Nothing would appeal more to Wura than to stay back and continue to live with her granny for as long as the universe would allow the gracefully, wrinkled old woman of seventy-nine years to live.
It was a cold evening in the harmattan season in a remote rural area of Osun in Nigeria where plants and leaves were very dry and woods could catch fire easily without much effort. Wura crouched down beside the fire, stoked it and added some firewood to cook their evening meal.
"Don't think too hard, Wura mi. You must go. Such an opportunity cannot be wasted." Her Granny said quietly, as she shelled some groundnuts to make her local snack called kuli kuli that was favoured in the village. Everyone loved Granny's spicy kuli kuli.
Wura sniffed as her eyes watered both from the smoke and fear of travelling to a new country where she would be surrounded by strangers. "Maami, I can't leave you. Who will take care of you?"
Granny tsked. "Come off it! I am not helpless and Barak will come by to check on me and help at the farm. Don't throw away this opportunity to travel overseas for your nursing studies. My little dove, spread those wings and fly!"
Wura stared into the fire.
Granny gingerly stood up and walked into her hut. Wura quickly moved ahead of her, like a dutiful grandchild, into the room to light the kerosene lantern. It was dark inside the room. She struck the match and touched the fire to the trimmed wick then placed the glass chimney over the flame. The amber light glowed in the room as Granny laid on her bed.
I hope you enjoyed reading my piece. This short story is a five-minute freewrite inspired by the prompt "chimney". Join 
