IJE AWELE 1

As promised, here is the winner of the Leonora Osato 2015 Short Fiction Prize, enjoy...

"I want my daddy," she sobbed as Aunty Lana tried to soothe her. "Where is my daddy?"

 Olanna was at a loss of words as she watched the child lamenting. She was at the brink of tears herself. After all the poor child had been through, this just seemed so unfair.

 "My angel, your daddy is fine, he'll soon be back," she tried to console her.

 "When Aunty Lana? When? That's what you said last night," she said sobbing
.

 Olanna, also called Lana by friends and family, hugged the crying child close to her bosom. It was so disheartening to watch her bony body as it was racking with sobs but for the moment she knew ten year-old Awele was better off with a lie.

The Re-union 3

Eight lonely months passed. In everything black she saw the colour of his hair. She paused on the streets to stare at young men who looked as Nduka had in his prime; she gazed longingly at the backs of tall, strong-looking men with broad shoulders, wistfully hoping they would turn and she would see Nduka smile at her again. They did turn sometimes, as if they felt the yearning hot blaze of her eyes, and she would turn away her eyes, for they weren't him, not ever him.

365 days later...

So 365 days rolled by and we're still here. A lot happened in the past year 2015. The most notable for me is that I finally finished my undergrad programme in Uniport. Next for me is service but in the meantime I plan to take my blogging seriously. No more sporadic and spasmodic posts, I can't promise daily updates but I can promise weekly updates at least. So expect more, more spanking new episodes on Grafted Branches @kellychikezie's blog and exciting short stories series on IK Chikezie's space. Also watch out for award winner Ije Awele