MAGIC WAND by CHIAMAKA NTA

MAGIC WAND by CHIAMAKA NTA

Magic Wand: I wade off evil, it’s evil, I know!!! The sound, the blast, what it does to a human body, I would not get started on what it does to one’s soul, an environment where gunshots being fired becomes a norm.

 

If there isn’t the sounds of it, then it is the sound of my heart beating, coming back from school with my younger brother, when we would have to put our hands in the air as a sign of surrender, they wouldn’t hurt us!, they were the touts on my street.



Those who take pride in retaliation, when a street boy, like they were fondly being called offends a member of their gang, they retaliate on the person’s behalf, they go en masse to rain terror in that neighborhood.

 

I remembered I heard of a young graduate who died due to a stray bullet from a gun that was never found, and a suspect who never got caught, would I say I was blessed? NO!, I’d say I was lucky.

 

The sound of bullets drops on our roof, the riots and fight never ended, it was like it cooled off for some days then springs forth, bringing with it more oppressed, self loathing and drug abused faithful disciples.



Those who saw nothing good in their lives or a vision they wanted to attain, my mother was strict, as when you live in an environment known to be rough and littered with hooligans, one needs a hands of steel to train their kids.

 

Away from the prying hands of evil she shielded us, through words and actions, my escape became reading, a good novel from a neighbor years ago opened my heart to the magic of words, what it could do to one’s soul, “Now or Never” was the title of the novel, my first ever read.

 

Away from the instrument of death, I would flee to the pages of my books, paint pictures. In my imagination, give life to written words, gather knowledge embedded in every chapter, make my own world away from the evil I refuse to let hurt me.



I wouldn’t join their journey, we were never meant to walk the same path, one who reads could travel the world without seeing it, the playing of card games in a casino where one could win all or loose all bets.

 

I placed my bets on WORDS and I can hear the echo of shots fired no more, I pick an instrument of life rather of death.

 

Magic Wand

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