The Year's Best African Speculative Fiction (2022) by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki

Author:Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CAEZIK
Published: 2023-11-09T21:26:35+00:00

THE COWARD OF UMUSTEAD

by Nnamdi Anyadu

Uduma be him who be called coward. At fourteen, neither riding a solarbike over Hangman’s Cliff, nor jumping off Ideora Falls, we boys of Square call him so. Odd one him be, true talk. Jagged afro and jaggeder combats. Ever shirt on, even when sun be burning so bright, so hot, that mamas leave breasts bare, sit out, drink citric drink, and curse these skies for letting it shine so harshly.

Uduma be he own best friend to self. Boy be preferring to sit and watch; you get? To just sit under giant mango tree and watch we other boys. Watch we play hoverball. Watch we share rabbit kills. Watch we fight play fight. Watch we fight real fight. Ever not talking to anybody. Just sitting and watching. Yet, ever, never failing to show up at Square, like lizard to pavement; like spy of we papas and mamas. Maybe this be who him be. Maybe. Who fit know?

One time, Mbadi knocked this crazed hoverball outside play, onto giant mango tree this goddamn thing went, and dropped next to Uduma leg, gbam! Boy did not move. Not even to pick up hoverball and throw back to field of play. Me glided there and spat near him foot as me picked up the damn hoverball. Boy did not move, still. Like a goddamn statue thing.

Many times, while we chatty-chatty, the topic to kick this docile laddie out of Square come up among we other boys. I champion most. Him presence irrelevant. Some of we affirm this. Some of we disaffirm. The ones not agreeing be reminding we all of Umustead code, which itself be the blood pumping up and down in these hearts; through these veins. Kin be kin, them say. We be grudgingly accepting. Hencing, we be dismissing this proposition of banishment.

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