A Collection of Short Stories

Su’eddie Agema
Open Your Eyes
see rain falling from the skies, it is Aôndo, the Almighty, crying. Sometimes, He cries. They
are His tears …”
“Daddy, is He crying because His mummy was a phoenix?”
He had sighed deeply, like on many other occasions when you had asked such a question.
Your mother was a phoenix, according to your father. A phoenix was a bird who died by
burning into ashes so that a new one could be born. Sigh.
“Yes, He cries because of a phoenix. But His story is different. It is His son he cries for. He sent
His phoenix son to the world who died and rose… But that is a tale for a different time. Now,
listen. Every time the tears fall, Baver the drummer of the skies directs the tears making them
hit one at a time. Listen, as it drums: tap, tap, tap… You can almost dance to it… Tap ta…”
“I will be a drummer!”
“Yes, you will be and a fine drummer too. But be careful son. For on nights when the drums
beat too loud…”
Silence as your father paused, looked around to be sure no one was listening. You had
looked around too. Then you looked at him, fully attentive, waiting to hear the next words:
“As you hear the rains hit the sand, know it is Baver who warns to be careful: evil looms the
land. If you look carefully, evil comes together and a lot falls apart… Ahhhhhh!”
“Arrrrrrghhhhhh!”
“Hoohooohoo … You are a big boy, never forget. You are five but you have the strength to
conquer if you can believe in yourself. But watch out, for on that night when the drums of the
roof match that of the beats into the ground, there will be fears, for then the tears would give
cause for our cares…”
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