KURA: The Cactus - by Olaitan Sanni

Be wary of what grows beneath your feet. For certain roots drink no rain; they are birthed in blood, raised on secrets, and hungry only for revenge. <h1>Chapter 1: Nina’s Departure</h1> Ten years ago, in the peaceful village of Riyom, where a towering mountain watched over the land like an ancient guardian, a fifteen-year-old girl named Nina lived an ordinary life.Nina was the light of her compound, a gentle girl with bright eyes, a warm smile, and a laughter that could lift even the heaviest mood. Following her parents' divorce, they went their separate ways and abandoned her, Nina was raised by her grandmother, Mama Beatrice, as everyone in the village called her. Their bond was strongly built on love, sacrifice, and the simple routines of village life, shared meals, stories told beneath the mango tree after sunset, and the comfort of knowing they had each other. It was late afternoon when the sun turned the sky into burnt copper. Mama Beatrice was crouched beside the fire, stirring the soup, when she noticed that the firewood was almost finished. “Nina, my child,” she called, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the edge of her wrapper. “Take the basket and cross the road to the foot of the ridge. Gather some dry firewood. But don’t stay long. The sun is going down.” She paused, then smiled “Be quick. You know it is your favorite meal I’m preparing ” “Yes, Mama,” Nina replied cheerfully. She tied her scarf around her head, picked up the woven basket, and followed the narrow red-dirt path toward the ridge. To reach the woodline, Nina had to cross the interstate highway, a long stretch of asphalt cutting through the quiet countryside and connecting the northern villages to Musay, the busy city beyond. At that hour, the road was usually quiet. But when vehicles passed, they came like thunder, tearing through the dusty air. ______________________________________ Several miles away, a battered pickup truck swerved across the lanes. Behind the wheel was Tunde, a twenty-eight-year-old laborer who worked at a major construction site in Musay. His three days shift had just ended, and was heading back to his home in Riyom The back of his truck was loaded with construction equipment. Shovels, pickaxes, diggers, heavy iron tools, and several bags of cement he had stolen from the site. But the stolen materials weren’t the only thing weighing down the truck. Tunde was drunk. His eyes were bloodshot from a dangerous combination of cheap gin and weed. One hand rested loosely on the steering wheel while the other held his glowing phone. He wasn’t watching the road. His attention was fixed on the screen as he swipe through lists of pornographic video. The truck continued moving forward. Tunde was driving blind.______________________________________ Nina reached the edge of the highway with a small bundle of dry twigs already resting against her hip. She stopped. She looked left. Then right. It was the same routine she always repeated when crossing The road appeared empty. She took a breath and stepped onto the asphalt. At that exact moment, Tunde’s truck appeared over the rise. It was coming far too fast. Nina never saw it. The screech of the tires came too late. CRASH! It was a brutal impact. Nina’s woven basket flew into the air, scattering dry twigs across the road. Her small body was thrown several feet away before landing heavily in the dust at the roadside. For a moment, everything was silent. Then the truck’s engine continued to rumble. Tunde stumbled out of the driver’s seat, his heart pounding violently against his chest. The smell of burnt rubber filled the air. He looked toward the roadside. Nina lay motionless. He froze. He should have called for help. He should have checked whether she was alive. Instead, fear took control. The thought of prison, the alcohol in his blood, and the realization of what he had done sent him into a blind panic. “No… no, no, no,” he whispered. He looked around frantically. “Nobody saw me.” His breathing became heavier. “Nobody can see this.” He scanned the empty highway once more. Then he made the decision that would change his life forever. Tunde grabbed Nina’s body and dragged her toward the truck. He lifted her into the back among the stolen construction equipment and slammed the tailgate shut. He climbed back behind the wheel. Without looking back, he drove away from the highway and onto a rough, isolated path leading toward the slopes of Kura Peak.______________________________________ The higher Tunde climbed, the more deserted the landscape became. The wind howled between the rocks. There were no houses, no people, no witnesses. Tunde stopped the truck. He climbed into the back and pulled out a heavy digger and a shovel. Then he began to dig. The upper layer was hard and rocky, forcing him to put his entire weight behind every strike. Sweat poured down his face as he dug deeper. But just as his muscles began to fail, the digger broke through the surface crust. The rocky topsoil gave way to a hidden vein of soft, powdery sand that made the rest of the digging effortless. Eventually, a shallow grave took shape beneath the shadow of the mountain. Tunde stood over it, breathing heavily. For a moment, he stared at Nina. Her hand lifted weakly, a desperate plea for help. Tunde caught the movement, but a cold realization hit him, it was already too late. Whatever guilt remained inside him was buried beneath his fear of being caught. He rolled her into the cold earth. Then he covered her with soil. When he was finished, he dragged several heavy stones over the disturbed ground, attempting to hide every trace of what he had done. He returned the equipment back to the truck His hands were trembling. Without saying another word, Tunde climbed back into his truck and drove away. He left Nina alone in the darkness, miles from the only home she had ever known.______________________________________ Back in the village, darkness had begun to settle over the hills. The fire beneath Mama Beatrice’s cooking pot had gone out, and the half done soup had grown cold. She waited. Five minutes became ten. Ten became thirty. Still, Nina did not return. Worry began to creep into Mama Beatrice’s heart. She stepped outside and stared down the narrow path leading toward the ridge. “Nina?” she called. Hoping she was already nearby There was no answer. She called again, louder this time. “Nina!” Only the evening wind responded. Mama Beatrice stood there for a moment. Something didn’t feel right. She quickly slipped her feet into her worn slippers, grabbed a small lantern, and stepped out of the compound. “Nina, where are you?” she called as she began searching along the path. She walked farther towards the road, calling her granddaughter’s name again and again. But Nina was nowhere to be found.

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