The Promise — Fiction.

There was a blackout on that particular night, which isn't new to us; it's something we've gotten so used to. I was outside with my brother, trying to joke about who can count the stars and all...

The whole street was quiet, and that was unlike us; on my street, people are always on their verandas and outside at that time, but tonight it seems we were the only ones out here. When the disturbance from the mosquitoes wouldn't let us rest, I put out the kerosene lamp that was beside us. Inside of me, I thought they wouldn't be able to see us anymore... Funny right..

The heat was much too much, and after counting the stars for a while and seeing it seemed impossible, we just stared. My brother pulled off the shirt he was wearing and rolled it a little around his palm to fan both of us as I rested my head in his thighs.

I don't know; my brother was looking at me and lost in thought. I only noticed it after he said something and our eyes met; even still, he didn't stop staring.

"You won't suffer like me." He said, looking serious.

I just looked at him and smiled.

"I'm serious; even if I have to be a laborer or carry cement for the rest of my life, I will make sure you are educated and become somebody in life." He said.

That was huge; I could see it in his face; he did mean it. And as of then, I never knew promises could become such a burden that they can even be carried into the grave.

My brother's name is Soji, and he's about eight years older than I am; he has stopped going to school after his junior secondary school. Our father got sick at that time, and since he's the firstborn and first son, he had to take up certain responsibilities earlier. While his mates were busy going to school and getting educated, he was helping people clean their homes to get money. While his mates started having girlfriends and boyfriends and were seen lurking behind buildings at night, he was busy following bricklayers as a laborer for daily pay.

There are days he came home with nothing, sometimes so tired, other times with injuries and all, but he wouldn't stop.

One thing my brother has never allowed even with how things were is that he has never made me experience being chased back from school due to default in school fee payments, and he has never allowed me to go hungry; my three square meals are always complete. I never knew this was what he meant when he was making the promise back then.

"Take, sort out your fees before they start pursuing you home."

I, on the other hand, never asked how he got the money. I knew the answer, but I was afraid to hear it from him. Not only that, but I could see all he did and how hard it was for him.

During my third year in the higher institution, things changed. My mom, who has been helping out in her own little way from her petty trades, couldn't do anything again. She fell sick; it was so bad. During that time, my dad gave up the ghost too, and the nation as well started experiencing some change... Prices of goods and services began to triple their price. It was a very trying time for us, but still my bro didn't complain; he kept doing it all.

Some weeks later, my brother himself fell ill. He began to cough, and it's obvious he's not finding it easy to breathe.

"Mom, he needs to be taken to the hospital." I told my mom one evening

"Hospital? Do you know how many bags of rice and how many of your school fees a hospital bill can pay for." My brother responded, trying to sound all good.

My mum just sighed... She was tired too.

A few days later, he got better, or maybe he feigned it since things were getting tighter and there was no money. So, he went to work that morning and didn't return at night.

We weren't so worried since it's not the first time. A lot of workers do sleep at construction sites as well after late jobs, so we thought he was sleeping over; we couldn't call him since he'd sold his phone to get something for the house a day before.

Around midnight that day, about four people knocked on our door; my mom managed to get out of bed and answer them through a small opening in our window.

They came with very sad and bad news: my brother had died. It rained heavily that day, and some parts of the building they were just building collapsed on about five of them; three died immediately, and my brother happens to have been one of them.

My mom couldn't bear it; she fainted right there. I as well couldn't contain it. For weeks I was just living and existing like a different person. People came; church members stopped by, and neighbors cried with us and all, but with time, everyone slowly returned to their normal lives, and we were expected to move on too.

One afternoon, as I was searching the house and arranging my late brother's bag, I found a transparent folder that housed various receipts and all. I searched through it and found various payment slips, a brown envelope containing money, and a note inside that particular envelope.

"If anything happens to me, promise me you will concentrate in school and you will finish."

That was all that was written in the note; it was even dated, I checked, and it was written at the time he was sick.

I cried that night, like... I emptied all that was in me.

And as you would have rightly guessed, school wasn't the same after. I missed classes; I had to start working at a car wash just to make ends meet. He wouldn't allow me to work when he was alive; all he wanted was just for me to focus on my education.

It got so draining that I almost gave up school completely, but each time I felt like quitting, I got reminded of how my brother had toiled day and night; I would remember the night he promised me, and then the more I found.

And somehow, I pushed it. I began to pay more attention to my academics, and with time I graduated. On my graduation day, immediately after my name was called forward to receive an award, my mom began to cry. I just stood up, stared at the bright light hanging over my head for a few seconds, and made my way to the stage.

And for the first time since I lost my brother, I smiled. It was a smile that wasn't hiding any form of pain behind... A genuine one.

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