Beneath the Baobab Tree

ter

lazily overhead. Frogs croaked near the stream. Somewhere in the distance, a palm wine tapper's laughter echoed, faint

the flames. Iya Ronke's hands moved with the rhythm of generations, stirring egus

suddenly, her voice low and filled with meaning

her, curious. "

nd pray. Some say the spirits sleep in its roots. Others s

ntly. "I think

s. "Then be careful what you whisper t

wood smoke and cooking spices. Kemi watched the

Iya Ronke continued, not unkindly. "L

. "I'm just...

the woman echoed

that made everything around

that corper boy, are

idn't

come with smooth tongues and leave with broken promises. That's the way

old water. But Kemi did

y him," she whispered

a long look. "The

mething inside her? How could she describe the feeling of being seen for the first time, not for wh

el like he sees

hen be careful, child. Even being seen can be dan

l and her thoughts loud. The candle had long since gone out, but

the stories that wrapped warnings in riddles. Of the way her hear

silence had always comforted her, how now i

ked up her notebook, a

to be carefu

how dangerous it is

lept. But inside Kemi,