EXCERPT: Saving Madam Lucy by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren

It was pitch darkness and movement on the street had completely died down. So rodents were having a field day on the outside world. Lurking in the dark were hungry top hunters of the feline population, Blaize, Dag and Fred. The cats were quietly plotting how the poor rodents would become their meals for the night. Opportunities like this don’t come too often. So Blaize and his friends were not ready to allow it slip.

Out of the belly of the quiet night, emerged a van. Possibly, a fourteen seated passenger bus, which rolled slowly into the street and pulled up in the front of the building where the cats were having a meeting. Before they could snatch a breath from the wings of the night, the doors of the van were thrown open and hefty figures with a woman alighted from the van.

In the last few hours, they have been moving the woman from one location to another to frustrate any attempt by the police or security agents to track them.

Her hands were bound to the back. She tried to shove virtually every hand that was laid on her off as the men dragged her to the building. The sound of the vehicle had scared the rats and rodents back into their holes, leaving only Blaize and his friends to witness the terror under the watchful eyes of the quiet night. This wasn’t a welcome development for the poor cats because their potential source of dinner had just evaporated into the thin air. They will need to strategize again and come up with something substantial if they are to feed tonight. With the rats and rodents out of the menu for the time being, there are hardly any assurances of a decent meal anywhere in the neighborhood. A long night is on the horizon. Tough times don’t last. Tough cats do!

However, Blaize recognized the woman. She was Mrs. Lucy, priest Valdin’s wife. “I know that woman!” he told his friends.

           “Are you sure?” Dag probed nonchalantly, gazing at the men.

          “Yes,” replied Blaize. He nodded his head almost a million times.

          “Sometimes, hunger could make people say something silly,” Dag said.

          Blaize laughed. “I know that I am hungry but I am not joking. I know her. She is my former master’s wife!” Blaize said. “I can bet my life on it that she is Madam Lucy!”

          “Madam Lucy? She should be in her husband’s house by now,” Dag frowned. “What is she doing with those guys in such an unholy hour?”

          “Can’t you see that her hands were tied? Something is not right here,” Blaize stated.

Fred moved nearer to his friends. Thrusting his face forward, he said, “Blaize, don’t be too emotional. Some humans are terrible.”

“I know,” muttered Blaize. “But something is wrong here.”

“I am happy you know,” said Fred. “The woman looks like someone that was kidnapped because she is not a familiar visitor to that house. She doesn’t live there. I am a frequent visitor to that house. So I know virtually everyone around there. That was why I said some humans are terrible. Look at the way they are dragging the poor woman. It doesn’t look good. What offence would a woman commit that is so grievous that the law cannot handle or that will prompt these men to drag her about? If she is a criminal, she shouldn’t be here. She should be in a prison. For crying out loud, that house is not a police station and these men don’t look like police officers. I have always suspected the compound. So frustrating to go hunting there. Always deserted and I hardly find any decent meal there each time I scale the fence to find food. These things are not coincidence. I might be wrong but it looks like a red flag.”

Blaize and Dag exchanged glances. Then Blaize scratched his hindquarter slowly. “Fred could be right. We must find out if she was kidnapped or not before we decide what to do,” Blaize suggested. “I cannot assume that they kidnapped her yet because of my past experience. I have seen many things in this life. Some are too bad that I can’t even talk about them. For instance, Dr Pepper’s wife used to come home with her boyfriend each time her husband traveled. You need to hear the kind of things she say to her boyfriend about the husband. Terrible words from a house wife. These things have made me have broader view about life. People can be funny. We need to properly investigate this matter before we can conclude that she was kidnapped.”

“I don’t understand you, Blaize. From the little that I know of your former master, he was a priest. Are you saying Valdin’s wife is flirting around?” Fred inquired. “I beg to disagree. The scene that just played out before us is not of a woman in a romantic relationship with the men. The woman looks troubled. She is in bondage and needs help. You don’t need a prophet to tell you that!”

“Don’t get me wrong, Fred. I am only trying to approach the matter with an open mind and caution. The world is a small place. Anybody can change,” Blaize explained.

“That is true,” Dag said and swallowed hard. “Only change is constant. However, just as Baize had suggested, we must get to the root of this before we jump into conclusion that she was kidnapped,” Dag commented. “So what do we do?” He turned to his friends.

          “We are not going to do anything about it. It is not our fight.” Fred yawned. “I am hungry. I came here to hunt for food. When have we become the police?” Fred asked his friends. “I will suggest we mind our business. Pretend as if we never saw this incident. Kidnappers are deadly. To make the matter worse, we are mere cats. Engaging them is like walking on the highway to hell.”

          “No doubt, Fred,” stated Blaize. “But we can still find out if she was truly kidnapped or not without getting into harm’s way.”

          “How?” Dag asked. He fixed a glance on the men as they dragged the agonized woman into the house and slammed the door behind them.

Blaize turned to Dag. “That woman and my master’s wife have a striking resemblance. To clear my doubt, we need to visit Priest Valdin’s house now.”

           “Going there is not the problem. How do we get into Valdin’s house?” Dag asked.

          “That’s not a problem either. We were two cats in that house before I was given to Dr Pepper,” Blaize disclosed.

          “Yes!” Dag interjected. “I remember you told me that it was his wife that told Priest Valdin to give you out to that cruel Dr Pepper!”

          “Yes, she did. But all that is history now,” Blaize replied, almost close to tears. “It is the past now and I have learnt to live with it.”

          “What do you mean?” Fred asked. “What kind of creature are you Blaize? You worry about people who do not care about you. Dr Pepper cast you into this hunger stricken world because you could not kill a rat, forgetting how many you had walked into silence under his nose. Priest Valdin’s wife was the architect of your misfortune. She made you a low life fellow by prompting her husband to give you to Dr Pepper. Today, she is presumably in trouble and you are breaking your head over it!”

          Blaize took a deep breath. “I know exactly what you are talking about, Fred. I hardly think about my pains because it might hinder me from doing what is right. What will it profit me if I watch this woman die at the hands of these kidnappers? Do you value life? If you do, you won’t pay evil for evil. It is important we help people,” Blaize said and began to move away. “Contrary to your opinion, Madam Lucy did not know that Dr Pepper was a bad man. She only helped the man by giving me to him. I was to solve Dr Pepper’s problems by killing every rat in his house. It was not her fault that I failed to kill the rat that robbed me of my place in Dr Pepper’s house. And it is not her fault that Dr Pepper treated me badly. Be careful the way you condemn people. Priest Valdin’s wife was innocent. If you say Dr Pepper was cruel to me, I will understand!” Blaize came down from the rooftop. He faced the street and began to move quickly away. “Condemning the poor woman, doesn’t make any sense!”

          “Blaize, wait. Where are you going?” Dag inquired.

“I am going to Priest Valdin’s house,” Blaize sounded from a distance as he raced down the street. “I need to find out if Madam Lucy is at home!”

          Dag came down from the building and ran after Blaize. Fred had no choice but to reluctantly join his friends.

 

Book Review: My Walk on the Aikido Path: A Healing Journey of Self Discovery by Rachel Kling

 

Developing an identity is what defines who we are. “My Walk on the Aikido Path” by Rachel Kling is an enthralling journey of healing, self-discovery and complete understanding of herself. To bridge the gap between finding complete happiness and reaching the top, this book is the vehicle for aspiration, connection and compassion.

The author made valid points about healing. Aikido as an art is authentic. Like most genuine practices, it brings satisfaction and cast out doubt. It teaches us that the quality of our lives is bound up with the quality of our relationships and that we exist in relation to others.

I find this book interesting because it gives me an insight into how I should react to situations because our choices impart the entire human community. “Rather than fight, or try to harm the aggressor, nage creates an opportunity to choose connection over contention.”

Aikido is all about relationships, connections, compassion, protection, peace, harmony and love. When we choose to practice Aikido, we choose to practice these principles.

Rachel Kling is a lifelong writer, an Aikido practitioner of 20 years, and began her career as a psychotherapist when she graduated from Saint Michael’s College with a clinical psychology degree in 2016. She has a Master’s Degree of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University.

She received her black belt in aikido in 2011, and has a daily practice of misogi, a form of spiritual purification. Her practice of misogi jo, helps her to connect with nature and her own spirituality, open her heart, clear her mind, and live in the world in an empowered way.

My Walk on the Aikido Path is a must read for those who intend to secure victory for humanity. To accept good advice is but to increase one’s own ability.

 

“Everything we do, every choice we make, can set us further along the path of self-discovery and healing and has far-reaching consequences we may never anticipate or even realize.”

 

If you enjoyed the review, you can visit Amazon or her website to purchase the book.

 

Reviewed by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren.

 

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REVIEW ALERT: Literary Tic Tok of Animals.

I never thought of at this age reading a book where the animal, in this case cats, takes on real human feelings and emotions. In a way it is kind of funny. One point in reading this book, I could see the animals talking, drinking, and taking on real human attributes.

This book is an anthology. The stories within these pages are well rounded. You can have a solid beginning, middle, and end in each one. Every story has some type of meaning or thought that the author is trying to get across. The story of Forgiveness took the spotlight for me. In this very short but to the point story gives a great example on how forgiveness should be granted and how all in the situation can walk away stronger and better than they came in.

I am a big fan of short stories. These short stories are good quality stories with an antidote. This is the first time that I have ever encountered this. The illustrations in the book are very good also. There is a great companionship shown between the stories and illustrations. They are vibrant and full of color. With the story that I chose as my favorite, Forgiveness, I could see the entire story in the illustration. Great job Omoruyi Uwuigiaren!

Reviewed by Patrice

Excerpt

Dag and the other cats made their way down the silent street in an effort to find the second course of their dinner. Unconcerned, they strolled down Maxwell Street, the home of Flinz, a notorious cat who was feared by the entire feline population of the city. It was rumored that Flinz’s breath could kill a dove!

Maxwell Street lay in the belly of discomfort, and its ugliness was there for all eyes to see. The streetlights were dim; they had seen better days. The buildings, too, were swimming in the pool of old age and begging for renovation. Parts of the old street were overrun with rats and mice—meals that poor Dag and friends would normally have found promising but tonight lay beyond their reach and strength. 

          The cats were tired from their long walk, so they rested a short distance from a shopping mall, which housed the finest buildings on the old street. But just as they settled down, Flinz emerged from behind a cracked old fence and stole past Dag and the others. He dashed into the mall, almost unnoticed, to commit what had earned him the nickname ‘the notorious cat’. After a few minutes inside the mall, Flinz found some groceries on a shelf and lost his balance trying to reach the food. Blaize was the first to be alerted. “What’s that?” he asked with a grimace.

            Dag raised his head and glanced about. “I don’t know.” His voice revealed his caution.

            Fred cleared his throat and said, “It could be a thief!” He exchange glances with the others.

            “You may be right,” said Blaize. “Let’s go see who the criminal is,” he suggested, and faced the mall with a good speed. The other cats followed, flinging glances in every direction to make sure that no one was on their trail. As soon as they got to the mall, Blaize signaled his friends to stop. Before they could blink, Blaize climbed up to one of the half-open windows and peered inside. There was Flinz, feasting on the groceries! A ray of anger flushed over Blaize’s face. Returning to his friends, he reported, “We have an enemy in there!”

            “Who?” Dag probed, simpering.

            “It’s Flinz!” Blaize replied.

            “Who is Flinz?” asked Pork.

            “Flinz lives on the street that leads to the train station. It is said that he once ate an animal that had been sacrificed by humans, and is now immersed in a pool of misfortune. After losing his fine attributes, he withdrew from public life and became a terror to the people.”

            “What a pity. Life is no bed of roses!” Dag said, and turned to go.

            “No! We must fight him!” Blaize proclaimed. “The wicked soul killed my brother after they had a heated argument over a piece of meat in the market square. And I have vowed to avenge my brother’s death. There is no better time to do so than this beautiful night. Then my brother’s death will have had a purpose!”

            Dag now recalled the sad story. “Yes, I remember. Wasn’t it the cat you told me about that lived in the train station?”

            “Yes!” Blaize responded. “And that was four days ago.”

            Then Pork offered a jewel of advice: “You’d best forget about Flinz and mind your business. I don’t think vengeance is the way to handle this issue.”

            Blaize reacted, “Check my face and read my lips, and you will see that nothing can stop me tonight, Pork. My brother cannot have died for nothing!”

            “Pork is right,” Dag interjected. “We came here to find a befitting meal for the night, not to battle. Don’t allow this issue into your head, my friend.” The elderly cat pulled Blaize to his side.

            Blaize shoved him off. “You don’t know how it hurts to lose a brother. My brother was my best friend and was everything to me.” Tears gathered in his eyes as Blaize moved away. Before Dag and the other cats could make a move, Blaize had disappeared through the window and was received by the treachery inside the mall.

            There was a momentary silence as Blaize advanced to the corner where Flinz was having a one-cat party. Red with rage, Blaize shouted, “You are a wicked soul, and your madness ends today!”

            Raising his head, Flinz cleared his throat as a queer look paraded over his face, “Why call me such a name on a cold night, my poor friend?”

            “I see that you have forgotten that you killed my brother!”

Flinz pushed his meal to one side, and tried to recall who the fellow was, but he could not remember. So he fixed his gaze on Blaize: “I have no memory for an ugly past. Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me. Who exactly is your brother?”

“Don’t tell me that you have forgotten the fellow you slew at the market square some months ago!”

“Oh, yes… Now I remember. But it is one of those things. Brother killing brother and so forth,” Flinz replied unrepentantly and went back to his meal.

“I have vowed to avenge my brother’s death.”

After swallowing a lump, Flinz replied, “You don’t have to announce it. Let your actions speak for you. But I will advise you to refrain from vengeance, because it is not in our power to take life.”

“But you killed my brother!”

“Yes. But I never wanted to. He refused to let me have my way. And that was why I sent him to the silent world. Now, please go away. Sometimes I lose my temper and find myself going against my nature in circumstance such as this one.”

“No! I refuse to leave!” The arched back and bristling fur demonstrated Blaize’s aggression; his tail was confidently upright and his rear stood firm, while the front of his body retreated and his fur stood straight up to make him look bigger than he actually was. He was certainly ready to give Flinz a good fight.

Flinz chuckled. “So you want to fight me? Do not add your death to this tragedy, my friend. Leave here!” Flinz ordered. He crouched low, not ready to submit, with chin tucked in, ears turned to show their backs and whiskers forwarded and ready to face the threat.

Blaize started the fight with a fierce blow that caught Flinz on the neck. But just as he pressed his advantage, and no eye was watching, he made a slash across the cat’s right cheek and some whiskers were lost. Blaize let out with an agonized cry as they shared blows from one end of the store to the other. However, it was only a matter of time before the advantage shifted to Flinz, and Blaize tasted frustration that night. Flinz had left Blaize devastated, then dashed out of the mall and raced towards the train station for all he was worth. Before Blaize could even blink, his enemy was gone.

Not long after, Dag, Pork and Fred rushed to the scene where Blaize had received the beating of his life. Dag was the first to speak. “Where is Flinz?”

Blaize pointed towards the train station and managed to croak, “There!” There was no strength left in him.

Pork and Fred tried to give chase, but before they could get out of the mall, Flinz had disappeared into thin air. With darkness hanging around the corner, and disappointment taking its toll, they shook their heads in disbelief and returned to the store. As a matter of fact, Blaize had yet to shrug off the injury he’d suffered at the hands of Flinz. “You were not prepared for the fight, Blaize.” Pork said.

That much was true. Later, they could discuss how to cut the bully down to size, but for now Dag helped the injured Blaize to his feet. “We must leave now,” said Dag. But just as they made for the window that was halfway open, they were alarmed by a strange sound from the street. “What’s that?” Pork took cover behind one of the shelves.

“Sssh! Keep your voice low,” Dag warned as, one after another, they scaled the window only to witness a bizarre occurrence that was taking place under the gloomy eyes of the silent night. On the street was a man being mobbed by a crowd of people. One after another they rained down their clubs upon the man until at last he lay gasping and choking. His head rolled to one side as life itself faded from his lips. After the assault was over, and after all the belongings of the dead man had been placed in the pockets of his assailants, the mob disappeared into the night.

“What have they done?” Pork inquired incredulously.

“Can’t you see that they just beat a man dead?” Blaize replied.

Dag shook his head in dismay. “What a wicked world! Humans do not value life as we do. No cat I know could be that brutal!”

But Blaize had something different to say: “What about Flinz? Is there any difference between that scoundrel and the mob?”

“Flinz is a bad example, and his days are numbered,” Dag replied with a frown.

“I hope so,” Blaize mumbled.

Fred sighed. “I’m not so sure that the man is dead…”

“Nor am I,” Pork said. “We are too far away to assume that he has gone to meet his ancestors.”

“Let’s go and see if he is still alive,” Dag said, and led the cats to the street where the man lay in a pool of his own blood. Once they reached the scene, they were sad to see that the man had indeed walked into silence. Dag said, “This is not good. I know this man. He lives at the end of this street. I wonder why he’s come home so late today.”

“That is not the issue, Dag. No one has the right to take his life. Like every citizen of this land, each man has the right to freedom of movement,” Fred stated.

“Whatever kept him out late must have been important,” Blaize said.

“Only God knows. If humans would take security seriously, this man would have returned unharmed to his house,” Pork said. He sighed a long sigh.

 A momentary silence hung in the air as the cats stared at the poor soul. Not long after, thunder crashed in the sky and it began to rain. “I’ve heard enough for today,” Dag announced and walked away. The elderly cat climbed the roof of one of the buildings and disappeared. The other cats knew that venturing further into the treacherous night was not the best idea, so they followed the path of their old friend.

To read the complete story visit:  

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