Twenty Sixty-One’ by Ikem Cynthia Chinenyenwa makes the shortlist of 15 for this year’s #QuramoWritersPrize
‘Twenty Sixty-One’ by Ikem Cynthia Chinenyenwa makes the shortlist of 15 for this year’s #QuramoWritersPrize
He shook his head again and wound the windscreens down. He heard footsteps and sat up in his seat. It was a police officer on patrol. He was speaking into his walkie-talkie. He walked past Tony to his patrol car and started a conversation with his partner who was seated in the car. Tony thought the officer’s presence would ruin his plans to confront Pedro upon his return. But he was relieved when they turned the siren on and sped off. He exhaled and put his head on the headrest. He looked out through his window towards the sky. The moon shone across trees and its lights reflected all over the parking lot. A rush of air caressed his face and he wiped it with his free palm. He watched another car drive out the parking lot.
Then he heard footsteps approach, and the car door opened. He stole a glance at Pedro as he dropped into his seat and turned to put the grocery bag on the backseat.
He turned the ignition and sped off.
Everything worked out as he had imagined and planned. He put his shotgun to Pedro’s temple and pulled the trigger thirty minutes from the parking lot, very close to the city’s suburb. He confessed to selling out the deal because he needed the extra five thousand dollars Omar’s girl’s gang leader offered him.
Announcement of the winner for this year’s #QuramoWritersPrize will be made on Sunday, December 15 , 2019 at Qfest 2019.
