazes at the crack which stopped growing after it became a 30 Tales from the Other Side
- Page 1 and 2: A Collection of Short Stories
- Page 3 and 4: First Published as an e-book in 201
- Page 6 and 7: To the one who made it against the
- Page 8 and 9: He turns around. It’s been callin
- Page 11 and 12: Angels of Redemption Hymar David An
- Page 13 and 14: Angels of Redemption Hymar David an
- Page 15 and 16: Angels of Redemption Hymar David Sa
- Page 17: Angels of Redemption Hymar David To
- Page 20 and 21: Eketi Ette Behind The Scene Be care
- Page 22 and 23: Eketi Ette Behind The Scene not bee
- Page 24 and 25: Eketi Ette Behind The Scene In this
- Page 27 and 28: Birthright Miracle Adebayo
- Page 29 and 30: Birthright Miracle Adebayo *** The
- Page 31 and 32: Birthright Miracle Adebayo was burs
- Page 33 and 34: Birthright Miracle Adebayo “I won
- Page 36 and 37: Cracks Sibbyl Whyte
- Page 40: Sibbyl Whyte Cracks baby-snake and
- Page 43 and 44: Double Promotion Shittu Fowora Spre
- Page 45 and 46: Double Promotion Shittu Fowora She
- Page 47 and 48: Double Promotion Shittu Fowora week
- Page 49 and 50: Double Promotion Shittu Fowora For
- Page 52 and 53: Fourteen Years Bankole Banjo
- Page 54 and 55: Bankole Banjo Fourteen Years speak
- Page 56 and 57: Bankole Banjo Fourteen Years But he
- Page 58: Bankole Banjo Fourteen Years rolled
- Page 61 and 62: Jibril Olisaeloka Onyekaonwu Hide u
- Page 63 and 64: Jibril Olisaeloka Onyekaonwu I groa
- Page 65 and 66: Jibril Olisaeloka Onyekaonwu “You
- Page 68 and 69: Open Your Eyes Su’eddie Agema
- Page 70 and 71: Su’eddie Agema Open Your Eyes see
- Page 72 and 73: Su’eddie Agema Open Your Eyes shi
- Page 75 and 76: Passenger 13E Aideyan Daniel
- Page 77 and 78: Passenger 13E Aideyan Daniel ‘Bab
- Page 79 and 80: Passenger 13E Aideyan Daniel make s
- Page 81: Passenger 13E Aideyan Daniel bounde
- Page 84 and 85: TJ Benson Pretty Bird The war had j
- Page 86 and 87: TJ Benson Pretty Bird rang out in t
Cracks<br />
Sibbyl Whyte<br />
“Oh. That? Nothing will happen, it will not make the house break, my dear.” His words<br />
come out in mishmash as he chews on his meat and leaves the table, phone ringing in his<br />
pocket.<br />
“Evelyn, stop talking. You children finish your food and go to bed. I will clean up,” her mother<br />
says, pushing back her chair, in pursuit <strong>of</strong> her husband.<br />
She nods and looks down on her food. It is difficult to chew now; unspoken words war<br />
with each spoonful she swallows. From their bedroom she hears the shouts that beget the<br />
slaps that beget the slamming <strong>of</strong> doors; daddy gone. Why can’t they see it? The house<br />
is breaking, everything is changing. She shovels the food in, hardly chewing, not tasting.<br />
Maybe nothing is wrong with her parents. Maybe every house breaks into pieces too.<br />
Once, when the house was being built, dad had taken them all one Saturday afternoon to<br />
watch. She had seen the men moulding blocks, sweat streaming down their backs as they<br />
mixed cement, sand and water. Maybe it is the fault <strong>of</strong> the builders. Maybe they added<br />
too much water and the blocks became weak in some parts. Maybe the walls would stop<br />
breaking at one point. Maybe... She chews viciously on the meat, bites her tongue and<br />
tastes blood. Standing up, she packs up the plates, careful not to let angry tears drop.<br />
Years come, years go.<br />
It is New Year’s Eve. The New Year will be Evelyn’s last in secondary school. She looks<br />
forward to the university where she would be free <strong>of</strong> rules and spend more time away from<br />
home if she feels like it. She gazes at the crack which stopped growing after it became a<br />
30<br />
Tales from the Other Side
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