Young Writers Society

Obi studied him for a long moment and nodded. “Come with me.”

Lekan pondered staying, only to realize that if he stayed he would only be sulking. Slowly getting up, he followed his uncle out of the room. “Where are we going?” His slippered feet were silent on the hardwood floor underneath the rhythmic clack of Obi’s shoes. He wondered if his uncle’s feet were ever hot. When he realized Obi wasn’t going to answer, he sighed. “Why aren’t you with Mom?” he asked, not really expecting an answer.

“It’s too hot on the patio.” Lekan could have sworn his uncle’s lips were tilted in a small smirk as Obi glanced back for a moment. “I offered the library instead, but it seems your presence gave your mother a headache, so she retired.” He shrugged. “Most ladies are taking a nap around this time of day anyway.” Opening a door, he motioned Lekan in and followed him.

Lekan knew where they were going now. The stairs were dark, but as he went further, a damp coolness brushed kisses over his face. He blinked when Obi flipped a switch and dull lights flickered on, covering the stone basement in a strange quilt made of light and shadows sewn together. He turned around as Obi came down the last few stairs. “Given up cards, have you?”

Taking off his jacket, Obi shrugged. “You know, something tells me that you’ve found someone else to play cards with.”

Frowning, Lekan watched him as Obi took two foils. “What do you mean?” He took the offered blade and slipped off his shoes as Obi loosened his tie.

“I mean you’ve been playing cards with someone else. That’s why I gave you the cards in the first place.” He raised an eyebrow. “Did you think I meant something else?”

Lekan shook his head, bending his knees and stretching his arms. “I don’t know what I think anymore.” He swung his foil a few time in the silence, searching for a stray thought to boost his spirits, and suddenly grinned. “Hey, do you remember, a few days ago, when you said I couldn’t get Qui’in.”

Leaning his weapon against the wall to roll up his sleeves, Obi glanced up at him, surprise written in the way curve of his eyebrows. “You mean the veiled whore?”

Waving the correction away, Lekan leaned forward. “I got her.”

Obi laughed. “What?”

“I’ve seen her every day for the past three days. What do you say to that?” He smugly stabbed into the air, dancing about nimbly.

“I’d say seeing is a far cry from fucking. What have you been doing, boy? Stalking the poor woman?” Obi stretched calmly, watching Lekan as he dodged an imaginary foe.

Rolling his eyes, Lekan stopped his shenanigans as quickly as they had started and leaned against his blade. “Are you saying all you can do with a woman is fuck with one, Uncle? That doesn’t sound like you…” He smiled cheekily. “Though maybe it explains why you’re not married yet.”

Scoffing, Obi took up his foil and stepped onto the strip someone had painted long ago. The white markings were faded and in some places, completely gone. It wasn’t so much that someone couldn’t repair the lines as much as no one really wanted to. It was forgotten who had turned the depressingly small basement made in the case of horrific sandstorms into a place to duel, but it was considered a holy place by the Eshe men. Boys came into their manhood when their fathers led them down the stairs to teach them how to hold a sword. They knew where the lines were. There was no need to touch the first markings. “Let’s stop with the banter.”

Lekan stepped up and mirrored him, becoming much more serious. Fencing was not a game to be taken lightly in the Eshe household. He couldn’t help but murmur a snide, “Does this mean that I’m right?”

“Ready?” Obi called on top of Lekan’s statement, raising his sword as Lekan did. They both took a moment to absorb the quiet. “Fence!”

Lekan lunged and felt his sword touch Obi’s shoulder. He backed up, feeling a little more genuine than he had since the smuggling incident. Smirking at Obi, he positioned himself again. “Ready,” he called, watching Obi’s face as they lifted their blades. The old man seemed unruffled though that wasn’t much of a surprise. Lekan wondered what his secret was. Obi was always a rock. Sometimes a little too rock-like for Lekan’s taste, but perhaps there was something to be said for being dependable.

He smiled as Obi slowly raised an eyebrow. “Fence!”

Lunging again, Lekan missed as Obi dodged and tapped his chest.

“Boy, you know better than to repeat attacks.”

Backing away, Lekan sighed. “I didn’t realize this was another lesson. I outgrew those years ago.” He looked up when Obi didn’t start calling, and Obi had a look of such pity and disdain that Lekan felt it hit him in the stomach. “I… I mean…”

“Ready!” Obi raised his sword, and Lekan did the same a moment later.

“Fence!”