A Voice from the Past
"Alice…"
The voice trembled through the darkness, thick with exhaustion and something deeper—desperation.
"Liam…!"
I jolted awake, gasping for air, my heart slamming against my ribs. The room around me was still, but the echo of my father's voice clung to the silence like a ghost.
I ran a shaky hand down my face, forcing my breathing to steady. The same dream. The same moment. Fire swallowing him whole. Smoke curling through the air. His last words, breaking apart like static in my mind.
I swallowed hard and stared at the ceiling. The small apartment felt smaller, suffocating. Outside my window, Neo-Nija pulsed, a restless city of steel and neon, never truly asleep. Towering skyscrapers flickered with holo-ads, their glow casting shadows over the streets below. The war had ended years ago, but its ghosts still whispered through alleyways and behind wary glances.
I exhaled sharply and pushed the dream aside.
Today was just another day.
. . . . . . .
The supermarket where I worked sat on the fringes of Arewa Heights, where the rich and the struggling brushed shoulders but never truly mixed.
Neo-Nija was divided into four clear regions:
Eko Prime – The untouched paradise of the elite, run by the all-powerful Zenith Council. Their world was polished, their lives controlled but comfortable.
Arewa Heights – A middle ground. University students, corporate workers, and enforcers lived here. A place of false hope and quiet despair.
Bia Sector – The underbelly. This was home to people like me—the barely surviving.
Delta Slum – Ruins beyond the city walls. People avoided it. Some whispered about rebels hiding there. Fireburn Resistance, if you believed in myths.
Inside the supermarket, flickering holo-ads buzzed overhead, flashing slogans like:
"Zentek Nutrition: Sustaining the Future."
"Join Zenith Today – A Safer Tomorrow Awaits!"
I stood at my counter, scanning purchases, nodding politely to customers who barely looked at me. The air smelled of synthetic food and recycled air.
Then Steven and Ifeoluwa walked in, and for once, work didn't feel like slow death.
Steven leaned on the counter, smirking. "You look like hell."
"Thanks, man. That's exactly what I needed to hear," I muttered.
Ife adjusted his glasses, always the observer. "Another dream?"
I hesitated before nodding. They knew. I didn't have to explain.
Steven exhaled, drumming his fingers. "Liam, your dad was a soldier. Maybe it's just your brain messing with you, filling in gaps."
"Maybe," I said. But it felt real.
Ife frowned. "The war is over, Liam. The past is the past."
Steven scoffed. "Is it, though?"
Ife groaned. "Here we go."
Steven leaned in, lowering his voice. "You really think Fireburn Resistance is just a myth?"
Ife rolled his eyes. "There's no proof."
"Exactly," Steven said, grinning. "That's why they're real."
I chuckled. "You sound like a conspiracy theorist."
"Call it what you want," Steven said. "But if they are real, they're probably the only ones standing up to the Council."
Ife shot him a warning look. "Keep your voice down. You know what happens to people who ask too many questions."
A silence settled between us.
Because we all knew the answer.
People who asked too many questions disappeared.
. . . . . . .
The tram ride home through Bia Sector was slow, passing crumbling buildings and flickering streetlamps.
My mother, Alice Akpan, was waiting for me in our tiny apartment, sitting at the table with a pile of bills.
I sighed. "Mom, did you go to the clinic today?"
She hesitated. "I was going to, but"
"Mom." My voice was firm. "You promised."
She sighed, rubbing her temple. "Liam, the bills"
"I'll take care of them."
She gave me a look. Don't lie to me, son.
I ran a hand through my hair. "I'll find a way."
Her expression softened, but the weight in her eyes crushed me.
"You're a good son, Liam," she murmured.
I swallowed hard.
She deserved better.
And I needed to find a way.
Neon Nights
Later that evening, I adjusted my worn-out jacket by the door. The holo-screen flickered with Zenith's latest propaganda.
"You're going out?" Mom asked.
"Yeah. Just meeting Steven and Ife."
She gave me a knowing look. "Will you be back before midnight?"
I smirked. "When has Steven ever let an outing be short?"
She sighed. "That boy will get you into trouble one day."
"He's been doing that since we were kids."
I hesitated, glancing at the pile of bills. "I meant what I said. Let me handle this."
Mom scoffed. "With what money, Liam?"
"I'll figure something out."
She studied me for a moment, then exhaled. "Just promise me you won't do anything reckless."
I forced a smile. "I always am."
"Liar," she muttered.
I laughed, shaking my head as I stepped out.
The Shadow's End was a neon-lit mess of sweat, alcohol, and bad decisions.
As I approached, someone stumbled past me—a woman, barely keeping her balance.
She had dark curls, sharp eyes, and a torn black outfit. She tripped, and I caught her.
"Whoa there. You okay?"
She looked up, lips curling into a smirk. "I don't know, mystery boy. What do you think?"
"I think you nearly kissed the pavement."
She chuckled. "Maybe I like testing gravity."
I let go. "You should sit for a bit."
She studied me, then grinned. "You've got good reflexes, Ghost."
I frowned. "Ghost?"
"You appeared out of nowhere, caught me before I fell. Like a ghost."
I smirked. "Not sure if that's a compliment or an insult."
She winked. "It's whatever you want it to be, Ghost."
Then she disappeared into the crowd.
Who the hell was that?
Shaking my head, I entered the club.
Inside, music pulsed, drowning out thought. Steven and Ife were at the bar.
Steven was grinning like an idiot. Ife looked like he regretted his life choices.
Liam: "What's the occasion?"
Steven: "Boys, we're going to the biggest underground party in Arewa Heights tomorrow night."
Ife sighed. "Here we go."
Liam: "Steven, the last 'biggest party' you took us to ended with us running from security drones."
Steven waved him off. "This is different. Exclusive. Rich people. High-class entertainment."
Ife raised an eyebrow. "And we, three broke guys from Bia sector, are invited… why?"
Steven smirked. "Because I know a guy."
Liam: "Is he a criminal?"
Steven: "That depends on your definition of criminal."
Ife: "So yes."
Liam sighed. "If this goes sideways, you owe us a year's worth of drinks."
Steven grinned. "Deal."
Ife groaned. "We're all going to die."
Steven patted his shoulder. "Then at least we'll die drunk."
I laughed, but something felt… off.
As we stepped out, the neon lights flickering against the damp pavement, I couldn't shake the feeling.
Something was coming.
Something bigger than a party.
Bigger than secrets.
And the truth?
It was coming for me whether I was ready or no