Sing Of A Tree In The Wild

When Sleeping Dogs Wake

Dedicated to @TheMarcoToni. Happy birthday once again.

15th of May

9:26

Elfrida

It’s been over a week since my life changed. When I envisioned the aftermath of my qualification, which I strongly believed in and prayed for, I imagined that my monochromatic and static life would assume multiple colours and vigour. Ironically, the colours and vigour came before this moment; things are monochromatic for me right now.

I never thought my life would or could change so much before this moment, neither did I imagine that I’d have so much on my plate at this same moment. Everything going on with Dennis is complicated enough. Now, I can’t bring myself to give the necessary background on my poem.

This is exactly the same way I felt that day, moments before I met him.

I guess my life has suffered a reset.

I know I still have a little under a month to get this over with, yet, I just can’t control my agitation. I can’t deny the fact that it is possible for me to make it this far and still have everything collapse like a house of cards in the end, where it matters the most. If this is to be, God forbid it, the case, it would have been better if I hadn’t started this at all.

But no. I refuse to accept that possibility. The same faith that brought me here would lead me through to the very end. I won’t remain in that house for much longer.

Oh my God!

Someone just tickled me from behind, which resulted in a jolt and a shriek from me. My assailant happens to be Kofo, of all people. She is accompanied by Najite.

“Sitting in seclusion to do nothing but stare at a blank notebook. Does that ever bore you?” Kofo says with a look of concern on her face.

“Because it’s beginning to bore us.” Najite joins in, taking a seat beside you. “We’ve been worried sick about you.”

“We?” I ask. Rather than sit down, Kofo leans on an adjacent wall. “Yes. We. Especially-“

“Please don’t say-”

“Dennis.” Kofo offers. All I can do is close my eyes and sigh.

“I kind of just told you not to say it. And besides, he doesn’t come under the ‘We’.”

Najite edges slightly closer. “Everyone has noticed. He hasn’t been so open and free with you lately. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about you anymore. Deep down, he still does. He wouldn’t want to lose you.”

“Indeed.”

Kofo smiles. “I agree with her. He’s focusing on his football competition for now. Trust me, everything will return to normal after Grace loses today.”

“Kofo!” I and Najite exclaim in unison.

Kofo shrugs her shoulders. “What? I’ve heard stories.”

“That doesn’t mean you should wish them bad luck.” Najite says. I shift in my seat, closing my signature purple notebook.

“I agree with you, Najite.” I hesitate, trying to pull my words together. “I know for a fact that Dennis has to do what he’s doing. It’s just that he’s stopped caring entirely. He snubs me when I say Hi or ask him for something, and when he replies, which almost never happens, he’s so cold and brief.”

“So you’re saying there’s more to his new attitude towards you than just the competition.” Kofo says, without any hint of emotion. I nod my head in reply.