We remember

The TV didn’t spare my eyes.

It showed the worst; mouths dripping with unsolicited saliva, heads nodding to nothing in particular, and food sitting idly on sandy tables.

But still we journeyed on, to the origin of this mystery.

*********

The road was unfriendly.

We hit a pothole, bounced on a mini-mound and held our breaths as we avoided a plunge down the valley.

But still we journeyed on.

**********

We switched our eyes to the roadside.

The green grass swayed mildly under the morning wind. The dew dropped off stealthily from flapping leaves.

Then the birds sang – perhaps to the falling sun rays, the waking Okidi Village or the convening dark clouds in the distance.

***********

Shaky sounds welcomed us.

I stood and looked at the eyes eying us. Some asked questions I had no answers to. Others demanded explanations. The rest just carried dim hope, resilience and others remained just pairs of empty eyes.

*********

We said nothing. But they nodded.

My hands trembled. The camera shook. But I captured their sick nods until my own eyes gave way.