It was 6:00 AM on New Year’s morning. The air was cool, and the world felt like it had hit pause—calm, quiet, and just… waiting.

That’s when I saw them. Two figures crouched low behind Mama Nanjala’s fence. One had the other pinned to the ground.

My stomach knotted. What in the world was happening?

The taller one leaned in closer, their hand pressing down with purpose. The smaller one wriggled, trying to break free. Then I heard it:

“Stay still… don’t move...”

My heart was pounding now, like it knew something I didn’t. Could this be serious? Was someone in danger? Or was this the kind of mess that ends up as the village’s hot gossip for weeks?

I couldn’t ignore it. I couldn’t walk away. So, I did the only thing I could.

I squeezed through a gap in the fence, barely managing to keep my balance, and shouted, “HEY! What’s going on back there?”

They froze.

As the mist thinned, the scene came into focus—and I nearly tripped over my own imagination.

There was Juma—my cousin—wrestling with Grandmother’s stubborn chicken. His hands were locked around its neck while it flailed and screeched like it had an audience.

“Martin!” Juma cried out, half desperate, half annoyed. “Come help me! This chicken’s gone wild, and Grandmother’s waiting for it!”

I just stood there, stunned. This was the same chicken that humiliated me last week, crowing obnoxiously during my speech to the elders.

Then it happened. The chicken turned its head, and I swear, it looked at me like it had just won some unspoken battle.

Before I could process it, Grandmother’s voice rang out from the compound like a gavel slamming down:

“Juma! If that chicken isn’t ready before church, you’ll both be on the menu!”

Juma grinned at me, sweat dripping down his face. “What did you think was going on here?”

I didn’t answer. My cheeks burned as I silently cursed my imagination.

Some things are better left alone. Especially behind the bush.

And definitely when a chicken—yes, that chicken—is involved.

Want to create stories that actually hook your audience and keep them guessing?

Comment interested and I will reach out You’ll learn how to make your readers hang on every word.

P.S. The chicken escaped. Again. But let’s save that drama for another day.