UYAI ✔️

Uyai (Two)

The rays of the moon had begun creeping in steadily, illuminating the small cottage she shared with her elder sister Affiong. The light bounced off the clay walls giving it an eerie glow. Uyai turned to the candles beside her straw bed and blew out the flames. A slight breeze whizzed in eliciting a shiver from her. The night was unusually cold, and it wasn't a good thing for Uyai since she lacked the adipose tissue to insulate heat. Remember, she was all bones and no meat. Okay, little meat. 

She drew her wrapper closer to her chin, and with a deep sigh closed her eyelids preparing herself to be whisked away into dream land.

"Uyai!" startled her eyes opened. Holding her breathe, she waited, hoping with all her heart it wasn't her mother calling...
"Uyai!" She heard again. It was louder this time, and there was no mistaking the owner of the slightly pissed voice.  Abruptly she sat up

"Mama!" she answered back with a shout.

With a grumpy sigh she arose fully and ran outside, quickly slipping her feet into the mismatched slippers that had seen years. The magnitude of her acceleration almost tearing apart the faded green curtains that separated her room from the backyard which was draped with overly grown weeds brought into light by a shadowy cast, making them look like giant apparitions that curved over the clay walls. Come to think of it, they looked like a scene from a horror movie.

Uyai's lips twisted in a frown as cold breeze slithered through the night and hit her at once. She shrugged off the tremors that followed and went after  the echoes of her mother's  voice which was in the direction of the west just in front of the father's yard. Uyai ran leaving trails of dust in her wake while some clung  to her slipper- cloaked feet, until mother appeared in her vision.

She sat on a large bolder that had a flat base and top.  A hint of moonlight grazed it's edge reflecting it in an obscure form. Mother's  back and neck were  arched over a figure. Her envy worthy hair was concealed by a bandana tied in an unruly knot round her head. Her ebony skin was a shadow forecast, since mother was naturally light skinned. And so was her sister Affiong, who sat on a small wooden stool groaning in pain as her feet rested on mother's leg, while mother soothingly rubbed it.

On hearing her footsteps, mother turned and ushered her closer, her face pulled in a frown.

"Quickly! come. Come massage your sisters foot. I am weary and have to retire soon, Your father must be missing my presence." She turned to her eldest daughter and smiled endearingly. "My daughter you have done well, You danced so gracefully, you left everyone in awe. I am sure many of the young men will line up for your hand." She said and sister just laughed.

"Of course mother I'm sure the next winner of the largest harvest will ask for my hand like Mfon. Mama she is so lucky " Her sister sighed, her eyes had taken on a shine and a coy look had taken over her beautiful features, that was still apparent in the moonlight.

"Never mind that. All in due time dear." Mother encouraged.

Uyai scoffed and mentally rolled her eyes. Indeed Affiong's dance skills was praiseworthy and she knew she couldn't compare. But Uyai didn't think Mfon was lucky, because the fellow who won the largest harvest was a short, weird looking man with thick and ugly looking veins running down his arms not to talk of his protruded stomach. An ugly sight indeed. Besides that, he was from the neighboring village, Etai Inyang and already was married to two wives, and Mfon was going to be his third. It seems mother was not aware of that part because if she knew, she wouldn't have been so forthcoming in her encouragement.

Moreover, the only attracting quality he possessed was his wealth. Uyai didn't see any luck in being chosen to be his bride at all. Sister should be glad she escaped it.