Hi guys! It's exactly 1 week to Christmas day! How are you preparing? Earlier this year, I participated in a flash fiction challenge. My first ever. It was quite challenging because I always seem to have so many words. But it was a nice experience. I did not win, but at least I got to the semi finals (to my surprise).

 Here is one of my entries for the challenge. The instruction was to write a short story starting with "When the early missionaries first arrived" (I can't really remember the word count). Enjoy.

                  

                      THE INVADERS

'When the early missionaries first arrived, Umukabia was thrown chaos.  Every morning, I listened for the elders as they rushed to the Obi Eze to return late at night. With the planting season almost over, I had little to do except jeer at passersby and of course laugh at the turmoil. 

  

   ''They are invaders!'' the elders bellowed ''they have come to desecrate our land.''

  Of the nature of these invaders and their purpose, I got to know from my dear friend Okoro, the drunkard. Like me, he was never taken seriously, but I tell you, he had enough wisdom to control a nation if he was ever sober enough to apply it. 

  

   ''Greetings my dear friend'' I hailed him on that fateful day. 

  

   ''Greetings Otokoto'' he returned. 

  

   ''What brings you this way?''  

  

   ''The quest for fresh palmwine.'' was the blunt reply. 

  

   ''I might just have some of Ichie Okezie's tasty palmwine left at home.''

  

   ''Otokoto!! You see I keep saying that Eze mmuo was just jealous of your good fortune. Which chi in his right senses would throw a good man like you to the outskirts of the town for just a small bump on his back? Don't we all have burdens on our backs? Some the size of Iyiofia and Umungele rolled up in one.''

  Of men whose skin colour were the colour of the insides of coconut, Okoro spoke, whose hair were like silk and who spoke through their noses. Whether this was the truth or palmwine talking I couldn't say. 

  

   ''What do they want?''

  

   ''To teach us their ways, and that of their Chi who lives in the sky.''

  

   ''Lives in the sky?'' I laughed ''Where would his shrine be then?''

  

   ''In our hearts'' came the drunken reply 

  

   ''Our hearts?!'' I was astonished.

  

   ''The sun is on his way home, so must I be'' Okoro staggered to his feet, what was left of my palmwine firmly clutched under his arm. 

  

  It took several years for Umukabia to accept the invaders. A church was built in the village square and many, my humble self included, were baptised. Every evening we gathered under this udara tree to learn of the ways of the missionaries and of their God, now our God.

DID YOU ENJOY IT? LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW. THANKS.