Things Fall Apart: Alternate Shooting Scene
This is a short story about the shooting scene in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, where Okonkwo accidentally fires his gun and kills a young man in the tribe, but in a modern setting.
The crowd suddenly went quiet, and a fizzle was heard throughout the silent field. A dangerous rocket plunged towards the dark night-sky, and a sudden boom was followed by a glowing rain falling over the mesmerized spectators. A few shattered shouts of amazement could be heard. Everyone tensely watched the falling sparks fade away to the dark void, awaiting what everyone knew would follow. After a short moment of complete silence, the sky exploded in the colours of the rainbow, and shouts drowned the whole field.
Okonkwo, too, intoxicated by the ardent starfalls. This year, he had brought his own rockets. As he watched the fireworks with awe and a bit of jealousy, he assembled the set. Just as another missile flew skywards, Okonkwo lit the fuse. While he rose to step back, he stumbled over the leg of another, as ferocious celebrator.
His eyes caught a glimpse of fire. He fumbled with the explosive rocket. The fizzling sound rose for a moment, and a red bolt burnt through the wild crowd. A piercing screech halted the slightest movement. Okonkwo sat with the scorched rod from his firework in his hands. In front of him lay a child. Dead.
Använder FireStats