Sing Of A Tree In The Wild

19th of September

10:16

Dennis

"Wake up! Wake up, Dennis!"

Amarachi still hasn't gotten her much-needed manners. For the umpteenth time, she's waking me up early in the morning. And I'm very sure it isn't for a sensible reason. She never wakes me up for a sensible reason...okay, not counting her birthday. Is that even a sensible-

"Dennis!"

If only she could die now. My weak eyes and a throbbing headache aren't helping matters. "What's your problem?"

"Guess!"

Are we SERIOUSLY doing this again?

"See, it's too early for guessing games. Let me rest."

"Too early? It's past ten, for God's sake!"

A wave of sudden realisation jerks me up. "Is it your birthday again?"

Amarachi smiles and sits on the edge of the bed, looking at me. "It's not. We're still in 2015, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," I rub my eyes into full alertness. "I'm still in this nightmare of a year. It should just end already."

Amarachi sighs, placing her hand on my shoulder. "This zebra of a year isn't a nightmare. You're simply focusing on the dark stripes. Come on, you got a PlayStation in January, you won the Golden Ball three months ago, you still have me around, you met Elfrida-"

"Are zebras black with white stripes or white with black stripes?"

She takes her hand off my shoulder, giving me an unimpressed look. "Don't try evading the topic. You've had a great year so far. The only blemish was Elfrida's departure. I know it still hurts, but you...." She trails off, taking a deep breath.

My eyes are drawn the encroaching blades of sunlight. "If I had the chance to give all the good things I received this year in exchange for Elfrida's continued presence, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I know for sure, the positives. But it's hard to embrace the positives while being perpetually reminded that...." I brush my forehead; I've been through this many times already. "What did you wake me up for?"

"Good question. Permit me to remind you of how dead you've become over the past two months. You've spent your summer sulking and brooding and reading Elfrida's notebook over and over again. You've become sullen." She squeezes my right palm and gives me a scorching look. "You're not you anymore. And every opportunity you've had to get back on track with life, you've blown it. I'm not letting you blow this last one."

I sit up properly, totally lost. "What last one?"

Amarachi shakes her head in disappointment. Her eyes do not leave mine. "Come to think of it, you were the one that told me about it, exactly two weeks ago."

What is she talking about?

"Urgh!" Amarachi exclaims, throwing her hands up in despair. "The Class of 2016 get-together! It started over twenty minutes ago!"

"Ohh! That!" It just totally, totally hit me!

Two weeks ago, on the set's WhatsApp group chat, I read a broadcast message and a long list of related messages about a pre-resumption get-together taking place at Tooni's house in Magodo. I already resolved not to come, but Amarachi just had to happen again.

"I have no intention of going."

"Why don't you want to go?"

"Because I don't want to."