Vinapriscaz Blog

We were in the sitting room one night watching television when we heard loud laughter from Chima’s room. We ran to check, and there was my brother seated on the floor pointing at the window and laughing hysterically. My mum broke down in tears, ‘heeeeeiiii my enemies have done it! My only son has gone mad. What have I done to deserve this? Haaaaa! I’m finished. My only son!’. At the word “mad”, I remembered Aunt Esther’s words, “let madness fall on you”. I looked at my brother and felt goose bumps on my skin. Chima had indeed gone mad. I was stupefied. Was Aunt Esther a witch? How can Chima be mad? These and many other questions filled my heart as I watched my mum wail. My dad walked in the room while I followed him and became aware of the smoky smell. We didn’t have to search for the source; right in front of my brother were rolls of tobacco wrapped in papers. My dad opened his mouth in shock. Chima was a smoker. My dad looke...

‘Let madness strike you there this boy! Chidera, carry this basket and follow me’. I looked at Chima again, thankful that he had not gone mad yet, considering the fierceness with which Aunt Esther uttered those words. Chima is my 16 years old elder brother and we came to the village last week to spend the Easter vacation with our aunt Esther and her husband. Aunt Esther is our father’s elder sister. She has been married for what?- 8 years or thereabout, without a child of her own. I overheard someone say she is frustrated and that is the cause of her constant edginess. I looked at Chima again, checking for even the slightest sign of madness until my aunt’s voice forced me out of my stupor. ‘Chidera, I said follow me!’ I gave Chima one last look and followed her with the basket. Chima had obviously angered her by refusing to carry the hoe, so I had to bear the brunt of her anger. ‘You children are so spoilt and lazy. You hate doing work. This is what happens when you’re in a house wit...