Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile by Abha Bhole, Freya McNeill and Ayobami Awolesi
Past
The Worst Disease by Ayobami Awolesi
Our hands clutched the ice-cold instruments as we held them up to the cracked marble. Streaks of moonlight snaked through the gaps between the buildings surrounding and spotlighting us like criminals on a panto stage. They warned us that this was an incursion towards the corrupt society that burned against every fibre of being. The cold wind drifted gracefully spreading as far as it dared to go. Looking at Amelie, I saw a tear run down her face before departing off her chin. I bent down on one knee and looked her dead in the eyes. “Tu m’étonnes! Our society needs to be amended and you are here sulking! Allez!” I dug
my nails deep into the palm of my hand hiding my emotions. “I am not afraid!” Amelie replied. This time she squeezed the chisel even harder between her short, fat fingers and made her way towards the left corner of the arch. Every wall was coated in the names of commanders that “led” brave soldiers into war whilst they sat in safety eating croissants and drinking tea. Papa was one of these brave soldiers who laid down his life only to have a battlefield serve as his grave and his name forgotten by most.
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