Remote Control

Sankofa travels for five years across northwest Ghana. She is attacked a couple of times, but learns to focus the green light and kill anyone who tries to harm her. At the same time, people begin coming to her for help with loved ones who are suffering. Sankofa helps them, mercifully killing those who ask. People learn of her power, while Sankofa learns that she can get shelter, food, new clothing, and anything she wants just by asking.

In the village of Tepa, Sankofa is drawn to a large home. When she gets to the door, the man with the eyepatch who stole the seed opens it immediately. Sankofa can tell that he has malaria. She goes inside and they sit in the living room.

Sankofa asks where the seed is, and the man tells her that he sold it. He isn’t sure why he stole it to begin with, other than to keep it out of the hands of LifeGen and to stop Kusi, who was corrupt. He angrily scolds Sankofa for following him for years, always keeping death just behind him. He ignores Sankofa’s insistence that she only kills out of mercy or for protection.

The man takes out a gun and points it at Sankofa. Before he can shoot, Sankofa kills him with her green light that lights up his entire home. When all that is left is his rib bone, the strange wind blows it to her feet. She realizes it is the first time she ever killed someone out of rage.

Sankofa goes outside. She can feel the draw of the seed leading in one direction. However, she turns the opposite way, insisting that she will no longer follow the “evil.”

Sankofa arrives in RoboTown. At its center is a nine-foot-tall, artificially intelligent robot. It directs traffic, gives people directions, and helps people cross the town’s road. As Sankofa walks past it, she becomes unnerved by how it looks at her.

Sankofa enters a busy part of the market with electronics stores. At first she is relieved that no one notices her. However, when they do, people begin to run and hide from her or look apprehensive. Eventually, she comes to a store called Mr. Starlit Electronics with a long line outside of it. A woman stands against the wall, smoking. Instead of backing away from Sankofa, she calls her to her. She asks Sankofa to come inside to eat and rest.

Inside the store, the woman introduces herself as Alhaja Ujala, the owner of Mr. Starlit Electronics. She leads Sankofa to a backroom. It has a wall filled with ceremonial masks. Alhaja explains that she collects them, wanting to feel “wise” like a woman she read a story about as a child.

While Sankofa eats and drinks Fanta, Alhaja tells her that it is an important day for her store. The newest electronics are being released, and they are being sent to Alhaja’s store before they are available anywhere else. She asks Sankofa to stay in her store during the delivery, warding off potential thieves. She warns Sankofa of how dangerous it will be, as they’ve already gotten threats from a violent group known as the Bandit Boys. Sankofa happily agrees to help.

An hour later, Sankofa is sleeping and dreaming of being in the forest. She is woken up by Alhaja because the electronics have arrived. On waking, Sankofa feels the seed calling to her but feels the peaceful pull of the forest even more. When Alhaja hands Sankofa a cup of coffee, the smell of it reminds her of her father. She puts it down without drinking it.

Outside, Sankofa stands behind Alhaja, looking out at the long line of people. A man in red steps forward holding a cudgel. He warns Alhaja to give them the electronics so no one is harmed. Several more men step forward holding guns and machetes. She insists that she won’t, so the man throws his cudgel, striking Alhaja in the arm. When Sankofa steps over her, beginning to glow, everyone flees—including the men in red. As they run, Sankofa notes a drone circling overhead.

The next day, the customers return, but the Bandit Boys do not. People also come to see Sankofa after hearing what happened. She stands outside all day, ensuring no one else causes a problem. That night, Alhaja and her employees celebrate. However, Sankofa goes to a bedroom in Alhaja’s house that used to belong to her daughter. She is overwhelmed by thoughts of her father and spends several hours crying in the night.

On the third day, Alhaja takes Sankofa through RoboTown. She comments on the fact that people will be less afraid of her if they see her in town. Sankofa remembers a group of women who saw her in Alhaja’s yard glowing from the mosquitos that were biting her. She notes how she won’t stop using her power to stop the mosquitos, as she has vivid memories of malaria as a child.

Alhaja takes Sankofa to the mosque. She introduces her to Sister Kumi. She then leaves Sankofa there, promising to return in an hour.



Sankofa and Sister Kumi sit on the floor of the mosque. Sankofa notes how Sister Kumi is not afraid to look at her as most people are. Sister Kumi asks about Sankofa’s power, referring to it as “evil.” Sankofa insists that she helps people and only uses her power for good. When Sister Kumi suggests that Sankofa repress the power, pushing the glow beneath the surface, Sankofa is interested in the idea. 

The two sit together and pray, while Sankofa focuses on repressing her power. At the same time, she pushes away her sadness, the guilt of killing her family, and the urge to find the seed. After, Sister Kumi suggests that Sankofa begin wearing a hijab. Sankofa agrees, and when Alhaja returns to get her, she is truly happy.

The next day, Sankofa investigates the robocop. She learns that the people of RoboTown are proud of it, taking good care of it and never vandalizing it. The older teenagers in town know the most about it, as they often have to avoid it to cause mischief and throw parties. They willingly give Sankofa information about it, as she cannot research it herself without technology. The teenagers tell her that its drones are what are following her and that its primary goal is to gather information. They assume that Sankofa bothers it, as she has no technology for it to track and, now that she wears a hijab, it also can’t see her face.

When Sankofa talks to Alhaja about the robocop, Alhaja explains that it has been there for decades. When it was first built, people were so impressed by it that they traveled from far away to see it, increasing business and the population of RoboTown. It is entirely AI, meaning that it is not corrupt in ways that other police are. Sankofa is shocked to learn that Sister Kumi originally programmed it, as she used to be an electrical engineer before getting married.

Sankofa stays with Alhaja for almost a year. One day, Sankofa picks the avocados from Alhaja’s tree in the yard. Alhaja then notifies the women in town, and they come to buy them. Alhaja gives Sankofa part of the money, surprising her. It is more money than Sankofa has ever had.

In the market, Sankofa looks through the stands. In one, among a collection of trinkets, she finds the wooden box with the seed. She realizes that, when she stopped looking for it, it sought her out instead. She feels its pull and realizes that she needs to have it. When she asks the stand owner how much it is, he reacts angrily, insisting that she can’t have it. However, when she draws on her power and begins to glow, he backs down, giving it to her. She gives him half her money in exchange, an amount that is more than he would have sold it for.

Sankofa buys food and sits by a tree at the edge of the market to eat. She is interrupted by the drone, which flies down to her and looks at her. Wanting peace, she waits until it gets closer, then grabs it, shutting it off and causing it to fall to the ground. A man nearby sees her and yells, then a crowd gathers to see what she did. In response, Sankofa grabs the drone and flees. She vaguely hears a car crash in the street.

When Sankofa gets to Alhaja’s store, Alhaja asks her what happened and tells her that there has been a car accident for the first time in years. Sankofa ignores her, fleeing to her room. When she sits on the other side of the door, her power rises up in her, unbidden, for the first time in years. Sankofa falls asleep.

Sankofa wakes up when a man bangs on the door, calling her a “witch.” She hears Alhaja call to her. She changes her clothes, returning to her old outfit of a wrapper and top. When she leaves her room, several men are waiting for her. Outside, she sees a crowd gathering that follows them into the street.

Standing before the robocop, it explains what happened. It was distracted by Sankofa killing its drone, which caused it to accidentally tell a family to cross the street. A seven-year-old boy died. It explains that all it sees when it looks at Sankofa is “confusion,” which is a constant distraction.

Sankofa tells the people that she will leave. However, they respond with anger, throwing things at her and eventually closing in on her. Sankofa falls to the ground, and they begin hitting and kicking her. She fights against the urge to protect herself with her power, not wanting to destroy her new “home.” However, she is unable to do so, releasing it in a burst of light.

When Sankofa opens her eyes, the first thing she sees is Movenpick nearby. She then realizes that she is surrounded by several bodies, one of which is Alhaja. At the same time, she also sees that she was able to control her power somewhat, as she only killed the handful of people close to her.

Sankofa gets up and flees. On the edge of town, she is approached by a drone. It speaks to her and tells her that it is gathering information on her for LifeGen. Sankofa wonders if they are the ones that sent the seed back to her after all this time. The drone explains that LifeGen will “find use for” her (130), then shocks her, knocking her out.