Annie Ruhangakiza

“August Queen” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #88

It all started with this desire to try out something new. Her therapist had thought it, a good idea, for her to channel her depression into anything that would get her back into the world.  But what world would she fit in? She had asked her therapist. What world would help her forget her reality? What world would give her the creativity she needed to get out of her crappy job and crappy boss? What world would not see right through her like her ex did? In what world would people see her as one of their own? Not some oversized girl with...

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“Every Five Years” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #73

"When you get older who will slaughter the chicken for you?" My dad always asked me this every Christmas eve as they slaughtered goats and chicken for the rest of the festive season. "I will have a husband, daddy to do all that for me. I'll also be rich to hire someone to slaughter the chicken and goats" I always replied and my dad always shook his head at my arrogance. He thought it was a skill to come in handy one day and I thought it was a role for men. I pulled the African traditional society card where men did the grazing, hunting and s...

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“Inevitable” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #72

Anna added a touch of lipgloss before she rushed to open the door. As she glanced at the wallclock in her living room, she couldnt help but notice that her date was an hour and a half early. "Diana, Pepper, Simone what are you guys doing here?"  "Isn't it obvious we are having a girl's night at your place." They replied in unison"I brought wine and popcorn" Simone said"Cookies and bread for tomorrow's breakfast" Diana said"Here are games, movies on my flash drive and myself. You know you guys would be bored without me" said Pepper....

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“The Weekend” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #52

Friday.The skyWhat about the sky? It is weirdly beautiful today. Maybe it is because it is Friday after work. The first time I have ever been out before dusk.The orange sun is slowly setting below the horizon and it is such a wonderful sight. Takes me back to the days of Jordan. JordanJordan HasteMy Jor...Used to be.I can't let these thoughts consume my day too. The nightmares of his face, haunting me with the broken look I told him I loved him. But we couldn't get married. The proposal was thoughtful. But the situation at the time was....

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“A to Z” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #49

She was born Aretha four months earlier than usual. She was small, delicate and inferior her dad had said compared to her siblings. She doesn't know if it was her parents fault for trying to conceive her when they were already old. Her mother had died the same day she was born. The doctors had said one of them would survive. Her mother so decisive on letting her child live sacrificed herself because she was going to meet her maker anyway. She'd been diagnosed with cancer and she knew she would survive the treatment. She had told her husband ...

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“What Happened!” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #45

"Honey why do you look so upset?" my mother asked. "I'd say I'm suffering from writer's block but this isn't one of my usual stories. So I don't know how to describe my current self." I replied "Hmm." " Its just that I've been staring at the cursor blink for over twenty minutes. And I still don't have what to write for my essay due next week" I continue as I smack my forehead. "What is it about? I suppose they gave you a topic to write about?" "Yes, it is about Change." "Honey I think you are over reacting. That's a pretty easy topic." ...

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“The Happy Octagon” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #41

Ariella walks and walks till her legs tire. The bright sky a great contrast to her current mood. She checks on her health app and she's walked round and round in circles along the beach shore for four kilometers. If anyone was watching, they would have thought her mad. They probably wouldn't have gone closer to her either. Who wants to approach someone who's walking aimlessly along the shores of the beach. Ariella notices a broken log and chooses to sit down. Her body is exhausted from the unplanned work out. She stares at the unending sea o...

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“Instant Friends” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #40

I'm pretty sure I'd rather be anywhere but here. Whoever invented the notion of going against your will to be there for a friend or anyone must have had nothing to do or maybe the circumstances were accidental. I honestly don't understand why I am even ranting about all of this in my head. I haven't come up with a perfect excuse of not attending Vicky's party because I am her friend and that's what friends do. I'm hoping the place turns out favorable at least. Its just a whole terrible experience to be uncomfortable in a place that's no...

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“'Yay and Nay'” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #37

Suzie" I literally feel like my life is too plain for life it self" Brianna said "There's literally no exciting part about it. What am I going to tell my kids when I am mother? That's if I'll be. You know" From her point of view I understood what she meant. Sadly Brianna's life was too boring. She had never had any unusual exciting event in her life as basic as a meet cute. She'd never been the crazy kind to have crazy stuff on her bucket list. That's if she had one. I felt kinda sorry for her because her life was the exact opposite of ...

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“To First's” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #36

28.01.2019Dear Ariel. Oh how I've missed you. I'm sorry for ignoring you like that to be honest. This holiday has been busy. I had to socialize with normal people. Well mostly relatives. It was pretty much fun. Nanny Jane reminded me of dreams. "Aren't you soon graduating to finally work on TV! The way you fantasized about it"she said. Can you imagine she still kept my dreams. How thoughtful of her! Look at me now preparing my schedule for my last semester of this degree in Accounting. You know I still have hope of being a journalist. Mum al...

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“WHERE THERE'S AN ENDING, THERE'S A NEW BEGINNING ” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #28

09.02.2019'Delete his number, texts , unfollow him on all social media. Find happier people like us. Watch a movie, go out and breathe, get silly. Just try to forget about him okay." said Tinah my best friend." you know you are better off without him. Know your worth and I know you deserve better than him" chimed in Diana my other best friend.What on earth would I do without them. I felt slightly better amidst my puffy cheeks and red eyes. I'd cried all night cause I simply couldn't imagine it was over. The long talks, walks the sticky notes...

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“MY STAR, FOREVER AND FOR ALWAYS” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #28

Journal entry. 31.12.2019 Today's my 20th birthday. I know I should be happy but I am thinking about her today. I have grown since the last time she saw me 15 years ago.I am writing about her looking outside the window under the one star and moon in the sky today. For a minute or more I was just staring at my phone screen wondering what on earth I am going to write about her. Apart from my dad. She's the next person I love or loved most. Its been 15 years since she left us. All the memories I have of her are scanted. I even ha...

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“IT'S JUST LUCK” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Some people were born lucky. They literally didn't have the crazy or anxiety over not knowing what their real talent is. They just found themselves at a young age being able to express the commonest talents or most admirable that is singing, dancing, being an artist ~my favorite wish~ and so much more. Music over the ages has been considered or been recognized as something that is fun to listen to...helps us to express our feelings and also used for meditation on a bad day. Credit also has been given to those chosen few that can sing in...

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