Even Odds Page 5

her. They briefly wrestle with their arms. He succeeds in getting hold of her neck and starts to strangle her. She chokes and gasps for air, trying to beat his arms away. He tightens his hold and soon she weakens, but he doesn’t relax his hold. Then she stops struggling and slumps to the floor; he maintains his hold. She is finally lying motionless on the floor as he holds onto her neck still. Suddenly he stops and pushes her away, stands up and looks down at her in sudden realization of what he had just done. In the complete silence that follows he lets out a long cry of anguish and falls on her still body, weeping. After a while he abruptly stops crying and stands up from her corpse. NE looks down briefly at BI's lifeless body, before he turns away and picks up his sword. He starts to walk away but stops in pain, drops the sword and clasps his chest. He falls to the ground in pain and starts to roll on the floor till he is also lying motionless, with his face up. His hands lie lifeless by his sides and his body completely still, with his eyes and mouth lifelessly wide open. They lie side by side, beside each other and lights fade off).

  ###

  The End

  The poem

  Even odds

  Truth salts,

  Like tears.

  And paths,

  Reveal fears.

  Night sleeps,

  Light wakes.

  Sheep reaps,

  Ant makes.

  When ripe,

  Eat fruit.

  Every life

  Has soot.

  Yoked, alone;

  They peered.

  Even stone

  Has feared.

  Even odds

  Can even.

  Even odds,

  Odds even.

  About the author

  Yas Niger is a Nigerian writer and poet with progressively traditional views. A trained educationist, activist and social media commentator who writes fictional works on contemporary African and world issues, advocating civilized virtues. With a preference for simple poetry and unconventional literary prose, he writes in a removed assertive manner, reflecting on everyday secular relationships.

  ***

  Other titles by Yas Niger:

  STATE OF THE STATE

  ROMANCE OF THE REGIONS

  BREASTS OF DOOM

  WHAT DO YOU TELL A SON

  THE OLD WOMAN'S MAID

  STRENGTH OF A WOMAN

  GOOD FOR THE GOOSE

  EVEN ODDS

  THE WHORE

  BOKO HARAM

  Heinrich Böll Stiftung Nigeria sponsored collaboration with seven other Nigerian writers:

  NAMELESS

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