The Times by Dango Mkandawire

“Imagine if you will, the terror that would ensue if a dark and thunderous cloud slowly descended upon an unsuspecting crowd, and within this misty blur, one could sense the sparks of a thunderbolt forming. Now consider yourself standing helplessly within this mob unable to determine either where the tail of the bolt would appear or the direction of its bellowing arrowhead strike. Once a week, such was the apprehension in Blantyre, Lilongwe, and Mzuzu, the three major cities of Malawi, and if we are to believe Thucydides’ report that the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must, then we can say that the strong had moved, doing what they could, and as always, they were confident to secure their place.

“I don’t think you understand what I have been saying to you,” said an ambassador of the strong who had introduced himself as Gordons Phiri...”

This story has been selected for the StoryTime anthology African Roar 2011, please go to the African Roar site for more info.

The Times was written by Dango Mkandawire.

Copyright © Dango Mkandawire 2010.

Dango Mkandawire is a Malawian national who lives and works in Blantyre, Malawi. He started writing one day after he read the quiet yet forceful command of an unknown author: Write! Africa Write! His hobbies include football and reading.