The Death of Vivek Oji

The first chapter is a single sentence stating that an anonymous “they” burned down the market on the day Vivek Oji died.

Chapter 2 begins with an unidentified narrator offering an alternative framing to the story, suggesting that if it were to be arranged as a series of old photographs, the first of the series would be of Vivek Oji’s handsome father, Chika, at 20 years old, riding a bus to visit his mother’s village. The second photograph, the narrator continues, would be of Chika’s mother, Ahunna, sitting on the veranda waiting with her son, a bandage around her foot. Ahunna informs Chika that she stepped on a branch and that Chika’s fraternal sister-in-law, Mary, took her to the hospital. Chika looks down at Mary as she waters her garden below; he thinks that she “looked like home” (17) as he sensually observes her body.

The narrator remarks that when Ahunna’s wounded foot healed, there remained a scar on the instep of her foot. The scar was shaped like a starfish.

The next hypothetical photos are of Chika visiting Mary and Ekene (her husband and Chika’s brother) in their new home in the town of Owerri. Chika’s feelings for Mary build until one day he kisses the back of her neck as she cooks.