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The Lust Chapter                             

Her lips resembled clay pots abandoned in the open furnace of scorching sun. Trails of salt lakes ran dry on her cheeks; ashing her face with tears long cried. Her back was bare as was every surface of her skin. Tracks covered her all over, marking cracks left every time they stretched her too thin. She was a sorry sight; so sorry that it required the skills of a seasoned diplomat to render an effective apology. But yet she appealed to me despite the pity of her state. It was her eyes; like pools of an oasis they beaconed hope. So slowly I approached to enquire about her plight, with the careful trepidation my mother warned me to exercise when approaching strangers or dirty infested bums. But she didn’t feel like a stranger to me, nor did I think of her as filthy. In fact with every step I took closer to her she felt like a long lost friend; like a distant cousin I have seen ages ago. ‘Hello, are you alright’ I asked her in a whisper, afraid that a loud voice will shatter her already fragile state. She looked up at me, opened her mouth in response but only a tiny croak came out. She seemed to choke on a bolus of Adam’s apple as a cough squeezed its way through the constriction to clear her throat. “Water, please! I’m parched” she begged.

This was the beginning of a life-long friendship as she told me her story. She was a beauty queen, a natural and her name was Jade. Jade because she was always a shade of green; full of life and colour. She was always bright and vibrant; they said she dined on rainbows and wined on the freshest springs. Her beauty brought her an abundance of love; or so she thought. Basking in the love bestowed on her she gave and gave of herself and all they did was take and take some more. Her colourful petals they plucked off and proved their love to maidens worldwide while she remained with no bloom. Her limbs they chopped off to keep warm while she remained barren in the cold and full of gloom. And while they were at it, they soiled her floors and trashed her streams. It seemed all the love had gone, and in the last chapter she served to quench their lust. They took what they needed from her and forgot about her needs. After they have sapped her of all her beauty and wealth they left her to crack; like clay pots abandoned in the open furnace of scorching sun. I held her close and promised to love her.  Yesterday I went to see her just like every day since we met; to give her a glass of water and be a good friend. I’m happy to say Jade is recovering; she is grinning again. A little love goes a long way, especially in the lust chapter.

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Biography

Enigma Tsiako is a creative young writer and performing artist from Botswana, Southern Africa. She is a poet, comedian and stage actor with a passion for writing.

Enigma studied English literature briefly in secondary education and carried her love for word play to University of Botswana with the Writers Workshop. Her artistic pursuits have carried her from home to South Africa, Swaziland and the USA.