THE HUNT IS BRAINLESS...BUT MY IMAGINATION TOWS ME ON!!!

THE HUNT IS BRAINLESS…BUT MY IMAGINATION TOWS ME ON!!!
                                 …The Sun rises, so does it set to give the moon a fair chance too. The flowers bloom and zoom come the bumble bees. The span from intercourse to the birth of a child…How much longer are we going to wait for the bus? How long will our journey be for? Make hay while the Sun shines, and leave no stone unturned…How much do I get if I work for this long? I can hold my breath for as long as I want…
                                  It’s 9:55PM, a Saturday night, Lagos, on the 7th of June, 2012. I was alone in a dark room. Rays of dim lights reflect in through the window. The ceiling fan is rolling waywardly at the minimum speed, squeaking away as a proof of its age. I’m thinking about a lot of things. My laptop is right in front of me, with the blinking cursor stagnant for over 6 minutes. I sat upright on a big, square bed, wearing nothing but a white pair of shorts. My mood isn’t the brightest, but good enough to reply a pissing text message politely. My fingers are woven together like a chessboard. On it lays my scanty chin. I’m marveling at the fact that an invisible presence is responsible for many unknown things, even the swelling of my 'Garri' (a delicacy in Nigeria made out of cassava). I thought to myself, no matter how many times I filled the fine grains with water, when I abandon it for a few seconds, it still gets soaked up before I revisited it. It was clearly inevitable. Similar to the Hulk, I began to sweat profusely, my heart beats faster, my veins pop out striving to burst, my eyes redden, my fist clinches. I was fed up and so I yelled out loud “WHAT MANNER OF SORCERY IS THIS THAT HAS TOTAL CONTROL OF EVERY ELEMENT IN THIS WORLD AND LEAVES NO CHANCE FOR MAN’S FREE WILL?!”
                                It seems there is a power out there, a power that everything and everyone seems to consciously live by. What manner of authority is this that even the God I serve works by? I hate to accept the fact that there is a supremacy that compels believers and non-believers to work in one accord. I hate the fact especially that I have no say when it strikes and steals away valuable prizes. I grew up hating to digest that fact. I grew to understand that this power is beyond anything I ever imagined. I hated the fact that everyone mentioned its name. There was no escape, I had to know its name. I have to do something about this power and anyone who shares in my discontent can assist me…I need a plan. I need a map…I have to find a way to kill........TIME!!!

The Uninvited One

The Uninvited One

He is active, rugged and vicious…He doesn’t go by each day without the hustle or bustle. He takes his money seriously, and if u don’t pay up then there’s going to be a problem…Men succumb to his rush, women panic with the rush, children cling to their mothers and join in the rush…He plays different types of music simultaneously on the loudest deafening volume creating a noise, ranging from the Ibo style praise and worship to the jumpy tunes of hip-hop to the high pitched sounds of Highlife choruses to the baritone of Dare art Alade too…His lifestyle is a rush. He fears nothing. He smokes, he drinks, he fights, he yells, he spits, he is just not ideal for the peaceful and calm…he is Ojuelegba (a very busy place in Lagos, Nigeria)!

Ojuelegba knows no calm but only at late hours of the night…But, there was a change of events. An annual visitor has come to town and he was thrice multiplied by three scores as mean as Ojuelegba. He came suddenly and with an impact too, which caused people to abandon their cars, homes and work. He vowed to reign for 10 days upfront and no one could challenge him. Not even Ojuelegba stood a chance.

June 2^nd, 2012. With faith I stepped out of my home, hoping to escape the harassment of Ojuelegba. From a distance I saw him going about his daily life, I was crushed…but suddenly, I was saved…The annual visitor came to my rescue. He forced Ojuelegba scrambling and activities to a quite halt! I was surprised! There was no rush, no cars, no noise, and no life! Where had Ojuelegba gone to? I seized that opportunity to board the next bus filled with terrified passengers wearing protective gears and wielding weapons for their defense. Was I the only ill prepared one? I asked myself. Just as I got in, like judgment day, the “visitor” rained his terror on ojuelegba and others...He rained and rained and rained!!! And each time he yelled, a thousand thunderous claps followed. When he turned, vicious winds cleared his path. When he swung his staff, crystal cold temperatures seized the hearts of men. He is STORM!!! Houses where flooded, gutters overflowed, cars were tossed to the side. Tankers were tackled...but with a prayer I got to my destination safely in 80 minutes, a journey of 25minutes normally.

Not many people like storm during the day but only at night when they are safe in their homes and cuddled beside their loved ones………

Babatunde Henry Apampa

Marvin's Room

               He said to me "lets go make this money!" and all hope seemed renewed and I smiled,nodding in agreement... But that smile was shattered instantly because I knew that meant forgetting family,friends and my old life. On that spot I saw my future if I accepted to leave all behind. Misery filled my heart despite the comfortable life, tears trickled down my cheeks as that thought consumed me. I wish I could snap out of it but I couldn't. The thought continued. I could see my self having the time of my life; money at my disposal, super fast cars to stimulate my thrill and all the right connects. But, that fulfillment was gone like a one night stand.
               I had a flash back of how fun my old life was,the comfort of friends and family...but SUDDENLY!! I snapped out of it and realized that all what was staged was only a figment of my imagination! It was only in my head right from the beginning of this story. But who owned the face or identity of the inviting man?? I knew not...STRANGE!
               I was alone in my room,the song "Marvin's Room" by Drake was playing away at the lowest volume. I think I sank into that thought 'cuz of the wordings of that song accompanied with my fear of the future;Am I gonna be rich and comfortable or not? coupled with the fact that my sporadic adventurous spirit is limited by lack of enough cash despite the fact that my family is money.
                By this time, I'm wiping the tears off my cheeks again,with a huge smile, and composing this very story which you are reading this very moment.
                I'd rather be comfortable and surrounded with the people that care than be extravagant but melancholy. And I'm glad I have friends and family that make the former happen, and this fact even made my eyes water...but I'm not drunk so what's the uncontrollable waterworks about??? psshhhhh!!!