Category: Short Stories

Short Stories

To be a star…

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She loved the expansive views from the apartment windows and always stood there to take it all in. A plush apartment in the heart of Manhattan was far beyond her dreams and some days MaryRose woke up expecting to find herself back in the country home where her family had lived for generations.

Eight months of living in the luxury apartment that came with her contract had not diminished her awe of the place and she always looked in amazement at the mega-rich stars who came to the penthouse in their helicopters and fast cars.

Inside, she was just a country girl who got lucky and often enough she felt like a bumpkin next to all the opulence around her.

A flash from a camera startled her. It was the infernal paparazzi in a helicopter and she was sure that the weekend tabloids would be carrying a scintillating headline “MaryRose bares it all.”

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

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Thank you, Iain Kelly, for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)

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Short Stories

Jane…

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Like clockwork, Chris and Wolf went for their morning jog.  One of the beauties of living close to the seaside was to watch the sunrise and sunsets above the waters. He loved the lifestyle his writing life presented, thanks to the success of his thrillers, though his was a lonely life.

Familiar with Wolf’s beach antics of sniffing at the crabs, digging through washed up debris, he wasn’t’ surprised when his Husky took off in excitement down the beach.

Within minutes, Wolf raced back, his insistent barking aroused Chris’s interest. The mound on the pebbles was an unconscious, female form. He quickly turned her over and administered CPR. She vomited, opened her eye’s for a few seconds and passed out again.

Glad that his home was close by, he carried her to his house to get her warm as quickly as possible and to call for help. Removing her sodden clothing to wrap a blanket around her, he saw the beautiful, antique watch nestled between her breasts and out of curiosity, he lifted the watch and saw the name inscribed at the back. It read, Jane.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

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Thank you, Louise for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)

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Friday Fiction in Five Sentences · Short Stories

To be a boy – Friday Fiction In Five Sentences.

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Image result for cricket bat and ball

Anu’s perfectly arranged facial features gave nothing away, but her eyes bore a glazed faraway look in them as she watched the young boys play cricket.

She envied her son’s their sex and freedom. Their shouts and laughter took her back to the day’s of her childhood; days when she had played with her brothers, free of responsibilities and tiring worry; she had wanted to be a boy.

She recalled days of poking in the dirt to dig out little worms and nights of staring up at the star-studded skies in amazement that stoked her imagination and her inquisitive mind had wanted to know so much, but mother and nan always told her that aspirations of exploration were not for pretty little girls.

They said that pretty little girls grew up to be beautiful, proper, hardworking, obedient and selfless wives to boys from a nice family; pretty little girls bore strong sons to continue the man’s lineage and her questions about love were rebuffed; they said that love would come with the package.

At Seventeen years she had married her family’s handpicked choice of a nice boy from a nice family, bore strong sons and the boring obligation of sexual intimacy, but even after thirteen years of waiting, the kindling spark of love had failed to come with the package; mother and nan had lied to her, Anu still wanted to be an exploring boy and she plotted.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Out of the silent breath

Short Stories

Chunky monkey…

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Angelas‘ brisk steps slowed down to shorter strides as she tussled with her mind to stay focused and not to give in to the nudging temptation, but by the time she had walked a few more yards, her taste buds desire gave up on the battle with her mind and she quickly retraced her steps back to funky munky, promising herself all the way that after the treat she would resist future temptations.

Savouring the burst of sweetness that hit her senses, she closed her eyes in delighted appreciation of each sip of the trademark chocolate combo drink and chewy chunks of chunky monkey.

Satisfied with her quick, sneaky indulgence, she silently chastised herself for not sticking to the plan and got up to leave, only for the door to open and Tim her diet partner and husband walked in.

They both stared at each other in chagrin and burst out laughing sheepishly.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

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Thank you, TJ for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)

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Short Stories

For the first time…

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Richie was so excited that his heart literally burst with pride. Finally, not only was he now part of the team, he also scored a winning goal.

For the first time in forever, someone felt that he was good enough to step away from the bench by the sidelines’ where he always sat watching.

Ever since Mr. Pierson became the school coach, his life changed for the better.

He was no longer considered the slow boy, the odd one out, the autistic child who didn’t seem to fit in.

Mr. Pierson was so inclusive and encouraging. He simply brought the best out of his students, which was so unlike the previous coach who never wanted to be bothered with the special needs children.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

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Thank you, Yinglan for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)

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Friday Fiction in Five Sentences · Short Stories

The Wedding Night 1 – Friday Fiction in Five Sentences.

jacquelineobyikocha25 Comments

Simobi hissed and muttered to herself as she mixed the potion for the cane. As the daughter of a renowned witch-doctor, she knew her charms.

She hated the idea of being relegated to the position of an abandoned wife; no one would make her the spectacle of wagging and pitying tongues.

Ekwenti and his kinsmen had gone to bring back her husbands’ new bride – a young maiden who would give Ekwenti more male children that he desired.

Stroking the ‘koboko’ with the potent potion, she uttered her commands to the cane and nimbly went to Ekwenti’s hut to replace his old cane with the new one and also replenished the powder in his snuff box.

By the cock’s crow the following morning, the smacking love play of Ekwenti and his new wife had reached a painful crescendo. The young bewildered bride was seen hobbling back to her clan as hastily as she could, while dear Ekwenti lay prostrate in anger with painful welts received from thorough caning and Simobi soothed his pains with gentle ministrations.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Quick glossary:

Koboko: a special cane used in Nigeria to restore someone’s thinking back to its default settings 🙂

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Short Stories

The Ranch..

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Captain Blacky sniffed around the two cars in a peculiar manner; his heightened sense of smell on the alert to pick up any unfriendly aura of its passengers.

“Were these ones’ pleasant folks or would they be like that old mealy-mouthed last prospective buyer who spoke in such an annoying manner so much so that he had wanted to plant a hoof in his backside?”

He hated to see people try to cheat his owners and he felt truly sorry to see his loving owners put up their ranch for sale due to financial hardship. They had struggled for so long to keep things together, but things were just rough and he had heard his master say that the banks’ terms would simply dig them into more hardship.

He really hoped that the new buyers will be good humans, otherwise he would simply incite his fellow animals  on the ranch to riot.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

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Thank you, Phylor  for the photo and dear Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)

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I hear the reverberations of the magic that’s hidden within.

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Short Stories

The Harvest…

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Jeremiah wiped beads of sweat from his brows intermittently as he carried on with his garden work…raking, sowing, watering, mulching…

Raised on the acres of his parents’ farmland where they had cultivated all manners of crops for sale and for food, gardening was work that he could do with eyes closed.

However, today, as much as he tried to concentrate, he worried. He worried over the poor harvest of the cropping season; he worried over the weather forecast of heavier rains and the flood that ensued which always affected the crops; he worried about how he would fend for his growing family even as his wife’s painful groans and the encouraging voice of the midwife floated into the backyard.

A baby is a blessing he reminded himself, though he hadn’t been too happy when Ruth broke the news that she was expecting. He had expressly told her to be more careful after they had Gideon their sixth child.

An unmistakable wail of a newborns’ voice rang from the house and his lips curved in a wide smile; his family was certainly growing in numbers.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

InLinkz

Thank you, Louise  for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

 

‘A Richly Layered and Passionate Read.’ Jan Cliff

Out of the silent breath

If you enjoy my works and would like to do so, you can fuel my creativity with a slice of cake or coffee😉

Short Stories

The Corner…

jacquelineobyikocha18 Comments

Silently, he planned his line of action, driving 6 hours non-stop to catch her unawares at the stroke of ten.

He watched the lights of the diner go off for the day. Knowing that her shift was almost over and she would step out for her brisk walk home, he reached into the glove compartment for the piece and rushed to wait for her at the corner of the street.

June stepped into the chilly night, humming as she strode down the quiet street. Turning the corner to her street she bumped into his hard waiting frame. A quick apology rose to her lips just before his familiar cologne curled up to her nostrils and his warm embrace held her still.

‘Hello sweetheart, I couldn’t wait any longer’ Jed murmured close to her ears. Distance was hard on their relationship and having missed him badly, she simply allowed his presence to envelope her surprised senses.

Reaching for the little box in his coat, Jed went down on one knee…

She squealed her happy acceptance. This corner where they met for the first time when he bumped into her two years ago has become a turning point in her life.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

InLinkz

Priceless Joy, please excuse my overshooting the word bounds. I snipped, chopped and tucked in yet I still overshot the runway.

Thank you, Phylor  for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

 

‘A Richly Layered and Passionate Read.’ Jan Cliff

Out of the silent breath

If you enjoy my works and would like to do so, you can fuel my creativity with a slice of cake or coffee😉

Short Stories

Don’t wake me up…Friday fiction in five sentences.

jacquelineobyikocha16 Comments

 

As the feverish rigors shook her body, she mumbled to him; “If the baby dies, don’t wake me up!”

She was sedated to calm her down and stabilize her blood pressure.

Too many pregnancies she had lost and had much hope that this one would survive, yet it looked like a futile dream.

It was a battle against fate and time as the doctors raced to try and save the neo-natal.

He sat by her bedside, torn apart inside as tears silently dripped down his cheeks and he prayed like he had never prayed before.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Footnote: I had a double mind about writing this short story, but this is a piece of my story. A piece of my journey and I daresay many other women have walked down this torturous path and to those who are in the Lord’s waiting room for fruits of the womb, I say “Hold on.”

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

 

Jacqueline writes from her heart on passion, pain, suffering, loss and LIFE. I have been incredibly moved by her poetry and I know I will return to “Out of the Silent Breath” again and again.

Out of the silent breath

If you enjoy my works and would like to do so, you can fuel my creativity with a slice of cake or coffee😉