Poetry & Prose

I was a hymn hummed in the hollow, a stillness folded in on itself…the kind of quiet that doesn't beg to be broken, only endured. My world, a gentle murmur of maybe-next-time, a cathedral of closed doors.Then you…you, all wildfire and violins, entered like a question no one dared ask, and I…I answered."Hello."God, what a foolish gospel of a word.With it, I spilled the archive of my silences at the feet of your smile, that sun-swept smile that made ruins romantic, and shadows feel seen.You were already taken, stitched into someone else’s story. But still…I danced in the ellipses of your presence, made metaphors of your glances, drew constellations between your freckles and called it hope.I who never needed witness, never thirsted for eyes…now drink drought. Now ache like architecture with no tenants, now haunt the rooms you once walked through without even knowing you were holy.And loneliness…oh, she was never cruel to me before you. Before your laugh taught me what silence truly meant. Before your absence became a language I was forced to learn.I smile now with precision. I speak with borrowed thunder.To them, I am occasional lightning…but you, you saw the storm. You sparked it. You left.And I remain…an introvert in borrowed skin, a man unraveling in borrowed light, rewinding that moment you looked at me…really looked, as if I weren’t invisible but inevitable.Darling, you dug a universe in my chest with one word, and now I orbit that singularity…hello.I say it to no one now, just echo it inward,a prayer for a past that never belonged to me.And isn’t that the cruelest thing?To live untouched for so long, and only feel truly alone after being seen.

The low hum of the holographic display was kelechi’s constant companion, a familiar rhythm in the tense silence.

The air in the briefing room was charged, a palpable energy that promised a storm, regardless of the outcome.

Everyone's gaze fixed on Baba segun

Baba Segun’s sigh was a quiet punctuation mark before his pronouncement. His gaze, a brief, heavy weight, passed over Halima, then Kira.

"My vote," he declared, his voice measured and final, "goes to Halima.I trust her judgment on this. The plan proceeds with Zara's inclusion.”

Kelechi felt a ripple of tension, a collective intake of breath.

The silence that followed was profound, thick with the weight of authority.

Kira, usually so volatile, froze.

Kelechi watched as Kira’s initial fury seemed to dissipate, replaced by a weary, almost imperceptible acceptance.

Kira’s eyes, usually sharp with defiance, swept over Baba Segun, a silent conversation of shared history.

"If Baba Segun trusts your judgment, Halima," Kira stated, her voice stripped of its earlier venom, though a sharp edge of tension remained. "Then I will not object. My concerns persist, but I will not jeopardize the unity essential for this operation. If this is our chosen path, we walk it together."

Her gaze then swept across the team."But let there be no doubt: any deviation, any sign of treachery, and I will act without hesitation."

Kelechi felt a collective exhalation in the room.

It wasn't an endorsement of Zara, but a fragile truce, a peace forged in the crucible of their shared objective.

Halima offered a subtle nod of acknowledgment to Kira. "Thank you, Kira. I understand."

Then, her focus shifted, her voice regaining its authoritative tone as she turned to the holographic display."Alright, team. Let's re-evaluate the plan with Zara's potential involvement. Amina, project the updated network analysis."

Amina, who had been observing the exchange with a mixture of apprehension and relief, immediately complied.

The holographic map of Ilorin shimmered into sharper focus, new nodes and pathways illuminating.

Some connected directly to Nuradeen's inner circle, others highlighted vulnerabilities that only someone with intimate knowledge could exploit.

"Zara's precise intelligence provides us with a direct conduit into Nuradeen's most secure communications," Halima explained, indicating a newly highlighted cluster of nodes. "She can verify the timing of his asset movements, the location of his most sensitive data caches, and critically, the identities of his deepest moles within the government and law enforcement.This isn't merely about apprehending Nuradeen; it's about dismantling his entire infrastructure, root and branch."

Halima outlined the revised strategy: “Kira's extraction team would still execute the surgical strike, but now with Zara's real-time updates. Miriam's role remained crucial for ground support. Amina would prepare the digital release of the evidence, timed to coincide with Nuradeen's capture. Kira would coordinate external communications.”

"The window of opportunity is still narrow," Halima concluded, her gaze firm. "We deploy in less than 1 hour. Everyone understands their role. Any questions?"

The room remained silent.

The earlier tension had transformed into a focused determination.

"Good," Halima affirmed. "Then let's prepare. Kira, Miriam – ready your teams. Amina, finalize the data packages. We will reconvene here in ten minutes for final synchronization."

Kira gave a curt nod, her expression unreadable. "Jide, with me. Miriam, there's much to do." She turned and exited, her movements precise and efficient, Jide following closely with Miriam, like a silent shadow, followed.

Baba segun, after a quick, reassuring glance at Halima, also departed.

Amina plunged into her console, her fingers flying across the keyboard, a flurry of code and data streams filling her screens.

The hum of the machines seemed to intensify, a symphony of preparation.

Halima, watching them go, finally turned to Kelechi, her quiet words, "Now is the time we have that talk.”

Kelechi's heart pounded.

This was it, the moment he had been desperately waiting for.

He followed her to a quieter corner of the room, away from Amina's focused work.

The holographic display cast a faint, blue glow on their faces, highlighting her weary resolve.

"I know you have many questions," she began, her eyes searching for him. "And you deserve answers, to them."

Kelechi nodded, speechless.

"My involvement with Nuradeen," she started, her voice barely above a whisper,"It all started when I met him during a community outreach program,"

Halima continued, her voice now steady, devoid of emotion, as if recounting a painful but necessary truth.“It was a student social event, I met Nuradeen. He liked my speaking, my ideas. He approached me. He wanted me to work for him. I hesitated at first. I was a student, focused on studies. But when finals neared, he offered me a work proposal and this time I saw it as practical, to prepare me after graduation. And it helped cover my final year expenses. Then I finished school, continued with his offer, went to kwara for my NYSC service and began to work for him fully there.”

Kelechi listened, as Halima continued.

“I initially worked for Nuradeen, believing I was making a positive impact by settling disputes with the way I thought differently.However, during my year of service, I discovered his true nature: a manipulative exploiter involved in human trafficking through shelter homes, drug dealing, and using his influence for illicit wealth.Eventually, Jide, a former colleague, confirmed my suspicions, revealing Nuradeen's power plays and manipulation. He made me realize I was an unwitting pawn in Nuradeen's quest for power and money.”

Her voice gardened as she continued “When I finally understood. Naively, I told him I could no longer work for him, I couldn't be a part of it anymore.My world burned down, literally. His people torched my house. I was almost burned, but Jide saved me, pulling me from the flames. We escaped with nothing."

"Then," she whispered, "I did something stupid. I offered Nuradeen my services, but with ulterior motives. My intelligence, my connections. I became his 'fixer,' his 'strategist.' I helped him navigate politics, identify targets, and build networks.I became the architect of his most successful, and heinous, operations.

”But why?" Kelechi whispered. "Why not just escape? Why not expose him then?"

"Because he had eyes everywhere, Kelechi. I realized that the only way to truly dismantle his empire was from within.To gather enough evidence, enough leverage, to bring him down completely, irrevocably. Not just to wound him, but to sever every single one of his poisonous roots."

"So, everything you did... the corruption, the manipulation... it was all a long game?"

"Every step," she affirmed, meeting his gaze. "Every lie, every compromise, every pretense of loyalty. It was all for this.To understand him. To document his crimes. To build the case to end him.The drives, the intel—all for that purpose."

"And Zara?" Kelechi asked, understanding. "Is she part of this?"

Halima nodded. "Zara is a victim, Nuradeen manipulated. I found her broken, gave her a choice: be his pawn, or help me. She chose to help. She's been my eyes and ears. She fed me information. She confirmed the details. She set the stage for this.”

"So, she's not a traitor…" kelechi asked

"No," Halima said, a faint, sad smile touching her lips. "She's a survivor. Like me. Like all of us who have been touched by Nuradeen's darkness. And now, we have the chance to finally end it."

She reached out, her hand gently touching his arm. "I know this is a lot to take in.I know it changes everything you thought you knew about me. But I need you to understand before we walk into the final truth.”

“What is the final truth, Halima?” Kelechi asked with raised eyebrow

Before another word, Amina's voice cut through the quiet, sharp and urgent. "Halima! The upload is at 70% and accelerating. We need to move. Now!"Halima's demeanor shifted instantly.

The vulnerability, the personal connection, vanished.

Her eyes, now cold and focused, met Kelechi one last time. "It's time," she stated, her voice devoid of emotion, purely professional.

She turned and moved swiftly towards Amina, her steps purposeful, her focus entirely on the task at hand.

Kelechi watched her go, a profound sense of admiration swelling within him.

He knew what she meant.

They had a monster to catch.

And for now, that was all that mattered.

***The afternoon breeze felt gentle wafting through the vents, into the safe house command center which was crackled with a different kind of energy – one of urgent, focused action.

Halima stood beside Kira, their expression a mask of grim determination.

Kelechi was close by, his gaze fixed on the holographic displays.

Amina, her face illuminated by the glow of multiple screens, was a whirlwind of data and commands.

Her fingers danced across the interface, tracking, analyzing, and relaying information to Miriam and Jide, who were out in the field.

"He's on the move!" Amina's voice cut through the tense silence, sharp and precise. "Nuradeen's entire network, all his illicit dealings, every dirty secret – it's all over the net. The leak is massive. He could try to escape."

Kira gave a curt nod. "Miriam, Jide, stay on him. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary. We need him alive."

Kelechi watched the main holographic map. A red dot, representing Nuradeen, was moving rapidly across the digital terrain, while two green dots, Miriam and Jide, were in relentless pursuit. The focus of everyone in the command center was entirely on the external chase.

"He's heading northeast, coordinates 34.567, -12.345," Amina relayed into her comms, her voice a calm counterpoint to the pounding adrenaline of the chase.

"Understood," Miriam's voice came back, a slight strain in it. "He's fast, too fast for a man his age."

"He must have a vehicle, Miriam," Jide added, his breath coming in short gasps.

"He’s anticipating your moves, be careful.”Amina warned, her fingers flying across the screen, adjusting projections.

Suddenly, a new dot appeared on the map, a smaller, yellow one, directly in the parameter of the safe house.

Kelechi frowned asking "What's that?"

Amina's voice tightened. "No... this can't be right."

Halima stepped closer, her voice low.

"What is it, Amina?"

"It's a digital tracker” Amina whispered, her gaze snapping to Kelechi. "A sophisticated one. It's been broadcasting our location since it entered the safe house."

Kelechi's blood ran cold.

A tracker.

Before anyone could fully process the revelation, a muffled explosion rocked the room, sending dust raining down from the ceiling.

The lights flickered, then stabilized, but the ominous silence that followed was far more terrifying than the blast.

Amina's voice, sharp and urgent, cut through the tense air. "Tracker confirmed! It's in the dormitory room, you have to get Halima and Kelechi out, now!! While I alert others.”

Kira slammed her fist onto a hidden panel.

"Let's go," Kira yelled, her voice strained."There's a service tunnel, under the main server rack! It leads to the old market district, Amina, make sure you meet up with us.”

Without another word, Kira moved with practiced speed, navigating Kelechi and halima towards the designated escape route.

Kelechi, still reeling from the tracker revelation, followed Halima and scrambled through the narrow, dusty service tunnel, the sound of deafening alarm blaring with strobes flashes fading behind them.

Kira led the way, her movements swift and silent, until they emerged into the cool afternoon air of a deserted alleyway in the old market district.

"This way," Kira whispered, her hand on the hilt of a newly acquired blade.

Her eyes scanned their surroundings, alert for any pursuit.

Five feet close to the entrance of a forgotten warehouse, a figure stepped out from Hiding, to be clearly seen in the open.

Halima tensed, her hand instinctively reaching for Kira's arm.

Kira froze, with her eyes locked on the figure, hesitating for a split second,her stance defensive, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Kelechi stopped in his tracks

It was Zara.

Of course, the logic was undeniable.

The tracker, the blast, it was Nuradeen's counter-attack – it all clicked into place. Zara, here, now.

It had to be a trap.

She has been waiting here.

"Zara," Kira's voice was a low growl, laced with betrayal. "What are you doing here? Did Nuradeen send you to finish the job?"

Zara's face, usually composed, was etched with a mixture of relief and raw emotion.

Her eyes, red-rimmed, darted between Kira, Halima, and Kelechi.

Then, without a word, she rushed forward, not with a weapon, but with open arms.

She enveloped Kira in a fierce, desperate hug, burying her face in her sister's shoulder. "Kira!, you're safe! I was so worried... I thought I'd lost you."Her voice was choked with tears. "It's all over."

Kira, initially rigid with shock and suspicion, slowly, tentatively, returned the embrace.

The tension in her body began to ease, replaced by a profound, disbelieving relief.

Halima and Kelechi watched, stunned, as the sisters clung to each other, the weight of years of separation and misunderstanding dissolving in that single, unexpected moment.

The embrace between Kira and Zara was a silent testament to a bond that had endured despite everything.

Halima watched, a flicker of something akin to a weary satisfaction in her eyes.

Kelechi, however, was still reeling, the pieces of the puzzle not quite fitting.

"What is she talking about, Halima?" Kelechi finally managed, his voice hoarse."what's over? Why is Zara here?"

Halima stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the reunited sisters, then settling on Kelechi.

Her voice, though still carrying the weight of recent events, held a new, almost defiant clarity.

"Zara speaks of what we've been fighting from the inside, Kelechi," Halima began, her eyes meeting him. "I didn't tell you this but before I went back to Nuradeen, I secretly sought Zara's help and discovered that she also aimed to expose Nuradeen, through Babe segun who had collaborated for months with the anti corruption unit, on a plan to infiltrate Nuradeen's operations, gathering evidence from within to irrevocably dismantle his entire network.I was to gather enough evidence to bring him down completely, irrevocably."

Halima looked at Kira, then back at Kelechi. "And for that to work, for it to have any chance of success, it had to be a secret even from you Kira, because any hint, any suspicion, would have compromised everything. Only Baba Segun was aware, because he understood Nuradeen and how he has eyes and ears everywhere. The fewer people who knew, the safer the plan, and the safer we were. Until, Nuradeen discovered my intentions during the breaking in of his vault.”

“The tracker... that was part of it too?" She asked, taking a deep breath.

Zara, still holding Kira, nodded, her voice softer now, but firm. "The tracker... It was a calculated risk. It allowed us to feed Nuradeen information about your location, to make him believe he was always one step ahead, while we were actually setting the stage for his downfall. It was meant to draw him out, to make him overconfident."

Halima continued, "The leak of our location sent Nuradeen scrambling out... that was Zara's work. The tracker was meant to confirm his belief that he had us cornered, that he was in control. It was all part of the final act to expose him, to force him into the open where he could be apprehended, and his entire infrastructure dismantled."

Kira finally pulled away from Zara, her expression a complex mix of shock and dawning understanding. "You mean... all this time... you were playing us? Both of you?"

Zara looked at Kira, pleading with her eyes. "I hated every moment of it, sis. But it was the only way to keep us all safe, and to get him.”

Halima nodded grimly. "Every step. Every lie, every compromise, every pretense of loyalty. It was all for this, to understand him, document his crimes and build the case to end him. The drives, the intel—all for that purpose. And Zara was instrumental in feeding me the real-time intelligence I needed to navigate his world."

Kira, still processing the magnitude of her sister's sacrifice, could only stare.

Kelechi, however, felt a new wave of clarity wash over him and finally spoke up

“I'm guessing the tracker was placed in my bag, when you handed it over to Kira as a disguise for being helpful.”

"Every time it seemed like I was acting against Halima," Zara finally said, her voice soft but resolute, "it was only to make Nuradeen believe I was playing her, that I was still on his side. He thrives on manipulation, on believing he controls everyone. We had to feed that illusion."

Kelechi stared at Halima, then at Zara,

The revelation was heavy with the weight of; past deceptions but with present understanding.

A sharp ping echoed from Kira's comms.

She glanced down at her wrist, her eyes widening. "Miriam," she breathed, a flicker of disbelief, then triumph, crossing her face. She held up her wrist, displaying a grainy but unmistakable image: Nuradeen, disheveled and bound, being led away by Miriam and Jide.

The chase was over, the monster caught.

Now, it was justice's time.

Kira stepped forward. "I'l begin to compile a comprehensive report to ensure the legal team is fully briefed.”

Good," Halima affirmed, her voice clear and authoritative.

Kira turned walking away with Zara, a display of renewed sense of purpose, the sisterly bond visibly mended with their hands wrapped together.

Halima turned to Kelechi, her expression softened, a glimpse of the woman he knew.

She reached out, taking his hands in hers, their fingers intertwining.

A slow, genuine smile spread across his face, reflecting the profound peace he felt.

The path ahead could be challenging, but they would face it together.

He looked at Halima, a future, once unimaginable, now shimmering brightly before them.

“You won't be hiding anymore, because now…. I SEE YOU, HALIMA.” Kelechi whispered into the warm afternoon breeze carrying a new beginning ….

The Scale

The last thing sold before the shop closed forever was the scale, the iron weighing scale that sat on our counter since the year Mum signed the lease with the landlord, and sold not on the same day to an outsider, but to Uche, my own business partner, on the very same day that the landlord's demolition notice came through.

I'd been waiting for the notice for the past three weeks. All the tenants had been warned of the end of the month to vacate the row, and all of us in our line at Ogbete knew, that the whitewashed board, block letters, was to be found in the corner pillar and that the entire row was slated for a renovation to a new shopping complex. The notice was in print, and the deadline was boldly typed on it.

It was the last Saturday and there was really nothing else to pack. In the two weeks before we'd sold off the stock, rice, beans, garri, crayfish, everything at prices better than you could possibly imagine, and good sense wouldn't enter into it (a bulldozer was already in the plans). All that was left was the counter, which was too heavy to handle; a pile of empty sacks; and the scale.

For the first time, Mum allowed me to put my hands on it when I was seven. I recall standing on an upturned crate just to peep over the edge of the counter, watching her drop stuffs on it to determine their price, and every time she would tell me, "A trader who cheats the scale cheats herself, you know, word gets around before money does, and a reputation, once tilted, never balances back." She ran that business alone for 9 years and then Uche (a business partner) joined us and we ran the business together for the next 12 years. This was a span of 25 years of my life.

Two markets back was a new site in Artisan Uche helped us secure, albeit on a smaller scale, but a good market, and a roof that doesn't leak. He insisted that I be with him, that I carry on the partnership as I always had. I said no. It wasn't as if I didn't love the trade, I did, the way I love something that would lift me up, but quietly, during the past year I began to admit to myself that I didn't want to spend the next twenty-one years doing exactly what Mama did for the previous twenty-one. I wanted it to be my choice, but his notice got there first and I let it be my choice rather than his.

Uche was going by that Saturday afternoon to get his share of the remainder. He gazed at the scale for a long time, but didn't say anything.

"This will be helpful to me," he said. " The new place doesn't have one."

I said to him, "Take it. It does belong to you anyway, half of everything here is yours.”

"Not like this na..." He then took out a fold of notes and placed it in my hands before I could protest, as he did in all other situations when he wished to end a thing without fighting. This was me buying my half back, properly, so no one would say I just walked off with what was ours.

I wanted to refuse it, the same way I'd wanted to refuse his offer to come with him, and failed at both for the same reason. Some decisions get made whether or not you agree to them, and all that's left is choosing how to stand while they happen. I counted the notes because he'd have been offended if I hadn't accepted it, then I helped him carry the scale to his brother's pickup truck myself, my hands under the same iron edges Mum's hands had held for years before mine ever touched it.

He drove off toward Artisan with our remaining trade riding in the back of that truck, and I stood in the empty stall a while longer than I needed to.

Mum still doesn't know I said no to going with him earlier, but I later told her that day during dinner, and she asked me what I meant to do instead, and for the first time in a long time I didn't have to lie and say I don't know.I just know it won't involve a scale again.