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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Teens
- Theme: Drama / Human Interest
- Subject: Death / Heartbreak / Loss
- Published: 08/13/2012
Gone With the Wind
Born 1995, F, from Lagos, NigeriaShe stopped running, pausing to pant like the dog beside her. Amaka looked at the black dog, her eyes shining with love. The dog lifted its dark brown eyes to stare at her sweetly.
“No Anigor, I am not racing you again”, she said as she sat under a tree. The mongrel paced about, it ran around the tree, jumping up before stopping to lick her face.
“You sweet thing. Okay, but I’ll only race you home, we won’t go anywhere else”. Anigor gave her face one last lick as she patted his head.
Amaka had come to the village from Lagos to spend her holiday with her Granny. Anigor was her grandmother's dog, it was given to her by her grandfather who died shortly after. The dog had been a loyal companion to her grandmother. Amaka had never had a dog and she loved it the first time she set her eyes on him. Her granny had allowed her to go out with Anigor because she saw that her grand daughter loved him like she did.
“You can take him with you whenever you want to go out, but, be careful. Don’t let anything happen to him”, her granny had said.
“I’ll be careful Mama. I’ll take care of him, I promise”.
In just a short time, she and the dog became inseparable. Anigor wasn’t beautiful or cute; in fact he was a very ugly dog. But, he had a warm and friendly spirit that made him irresistible to love. Amaka smiled at the dog. Whenever they raced he would run faster than her but always slowed down for her to be on the same pace with him.
“On your marks, get set, go" she said, taking off.
Anigor ran, keeping pace with her and then faster. In no time, they were out of the bus where they had paused to rest. Amaka knew her dog would win but this time she wasn’t going to let him, she would cheat.
“Anigor, come here boy” she shouted to him.
The dog stopped. He ran back to the dusty road he had just crossed after coming out of the bush. He stood in the middle of the road, watching her to see if it was a distress call or a trick. Amaka laughed, “Smart doggy” she muttered under her breath.
She stopped running and walked. Half limping to where he stood, watching.
“Got you” she said as she ran suddenly past the surprised dog. Then she heard the screeching of wheels, a weak bark followed with a whimper and then, silence. She turned to where she left him, “Oh God! No! Please no”.
She hadn’t seen the car when she tricked Anigor, it came from nowhere. Now, the car sped past, the driver not bothering to check what it had hit. Her dog lay on the dust, crushed. The broken bones sticking out of the battered flesh, the dark red blood in a union with bits of flesh and crunched bones.
Amaka moved closer to her dog. His brown eyes looked weakly into hers as she lifted his head into her lap. She could have swore she saw a faint smile spread briefly across his pain ridden face. She held him closer. His eyes glowed again then dimmed as she felt his body pressed against her chest heave with one last breath before lying back, this time lifeless.
She had promised granny that she would take care of him, now she killed him because she wanted to win. She knew she couldn’t face granny, she couldn’t forgive herself. She dropped his head gently on the ground and lay beside him, stroking his cold skin.
Although she was only eight years old, she knew the meaning of death and guilt. Now she would make atonement.
“I Am sorry, I am so sorry, Anigor,” she said in tears.
Then a cool breeze blew. She felt peace, and she knew she had been forgiven. The peace was so strong and the last thing she knew was that she was either dying or about to die when a trailer ran over her, crushing her skull.
The crowd gathered, staring in wonder and horror at the little girl whose body was crushed, with arms around the dead dog and a smile on her face.
Amaka’s granny stood beside the two lives she loved with all her heart, her granddaughter and her dog. They were taken away from her, gone like her husband. They were gone with the wind that gently teased her grey hair forward. Her husband had died; he donated his only kidney so that she could live. Her granddaughter died protecting the dog she loved. All gave for love.
She sighed, wondering what fate would ask of her before taking her on Death’s path, before she too would be gone, sailing on the wings of the wind to unite with those she loved and lost. She would have to sacrifice too, like they all did. But how and what would she give? Only time would tell.
Gone With the Wind(Melody Kuku)
She stopped running, pausing to pant like the dog beside her. Amaka looked at the black dog, her eyes shining with love. The dog lifted its dark brown eyes to stare at her sweetly.
“No Anigor, I am not racing you again”, she said as she sat under a tree. The mongrel paced about, it ran around the tree, jumping up before stopping to lick her face.
“You sweet thing. Okay, but I’ll only race you home, we won’t go anywhere else”. Anigor gave her face one last lick as she patted his head.
Amaka had come to the village from Lagos to spend her holiday with her Granny. Anigor was her grandmother's dog, it was given to her by her grandfather who died shortly after. The dog had been a loyal companion to her grandmother. Amaka had never had a dog and she loved it the first time she set her eyes on him. Her granny had allowed her to go out with Anigor because she saw that her grand daughter loved him like she did.
“You can take him with you whenever you want to go out, but, be careful. Don’t let anything happen to him”, her granny had said.
“I’ll be careful Mama. I’ll take care of him, I promise”.
In just a short time, she and the dog became inseparable. Anigor wasn’t beautiful or cute; in fact he was a very ugly dog. But, he had a warm and friendly spirit that made him irresistible to love. Amaka smiled at the dog. Whenever they raced he would run faster than her but always slowed down for her to be on the same pace with him.
“On your marks, get set, go" she said, taking off.
Anigor ran, keeping pace with her and then faster. In no time, they were out of the bus where they had paused to rest. Amaka knew her dog would win but this time she wasn’t going to let him, she would cheat.
“Anigor, come here boy” she shouted to him.
The dog stopped. He ran back to the dusty road he had just crossed after coming out of the bush. He stood in the middle of the road, watching her to see if it was a distress call or a trick. Amaka laughed, “Smart doggy” she muttered under her breath.
She stopped running and walked. Half limping to where he stood, watching.
“Got you” she said as she ran suddenly past the surprised dog. Then she heard the screeching of wheels, a weak bark followed with a whimper and then, silence. She turned to where she left him, “Oh God! No! Please no”.
She hadn’t seen the car when she tricked Anigor, it came from nowhere. Now, the car sped past, the driver not bothering to check what it had hit. Her dog lay on the dust, crushed. The broken bones sticking out of the battered flesh, the dark red blood in a union with bits of flesh and crunched bones.
Amaka moved closer to her dog. His brown eyes looked weakly into hers as she lifted his head into her lap. She could have swore she saw a faint smile spread briefly across his pain ridden face. She held him closer. His eyes glowed again then dimmed as she felt his body pressed against her chest heave with one last breath before lying back, this time lifeless.
She had promised granny that she would take care of him, now she killed him because she wanted to win. She knew she couldn’t face granny, she couldn’t forgive herself. She dropped his head gently on the ground and lay beside him, stroking his cold skin.
Although she was only eight years old, she knew the meaning of death and guilt. Now she would make atonement.
“I Am sorry, I am so sorry, Anigor,” she said in tears.
Then a cool breeze blew. She felt peace, and she knew she had been forgiven. The peace was so strong and the last thing she knew was that she was either dying or about to die when a trailer ran over her, crushing her skull.
The crowd gathered, staring in wonder and horror at the little girl whose body was crushed, with arms around the dead dog and a smile on her face.
Amaka’s granny stood beside the two lives she loved with all her heart, her granddaughter and her dog. They were taken away from her, gone like her husband. They were gone with the wind that gently teased her grey hair forward. Her husband had died; he donated his only kidney so that she could live. Her granddaughter died protecting the dog she loved. All gave for love.
She sighed, wondering what fate would ask of her before taking her on Death’s path, before she too would be gone, sailing on the wings of the wind to unite with those she loved and lost. She would have to sacrifice too, like they all did. But how and what would she give? Only time would tell.
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