Oyeleye Ifeoluwa

Who did this, Julie

It is a very sunny morning, and the sun is smiling sadly at the poor recipients of her hot nature, and it is not Sunday. The birds are not chirping as usual, the trees are swaying slowly, humming to a sad melody, and Mrs Owen does not like how she feels listening to it. Mrs Owen is a woman who enjoys nature and pays attention to her surroundings, yet she feels uneasy today. The air appears dense and hazardous like it has been blessed with a large quantity of nitrogen oxide. Even her bubbly neighbour, Mr Taylor, who is always up early and disturbing the whole neighbourhood by chastising his rebel of a son, Junior, is not doing that today. Mrs Owen has this gut feeling that something is not right. Is this just her instinct playing mind games with her and all these a figment of her imagination? However, she decides to wave it all off and focus on the arrangements for her only daughter Julie’s birthday, and just like every year, there will be a party. Nothing must get in the way of all the planning and merriment for this anticipated day. “Maybe I'm just too excited,” she says.