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WISH YOU WERE HERE
Nathaniel Ojieka
Nathaniel Ojieka
7 months ago

My dearest, I can hear the souls whisper through these desert sands, so don’t ask me how I know. But it has come to my knowledge that you’ve come in contact with mystical means. It’s been quite a while, but connections never perish now do they? It’d make me ecstatic if you could grant me five wishes. Here’s why.

Firstly, it would make me very happy. Imagine the smile on my face, wide and charming, as you read out instructions to me. Imagine the glow in my eyes. Imagine the jump in my step. Imagine how I’d listen to you. Hasn’t it been long my dearest, since we shared such laughter. It’s been a harsh couple of months hasn’t it. So why not brighten it up? Why not let me smile at you in the shadows of some ruin where the watchers can’t see us.

Let me smile like the world isn’t ending.

Secondly, you love me. There’s been some ups and downs since our story started, some drifting, some nearing, but you can’t deny you love me. You’d want to see me happy, you’d want to see me do crazy things. Remember back when we were in the city? When we didn’t ask questions or need to look beyond the walls? When you only had eyes for me. Remember that’s why you followed me out, unafraid of pastures’ shade because all your green was on me.

Show me some of that love once more.

Thirdly, I’d use it for good. And you know it. We might disagree on what ‘good’ really means, so I’ll make it vague. I’ll make it unpolitical. I wouldn’t rain death on every one of those slave masters that the city worships as leaders, though I’d count that as good. I wouldn’t wipe off the walls that holds the people we left behind captive, though you’d count that as good. But I remember when we started thinking of the outside. That day at the clinic, when your brother coughed till he could cough no more. When the nurses acted indifferent as blood streamed out of his eyes. When they took his cold body out of your arms depriving you of even his final words. When they said he was a threat. I’d ensure no one has to die like that again. I think we’d both count that as good.

Finally, because who else? I don’t know if you’ve found another camp of rebels somewhere out there, but if this hits your radio, it’s probably the first human voice you’re hearing in months. The worms speak to me, but there’s something the warm touch of another human could do. There’s something the warm touch of my dearest could do.

I was trying not to tell you this, but I’ve given up. On saving the world, on breaking the walls, on rescuing humanity from the watchers. I’d do what I can for them with four wishes. But I would definitely wish that I could see you again.

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