Don't Rock The Cradle - Episode VI

DRC - Episode VI (Josh Ziregbe)



Kelechi is Onitsha's self-proclaimed number one witch-smeller. He is responsible for leading the mob against several people accused of being witches and has never found a person not guilty. Once an accusation is made, the verdict is condemnation. His apprentice Nwobodo with the bow and arrow is even more over-zealous, always quick to strike, never concerned about a fair hearing. This is their last trial, today, the accused has struck back.

Chidinma, on the other hand, poor Chidinma. She was mean to Omalicha, yes, broke her pot, spilt her water and even brought the mob here but does she deserve to die? Omalicha's arrow is inches from her back, sadly, her karma has come early.

*Slice*

The head of the advancing arrow at Chidinma's back is cut off. The rock solid rod of water loses form and the water itself splatters to the ground. She's been saved, but by who?

Chidinma: You're late! The stupid girl just almost killed me!

Late? Why was she expecting anyone in a situation like this?

Kasara: It took a while to get through to everyone. The High Priest is already channeling and will come through the nexus any second now.

Chidinma: I can take her myself!

There is no doubt about it, this is Kasarachukwu, one of Chidinma's ass kissers; her voice confirms it. Her appearance is slightly different, her hair is down, and there is a dark-red earthy aura around her but more importantly, what is she talking about? Who are they, what High Priest and what is a nexus?

Kasara: She looks dangerous, enhance yourself, I'll cover you.

Chidinma: Don't tell me what to do!

There are four water arrows left. Kasara cut through one but now another is headed their way. Chidinma is standing still, muttering under her breathe and Kasara is directly in front of her, standing guard. Kasara pivots on her left heel to dodge the incoming projectile and strikes across its length with her bare hand to shatter it. The water losses form just like before and splatters to the ground. Now there are three arrows left.

This is the same water that deflected a speeding steel tipped arrow, yet Kasara is strong and fast enough to break it with her bare hands. It must be the aura.

Chidinma looks up, her head was bowed, and now she has the same dark-red glow, is this what it means to "enhance"? She alters her stance by dragging her right foot back slightly, a more battle ready stance. Omalicha is already on the offensive with yet another arrow headed straight for Chidinma. Chidinma bends to the earth, spreads her palm and digs up a clump of dirt. She brings the dirt up to her mouth, spits and then says with aggression.

Chidinma: Oku ne lele gbo ha oku

Chidinma tosses the earth and it flies like an eagle with a prey in sight. From the speed with which it launches, the power behind it is clear. The earth is now a smoldering hot mass and it collides with Omalicha's incoming arrow, the arrow turns to steam but Chidinma's smoldering mass remains. The last two arrows retreat to form a dome in front of Omalicha but the smoldering mass is faster.

*Smash!*

The mass strikes Omalicha's chest and her eyes bulge slightly as she gasps for air, but she recovers quickly. Her jaw clenches and the muscles in her face tighten, she has clearly been aggravated.

Kasara: That didn't even bring her down!? You have to be kidding me!

Chidinma: Give me your power!

Kasara, standing slightly behind Chidinma to the left, puts her right hand on Chidinma's back and her aura darkens while Chidinma's brightens by an equivalent shade. Chidinma goes down again, picks up more earth, spits and chants. This time the power in her voice is palpable and the reverbration is carried through the air.

Chidinma: Oku ne lele!!

She releases her earth and embers of a flame being birthed can be seen trailing the mass, it is moving even faster than the first time. Just before it touches, Omalicha disappears and reappears in front of them. She moved too fast for either of the girls to keep up. The scorching earth hits a tree and knocks it right out of the ground with its root still attached. It drives itself into the tree's bark and explodes, shattering the tree. The kickback from the explosion brushes past Omalicha's back and hits Chidinma and Kasara squarely in the face. Chidinma bolts off leaving Kasara behind and in an instant she almost covers the length of a plot of farm. She trips.

The water hovering around Omalicha had changed again, this time to a whip and knotted itself around Chidinma's ankle. Now Chidinma is grovelling in the dirt as she is being pulled back. Kasara is rooted to the spot, Omalicha reappeared right in her face and she can feel her breathe. She sees that Omalicha is not in control, something else is and whatever it is smirks as Kasara realises this. Whatever is in control seems to have a mind of it's own.

Omalicha grabs Kasara by the throat and lifts her off the ground, choking her. Kasara wriggles, struggling to break the grip but the strength is beyond her. Chidinma still grovelling attempts a blind-sided attack with another mass of smoldering earth but Omalicha tilts her head a centimetre to the left and the mass misses by a  hair's breadth. The whip flings her up in the air and now she is hanging upside down by her right foot.

*Blast*

A dark light suddenly appears and from within a fierce pulsating wave hits Omalicha squarely on the chest. She is sent crashing with her back to the ground, her grip on Chidinma and Kasara forced to loosen. Again, from within the light a hooded figure with a coconut emerges, speaking with an angry, irritated voice.

Hooded figure: Restrain her.

Chidinma and Kasara obey without question and set to restrain Omalicha who is now on all fours trying to recover from the impact. Both their auras have toned up to a blood-red, the hooded figure must be strengthening them. They begin their chant and Omalicha is forced to her knees, the earth forms cuffs pinning her feet to the ground and her wrists too are bound. She struggles but they keep chanting, the tables have turned.

The hooded figure hovers towards them and is now before Omalicha. It holds out the coconut in its right palm and begins an incantation of it's own. The coconut leaves its palm and is now suspended mid-air, something is being sucked out of Omalicha and into the coconut.

They say a coconut is the perfect vessel to trap a soul. It floats on water, has a hard exterior, is hollow and has a soft inner wall; somewhat like the human body only a little more rigid.

Omalicha is regaining consciousness and control of her body. The blast to her chest has forced her out of the state she was in. Tears are streaming from her eyes, she is coming out of the pool of darkness and she realises that she is being restrained. She hears chanting then her vision clears and she sees Chidinma and Kasara covered by a strange aura. Before she can speak, the pain of what is being forced out of her hits her, she screams.

Hooded Figure: Mechi'onu.

The root of a tree extends from below and gags her. Omalicha bites down hard as the pain tearing through her chest makes her feel like okro being forced against a grater. Tears are still in her eyes but no longer from sorrow, now from pain. Through squinted, teary eyes she peers ahead hoping that someone, a saviour, would be there and she sees someone but no, it's a boy, a young boy. Omalicha resigns in her mind, "I'm dead."

She has never seen him before and none of the others notice him, they are busy trying to kill her or whatever it is they are doing. His head is poking out from behind a tree. The young boy starts coming towards them, the others still don't notice and Omalicha is fretting, trying to signal the lad to run for his life but he keeps coming.

Kasara: Stay in one place!

Omalicha recognises what she would describe as shock or perhaps fear from the  hooded figure's eyes as it turns to look at the boy now just behind it. It appears to have finally noticed him then Omalicha sees it. The boy has an aura as well, his is yellow, dark yellow. It is not as visible as the red but it's there. The coconut bursts without contact from anyone and Omalicha catches her breath. Chidinma and Kasara who were previously oblivious are brought into the loop by the burst. They see the boy and now Omalicha is sure. Chidinma's jaw drops and blood drains from her face, Kasara begins to quake and her eyes sink slightly into their sockets. This is fear.

Chidinma: Impossible!

The boy taps the hooded figure and it grunts as it flies back into the light from which it came; the light reappearing and disappearing in a flash. Chidinma is frozen stiff but Kasara pulls herself together and tries to attack, she is flung like a leaf with the flick of a wrist. Chidinma is forced to her knees by what seems to be the young boy's will and with two fingers pressed against her temple, she losses her aura and faints. Omalicha is next, he is coming for her. He gets to her, stops and looks her straight in the eyes.

Boy: I don't like people like that, my name's Dotun, what's yours?

He is grinning from ear to ear and now that he is this close, Omalicha can tell that he is about 10 or 11 years. Today is without a doubt the most confusing day of her life.

Omalicha: My name is Oma



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