MASTER OF THE CROSSROADS - WRITTEN BY RICHARD KADREY


I went down to the crossroads to sell my soul to the devil. I was shocked to find my high school sweetheart there trying to do the same thing. "Belinda?" I called. "Belinda Porter?" She was catty-corner from me and looked around when she heard her name, which was kind of ridiculous as we were completely alone on a deserted country two-lane in northern California.

"Johnny Frankenheimer, is that you? Hi!," she called brightly across the road. "Long time no see. What are you doing way out here in the middle of the night?" I set down my bag and held up some of the cigars, candy, chicken and rum I was carrying. Not offerings to Satan, technically, but to the voudoun deity, Papa Legba.

When she saw what I had, Belinda grinned and held up an expensive bottle of 15-year old Demerara rum. We both laughed, seeing that we'd both chosen to invoke the powers of darkness at exactly the same time. She motioned me over. "How long has it been?" Belinda asked. "Fifteen years?". "More like seventeen," I said. "But who's counting?" "What a funny place to run into each other.

Have you been planning on selling your soul for long?" "No, not really," I said. "It was kind of spontaneous." "Me, too. That's so funny." "Yeah, it is." "So, what have you been up to all these years?" "I got married. Hooked up with some friends from college and rode the Internet bubble til it burst. Then, to settle some debts to some very questionable characters, I dealt guns for them to even more questionable characters. Turns out the whole thing was some kind of sting government operation. They seized my passport and froze all my bank accounts. My wife ran off with one of the loan sharks who got me into this mess in the first place. Oh, and I think the Mossad has a contract out on me. How about you?" "Wow. Rough," said Belinda.

"What have I been up to? Remember how I always used to say I'd never end up like my mother? Well, turns out we both have the same bad habit of marrying alcoholic pedophiles. Who would have thought that's something a parent could teach you with the potty training?" "Maybe it's not her fault. Maybe it's a genetic thing. I mean, I never wanted to be a business hotshot, but there was some part of me that wanted to be the kind of grown-up my dad was. I had with two cell phones, a portable fax machine, a Palm Pilot with the name and number of every Fortune 500 twonk I ever brown-nosed." "I just wanted a kitchen with all marble counters and an in-ground pool." "I owned my own shredder. The company didn't buy it for me. I bought it on my own. I never felt more important or better about myself than when I got that shredder home. It made my c*** harder than my wife ever did." "That's how I felt about the hand-made Mexican tile in our bathroom. Until I found the Polaroids, of course," said Belinda.

She fished in her bag and pulled out an unopened Sherman Fantasia pack. Tearing off the wrapper, she opened the box revealing yellow, pink, blue and green cigarettes. Belinda chose a bright pink one and lit it with a small gold lighter. When she offered me one, I shook my head. "I quit," I said. "Smart." There was a moment of awkward silence. Then Belinda piped up, "We've bleeped up pretty bad, but, you know, we could just go into therapy." "That takes too long. I've wasted years of my life. I don't want to waste another decade and a hundred grand I don't have whining on some quack's couch." "You're right. We're too far gone for ordinary solutions. We screwed ourselves up because we lived extremely badly. It only makes sense that the cure be just as extreme." "Spiritual chemotherapy."

That made Belinda laugh. Hearing her, I suddenly remembered how much I'd loved that laugh back in high school. As if she were reading my thoughts, Belinda said, "We used to have fun together." "Yeah, we did." "Why'd you break up with me?" "So that you couldn't break up with me." I looked at her sheepishly and shrugged. "I figured a girl as cute and fun as you would get bored pretty quick and dump me. Back then, that would have killed me. So I dumped you first." Belinda puffed on her candy-colored smoke and looked at me. "Boys are so stupid." "I'm living one's skin and I don't have a clue what's going on." "You really hurt me back then." "I'm sorry. If it's any consolation, breaking up with you like that has been a source of constant pain and wonder for me ever since." "Aw, that's sweet." She kissed me on the cheek and I felt a stirring in my gut that was not unpleasant. Belinda sighed. "It's along way from the backseat of your Camaro to this road." "I had my dad's old Rambler. Chuck Yarboro had the Camaro." "Right. Sorry. Chuck and I went out after you broke up with me." Another awkward silence.

Read full story here - https://www.eaglewrites.com.ng/2021/08/18/master-of-the-crossroads-by-richard-kadrey/

Aladdin and the magic lamp story is available on https://www.eaglewrites.com.ng/

Long time ago in China, there lived a poor boy, whose name was Aladdin. Aladdin lived with his mother. During that time, his father died recently. He preferred playing in the street than learning a trade no matter the level of persuasion from his mother.

One day a rich and distinguished looking man came to their house claiming to be a long lost uncle and said to Aladdin’s mother, “I am a merchant from Arabia and I want your son to come with me. I will reward him handsomely and promise to make him rich.” Aladdin’s mother was convinced and she thought the man was who he claimed to be. Little did she know that the man pretending to be a rich merchant and an uncle was in reality a magician.

Next day, Aladdin having packed his belongings left with the ‘merchant’. After many hours of traveling the ‘merchant’ stopped. Aladdin too stopped, surprised why they should stop in such a desolate spot. He looked around; there was nothing in sight for miles.

The ‘merchant’ pulled out some colored powder from his pocket and threw on the ground. The next instant the whole place was filled with smoke. As the smoke cleared, Aladdin saw a huge opening in the ground; it was a cave. The ‘merchant’ turned to Aladdin and said, “I want you to go inside this cave; there will be more gold than you have ever seen; take as much as you want. You will also see an old lamp; please bring that back to me. Here, take this ring; it will help you.” Aladdin was very suspicious but he just decided to do as he was told.

He lowered himself into the cave, thinking all the while that it would be difficult to climb out without help. Aladdin entered the cave and just like the ‘merchant’ had said saw gold, jewelry, diamonds and other valuables. He filled his pockets. When this was done, he looked for the lamp; it was lying in the corner, full of dust and dirty. He picked it up and ran to the cave’s opening and shouted to the ‘merchant’, “I have your lamp. Can you please pull me out?” “Give me the lamp,” said the ‘merchant’. Aladdin was not sure that he would be pulled out if he gave back the lamp; so he said, “First, please pull me out.”

This angered the ‘merchant’. With a loud cry, he pulled out the same colorful powder and threw it on the cave opening, sealing it with a huge boulder. Aladdin was depressed. He thought, “That was no rich merchant; he was surely a magician. I wonder why this lamp was so important to him.” As he was thinking he rubbed the lamp. All of sudden a strange mist filled the room and from the mist emerged a stranger looking man. He said, “My master, I am the genie of the lamp, you have rescued me; what would your wish be?” Aladdin was scared but he said in quivering voice, “Ta.. Take me back home.”

Read full story here - https://www.eaglewrites.com.ng/2021/08/04/aladdin-and-the-magic-lamp/

EPISODE 1- OUR FAMILY

Have you ever been in a family where they make you feel less of an important person. Like every single thing you do just doesn’t seem to matter to them. No matter the effort you make just to please them, you cannot just be good enough for them. No matter how hard you try. That’s the kind of family I grew up from.

I am Rebecca Williams. I am from a very wealthy family. A family who never lack anything. A family that are respected. Which I never wish I was. Being a twin sister to an arrogant, hateful, despiteful, proud, Just name it all. It’s something I really regret if I’m given the opportunity to change one thing in my life. It is never to be related or anywhere close to the Williams. I know you all are wondering I am saying these.

My mother is a caring and understanding woman. But she always support what so ever her husband says or do.

My elder brother is just on his own. He loves I and my twin sister equally, I guess. He hardly take sides of anyone during an argument or quarrel… He is someone I could easily talk to. But the problem is he is not always with us.

Now over to my Biggest problems in the Williams family.

Rachel is my Twin sister. Un-identical twins I must confess, there’s no physical attribute that makes us identical to each other. We are two different people entirely who came into this world the same day and time into the same family. Asides us not looking alike, our behaviours and culture are far different. While she possesses all the negative as well as arrogant behaviours, I at least have a good character if checked on a scale of 1-10, I will definitely get 8. Do not be surprised, I’m a very good girl. But the problem is, my father and sister has vowed to torment my life.

Now to the head of the family. Mr Williams, my dad, He is highly educated. He is versatile. He is well respected by everyone. He is a man of his word. It is either you do exactly what he wants or he force you to do it against your will. He cared so much about his legacy. He wanted all his children to be exactly what he want just the way he want. In our family you do not have a say. My father is a kind of dictator. He tells you how, when and where things should be done… He picks career for all three of us. He picks the university we will attend. Even the junior and secondary schools we all went to was all my father’s choice. He did not care if that’s what you want. He did not care if you are comfortable with what he wants. He neither did not care about your happiness. He felt everything he did was right and that was how it was supposed to be done.

My father once said, ” It is better all my children take after my intelligence than my facial looks. Any of you who is not as intelligent as I am is obviously not my child”. Like really? What type of a father is that. He just wants every one of us to measure up to his standard. And guess what he does when we come out with good grades at school. He would throw a party. Boasting about his intelligent children. How they took it all from him. How he’s raising Icons. He will be like “With the kind of children I have, my legacy lives on”. He would be boasting to people who adore and worship Jim like a god.

Read full story here - https://www.eaglewrites.com.ng/2021/07/20/the-ghost-episode-1/

A PREDATOR TO ITS PREY - STORY BY AKER DANIEL AKA THE EAGLE

You will then notice how hypocritical the women of this generation can be, don't drop by the wayside, be resilient for even the devil never rests - you're not worst than him anyways.

Go then into the house of God in search for your prey - holiness is believed to reign there - making it facile for the execution of your plan.

Walk humbly into the church, notice the presence of God that hoovers through the place, the soothing paints of the walls, the ornamental design of the altar that embellishes the serenity that inhibits that region and the elegant pulpit that radiates it all. Take a seat and join them in the praise session, enjoy the gumptious decorum which is glaringly palpable and also the harmonious hymns that blaze across the four corners of the walls but most importantly forget not your mission - getting a prey.

Search intently with your eyes for the lady of your choice, catch site immediately to a lady sitting adjacent to the wall on the third row of the pew, adore her dark curly interweeving hair that runs down her shoulder, her well trimmed nails, her pale blue gown and the exquisite protrusion of her body curves. All these attributes wouldn't mean a flitch to you - you're homosexual after all - but that doesn't change the fact that she's pretty good.

After the church service approach her with confidence - remember to smile - she will immediately notice your extravagant outfit and smile back at you. preserve your audacity, you're a wealthy man afterall. but at the same time be benevolent in your demeanor, exchange pleasantries and take her contact.

Later in the evening, talk over the phone at length with her and then during the conversation you will tell her how much you love her and how much you've been longing to get married, she would cut you off immediately saying she has a boyfriend, Dele whom she's entirely in love with and also the member of the church she attends. Don't panic about all that, you have money she will surely succumb to you soon believe that! Then again she'll condemn your actions of asking her out on the first day you both met. Apologize to her, tell her you couldn't help it because she was unavoidably attractive to you, beneath you, you are aware it's a lie - you have limited time and want everything done fast. propose a luncheon for you both tomorrow, notice her immediate defiance - she will go silent for a while over the phone after which she would give a low tone reply "well let's see I'll try" thank her, end the call and send the location against tomorrow. lay on your bed that night with hope that this prey won't slip off your hands.

Put on the most exorbitant expensive shoe in your wardrobe and wear your favourite jalabiah, call and inform her that you're ready. Request to come over to carry her but she will decline, go then to the venue and wait for her. She then would arrive looking all kept, stand up immediately welcome her and offer her a seat. compliment her looks, she would complement yours too, you make an order she does same too. Now you both would get talking, fantasize her with plaudits that are out of this Earth, remember to be a gentleman, listen carefully to her every word, feign affection.

After that, you both would then go for shopping, purchase everything her hands get hold of, also give her a huge amount of money, at the end tell her it's all for Love. Commit to this process every day till she becomes obsessed with you, she would be confused on who to choose either you or Dele her partner. she would seek advice from her parents, pastors and friends. Without even seeing you, they would recommend you - "my dear go for that rich man, it's hard to find men that will spend much like him these days" and many more related to this will become the new clichè, on a fateful night she would call you over the phone declearing her decision of choosing you over Dele.

At luncheon the next day you both would discuss your marriage plan, she would be scared at some point that you're taken the marriage thing way too fast, persuade her till she effortlessly agree. At some point in the conversation she will tell you she doesn't believe in sex before marriage, she's a virgin and would love to preserve it till after the wedding ceremony. Wow!! that will blow up a grenade of ecstasy in you. You're a homosexual and the only reason why your former proposed prey didn't get through your dubious plans was because they demanded sex at some point in the courtship, claiming that they're trying to explore every possible facet of the man to which they'll spend the rest of their life with. You couldn't and we will never be able to have sex with a lady so you run away in order not to blow your cover and here you are a woman proposing all you've ever wished for! hide your enthusiasm in order not to look suspicious and warmly tell her you agree - a day well spent.

That night, you'll be seated on your couch with a glass of wine at hand and the tender hands of progress will be palpating your heart gracefully - your plans are culminating as envisioned. You'll then slightly regret the fact that you're doing all this because of the aggravated pressure exerted on you by your mother, relatives and old friends to get married.

Your memory would take you back in time of how the journey of your homosexuality all started in high school. An Innocent school boy who just felt an intimate attractions towards boys, but couldn't express his feelings because of the fear of rejection and expulsion. They was a junior student at that time called Terna, he always behaved like a lady and everybody made fun of him. you decided to shoot your shot, you approached him in secret and to your greatest amusement he was a homosexual too. After high school Terna then introduced you to a network and streams of other wealthy homosexuals that were very supportive and loving - a secret organisation formed for the easy interaction of homosexuals in the country. These organisations were filled with top government officials and many wealthy men that were simply rich beyond measure. After college they offered an appointment to you to become the managing director of the agricultural ministry of the country which was where your wealth all sprouted from - homosexual is not passed into law in Nigeria so their activities and meetings of this secret organisation were all done in private - homosexuality is a subtle way to get rich, how grateful you are to be one. With these thoughts in mind you will begin to have a powerful strange arousal, you miss all of them, it's been a while. The next day you'll board an emergency flight to Abuja which is your main city, like a beast you would have an aggressive brutal anal intercourse with your partner, Terna. You just can't help it - you moan while he cry, such a pleasure! Board a plane back to Enugu the previous city to continue with the execution of your plans. The wedding ceremony would be in 3 months, two weeks time, everything has to be fasten up to avoid prorogue. She would propose to introduce you to her mentors and confidant, quickly buy into it.

Full story here - https://www.eaglewrites.com.ng/2021/07/01/a-predator-to-its-prey/