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| Don't Rock the Cradle - Episode XIV (Josh Ziregbe) |
NB: The comic reads right to left like traditional Japanese manga.
Previous Episodes
Anyanwu moves! Ikemefuna hurls an object along his trajectory and he grabs it without breaking stride!
*Slice!*
Uzo knew the man was dangerous but he might have been underestimating him. With Dotun, he should be able to take the man but with Ikemefuna in the picture, the odds might not be in their favour.
The jazz imbued blade cuts through the body of the first hooded figure without resistance and Anyanwu realizes that this is just an apparition. He curses under his breath...
Anyanwu: They must be close.
The jazz imbued blade cuts through the body of the first hooded figure without resistance and Anyanwu realizes that this is just an apparition. He curses under his breath...
Anyanwu: They must be close.
The hooded figure in the middle takes a step, ignoring Anyanwu and starts to speak, his voice cold and calm. Omalicha can tell it's a man from his voice.
Hooded Figure: Ndi Udi, we have lived among you for years, why have you chosen to repay our affection with such betrayal? You set these dogs loose on us and yesterday, a friend of mine had her life taken from her. This is nonsense and will stop immediately! If you try me, I will wipe this village clean, off the face of the earth.
Hooded Figure: Get rid of this dog and his pack or else...
*The hooded figure points to Anyawu*
Hooded Figure: Get rid of this dog and his pack or else...
The leader of the group turns his back and the dark light reappears. Simultaneously, a voice whispers into the ear of every villager: man, woman and child, including those that are fleeing from the scene and those that never came out,
Hooded Figure: ...I will kill one person from the next hour, starting with the person that you love the most.
Men hear the name of their wives, their first sons, their only daughters. Women hear the name of their children, the name of a brother, a sister, a lover. Even children are not spared as pets, dogs and beloved goats, have been named. Dotun hears the message as well but the smellers, Uzo and Omalicha are completely oblivious. The hooded trio disappear back into the dark light.
Hooded Figure: ...I will kill one person from the next hour, starting with the person that you love the most.
Men hear the name of their wives, their first sons, their only daughters. Women hear the name of their children, the name of a brother, a sister, a lover. Even children are not spared as pets, dogs and beloved goats, have been named. Dotun hears the message as well but the smellers, Uzo and Omalicha are completely oblivious. The hooded trio disappear back into the dark light.
Anyanwu: People of Udi do not fear this masked threat, give us some time and I promise you, every one of them will be cleansed. It is I Anyanwu, onwu amoosu, that is speaking.
Anyanwu knows that the wiccan is bluffing. Ever since he entered the town, he hasn't sensed any powerful wiccans. In fact, the most individually powerful forces he has sensed are tied up at the stake here now; one foolish boy and the other one. Anyanwu is completely unaware of the wiccan's threat.
Life is interesting, there is always something mysterious hiding around the corner, sometimes it is even the human mind. They say hidden in the brain is the ancestors' encounters with nature, the world and how to survive in it. When we think we are thinking, we mostly rely on thousands of years' worth of the elders' experience, a very old and powerful tool, although unconscious and underutilized. The human mind has more potential than many truly understand.
Anyanwu can see the elder that invited him to the village trying to raise his hand, the old man is shaking but is successfully able to point. Anyanwu follows his hand but there's nothing in the direction where the man is pointing, that's just where he dragged his captives through, the direction to the entrance to the village. He coerces, angrily.
Anyanwu: Ezedike! Speak! What is it!?
Before the old man's trembling lips could part for words, an exuberant young man frantically screams, "Get out!" A tear drops from the old man's eye.
Ezedike: My son...
Anyanwu looks around and realizes that every last person in the square has the look of despair, slapped on. "What did those despicable agents of Ekwensu do?", he thinks to himself, then this time an elder, "Leave us! We do not want your services again! My daughter..." Children start crying, the crowd is breaking down. Anyanwu shouts.
Anyanwu: What did they do!
Ikemefuna throws a rock towards Ezinne and it collides with another that was thrown from within the crowd. Anyanwu's eyes light up in fury.
Anyanwu: HOW DARE YOU! UDI! You throw a stone at my own daughter! My only child!
He turns to his crew
Anyanwu: ...we are leaving!
He turns to the crowd
Anyanwu: Udi! Even In the day that you will cry blood and beg me or any of my disciples to come and save you, I promise that we will not come! If you offer a thousand cows, your cries will still fall on def ears. Long after I am dead, I swear by this day that you have assaulted my own child, that no smeller descending from me or my disciples will ever raise a finger to save a son or daughter of Udi.
Anyanwu storms off and the smellers, including Ikemefuna, follow. Ezinne is moving directly by his side. The villagers silently start to disappear one after the other, like a solemn procession, and now there's no one left. Uzo heaves a sigh of relief, this couldn't have gone any better, no one was hurt. He looks round to check on the others, The old woman is still sobbing, the little girl is horrified and Omalicha is still tied to her stake. Dotun, where's that boy? He isn't tied up like he's supposed to be. Uzo's eyes dart back to Omalicha and he sees Dotun is helping her get loose. "How did he.."
Dotun: How did you do that?
Omalicha: Me? Do what?
Dotun: Hmm... never mind, ehehe
Omalicha runs to the little girl and sets her free and moves to the old lady. Dotun moves over to the little girl's mother who still hasn't come through. He taps the woman a little and applies a little something, and she starts to wake up. Before she fully regains consciousness, she picks right up from where she left off.
Woman: Where's my daughter!? Obiageli!
The little girl is free and runs straight into her mother's arms. The reunion is touching as both mother and daughter are very emotional. The mother looks up, she doesn't know what happened, she looks around, but only the trio and old woman are here, she turns back to Dotun and says, "Thank you."
Dotun: I didn't do anything, ehehhee.
The woman gathers herself and sets to getting herself and her daughter out of the square, she's in a hurry to leave and understandably so. She's almost breaking off into a run and is dragging her daughter with her, Dotun peers as they make their way and asks out loud.
Dotun: She doesn't know?
The woman turns back, looking a little confused and asks.
Woman: Are you talking to me?
Dotun says nothing and maintains a straight face. The woman returns her gaze and her focus to her exit. The little girl turns her head round after her mother's attention has refocused and holds her little finger up to her lip and makes a silent, "Shhhh.......". Omalicha is shocked, the old woman who has now been freed is shook as well. The mother and child disappear out of sight. Omalicha turns to the old lady.
Omalicha: Are you?
Old woman: No, no, I'm only a widow. My husband died years ago and his family members came and took everything from me. They said I was the one who killed him. I didn't even have enough to look after my only child and nobody helped us. My baby died a few years after and I have been shattered ever since. They say I killed my child as well. How could I?
The woman breaks down and starts to cry, these are feelings that she has been carrying for years, she has had no one to talk to. Omalicha starts to cry as well.
Omalicha: Please don't cry, I will be your daughter, please stop crying...
She starts to wipe the woman's tears and they both cry for a bit before the woman starts to calm down a little.
Woman: You are such a kind girl, my child would have had a child about your age by now, it's been such a long time. My name is Nneoma, what is yours my dear?
Omalicha: My name is Omalicha.
Nneoma: Such a beautiful name. What brought you to this unfortunate experience today?
Omalicha: We were on our way to Nnsuka before we came across that wicked girl and everything happened. Now, we don't even know the way from here.
Nneoma: Ah Nnsuka, I visited there a lot when I was younger, it's not so difficult from here although it is still quite a journey.
The old woman describes the route from Udi to Nnsuka and Omalicha is grateful. It's time to leave the square and move on.
Nobody bothered to untie Uzo, he's been there on the stake, just observing. Omalicha giggles, Dotun too and Uzo scoffs. They see the old woman off to her place and wave her goodbye. Omalicha bids her to take care of herself and promises to visit when next she can. They're off!
Dotun: Phew! That was a close one.
Omalicha: How did you even get loose from the stake?
Uzo feigns nonchalance but is paying very close attention.
Dotun: Me? Ehehehe...
They are now back at the major junction, the entrance to Udi if you will
Strange Voice: It's good to be back.
The strange man looks up ahead at the group and smiles, he waves. The crew's eyes open in inexplicable fear and they all scream at the same time, "Smeller!"
Next
Anyanwu can see the elder that invited him to the village trying to raise his hand, the old man is shaking but is successfully able to point. Anyanwu follows his hand but there's nothing in the direction where the man is pointing, that's just where he dragged his captives through, the direction to the entrance to the village. He coerces, angrily.
Anyanwu: Ezedike! Speak! What is it!?
Before the old man's trembling lips could part for words, an exuberant young man frantically screams, "Get out!" A tear drops from the old man's eye.
Ezedike: My son...
Anyanwu looks around and realizes that every last person in the square has the look of despair, slapped on. "What did those despicable agents of Ekwensu do?", he thinks to himself, then this time an elder, "Leave us! We do not want your services again! My daughter..." Children start crying, the crowd is breaking down. Anyanwu shouts.
Anyanwu: What did they do!
*Crumble!*
Ikemefuna throws a rock towards Ezinne and it collides with another that was thrown from within the crowd. Anyanwu's eyes light up in fury.
Anyanwu: HOW DARE YOU! UDI! You throw a stone at my own daughter! My only child!
He turns to his crew
Anyanwu: ...we are leaving!
He turns to the crowd
Anyanwu: Udi! Even In the day that you will cry blood and beg me or any of my disciples to come and save you, I promise that we will not come! If you offer a thousand cows, your cries will still fall on def ears. Long after I am dead, I swear by this day that you have assaulted my own child, that no smeller descending from me or my disciples will ever raise a finger to save a son or daughter of Udi.
Anyanwu storms off and the smellers, including Ikemefuna, follow. Ezinne is moving directly by his side. The villagers silently start to disappear one after the other, like a solemn procession, and now there's no one left. Uzo heaves a sigh of relief, this couldn't have gone any better, no one was hurt. He looks round to check on the others, The old woman is still sobbing, the little girl is horrified and Omalicha is still tied to her stake. Dotun, where's that boy? He isn't tied up like he's supposed to be. Uzo's eyes dart back to Omalicha and he sees Dotun is helping her get loose. "How did he.."
Dotun: How did you do that?
Omalicha: Me? Do what?
Dotun: Hmm... never mind, ehehe
Omalicha runs to the little girl and sets her free and moves to the old lady. Dotun moves over to the little girl's mother who still hasn't come through. He taps the woman a little and applies a little something, and she starts to wake up. Before she fully regains consciousness, she picks right up from where she left off.
Woman: Where's my daughter!? Obiageli!
The little girl is free and runs straight into her mother's arms. The reunion is touching as both mother and daughter are very emotional. The mother looks up, she doesn't know what happened, she looks around, but only the trio and old woman are here, she turns back to Dotun and says, "Thank you."
Dotun: I didn't do anything, ehehhee.
The woman gathers herself and sets to getting herself and her daughter out of the square, she's in a hurry to leave and understandably so. She's almost breaking off into a run and is dragging her daughter with her, Dotun peers as they make their way and asks out loud.
Dotun: She doesn't know?
The woman turns back, looking a little confused and asks.
Woman: Are you talking to me?
Dotun says nothing and maintains a straight face. The woman returns her gaze and her focus to her exit. The little girl turns her head round after her mother's attention has refocused and holds her little finger up to her lip and makes a silent, "Shhhh.......". Omalicha is shocked, the old woman who has now been freed is shook as well. The mother and child disappear out of sight. Omalicha turns to the old lady.
Omalicha: Are you?
Old woman: No, no, I'm only a widow. My husband died years ago and his family members came and took everything from me. They said I was the one who killed him. I didn't even have enough to look after my only child and nobody helped us. My baby died a few years after and I have been shattered ever since. They say I killed my child as well. How could I?
The woman breaks down and starts to cry, these are feelings that she has been carrying for years, she has had no one to talk to. Omalicha starts to cry as well.
Omalicha: Please don't cry, I will be your daughter, please stop crying...
She starts to wipe the woman's tears and they both cry for a bit before the woman starts to calm down a little.
Woman: You are such a kind girl, my child would have had a child about your age by now, it's been such a long time. My name is Nneoma, what is yours my dear?
Omalicha: My name is Omalicha.
Nneoma: Such a beautiful name. What brought you to this unfortunate experience today?
Omalicha: We were on our way to Nnsuka before we came across that wicked girl and everything happened. Now, we don't even know the way from here.
Nneoma: Ah Nnsuka, I visited there a lot when I was younger, it's not so difficult from here although it is still quite a journey.
The old woman describes the route from Udi to Nnsuka and Omalicha is grateful. It's time to leave the square and move on.
*Clears Throat*
Nobody bothered to untie Uzo, he's been there on the stake, just observing. Omalicha giggles, Dotun too and Uzo scoffs. They see the old woman off to her place and wave her goodbye. Omalicha bids her to take care of herself and promises to visit when next she can. They're off!
Dotun: Phew! That was a close one.
Omalicha: How did you even get loose from the stake?
Uzo feigns nonchalance but is paying very close attention.
Dotun: Me? Ehehehe...
They are now back at the major junction, the entrance to Udi if you will
*Deep In-haling*
Strange Voice: It's good to be back.
The strange man looks up ahead at the group and smiles, he waves. The crew's eyes open in inexplicable fear and they all scream at the same time, "Smeller!"
*Poof!*
They run like they have never run before, the stranger is left there gawking, confused.
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