sounded be

clock hadn't struck 5:00 AM, yet the female lodge was already alive. Girls whi

wly, unsure of

uncertainty only lasted a moment. She reached for a provided bucket,

he air carried the crisp silence of early dawn. When it was her turn, she filled her bucket and retu

white NYSC shorts and shirt, slipping on her white foam canvas shoes, the kind best suited for camp drills so you can easily wash it clean always. She love how fitted the shoes

inished dressing - a rythmic ca

the Pavilion, she kn

hum of others moving toward their prayers filled her with calm. She joined the other sisters in the mosque, perfor

just her dressing again, a

ps members. Some stood alone, others in groups. Conversations

icials hadn't arrived yet.

fered a warm smile. They responded kindly, and a light conversation followe

ces began to ca

uctors ha

ows, according to height. Soldiers and Man O' War

stretches, followed by a slow jog, and soon, the entire Pavilion echoed

lance well!" And when the body is being shaken "Jiji th

ngs and squats. Grown adults - some bankers, some engineers, som

uldn't hel

mething shifted. The stiffness of the first day softened. Laughter rose like s

to the first letter of their last name. Ameerah was assi

ed by hundreds, yet held

nded by the unfamiliar. But maybe, just mayb

There was no wristwatch at hand. They were told to go have

these gatherings, but looking at the podium an

s she walked, she heard a

rah!

t girl with an easy smile. Ameerah waited as Aisha caught up

fasci

es, yet they all wore the same uniform: white tops, white shorts, white shoes, and whit

reen cards and headed for breakfast. Choosing a shorter queue, th

e buy bread and eggs during her travels, but

of tea-not thick, not watery, just bland-and

joined

n. This is quite funny,"

rned to their lodge, only to find their bunkmates having

ed her egg, ate it with the bread

and tried to rest as the murmurs o