The Empire's Descent (First Draft)

Chapter 2: Instincts

Amaka trudged through the town, keeping to the shadows and looking over her shoulder for that slimy bastard, Marlon. She hurried her footsteps to get home to her babies, but the devil had other plans. A firm hand coiled around her waist and she wasted no time in driving her elbow back into his diaphragm.

"Oof," the air in his body involuntarily left his mouth. When he was hunched over, she kicked him in the testicles, he fell to the floor and she kept stomping for about ten more seconds. His pained cries left her feeling a sense of satisfaction. After which, she ran like a bat-out-of-hell home. She was worried about retaliation, but she felt comfort in knowing that he didn't know where she lived, nor that she had children. If only she had seen Seven-Finger Jhono lurking in the shadows, she would have never gone home.

Marlon lied on the filthy streets of Bankshire, cradling his crotch in immense pain. There, he vowed to kill that Godforsaken whore! He lied there until he could breathe without feeling the pain of the attack all over again and limped to his dealing house.

Amaka now thought it was time to move on from Bankshire, the thought made her sad; despite the challenges that came with Marlon, she had gotten some of the best paying jobs here in the City. She slowed to a walk nearing her house and stood outside for a minute to cool off; she didn't want to alert her girls to something being amiss. Lord knows that Adaku is quicker than Seven-finger Jhono.

Now composed, she entered the house and immediately was greeted by her youngest.

"Nne, nno," Adamma greeted. Her speech wasn't at the level it should be for her age and Amaka felt guilty because of the poor prenatal care and the horrid conditions under which she gave birth. Her youngest was autistic, but if Adaku was her rock, then Adamma was her sunshine. (Mother, welcome).

"Mma, how are you?" Amaka engaged the little one. Adamma was small in stature too, in fact, all her girls were small, but Ada was a little taller than the other two, Mma had the widest frame of the three, and is taller than Danna who was the smallest in stature.

"Sorry, so good, Mama," she said excitedly and showed her the little robot she fashioned out of parts found during last week's dumpster-dive. Amaka played with her for a while, then smiled and moved further into the house.

"Mama, you are welcome," her middle child, Adannaya, smiled; Adaku, her rock; Adamma, her sunshine; Adannaya, her Northern star.

"Nwa m, were there any problems today?" she questioned worriedly.

"No, Mama, Ada took very good care of us and no one came by the house," she reported.

"Mba, you know that I am asking about you specifically," Amaka took a seat on the small cushioned chair she found on someone's curb near her workplace. (No).

Danna looked down, but offered no answer.

"She had one seizure today, Mama, and I found her pills stashed under one of the floorboards," Ada informed. Danna fixed her with a look of betrayal, but Ada was less concerned with loyalty and more concerned with her sister's health.

"Hei!" Their mother exclaimed. (Hey).

"So, you mean to tell me that you are trying to kill yourself!"? Amaka wrapped her hands around her stomach and started to wail.

"My daughter, my daughter," she muttered.

"Mama, biko, it is not that, now," Adamma tried to explain. (Please).

"Then what is it? Oburia?" Amaka held her hands out pleadingly. (Is it not so?).

"Mama, I-," Danna began to cry as well. Mma, not quite understanding the emotions, but wanting to fit in began to cry. Every little while, she peeked an eye out to observe the situation. Ada went over to her and pulled her in her lap and began singing: