A Fledgling Abiba

An orphaned teenage girl tries to survive on her own and understand her magical powers while a sorcerous plague sweeps the country. She may hold the key to its cure, but what she really wants is somewhere she can call home and family.
This story by noted Ugandan author and film-maker Dilman Dila takes us on a journey from mundane village life, becoming more and more fantastic as it goes, drawing us into his world of magic and spirits.
"In clear prose, Dila involves us in a tale of magic driven by fierce emotion, inheritance and tradition. He tells the story of a brave, abused and magical childhood with a film maker's structural skills and the voice of a writer."
-Geoff Ryman

Dilman Dila is a writer, filmmaker, all round
storyteller, and author of a critically acclaimed
collection of short stories, A Killing in the Sun. He
has been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short
Story Prize (2013), nominated for the Nommo
Awards for Best Novella (2017), and longlisted for
the BBC International Radio Playwriting
Competition (2014), among many accolades. His
short fiction have featured in several anthologies,
including African Monsters, Myriad Lands, AfroSF v2,
and the Apex Book of World SF 4. His digital art has
been on several exhibitions. His films include the
masterpiece, What Happened in Room 13 (2007),
which has over eight million views on YouTube, and
The Felistas Fable (2013), nominated for Best First
Feature by a Director at AMAA (2014) and winner
of four major awards at Uganda Film Festival
(2014).