RESTLESS NIGHT

In despairation we all sat outside. Everyone to his corner, leaning on anything within arms length. sorrow was written all over our faces as if we had lost a loved one.
We all sat lying in ambush for any strayed wind that would blow past our yard.
We had perspired all day long that our glands had dried out and our pores sealed. At interval slaps could be heard, of either one of us trying to ward off female anopheles.
Nature's grace had departed from us and turned its face to another race. The Americas was our guess. If only we could trade places with those foreigners, we would definitely forget our mother's tongue.
The only time we would come close to our heritage would be when we tell our children bedtime stories of how hot Africa is!
 As for the foreigners who had traded places with us, they won't need pomades from cote d'ivoire to tan their skins, the African sun would do it work graciously.
Deep in thoughts we were that we sat quietly all through. we dared not speak to one another for we feared one's breath might aggravate our condition.
Another slap on the skin could be heard, from an anonymous location it came. The colony of female anopheles never gave up hope, they kept coming for a sip.
If only power holding company would surprise us with power/light, we would forever be in its debt!
It's our lives! we are used to it! kerosene lamp had kept us company for ages, during the wild nights.
Another slap could be heard, this time it was close. I suspected my bossom friend, whom i considered a brother. I had bathed thrice already yet it seemed i hadn't come in contact with water all week long! The heat emanating from my body was enough to roast a fresh corn!
I could feel sleep trying to kick in, so i assumed a well balanced posture.
It was some minutes past 12 o'clock when i shrugged my self awake. All my neighbors were snoring their sorrows away while mosquitoes got intoxicated with their blood, which they drank for free.
I went from one person to another waking them up. I told them it was quite late and i was going in. they all joined the cue and went to their houses.
I fell to the bed, with swollen eyes that craved rest. In less than an hour, i felt like an adult broiler that was being barbecued for an occasion! I woke up in my own well of sweat! I had to get up from my bed and locate the nearest magazine, still in the dark! effortlessly i had found one due to my internal compass of my room.
I fanned with every strength i had! each time i stopped to rest my arm, a nile of sweat would run down my chest.
I kept fanning myself for hours, until it was few minutes to 5 AM. so grateful i was, that i had forgotten to take my digital watch off! it was the only thing that gave me hope of seeing dawn.
Sleep started to kick in, due to exhaustion from fanning myself. With my sense of touch i located a part on my sheet that wasn't wet with weat, so i layed there, ccould go out and get some fresh air. yet, i dreaded the night that was about to come, for i knew the day would definitely come to an end!
"I will survive! Heat can never kill an African man!" I reassured myself