I never understood when people said that they’ve missed something every single day. I couldn’t believe that any memory could have the power to sneak into the mind that often. But of late, a thought has had me occupied. Something or the other reminds me of it.

Many people who have had near-death experiences have spoken about how they had seen a light at the end of a tunnel. I can now verify that for myself. There had indeed been a light and a tunnel, but to be honest, I did not expect it to lead me to an empty street.

You are awake. You are staring at the wall, listening to my heaving. From a distance you are watching me break down in tiny pieces. It breaks your heart. But what can you do? You can walk away. You can run from so this madness and never look back. You can walk away from this darkness that you never have a chance of understanding.

G was at the gate. Perfect. I remembered about my earphones on the bed. I rushed for them, and as I was about to leave the front door, I bumped into him. I didn’t hear him come. I look at G for a second as he closed the gate. He apologized with his eyes. What could he do? A fresh cloud of mist covered my eyes as they darted between him, G and the gate. He is smiling at me. ‘I saw your mother leave. Where are you going?’

For the past 15 years, I have been in London. There is nothing as strange in this city as my life. No one cared to join my strange journey. Not even my blood-mates. 15 years of a hidden and strange life. Tears just kissed my cheeks and fell to my arms. I just covered my face with my arms and suddenly threw it away. It showed me a clear picture of my life before those 15 years. My mom’s hug, my dad’s smile, and Sreya’s non-stop stories. Sreya!

They spent their all time romancing. Ah the travelling and the fun we had. It was amazing. They couldn't stop. They didn't even want to. Their careers were great too. The richest in the town, the best car with the biggest house. The beautiful interiors. The money one of them earned was enough for one lifetime itself. But happiness life doesn't last forever. Does It?

As it was the middle of June, all the tree-leaves were beginning to decay due to the heavy rain. We moved ahead carefully through the slippery path clearing the soaked tree-leaves. The small black leeches were raising their heads from the tree –leaves in search of a good opportunity to suck the blood from our body. Colorful wild flowers were spreading their scents to attract our attention and the foxes, deer, monkeys were escaping from us…

The moon was full and bright. The stars glittered, with the cool night breeze making it a sensational night. Ofe uha and egusi aromas sifted through night. Mkpuluoma was nervous and excited - the long awaited Eke market day was here. Nnedi painted her legs with the popular uli, drawing beautiful patterns on her hands and legs respectively. Papa bought her coral beads. It was the day Iheoma was coming to perform the Igba Nkwu rituals, the pride of every woman.

It all started with a slight pain on Wednesday evening just before Bible Study. Unlike you would on a normal day, you took two tablets of Panadol, but it still didn’t get any better. In church, Bro CY kept tapping your shoulder to stand as you sat during the prayers…

This time she would not read too much into what they shared. But all that resolve went down the drain; Dana could not take her eyes of him. He wasn’t doing anything special. He was just being. When she hugged him, she felt a familiarity that did not belong. Texts and infrequent phone calls could not bring that, she thought…

Here I am on a plane miles away from home, relocating! What exactly had I thought taking a job that I am not even sure I can keep? Who was I trying to prove something to? Was it myself? Or family? Or Saleem? It'd sure be pleasant to show that good for nothing fool who I turned out to be. I mean I'm no longer the, "I'm sorry" type, whether I had made the mistake or not. I'm more of the "why doth my God try me with imbeciles" type!

Later in the evening, she sits on a chair in her kitchen facing the window, looking at the tree swaying just as a bird sits on top of it. It moves and shakes from the core of its roots, as if jolted by an earthquake, but she notices, it's still standing tall, with a bark so strong that no matter how rough the weather is, no matter how many birds sit on it, it will stay where it is. ‘I am this tree’, she tells herself.

Amelie’s quest set her on an impossible journey to find the true meaning of love, self-love and how to compassionately shower love to everyone. This journey is full of feeling, empathy and learnings and incomplete without Steve and Peter. In this journey, she overcame her fear of love as there is no fear in love.