I searched the dump for leftovers and was glad to find an almost full loaf of bread. The bread was enough for me and my baby sister and we would still have some left for dinner. The only thing left was water. My sister had been coming down with fever and it must be from the water we got from the broken pipe near the uncompleted building we sleep in. Maybe I should beg someone for money to buy sachet water and paracetamol for her. I could drink from the broken pipe; my immune system was way stronger than hers.
It was mid-afternoon and I was lucky to get #100 naira from people. People were becoming nicer or maybe because it was Friday and they were performing their religious rites. That was really none of my business. I bought four sachet pure water and two stick sweets for my sister. I knew she would be ecstatic about the sweet, it seemed like ages since she had one. I rushed to our make-shift home and found my sister crying. I watched as the silent sobs shook her thin body and felt very sorry for her. She did not deserve to be lying on an almost bare mat I had managed to salvage from the dump ground, she deserved a big soft bed, befitting for a princess. Sighing heavily, I went to her, silently praying for it to be nothing more serious than hunger.
“Kanyinsola, what is it?”
She just looked up at me and cried more, covering her face with her frail hands. I gathered her in my arms and settled her on my laps. She felt very weightless and felt my own eyes well up with tears. She was malnourished and very skinny. I wish I could do more for my sister, something much more than just searching the dump grounds, begging for alms, doing occasional menial jobs to feed and cloth her. I knew I tried for her but I wanted to do more. I looked down at her and saw that she had stopped crying and was already dozing. Maybe she was just missing her big sister, I thought.
I checked the face of a watch I made out of scraps. It was a miracle the thing still worked. I saw it as God’s special gift for me as I had found the face of the watch; the main engine, on my birthday. I just kept thing straps of cloth in the loop by the sides and tied it together and voila, a wristwatch. It was 7:47pm and kanyin was still sleeping. I checked on her to see if she was okay. She was sleeping and her temperature was almost back to normal. Thank God. I wouldn’t know what to do if anything happened to her. She was my world. I sat beside her and watched as she slept, snoring very lightly. She was just the replica of my mother. A beautiful woman that did everything for us and her demise was a great loss. My father had absconded with the small stash of cash my mom had saved for us for the rainy days. I was not surprised, he was a drunkard who had always lived off my mother. I shuddered at the kind of life we would have had if we were with him. We were better off by ourselves and always wished he was the one that died. Life was not fair but I had promised never to dwell on that. I would make the best of the situation and become some one important in the society. I would turn the situation around for my sister and I by working hard. I would surprise everyone that rejected us. We would be a force to reckon with, that I was sure of. Life was being cruel and being successful was my only revenge.
Kanyin’s Part:
It must be the smell of bread that woke me because I woke up asking my sister for food. She provided me with a huge chunk of bread and I smiled. My sister would always provide for me, she was my guardian angel. The bread was stale but fresher than the last one I ate. I was tired of bread. I wanted something better, something fresher but my sister couldn’t afford it. She paid our fees, tried her best to clothe me and feed me. I would not be an ingrate by complaining. I ate the bread and imagined it to be hot and soft with butter melting in it. It tasted better with my imagination. I roused from the mat and went in search of my sister. She was sitting outside, staring at the gloomy sky.
“Sister Damola”
“Yes, sweetheart”
“Nothing, I was just looking for you”.
She smiled at me and I felt so much at peace like we were sitting in a very big place with the proverbial milk and honey flowing in it. She got up, ruffled my hair and went inside. She told me to stay put. I did as she told me, wondering what she was up to. She came back seconds later, with her hand at her back. She told me to close my eyes and open my mouth. I rolled my eyes, my sister was just too mischievous. I closed my eyes and opened my mouth, hoping it was not one of her many pranks. I smelt it before I felt it on my tongue. Candy!! I screamed, bouncing up and down with joy. I ran to her and hugged her. I caught her trying to blink tears away, tears of seeing me so happy. I hugged her more fiercely. She was an angel sent to me from heaven and she made my world so much better.
Submitted by Dako Alice Temitope
136 comments
Very nice…. Love is a very strong bond that puts two people together no matter the odds… I love this…
Awesome as always. Uve set a high standard, and u neva deliver anything short of dat standard. D sky is ur skateboard sweetie
This is a very touching and creative piece…kinda makes one appreciate the strong bond within the family…..Kudos Alice..
Nice one big sis…. You rock… I hope you win this
It is true that writers interpret thoughts, events, imaginations and beliefs with words written down. But is also true that most people hardly connect with the thoughts, events, imaginations and beliefs written down. So when you see a great piece of this kind, you just have to fall in absolute love with it, because it holds you till it’s final fullstop. Great piece I must say…
Beautiful…. this is so close to reality, could feel the sweet in my mouth too sef….
Family; joined together by something even thicker than blood, the heart… Lovely story….
Too good to be real. This is a love story too deep beyond ordinary.
Wow! This is great and extra ordinary work you have done. Nice 1
Love so deep its beyond blood boundary. Good piece from Dako
Nice one…
Good one… Keep it coming…
Very very good…. I like this, very unique…. Keep it up
Awesome…. this is so sad at the same time beautiful… Sisters rock!!!
Nice story…
The family goes beyond the love eyes can see, it runs deeper than the ocean floor…. I love this so much, keep it up dear…
Good story. it is too real to be called fiction
Simply biriful
I love this story. Thank God I was sent this story to read, something to show me VAL’s day is more than just buying and recieveing gifts. Thumbs up
God bless you for this beautiful piece. I enjoyed every bit of it. God help us to be our sister’s keepers
Good work
Pretty Good work, very close to a real life situation
Beautiful sad story
Some men deserve to be shot. Why leave your own children to suffer such horrible fate. Not just cool at all.
Very Nice…. I enjoyed every bit of it…
Kudos to the writer… Painted pictures so vivid, it was like watching a movie
Cool story
Love this love story
Awesome creatures called sisters. Angels in human form. The father needs to be found and killed.
10k this is fiction o… see as person dey suffer… bread from a dump as food? God help those experiencing something like this o… Good one Alice
Another beautiful one from you sis… You sure know how to weld a pen.. keep it up, m proud of you
Nice one. Thumbs up
Inkheart keeps bursting my head.. you rock jor
Another blockbuster from you… very vivid pictures, so vivid I almost cried. Keep it up dear
Daksmami of life. Nice write up. Big up.
You make me miss not having a sister all over again… why are you like this?
Now This is a believable love…
Awww. This is so touching
God bless you for this… keep writing dear.. you’re Good
Everyone deserves to have a sister; they are angels in human form… I love this story cos it is so real. Keep writing, Inkheart… May you ink never win dry
Lol, jeffiejay, Alice wrote the story not me… thanks for commenting though, she appreciates
Awesome…
Nice story, I can relate.. Thank God for breakthrough
Beautiful piece of work… I doff my hat
*sniffs* I can’t believe I actually cried… Too sad: (
While some will be bothered about not having butter on their hot bread, some are searching foe the bread they threw in the dump… Sad yet lovely story
Niiiccceee
Lovely….
This is a beautiful love story,touching and very very interesting
Interesting story… love every bit of it
Now this is one hell of a beautifully sad story… thumbs up mayne
Kudos…. Nice work, keep it up
Beautifully written.
This story is deep, very deep. Howmany many really sacrifice this much for another? God help us to be our sister’s true keeper. Temitope, nice one.
You rock, b. This is good
Creative work of fiction. Beautiful and sad.
Splendid article
This is a very emotional piece.. filled with thick emotions I could feel the goosebumps on my skin. Lovely still.
Weeping.. too sad
Nice one
Words can’t express how this a story made me feel. Touching story
Gripping… calls you to really look around you and see the people suffering… Giving is not just to your loved ones but those around you who don’t have need it more
One word: magnificent
Nice one, Alice… Good job
Sister mi the talented writer… I am always gbaduing you… Good work dear, keep it up..
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful; is all I can say
This is Good, keep it up girl
This brought tears to my eyes… one should no push off every child that comes to beg for alms. Who knows what they for through or are going through…
Good one
This is what they call hustling… na wa o
Kudos Inkheart… you always deliver, never disappoint…
My hands are up, I dey hail you ooo
Thumbs up dear
Awww…. makes me want to run home to my sister’s… too good
Beautiful real life story in fiction form…. Thumbs up, you’re truly the girl with an ink heart
This life is just a big pot of beans… if you’ve got palm oil on yourself but no garri to top it, you gats just dey thankful… I’m thankful.. Nice one, kid sis…
Are you sure this is fiction? So many young people live these kind of life… it’s saddening ehn.. cool story sha
Story of life… I dey feel am gan
I don’t think I can get tired of reading this story… makes you think… God help me to be a better father to my children
Beautiful, short story…
Definition of true, undiluted love…
Nice story girl, keep the ink flowing
Inkheart mi, nice work love, loved the story; a lot
Very cool
INkheart mi, loved the story, a whole lot..
Another good one from you… Nice work, keep it up babe
Oya clap for yourself!!!
You did well, enjoyed the story….
Filled with in-depth emotions…. Beautifully crafted
Creative piece of work, nicely written
Nice work dear… A true love story indeed
Thumbs up for you…. Good one
(Y)…. Keep the Good work up
Deep, too deep with deeper lessons and emotions..
90 comments!!! Whoop whoop!!! Thanks guys, you all rock… I don’t hexperrit.. I think I wantu cry
My sisters are my world.. They mean everything to me. This is a beautiful story dear, I almost cried.
B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!!!
B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!!
Great story.. happy Valentine’s day
Awesome….
Amazing love story, speaks volume
What love is greater than this? So beautiful, so pure, so innocent!!! Inkheart, nice work.
This is like a movie.. watched every line in my head.. great work, inkie
You just keep bursting my head, ma cherie
Good piece Alice
You should make this into a book. Nice work dearie
Nice one babes, way to go
Simply amazing, that’s all
Good one, I pray you win. So we can share the money equally, lool. Keep it up, dearie
Any story of suffering always got me sniffing *wiping tears from the corner of my eyes. If all d rich ppl in d world will take it upon them to feed d poor around them starvation will be a thing of the past
Sweet
Wow…u ar wonderful… Nice 1 kip it up
Wonderful piece as ever. All the best
Awesome! Pen with grace
Comments keep bouncing back. I think admin should work on it. Anyways, nice story dear.. keep it coming
Coooooollll… Nice write up
Wonderful article
Dis is gud, dats all
Blood is indeed thicker than water. Nice writeup.
Well put together story of love unadulterated. Bravo Alice
nice piece… Love is definitely the strongest emotion ever and its bonding ability is rivaled by none…
While some are hustling in hot sun and heavy rain, some are living lavishly, blind to the cries of the poor. This is just too sad. What a selfless love
Creativity at it’s peak.. it’s a blessing to be loved and to love
Awesome!
what an interesting story, it is really awesome
Your works are sad but bring joy to my heart cos it makes me realise how blessed I am. Thank you for this subtle reminder that family is indeed everything
True love is what I have for this piece
Family stick together no matter what.. they make everything so easy for you and always there for you.
Dis is gr8t. U write b-tifully
Elsie, I think you should change the site’s plugin.. it’s complicated and bb users can’t access the site, some cant find the comment box. It’s so somehow…Anyways, 125 comments, thanks guys… even if I no win, I’m still proud of this outcome
Awww…so touching. this is love at its purest
Not so mobile-friendly site…. Anyways, Kudos to the writer
It made me think of does in need and we that have spend on things not realy useful. Love the story
This is the second greatest love after the love of Christ.. To love the other sad we love ourselves. In-depth message here. I pray we learn
Hehehe. With something so little, she was happy. Gifted Alice again.
Wow! Lovely…got me crying