The Lies of the Ajungo (Forever Desert #1)

by Moses Ose Utomi

That’s what crying was—freedom. You could only cry when there were no more urgent responsibilities. Only when there was no one watching you who depended on your strength. Only when the people around you wouldn’t take advantage of your tears.

“All we want is to be happy. To enjoy those we love. Is this what they work with so much passion to take from us? Can their greed not be satisfied?”

Adults were always scared. They hid it in a million ways—caution or confidence, disinterest or anger, a firm hand or warm embrace or sage advice—but the fear was always there if you knew how to see it.

They knew that all of history was a lie told to instill fear in those whose fearlessness could have rewritten it.