All Chapters of The Illusionist : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

                                            ****  The pen can be seen as a mediator between a great mind and the story it wishes to tell. I have since held one for 2+ years but never once did I consider myself a novelist. For many, it might be absurd to say that the extra hours of lockdown have been within limits a kind of gif

Drip!Drop!Drip!The annoying sound of the droplets of water leaking from above filled my ears. I wanted to make it stop but then I couldn't find where it was coming from because I couldn't see anything.Everything was pitch black when I opened my eyes, I couldn't even see my hands and to think also, I didn't know where I was!. "How did I get here?" The question arose in my thoughts, "Where am I?" I asked myself again but only the echoing reverberations in my mind answered my fleeting questions.I was alone as only the sound of my breathing cou

A year earlier...A live broadcast of the President addressing the country was about to hold. In exactly three minutes, he would be on air and I was highly expectant of what he was going to say.I was sure it wasn't only me; Governors, Commissioners, Governmental staff, social workers, even children and in short, the whole country was waiting for 9.00am on this fateful day to strike on the clock as it would be marked in the shelves of history.I was almost dressed for work as I hurriedly made a cup of coffee, while settling on the large office chair in my home. The bright light of the morning sun shone directly on my face from my angle of sitting and in annoyance, I forcefully pulled the blinds to cover the window beside me before reaching for the antique radio on the side stool.I knew we were all wondering, 'why a radio? Instead of the popular modern electronic gadgets but believe it or not, I didn't

The streets of Ikeja, Lagos were always bustling with crowds and activities but the traffic was a bit attenuated today which was unusual. Not complaining though, I took it as the heavens giving me a chance not to get on Commander Young's bad side this early.As I drove through the Express, my eyes never failed to wander and the memories never far behind. Almost at every point and part, there was a history and story to be told. I was a typical Lagosian boy, aware of the dreadful hustle and bustle way of life. I had passed through all those phases and now as I looked, my vision was through a broad spec defined by its all round experience.Was it the sight of the bus conductors, trying to fight for each pedestrian they see or was it the hawkers selling different products on the streets? I didn't know which one of them f

"You should have seen their faces," he said while laughing. He actually laughed, Unbelievable!"It's not a joke, Emeka," I replied, not sparing him a glance as we walked down the halls. He had always had this nonchalant attitude to him and it was nerve racking sometimes.My mind was still hovering on the fact that I may have issues with the Commander because of this guy beside me. Richard Young was strict in his dealings and never spared any of his boys that defaulted and broke rules. I had a fall out with him last month for some personal reasons and another one following it up in line would just be destructive.

I had caught the attention of a few eyes with the show I had just displayed. The almost audible gasp of the now drenched woman had not gone unheard but thankfully the large spaces drowned out the sound –– such that, people from afar could not hear or realize what had just happened."I'm so sorry," I apologised immediately, just as she struggled to find something to clean off the drink spill on her clothes before it became permanent. My voice came out in a whisper so as not to drag back the eyes to us again but she wasn't even listening, she looked more concerned about the damp patch on the upper part of her clothes.It was the only distraction I could think of, it wasn't all that smart but at least it worked."What the hell is wrong with you!" She bawled in a harsh whisper before making an attempt to push past me. It was successful, but only because I had decided to move my body the exact same time she rudely

My breath came in pants as I crouched forward, hiding away from the now shattered glass above me. Reflexively, I shielded the lady with my body as more of its pieces began to fall unto us.A frenzied disarray of actions, building up the chaos by the minute. It was unexpected, the turnout of events that had violently jerked my attention towards the outburst. In one minute everything changed, and at this point, we could lose everything. It was almost impossible how a minute of resolute peace erupted in a series of pandemoniums, heightening swiftly by the clock. I had to buckle up and be prepared, and at the fall of the last glass piece, I expertly reached out for my gun, awaiting the next masked face.The woman behind me was trembling and the muffled

It had been ten days since the tragic event that remained packed up in our hearts and minds, refusing to let go, happened. Almost the whole of my life was built upon this career path and it wasn't even my decision from the start. I loved my job but if you had asked me that day, 10 years ago, where I saw myself in the future, my honest answer would have been, a thin line between dead and hopeless

Kings International Church, Ikeja was filled with mixed circles of people from across the country and overseas too. Military officials in their uniforms and their various medals pinned to their clothes, stood in an angular row, saluting at the altar where his body lay.

"How are you doing?" She asked once we reached outside the church building.