The Blue Fighter | Simbarashe Steyn Kundizeza
(cover photograph direction: David Obi) my father was a man constantly building fish tanks. he failed often. leaving behind wet floors and shards of glass. once, he bought a carnivorous…
The Spices of Stone Town | Wesley Macheso
The town welcomes you with the smell of seaweed and rotten algae. How that hits your nose depends on where you’re coming from. For her, the first question was, “which…
The Hunger That Remains | Tomilola Adejumo
(cover photograph direction: David Obi) No one remembered when the pot first started cooking. It had been there before any of them were born—before the tarred roads came to Ama…
Between Here and There | Salma Ahmed
(cover photograph direction: Victor Akhere) The sign of the club frowned at Eli as he headed toward the back door. The entertainers and cooks in The Cotton Club had memorised…
Martyrs of the Chalice | Immaculate Halla
(cover photograph direction: Victor Akhere) My sister was pregnant. For four months now. I’m the one who sleeps with Makrina in the same bed, but I didn’t know it…
When the Dead Return Home | Ndakotsu Abubakar
(cover photograph direction: Victor Akhere) When Edati’s husband rises from his grave, Edati welcomes him with a sullen face. She is displeased that he rises late. From the information Iya…
Vanilla Baby | Erere Onyeugbo
(cover photograph direction: Dagim Abebe) You are at the age of performing desirability. But it is Nneka, your roommate who primes herself like a broiler pumped with feed, eager for…
The Boy I Used to Love | Chika Unigwe
(cover photograph direction: Dagim Abebe) Egbunike is your husband. Remind yourself of this, whatever else he no longer is. Lover. Soulmate. Honey. You blame it on this small flat with…
The One You Broke | Promise Chinonso Udechukwu
CUE: Play Molly Drake’s ‘I Remember.’ HIM The pine tree was almost lifeless, nearly bare. A carpet of fallen needles and leaves with a chestnut hue had formed a rough…
In The Hurricane’s Wake | Amanie Mathurin
July 06th The unrelenting rains ceased, dark clouds lifted, and we slowly began to count the dead — thirteen. From the muddy hills of Soufriere, to inundated valleys at Dennery,…