Hi. So glad u're here
Here's a motivational fiction which aims at summarizing all the obstacles that an aspirant or a great dreamer is likely to face on his way to the top. Here, real names are not used but what we call abstract nouns such as Hopefulness, Doubt, Limitation, Knowledge and so on.
As a matter of time, the central character here is Hopefulness who wanted to get to the position of Greatness-Island of Greatness. Let's see how it goes...


DEDICATED TO Y :oU.

Chapter One
THE BACKGROUND OF HOPE
Hope would be leaving home to live permanently in the Island of Greatness. He was the last son of Mr. and Mrs. Mediocrity who lived at plot 11, Average Street, Happy-Go-Lucky town.
In Happy-Go-Lucky, Average Street was the lengthiest , having countless houses, among which were the Abandoned Abode and Dungalow Bungalow (an ugly bungalow which was formerly a refuse site where the Hoodlum family lived). Duplicity duplex, where Mr. Cheat and his family lived was also a notable structure in Happy-Go-Lucky town.
The Dilapidation dwellingplace, little Hope's home, seemed the worst of all in Happy-Go-Lucky, since its shored-up tall muddy walls wouldn't cease to fall frequently due to the many wide cracks on them. The wooden eaves of the roof of the Dilapidation dwellingplace had fallen off several times for their weaknesses, but the Mediocres had paid little attention to it, since they had no money to put it right again. The smallest but mightiest of all was the Hurt huts, the diminutive huts where Mother Witch and her ten tenants lived. The dwellers of the Hurt huts had never had rest, living all their lives wrestling one another and extending their tussles to the rest of the residences in the street, and in the town altogether. While the Hoodlum family posed huge resistance to the Hurt dwellers, the Mediocrity family remained the most vulnerable to their attacks, since their fences weren't strong enough to serve as defence.
To get to the Island of Greatness, Little Hope must need to cross the River of Achievement believed to be somewhere around the outskirt of Happy-Go-Lucky town. But how he would cross it had not crossed his mind.
Alacrity was the firstborn of the Mediocres, but premature death would not let him get to his destination (the Island of Greatness), having tendered his life for death to tend at a tender age in a water accident. Little Hope was the sole soul who could narrate the sorry story of the sudden saddening demise of his eldest brother so well. When telling it those days, he had said, '' Alacrity my brother died due to his over-eagerness to get to the Island of Greatness. Alacrity was filled with enthusiasm when he first discovered that there was a city flowing with meat and money called the Island of Greatness. Without seeking the elderly counsel of Father Sage, that poor old priest living in the little cottage called Dotage cottage down the street, Alacrity began his journey to the Island of Greatness immediately.''
Alacrity had only tramped few miles when he met the triplets called Goodwill, Goodwish and Gooddream who vowed to wow him and accompany him through the right miles with bright smiles on their white faces that night. They hadn't trekked long distance when they ran into a bad lad called Badmanner, who began immediately to let them know that life was not all about crossing the River of Achievement.
'' There is a shortcut to the Island of Greatness without passing through the River of Achievement,'' announced Badmanner and Alacrity paid rapt attention to hear more of the seemingly good news uttered by the bad lad. Gladly, but unfortunately, Alacrity received the bad lad's mad fad and readily agreed in greed to go with him through the shortcut.
''Is there not a shortcut to the shortcut you're talking about?'' asked Alacrity interestingly and Badmanner replied ''There is'' and began to lead them to the forbidden River of Haste in haste. Alacrity turned around to observe the round faces of his three passive friends and asked, ''My kind friends, would you mind coming with me to the River of Haste?''
''Of course yes!'' replied Goodwill, Goodwish and Gooddream concurrently. ''All we want is to see you get to the Island of Greatness, and it doesn't matter to us the route you take to get there.''
Hardly had they reached the bank of the River of Haste when Alacrity wanted to plummet into it with a backflip to begin his forward journey to the island, but Badmanner held him quickly and hollered, ''Alas! Alack! Only clever people can make it through the forbidden River of Haste. You'll need to be--''
''It's enough my friend!'' Alacrity barged in... To be continued...

?##?

''It's enough my friend!'' Alacrity barged in. ''I'm clever, and I'll forever be clever. I'm a fast swimmer, and so I'll only need to perform twenty strokes to get me through this rough River of Haste to the Island of Greatness.''
''You're right, Alack!'' concurred Badmanner. ''But you'll need to peep into the deep before dipping yourself into it, else you might end up weeping in the lips of the octo--'' Before Badmanner could end his speech, Alacrity had plummeted into the narrow river, the River of Haste, which was having some incredible turbulent storms and tides.
The Goods at the riverbank raised their heads to view Alacrity clearly, their voices to wish him a successful journey and their hands to wave some 'byes'. All of a sudden, they lowered their raised heads, voices and hands againas their countenances fell, telling the story that all was not well

--the octopus of trouble in the River of Haste had gotten hold of Alacrity, just when he was about to perform the last stroke that would get him into the Island of Greatness.
Alacrity dangled as he struggled to rip himself off the strangling grip of the angered angler--the Octopus of Trouble, but wasn't strong enough for the tasking task. He had now begun to desire fleeing the River of Haste hastily, but wasn't afforded the chance.

Through the faint light of the moon in the night, the Goods sighted the doom looming for Alacrity the rude dude and their good mood was turned into lugubriousness. At last, Alacrity lost his vivacity and got tired of trying but resorted to crying. Then he lost his costly life in the eldritch tentacles of the Octopus of Trouble.
Badmanner would go into the river too. He had entered in oft afore but carefully, unlike Alacrity. However, he hadn't made it to the Island of greatness all the while because the Octopus of Trouble would not let him get there, catching him and trying to strangle him each time.

But because Badmanner could play his games well those times, he had been escaping the grips of the Octopus of Trouble only to momentarily forfeit the feat of getting to the island those times by turning back to get back to his town, the Happy-Go-Lucky town.
This time around, Badmanner carefully lowered himself into the selfsame river and drifted forward silently, but awkwardly, having discovered from weekly experiences the weak point of the wicked octopus--short-sightedness.
Though Badmanner had to perform many strokes in the River of Haste, he made it through to the Island of Greatness eventually.

Without further ado the Goods turned heel to face the hills ahead and turned their backs against the bank of the River of Haste in whose belly Alacrity's life was wasted as they prepared to race away to make the story known to the Mediocres, Alacrity's family.
Since the day Alacrity was murdered, Limitation little Hope's mother began to keep her entire household in stronghold by beholding them carefully and holding their arms tightly so as to prevent them from getting close to the cracks on the walls through which they could exit the house. Every mother in Happy-Go-Lucky town had also done likewise by the imitation of Limitation's meditation, believing that restriction is the best way to hinder a person's dream of getting to the Island of Greatness.

They had commanded their children to desist from making any move towards the Island of Greatness, but to remain within the limit of Happy-Go-Lucky town and wait patiently for Mr. Goodluck's visitation someday.
Mr. Mediocre, Hope's father, collaborated with his wife by elaborating on her speeches. "My children, be content with your hometown like Mr. Contentment the father of Great Gain. If Mr. Creator wants you in Greatness he would have put you there at creation. Then you'd be sure that I Mediocrity would not have been your father."

"And myself Limitation," interrupted Hope's mother, "Wouldn't have been the one to put you to bed. Therefore remain within these four walls of Dilapidation dwellingplace."
"Remain in dilapidation?" Hope hollered and shrugged, ''Never!"

"Shut up, Hope!" Limitation objurgated.
When the Mediocres had their last baby some months after Alacrity's death, they were greatly comforted. This time the child was a female whom they christened Standaloof with the intent of making her not to have a trace of Alacrity's trait, who died because of his enormous elan.

Dedicated to HELENSHARPAY...a promising Nairalander


CHAPTER TWO
THE ABILITY IN VULNERABILITY

The story of Vulnerability, aka Vulnerable was pathetic too. Vulnerability had given up the hope of getting out of Dilapidation to the Island of Greatness since the day his mother Limitation reprimanded them and commanded that her demands alone should be fulfilled. However, his slurred focus began to traverse a new locus when he met Father Sage in the temple one day. Father Sage had said '' Vulne, I can spot in you the ability to get to the Island of Greatness to bring with you the long-awaited Mr. Goodluck." Vulnerability stooped and stared stupidly at the glossy floor of the temple as he gnawed nervously at the nails on his right fingers.
"Vulnerability," Father Sage called and shook him lightly after allowing silence to prevail a little while. "Did you hear what I said?"

"Yes," responded the boy gently. "But sir, d'you think I'm capable of crossing the River of Achievement?" Father Sage smiled at Vulnerability's naive response and then replied, "Vulne, with what you've just asked I'm glad that you do acknowledge the fact that no one can really get to the Island of Greatness without crossing the River of Achievement. I'm as well glad that you don't attend the Fool's School of Thought where it was taught that the Island of Greatness does not exist. I'm also happy that you don't believe the doctrines of those in the Do-nothing School of Thought, who believe, according to what Mr. Experience told me, that Mr. Goodluck will come to this town to make it better," the man commented perspicaciously.

With a little frown, Vulnerability said promptly, "But father I thought you do uphold this same belief."
"Yes I do partially," admitted the Sage. "Mr. Goodluck will come here if only someone from here will first cross the River of Achievement to bring him here. But those in the Do-nothing School of Thought believe he will come even while they fold their arms doing nothing."
"Now I understand," Vulnerability confessed, smiling in a satisfied manner. His fleeting smile soon flitted off his face for a string of frowns to take over.
"What?" queried the aged Sage. "Why the sudden scowl?" he howled.
"I don't know whether an illiterate like me can get to the Island of Greatness," divulged the boy to the man's wonderment.
"What d'you mean? Limitation your mother told me that both you and Hope were in school!"
"Yes, but I dropped out."

"Why?"
"Because the fee was increased by hundred percent and my parents could not afford it anymore. I pulled out while Hope remained, but Hope pulled out too, later."
"Why Hope too?" The priest was deeply concerned. "Because dad and mum thought it good to use his fee for Dilapidation walls repair." Vulnerability's confession sounded incredible to the old man who voiced out immediately, "But the last time I came to your house I didn't notice boy change to the facade of those walls. I mean the cracks were still as wide as they'd been for years. In fact, I still got into your rooms that day through many wide cracks."
"Your observations are true, father," concurred Vulnerability.
"But why?" What then was done with Hope's school fee?"

"To get the walls mended those days, we sought Mr. Knowledge who was recommended by Mr. Experience. But Mr. Knowledge made known to us that it's of no use repairing the walls since they'll keep cracking and collapsing, no matter the amount we spend to get them done. He even warned that using bricks won't proffer solution let alone the mud we've preferred."
Father Sage conjured a confused face at the boy's confession, gawking as though doubting. "But why?"
"Mr. Knowledge told my parents that the foundation of our building was faulty because it has been founded on a fault zone and the earth beneath the walls is moving apart. Therefore it would make our walls crack forever. But we didn't believe him."
Father Sage nodded slowly and smiled broadly as he said, "You shouldn't have doubted Mr. Knowledge."
"Why?"
"Because the earth is the foundation to all things. You can't construct a structure on a weak one and expect to see it stand firm."

A well thought out interwoven thread. Waiting for the continuation.

*bring in my seat*

He fixed his gaze on Vulnerability's face and asked, "Tell me, can you build a house in the air?" The boy nodded in the negative, gnawed at his thumbnail and smiled. Silence smiled on them.
"Continue your story," Father Sage broke the brief silence.
"My mother sent Mr. Knowledge away and went after Mr. Cheat immediately," Vulnerability said and paused as he would describe the man in question. "That plump potbellied man who stays in the duplex called Duplicity down the street."
"I know him," said the Sage. "Just continue."
"Mr. Cheat promised to help us form formidable walls after telling us that Mr. Knowledge was ignorant of the fact that there's nothing called by the name 'fault zone' and mother readily believed him. After the bum had deceived mum to receive maximum sum from her, he grumbled still and got more. Then he smiled, revealing his gums as he helped himself to a bottle of rum. Thereafter he left and returned with his cousins, Conceit and Deceit to get the work done immediately.

The walls were soon ready and mum was convinced, believing that Cheat had without doubt proven Mr. Knowledge wrong. No sooner had they departed than the walls collapsed, almost falling on Standaloof the baby of the house: thanks to little Hope who quickly helped to rescue her, else the story to tell would be different now."
As Father Sage heard the name Standaloof mentioned by Vulnerability, the Hair of Aggression on his nape stood erect and the creases on his greased face increased as he exclaimed, "What the heck? Is her name Standaloof? I'll surely quarrel with your mother Limitation for this."
"For what?" Vulnerability asked, not comprehending.
"Anyway don't worry," said the Sage, now wearing gentle face again. "It's between your parent and me. Go on."
Vulnerability sneezed twice and resumed:
"At this sight, mother was highly provoked, so she got ready to contact Waste from the Hoodlum family, who lives in the Dungalow bungalow to send him after Mr. Cheat to deal with him."

Vulnerability paused to yawn and then said suddenly, "If my uncle Doubt had been present, I'm sure he would have without doubt prevented that shit called Cheat from cheating us." Being mazed at the boy's declaration, Father Sage's visage changed as he grimaced in rage and fixed his aged fazed gaze hastily at the boy's grim hazy face in a daze. The alteration of his countenance was as a result of his abhorrence for Doubt, a tenant of a flat in the Flirts' flats. Father Sage's hatred for Doubt was so immense that he had developed strong aversion for his name.
"Vulne, don't you ever mention Doubt to my hearings anymore," warned the Sage as Vulnerability sulked and hunched his back to stare regretfully at the floor until the Sage had passionately bedecked his thin naked neck with soft impeccable pecks.

The boy's face smoothened up again as he said, " We found Mr. Experience later and he let us know, after examining the component of the broken walls, that Mr. Cheat has only spent a stipend out of the huge hard-earned cash my mum gave him to acquire the building materials used. Mother was on her way to the Dungalow bungalow, that low bungalow down the street, to seek Waste when uncle Doubt--erm--er--suddenly reached the Dilapidation's dilapidated rooms through a big breach." Vulnerability raised his brow apprehensively as he realized the mistake he had made, having mentioned the name 'Doubt' again, but Father Sage was indifferent this time. He only beckoned on him to continue.
"But when uncle Doubt came, he debunked the opinions of both Mr. Knowledge and Mr. Experience and called them liars, confessing that Mr. Cheat had done his best."
Father Sage's wrath was kindled against Doubt in absentia.

Uneasily the old man raised his head and raised his voice to praise Mr. Knowledge and condemn Doubt by saying, "Vulne, Doubt your uncle is a big liar for spoiling and soiling the character of my friends. I've acknowledged Knowledge as a good personality for a long time, such that I had to stoop low to acquire skills from him those days before he was exiled from this town because the council wouldn't approve his school, Knowledge School of Thought, which teaches that it is possible for one to cross the River of Achievement to the Island of Greatness. They found his teachings odd and out-of-syllabus." Father Sage sniffed and then a thought crossed his mind.
"Hey, where did your parents even find them? I've not heard from them since the exile."
"Well, mum told me she found Mr. Experience in the Valley of Inexperience."
"Teaching?" the Sage guessed, putting on a bright face.

"Exactly!" Vulnerability replied, looking excitedly at the old man for the correct conjecture. "It was he who took mum to the Valley of Ignorance where Mr. Knowledge now dwells."
"Good!" Father Sage ululated his elation. It was short-lived. "Happy-Go-Lucky is just too lucky to still have me his head around in this town, else he'd begun walking about on his head without a head."

He moaned as if he was envisaging irreparable damage for his town. "I've remained in this town because I've been destined to relay to the Go-Luckers without delay that the way to the Island of Greatness is neither the Highway of Iniquity where many feet had trodden and are still treading even now, nor the River of Haste in which Alacrity lost his life, nor the Megalowealth Way constructed by Mr. Cheat, nor the Pathway of Indifference made by Fear, but only one way--the River of Achievement. Though I've remained here for a century teaching them the only way, the story still remains 'none has been there'. If I be dead, Hope be dead for them also, and they shall remain in pain and insane in this domain forever." The man turned up his cloudy face to face the cloudy sky, then he continued, "The only school teaching the right thing was destroyed and his proprietor exiled. Oh! What a pity! Father Sage sighed and shook his head to pity the Go-Luckers. Then he turned to Vulnerability and said, "Vulne, have you left his school for so long before it was destroyed here?" The man's question caught the boy unprepared. However, he managed to ask, "Do you mean the Knowledge School of Thought?"
"Which one was destroyed other than that?" the old man replied. "Or weren't you attending the Knowledge School of Thought with Hope before you both hopped out?"

"No sir," came the boy's reply to the old man's astonishment. Childishly , Vulnerability lowered his void head to avoid Father Sage's glowers as he added slowly with a low tone, "I've never in my life attended the Knowledge School of Thought."
Impatiently, Father Sage queried, "So which school were you before you dropped out?"
"The Simpleminded School of Thought," replied the lad softly to the wonderment of the greybeard.
"You're lying, aren't you?" Father Sage said rashly, but the boy gestured that it was the truth. "Come closer," commanded the priest. He acquiesced immediately. Father Sage gazed into the timid limpid eyes of the boy and it seemed to him as though he had seen the truth of the matter boldly etched on them. At last the man uttered, "Vulne, you are not lying." Vulnerability was shocked at the man's unexpected revelation because his eyeballs had always been giving him out in the past--his teachers in the Simpleminded School of Thought had often read them in the same manner, only to come up with the conclusions that he was lying whenever he was saying the truth.
"Your perception is different."
"What d'you mean Vulne?"
"My reddish eyeballs you just read, my teachers do read them too, but were always coming up with wrong conclusions." The man smiled and said, "They're Simpleminded, so what d'you expect? They can't perceive inner feelings, only the superficial ones." The Sage held Vulnerability's right wrist and silence followed.
"Well, lad I'm glad you've dropped out of there. Dropping out of the Simpleminded School of Thought is better than remaining. It's better to cross the River of Achievement as an illiterate person than to be nurtured under that foreigner Mr. Simpleton without a promising future. Though I'm old yet I'm not holding on to the belief of those in that school of yours who opine that it's crime to pine for the Island of Greatness let alone crossing the River of Achievement. Now tell me, was little Hope performing brilliantly in the Simpleminded School those days?"
Vulnerability laughed as he said, "Hope was always scoring zero and taking the last position in his class. He had to repeat his class twice before his withdrawal."
Father Sage smiled and said, "That's splendid! Hope must be a potential hero for him to have scored zero in that school, because the worst student in your school is better than the best student there. That's why I say Hope is a potential hero."
"I don't understand."
"Just forget it and tell me more about Hope."
With enthusiasm Vulnerability said," Hope would not cooperate with teachers in class, but he would make noise and seek to have his name scribbled times ten in the list of noise makers. At times our teachers would send him out of class for his disturbances and at other times he would doze off during lesson periods."
"What about you?" asked Father Sage to the coy boy's joy.
"Me?" the boy replied timidly and bent his shyly

"I always wanted to be first in class and I always get it. The only time I took second position I felt so bad, rejecting my meal until mum had screamed at me."
"Hmm!" Father Sage heaved. "Hopefulness is wonderful!"
Vulnerability was jealous. He couldn't understand the reason why the man should regard Hopefulness despite having such woeful performance in school in lieu of himself with wonderful one. Out of jealousy Vulnerability asked, "Father what about me? Though I was best you didn't appreciate me."
"Not so Vulne," said the man, holding the boy tightly. "You're awesome." In no time Vulnerability had regained his composure.
"So...Vulne, will you now live to believe that you can leave the Average life lived in this Average Street to live in relief with the living souls living in the Island high up there?"
"Of course yes!" the boy replied impulsively. "I'll surely come back with Mr. Goodluck." Father Sage bent his neck backward and raised his face toward the sky, thinking. He soon terminated the emerging silence when he said, "I'm glad my boy for this task you shall now accomplish. In my dream I saw you crossing the River of Achievement, bringing with you the long-awaited Mr. Goodluck. Thereafter a bridge was made to link here with there, making it easy for all here to get there." The man fondled the boy's hair as the boy cuddled up in his embrace.
"Go home now my son, it's getting late." Vulnerability began to trek home happily at the man's command, but had not gone far when he heard the man call his name. "Father, anything more?"
"There's a warning you must heed, else you may not get to the Island of Greatness."
"What warning sir?"
"Listen to me Vulne. Make sure you don't allow this news get into the ears of Doubt your uncle."
"I won't," promised Vulnerability. "But I'm afraid my parents could tell him. Maybe I--I should not tell my parents about it also." For a while silence oozed out of the Sage's lips as he applied a long-lasting tough rough scratch to his itchy scruff. "You may tell your parents," spoke the Sage thoughtfully. "But Vulne don't you dare blow your Trumpet of Imagination publicly." The man's speech caught the boy unawares.
"Why?" he asked, putting up a sad countenance. "Blowing my trumpet is exactly what I'm thinking to do as soon as I leave here."
"Don't try it!" the Sage warned again. A more critical look was now glommed to his face. "If you blow your trumpet you shall surely be incuring the jealousy of those zealous callous souls who are not wishing you good--the Bad's triplets and the entire residents of the Hurt shall be tempted to make attempt at denting your dream by causing accidents for you in the River of Achievement. Therefore it's better to keep your Trumpet of Imagination to yourself instead of blowing it into the ears of Mother Witch and her tenants."
"I'll try not to blow it sir."
"Trying isn't enough but crying against it will go a long way to help, perhaps your parents might want theirs blown."
"I'll--I'll try s-sir," the boy stuttered in uncertainty. He knew quite well that he would not be capable of restraining Limitation his mother in case she wanted the trumpets blown.
"Goodbye," Father Sage waved to him at last. Father Sage stared at Vulnerability's back until he was out of sight. Then he heaved a soliloquy:
"My dear Mr. Knowledge! Full of integrity: we imparted each other's life with knowledge before you departed. For being honest, honey shall be your meal, and you shall not suffer before you meet your daily meat. Because you pray daily you shall not become a prey. The students you've bred shall not lack bread, and because of you the poor shall pour their poverty away and reach for riches. Your posterity shall have prosperity and no man shall indeed need to weed your seeds away forever. Your students shall be studious in their studies, for this is the joy of all teachers, and peace shall come to you with ease."
"For being humble you shall neither stumble nor tumble, and as you hop to the top nothing shall stop you till you get atop. You shall not lack bread because you are not slack in business: your legacies being read and uttered shall bring bread and butter to the table of those bred in gutters and your life shall be long because you belong to a good school of thought."
"Oh Knowledge, you know the ledges in the River of Achievement, therefore I plead, lead the willing ones through the path that's leading to the Island of Greatness and don't depart from them until they have stepped their heels on the hills and on the golden knoll edge of the island, Mr. Knowledge."
"O Happy-Go-Luckers, you exiled my sister Wisdom without knowing that without wisdom you can't get to the kingdom, the Island of Greatness. Mr. Saint her husband you murdered, not realising that without a saint you shall faint. Understanding her sister you have also exiled, without the understanding that without Understanding you cannot stand in unity.

Looooooo....lz,Sammie Hoe am feeling u.

Understanding is the pillar standing under the earth to make things on earth stand firm on the ground. The virginity of Virtue you have defiled too; she was raped to death, yet everyone, including the cops, gaped at her corpse, not taking notice to seek Justice."
"O how I've waited long in longing to see a soul belonging to the Dilapidation dwellingplace get to the Island of Greatness! If Alacrity had sought my counsel he'd be remaining alive till today. I blame it all on Limitation his mother whose traits he had taken, someone who has never sought after my counsel before. Her refusal to bring her first and second sons to my temple at their births had paved way for Mr. Nonsense to christen them Alacrity and Vulnerability respectively. If I did not call at their home when Hopefulness was born I'm sure they would have named him otherwise. And then she gave birth to a baby girl of late and named her Standaloof! I shall quarrel with Limitation greatly for this."
"The few souls who had had the thought of getting to the Island of Greatness did not seek my counsel. Many years back Mr. Experience tried but failed, but I'm glad he has now realised his past mistakes and he's now making up for it. Others resorted to Doubt who made them doubt the existence of such great island. I shall not allow him to complete the school, the Doubt School of Thought he's constructing here. He has founded the foundation already on the large piece of land called the Land of Despair he inherited from Despair his father. Its foundation must founder, yes, in the presence of its founder Doubt. I shall send one of the Faiths to ensure such fate tonight." Father Sage paused abruptly, then he said frustratingly, "I rest my wrest here since no ear is here to hear. I've been whiling away my time in soliloquizing all the while."
He began to make for his little cottage called 'Dotage' immediately.

Dedicated to IZUKWU
First person to C :DMMENT on this
Story..........
CHAPTER THREE
THE DISABILITY OF
VULNERABILITY

Vulnerability soon entered his home, the Dilapidation dwellingplace and eagerly declared to his parents how Father Sage had spelt out that the ability to get to the Island of Greatness lay in him.
"You mean Father Sage told you this with his lips or it slipped out of his lips accidentally while he was feeling sleepy,"Limitation lisped, doubting her boy. In apprehension Vulnerability replied, "He told me he saw me get into the island in his dream."
"Wonderful!" exclaimed Limitation as she turned to her husband and whispered, "Med, did you just hear with your ears what your heir has just aired here?"
"Sweet Lim, I heard it vividly," Mediocrity replied enthusiastically. "But I don't know what to say," he added.
"What to say?" spoke Limitation loudly. "There's nothing to say now because the Sage has the final say. All we need do is pick our Trumpets of Imagination and roam the streets of Happy-Go-Lucky in the gloaming to blow them." She turned around and found around Vulnerability's rough round face some roughly-round wrinkes defacing it.
"Why the frowns Vulne?" she belled in annoyance. "I know your fears Vulne. You are not buying the idea of blowing the trumpets, isn't it?"
"Yes mother," Vulnerability replied out of fear. "Father Sage warned us that we shouldn't--"
"Don't worry Vulne," Limitation cut in. She pulled him lightly and said, "It doesn't matter. Whether we blow them or not destiny can never be reversed. Since Father Sage has confessed dreaming it be rest assured you shall surely get there."
"But wouldn't it be best to take to the priest's instruction, because--?" Hope's voice came up but his mother let it go down as she yelled, "Shut up Hope!" Limitation picked a long trumpet made of clay. "Vulne, Med, little Hope, pick yours too and let's enter into the streets," she commanded strictly and all but one obeyed.
"Hope!" she screamed. "Won't you pick your trump--?"
"I won't!" Hope barged in stubbornly and retired to his room.
"Let's go," said Limitation to the two left at her lefthand side. Then she added, "Three trumpets should be enough to overwhelm the street of Average and Happy-Go-Lucky town as a whole, isn't it Med?"
"It's the truth," Mediocrity responded. "More so, Hope's voice is not loud in the Trumpets of Imagination as such, therefore he'll surely not contribute to the loudness and soundness of the Sage's message we shall now be passing across to all passersby in Happy-Go-Lucky as we pass by its streets."
Limitation led the way, Mediocrity followed but Vulnerability lingered behind with the trumpet entwined in his fingers like a singer. Hope came again to the parlour to meet Vulnerability, having peeped and beheld the exit of his parents from the inner room earlier.
"Vulne," Hope called with a soft tone and Vulnerability responded "Yes."
"Drop that trumpet and remain here," said Hope. Hope's words appeared to have had great impact on the boy, who instantly let the trumpet slide off his grip to the ground. Suddenly Vulnerability heard his mother's voice, which was having it's source from a spot behind the holey walls, "Vulne, will you join us right away?" Out of fear, Vulnerability picked up his trumpet again and fluttered out to join his parents. All that was left for Hope to hear was the sound of shuffling feet fading away from the Dilapidation dwellingplace.
The house was empty but for Hope who was peeping through a crack in the wall to look at the backs of his departing parents, and for Standaloof who was lying aloof in an inner room. When they had gone out of eyeshot, Hope adjourned to the room where Standaloof lay sleeping. He found her swathed in a knit blanket which was far from being neat, called the Blanket of Restriction, handed down to Limitation by her ancestors. To Hope, the manner with which his sister had lain seemed as if she had been slain, having sucked much of the Milk of Limitation (her mother's breast milk) which was known for its terrific soporific effect on sucklings. It was great battle for Hope those days while he was a suckling too. Those days, he would struggle to abstain from the breast milk which he had great aversion for, but she would force it on him. When Hope could not win his mother over to wean him off the sour soporific Milk of Limitation, he resorted to the 'tit for tat' of tearing her teats apart with his teeth. Then she had no choice than to let him be and thenceforth began to feed him with the sincere milk extracted by Mother Kind from Father Sage's dairy cows daily.
Hurriedly, Hope pulled the blanket off her and found her lost in deep sleep beneath. He then began to tap her severely to wake her up, but she remained as though lifeless, someone who could sleep twenty hours in a day, no thanks to the Milk of Limitation she had spent her active time sucking and the Blanket of Restriction Limitation would always wrap her in,

Pls if you are following this thread i need your comments, positive or negative. The story is just beginning. Thank you all.

Sammy Hoe: Pls if you are following this thread i need your comments, positive or negative. The story is just beginning. Thank you all.

Wow! Love the story. Love your use of alliterations,homophones etc. Now,xcpt for a few typos,perfect! A sharp brain you've got there.

JoBlè: Wow! Love the story. Love your use of alliterations,homophones etc. Now,xcpt for a few typos,perfect! A sharp brain you've got there.

thanks. The typographical errors were shocking to me as well. Most times they were not what i uploaded. For example where you saw 'thin unclad neck' it was 'thin naked neck i wrote' and where you find 'prevent that poo called Cheat from cheating us' it was 'prevent that shit called Cheat from cheating us I wrote'. I keep wondering why nairaland is uploading those errors. Thanks for your remarks.

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Hope u're getting d story