AMINA

Anaelechi Miracle Smart

My Reputation Has Gone in Exchange

 I couldn't place my sanity on any of the thoughts that flooded into my head. It ached as if I was carrying a ton of mud. My vision gradually went blurry, my tongue loosed its wetness, and I could feel the beats of Atilogwu music as it played in my head. 

"Argh!" I exclaimed due to its excruciating pain. I beckoned for aid not even a shadow was available. I struggled to scream but at this point, my tongue seemed stagnant. 

"What is happening?" I questioned my mind as I reclined to the bed with both hands supporting my head cause it was on the verge of explosion. The world became a spherical metallic object for a shotput game. I lifted it as those who watched were in shock. My imagination was dealing with me. No one offered a solution to me, but, that wasn't my problem. I was elated inside the elevator, my torso was gradually ascending into the sky. Perhaps, I was the Messiah to come but people disdained me because of my race. In my wonderland, the utmost of my imagination came with a mighty game of emotion.

"Hello, pretty!" I greeted. Over the years, I have always been obsessed with South African ladies. I love to watch them dance in their cultural attire, flaunting the beauty of African women. My dream had come to pass. Here I was in their Grahams Town Festival___ a festival that celebrates all genres of Arts and appreciates Mother Earth. I couldn't stop admiring the beauty on the stage. She possessed a majestic coiffure, with tresses that cascaded down her back like a rich, dark waterfall. Her hair was a luxuriant mane, full and luscious, with hints of subtle waves that framed her face and accentuated her striking features. Her physique was a true marvel of feminine elegance, a masterful blend of curves and contours. My eyes were buried in her hourglass. I danced to the merry of the music. Afterward, she dined with me in the comfort of my bed. This nightstand birthed a seed___Arno and Lerato. I was a proud father who had acquired an empire in a foreign land. My son was ever proud to have a maestro like me, as he awaited to enjoy his dynasty.

Behold, a whip rested at my back, it dissolved all that I had built for years into thin air. As I slowly opened my eyes, I found myself supine on the floor, surrounded by the detritus of my folly. It appeared that I had ingested an excessive quantity of sand, no doubt in a misguided attempt to satiate my fantasies. My limbs splayed out in a dramatic tableau as if my very body was trying to convey the turmoil that beset my mind. Unknown to me, I had ingested a copious amount of a potent substance, ostensibly prescribed for a restful slumber. Alas, I never knew that I had succumbed to its insidious influence. Instead of drifting off into a peaceful repose, I had unwittingly invited a malevolent force into my being, one that would wreak havoc on my very existence. Here I am, infringed of my right as I obliged to the immobility of my state with my hands bound with metallic chains. Each tear I shed became a merriment to the company of dementia around me. 

What will people say about me? I needed a mild repose and had turned myself into an object of wit. Why did I fail to seek the doctor's prescription but adhere to the counsel of my friend for a better result? What makes me a graduate? In my quest for a good sleep, my reputation has gone as an exchange. 

PS: Drug abuse is deadly. If you are struggling with substance abuse, please, seek medical help.

 Evergreen (Written in 2022) 2nd edition (2024).