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| Don't Rock the Cradle - Episode XVI (Josh Ziregbe) |
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*Tuhm!* *Vwooooovwoooovwooovwoo...*
It's literally a close shave. The leader of the odd group of men has had an inch and a half of the hair on the top of his head chopped clean off. The once fervent man is now horribly feverish, his once dutiful crew, nowhere to be found, save for the man that fainted right in front of him.
#Eagle'sNest
The group goes around the sand pit to reach Ozo and on approaching him, the rich, sweet allure of the fresh palm wine permeating the air rushes into their lungs. The smell is soft, yet filling and is gradually inspiring confidence. Uzo takes a firm step forward to talk but Ozo speaks first.
Ozo: Who is this young lady that is almost as beautiful as my wife?
He is referring to Omalicha and for the first time, Ozo's wife, Chinwe, let's slip a smile, but it's just a flash, all signs of emotion are smothered immediately. The big man catches it, so he continues...
Ozo: Who is this young lady that is almost as beautiful as my wife?
He is referring to Omalicha and for the first time, Ozo's wife, Chinwe, let's slip a smile, but it's just a flash, all signs of emotion are smothered immediately. The big man catches it, so he continues...
Ozo: Do you know that my wife is the most beautiful woman in the whole of Nnsuka and even beyond!?
The man peeps at his wife with peripheral vision, nothing. The woman was caught off guard the first time but it won't be happen again. Dotun looks left and right in panic, Uzo stays straight and Omalicha giggles delicately. The group is in an awkward position.
Omalicha: Ahaha-haha-ha
Ozo's wife looks beyond her shoulder at the people rejoicing over Sopulu's victory and the feast that is incoming, then she returns her attention to the group. There is something unique here, but not so unfamiliar, she can sense it and her sense of perception has always been, to say the least, exceptional. Ozo glances at the bottom of his empty cup and remembers his gourd of palm wine.
Ozo: Ebee ka agbe m ni di? (Where's my gourd?)
Ozo: Ezioku! (It's true!)
He sees the gourd and makes to pick it up.
Chinwe: ...besides, there's no more palm wine in that thing, there's more in
the house.
Ozo: Ezioku, ezioku, they look
exhausted. Let's all get to the house, I need more of this Okonkwo's mmanya nkwu, he has outdone himself this time, chukwunna! The touch of honey... the gods must have blessed the man with aka-mmanya nkwu, ahahahahahaha...
The aesthetics
are not half as impressive on the outside as they are on the inside. On the exterior are intricate and very deliberate patterns covering the entire surface of the building. One could easily be convinced that these are all coded transcripts, brazenly hoisted for any who dare to translate.
Ozo: How is Mazi Edochie these days, I haven't visited my old friend in quite some time.
They are now in what is probably the house's reception and Ozo settles in to an intricately carved wooden seat while a young man comes in to deliver some gourds, no doubt filled with more palm wine.
Ozo: Still as serious and as pessimistic as they come I'm sure, ahahahahaha! Ichie Mbeku the pessimist! Ahahahahaha!
Ozo: How is Mazi Edochie these days, I haven't visited my old friend in quite some time.
They are now in what is probably the house's reception and Ozo settles in to an intricately carved wooden seat while a young man comes in to deliver some gourds, no doubt filled with more palm wine.
Ozo: Still as serious and as pessimistic as they come I'm sure, ahahahahaha! Ichie Mbeku the pessimist! Ahahahahaha!
The exterior bows before what awaits on the inside. In one word, luxury. From the ceiling to the floor, (the windows are so high Dotun that could not hope to reach them)
Up on the broad wall behind where Ozo is seated, directly facing the main entrance, is a rectangular block of wood with seven equally spaced pegs. Hanging on each of these pegs, about halfway along its length, is an exact replica of the spear that Ozo jetted into the distance. This level of craftsmanship could only have been achieved by a master with several years' worth of experience, or a genius. Chinwe is standing slightly behind her husband, and looking at Omalicha, she arcs her brow as if to say, "Speak." Omalicha takes the command.
Omalicha: Great Ozo, Mazi Edochie sent us to you. He said we should ask for a couple of things to make a remedy that will save my life: uda, ulu-oyibo, red banana and three days old honey.
Ozo stops from drinking his palm wine, and looking away from his cup, asks, with his eyes slightly contracted, the right, more so than the left.
Ozo: So you swallowed that egg? Ahahahaha!! Let me guess, Nonso told you that your only option is to destroy it before it ki-ahaha, before it kills you?? Ahahahaha!!
Ozo is laughing his guts out, Dotun gets infected and joins in the contagious laughter. "How does he already know about the egg?", is the question running through Omalicha's mind. She's given up on trying to explain that she didn't swallow the thing, she's not even going to bother again. Besides, this is the third person saying the same thing, maybe she really did swallow it, she blacked out after all.
Chinwe taps Ozo a bit seriously on the back, discretely, because Omalicha is visibly disheartened by the fact that her impending death is, well, funny. Chinwe clears her throat.
Ozo: Ndo, ndo (sorry), what is your name again?
Omalicha: My name is Omalicha.
Ozo: ...and your friends?
Uzo: My name is Uzo.
Dotun: I'm Dotun, ehehehe.
Ozo leans back and takes a sip directly from his gourd, a bit of the palm wine spills on his thick black beard with grey strands. The wine in the cup is finished and what is left in the gourd is not enough to bother pouring into the cup. He takes a minute to study the girl.
Ozo: Ekene!
The young man that brought the gourds of palm wine re-enters the room.
Ekene: Ozo, you called.
Ozo: Please bring me my nzu.
Ekene: Immediately, Ozo.
He disappears back into the door he came through
Ozo: In the mean time, what brings a Wiccan all the way from the far West, Dotun, was it?
Dotun: Beeni (Yes) sir, hmm...
Dotun rubs his chin, tilts his head up to the left and looks into the distance, a pose showing that he is truly about to think, or at least try to remember something, but before the pose yields fruit, as if thinking would be too much work, he blurts.
Dotun: ...travelling around sounded like a good idea, ehehehe.
Ozo & Dotun: Ahahahaha/ehehehehe
Ozo: Odiegwu! (Great!) I like that! People need to be more spontaneous.
Ekene returns with a calabash in his hand
Ekene: Ozo, as you requested.
Ozo: Thank you
Just as when Mazi applied the nzu, a glint appears in Ozo's eyes and Omalicha is sure of what she's seeing this time, after all, there are no tears in her eyes now. Ozo stands up to face the broad wall holding the spears.
Ozo: Interesting...
It is as if there is something written that only he can see. He begins to speak while still not looking at any one.
Ozo: I see that you have discovered its history, this is quite the tale. Do you know why Ebube sent you to us, Omalicha?
Omalicha: ...
Ozo: You see, Nonso my friend, Mazi Edochie as most people know him, is quite the pessimist and will always tell the worst. I, on the other hand, prefer to see the brighter side.
He turns around as if he were done reading whatever it is that only he can see.
Ozo: Neither is right and none is wrong, these are only two sides of the same leaf, but sometimes the wind may blow and both faces of a single leaf are exposed to a single eye within the same breath. What you have within you is a source of power, an old one perhaps, a taboo of the second bloodline.
The second ancient bloodline, the seconds, even in the time of our forefathers were not as many as the firsts, but those of that bloodline have often been gifted and their gifts usually became their curse. Many sought to steal these gifts, often killing the descendants of that bloodline to take the gifts for their own. Even those who did not seek the seconds for their gifts, often sought their blood as rare offerings to the gods. Which ever way, hydrosapiens have all but been driven into extinction and not many know about them today.
What makes that which is within you truly dangerous, my dear, is our ignorance. Men often fear what they cannot control and yes, Nonso is right, there is a chance that it could kill you. What he didn't mention, however, is that the odds of your death are not evenly split against the odds that you will live. To put it plainly, it is one new moon against twelve... in your favour, so not very likely. Nonso must have given you quite the scare, ahahahahaha!
To be fair, Mazi Edochie never actually said that her death was impending but she had assumed that it would be in a matter of just days. If ever she had felt relief in her life, this is it.
Omalicha: Ozo, so what do I do?
Ozo: What do you do?? With power!? Wouldn't you like to learn to control it??
Chinwe: Chibuike, no!
Ozo: Whaat? Ahahahaha, she's a big girl, let her decide.
Omalicha looks at Chinwe who has a very disapproving look on her face, she looks at Dotun who is star-eyed at the prospect of her learning to control this forbidden power and then Uzo who looks indifferent as usual. Omalicha thinks of her father, what would he have wanted her to do? She knows he would never have let her do anything so dangerous but there's no one left to protect her and if not for the boys, she might not have made it all the way here. Perhaps learning to control this power will teach her to hold her own against bandits, ghosts and smellers like Anyanwu that may attack her in the future. The answer is clear.
Omalicha: I want to control it.
Ozo: Ahahahaha, good, very good indeed.
Chinwe disapproves, that much is clear but she heaves a deep sigh as if she already knew how this would end.
Ozo stops from drinking his palm wine, and looking away from his cup, asks, with his eyes slightly contracted, the right, more so than the left.
Ozo: So you swallowed that egg? Ahahahaha!! Let me guess, Nonso told you that your only option is to destroy it before it ki-ahaha, before it kills you?? Ahahahaha!!
Ozo is laughing his guts out, Dotun gets infected and joins in the contagious laughter. "How does he already know about the egg?", is the question running through Omalicha's mind. She's given up on trying to explain that she didn't swallow the thing, she's not even going to bother again. Besides, this is the third person saying the same thing, maybe she really did swallow it, she blacked out after all.
Chinwe taps Ozo a bit seriously on the back, discretely, because Omalicha is visibly disheartened by the fact that her impending death is, well, funny. Chinwe clears her throat.
Ozo: Ndo, ndo (sorry), what is your name again?
Omalicha: My name is Omalicha.
Ozo: ...and your friends?
Uzo: My name is Uzo.
Dotun: I'm Dotun, ehehehe.
Ozo leans back and takes a sip directly from his gourd, a bit of the palm wine spills on his thick black beard with grey strands. The wine in the cup is finished and what is left in the gourd is not enough to bother pouring into the cup. He takes a minute to study the girl.
Ozo: Ekene!
The young man that brought the gourds of palm wine re-enters the room.
Ekene: Ozo, you called.
Ozo: Please bring me my nzu.
Ekene: Immediately, Ozo.
He disappears back into the door he came through
Ozo: In the mean time, what brings a Wiccan all the way from the far West, Dotun, was it?
Dotun: Beeni (Yes) sir, hmm...
Dotun rubs his chin, tilts his head up to the left and looks into the distance, a pose showing that he is truly about to think, or at least try to remember something, but before the pose yields fruit, as if thinking would be too much work, he blurts.
Dotun: ...travelling around sounded like a good idea, ehehehe.
Ozo & Dotun: Ahahahaha/ehehehehe
Ozo: Odiegwu! (Great!) I like that! People need to be more spontaneous.
Ekene returns with a calabash in his hand
Ekene: Ozo, as you requested.
Ozo: Thank you
Just as when Mazi applied the nzu, a glint appears in Ozo's eyes and Omalicha is sure of what she's seeing this time, after all, there are no tears in her eyes now. Ozo stands up to face the broad wall holding the spears.
Ozo: Interesting...
It is as if there is something written that only he can see. He begins to speak while still not looking at any one.
Ozo: I see that you have discovered its history, this is quite the tale. Do you know why Ebube sent you to us, Omalicha?
Omalicha: ...
Ozo: You see, Nonso my friend, Mazi Edochie as most people know him, is quite the pessimist and will always tell the worst. I, on the other hand, prefer to see the brighter side.
He turns around as if he were done reading whatever it is that only he can see.
Ozo: Neither is right and none is wrong, these are only two sides of the same leaf, but sometimes the wind may blow and both faces of a single leaf are exposed to a single eye within the same breath. What you have within you is a source of power, an old one perhaps, a taboo of the second bloodline.
The second ancient bloodline, the seconds, even in the time of our forefathers were not as many as the firsts, but those of that bloodline have often been gifted and their gifts usually became their curse. Many sought to steal these gifts, often killing the descendants of that bloodline to take the gifts for their own. Even those who did not seek the seconds for their gifts, often sought their blood as rare offerings to the gods. Which ever way, hydrosapiens have all but been driven into extinction and not many know about them today.
What makes that which is within you truly dangerous, my dear, is our ignorance. Men often fear what they cannot control and yes, Nonso is right, there is a chance that it could kill you. What he didn't mention, however, is that the odds of your death are not evenly split against the odds that you will live. To put it plainly, it is one new moon against twelve... in your favour, so not very likely. Nonso must have given you quite the scare, ahahahahaha!
To be fair, Mazi Edochie never actually said that her death was impending but she had assumed that it would be in a matter of just days. If ever she had felt relief in her life, this is it.
Ozo: What do you do?? With power!? Wouldn't you like to learn to control it??
Chinwe: Chibuike, no!
Ozo: Whaat? Ahahahaha, she's a big girl, let her decide.
Omalicha looks at Chinwe who has a very disapproving look on her face, she looks at Dotun who is star-eyed at the prospect of her learning to control this forbidden power and then Uzo who looks indifferent as usual. Omalicha thinks of her father, what would he have wanted her to do? She knows he would never have let her do anything so dangerous but there's no one left to protect her and if not for the boys, she might not have made it all the way here. Perhaps learning to control this power will teach her to hold her own against bandits, ghosts and smellers like Anyanwu that may attack her in the future. The answer is clear.
Omalicha: I want to control it.
Ozo: Ahahahaha, good, very good indeed.
Chinwe disapproves, that much is clear but she heaves a deep sigh as if she already knew how this would end.
Ozo: You can stay here with us for a few days, our daughter's hand will be given to her husband tomorrow and there will be a lot of festivities; music, food, palm wine, ahahaha!
Dotun’s ears prick up at the sound of food, he's definitely interested!
Ozo: After the wedding you will get what you need.
Chinwe calls out a name and a young man steps in. It's one of Sopulu's victims, the one that received the full impact of Sopulu's right hand across his chest. "He's still alive??" Omalicha quivers in her mind, recalling the savage attack.
Chibundu: Yes mummy.
Chinwe: Come and show these boys the guest chambers, and call your sister to take Omalicha to the chamber next to mine.
It hits Omalicha that she has not been alone at night for a couple of days now, not since she's learnt about Ebuiwa, Amenza, Izunna, her lineage, wiccans, that Chidinma and Kasara are wiccans and that she "might" die. Her mind travels back to Onitsha, what would Chidinma be up to now, trying to get at her through the spirit realm? That is what wiccans do, isn't it? Wait, she can ask Dotun, can't she? Maybe the only reason they haven’t gotten to her is because Dotun has been by her side all this while but tonight she would be...
Omalicha: All by my self?
Chinwe: Is there a problem?
Chinwe immediately looks and frowns at Uzo who equally counters with a scowl of, "I'm not guilty", "Don't accuse me of anything" and "I'm not interested."
Omalicha: Oh no ma, thank you very much ma.
Chinwe calls out a name and a young man steps in. It's one of Sopulu's victims, the one that received the full impact of Sopulu's right hand across his chest. "He's still alive??" Omalicha quivers in her mind, recalling the savage attack.
Chibundu: Yes mummy.
Chinwe: Come and show these boys the guest chambers, and call your sister to take Omalicha to the chamber next to mine.
It hits Omalicha that she has not been alone at night for a couple of days now, not since she's learnt about Ebuiwa, Amenza, Izunna, her lineage, wiccans, that Chidinma and Kasara are wiccans and that she "might" die. Her mind travels back to Onitsha, what would Chidinma be up to now, trying to get at her through the spirit realm? That is what wiccans do, isn't it? Wait, she can ask Dotun, can't she? Maybe the only reason they haven’t gotten to her is because Dotun has been by her side all this while but tonight she would be...
Omalicha: All by my self?
Chinwe: Is there a problem?
Chinwe immediately looks and frowns at Uzo who equally counters with a scowl of, "I'm not guilty", "Don't accuse me of anything" and "I'm not interested."
Omalicha: Oh no ma, thank you very much ma.
Omalicha scans the room where she would enjoy a
personal bed, walls to protect her from the cold winds and a roof to
obstruct the clear skies. Her thoughts dart back to the reason the Wiccan’s were after her, she can't help but think of her father
and what he would say to her, "My daughter don’t be scared, nothing can harm
you." He would usually say while he held her hand or hugged her in his tight embrace , "...you’re safe with me."
Back in Ozo’s chamber he takes a sip of more fresh palm wine, his wife Chinwe now standing next to him, stares back through the door, nobody. There’s a look in her
eyes, like she’s lost in thought. Ozo sets down his cup and with his left
hand pulls his wife down to sit on his lap, she’s hardly even startled by his
pull, he knows this mood very well, her senses have overwhelmed her, and she’s
more conscious of her surroundings than she is of
herself. She rests her head on her husbands broad shoulders, and her arms
attempt to wrap around him. She whispers.
Chinwe: Something is coming...
To anyone else these words would be a cause for alarm, especially since it’s coming form her but Ozo laughs and replies,
Ozo: ...and it will pass, because you have me.
She smiles.
Chinwe: Something is coming...
To anyone else these words would be a cause for alarm, especially since it’s coming form her but Ozo laughs and replies,
Ozo: ...and it will pass, because you have me.
She smiles.
The sun is setting and Omalicha
decides to go outside to join the women cooking at the back of the compound.
As she gets closer, she notices Dotun hiding behind a hut, "What's he doing?" she says to herself.
Dotun is spying on three women sitting around a fire and a large pot, a fourth and younger woman, who looks like a newly wed, getting water to poor into one of the pots. The ladies are boiling beans, rice, yam and turning at least three different soups while they stew. The big basket next to the elderly woman, closest to Dotun, is filled with hundreds of already fried, hot, goat meat; large chunks of it!
Dotun is spying on three women sitting around a fire and a large pot, a fourth and younger woman, who looks like a newly wed, getting water to poor into one of the pots. The ladies are boiling beans, rice, yam and turning at least three different soups while they stew. The big basket next to the elderly woman, closest to Dotun, is filled with hundreds of already fried, hot, goat meat; large chunks of it!
Slowly, Omalicha notices three pieces of meat start to rise and move, passing behind the oldest woman and skillfully evading the other women's attention. "One... two... THREE"
The three pieces of meat shoot up far into the sky, too fast for any of the women to notice and in a few seconds, Dotun catches the first with his right, the second with his left and opens his mouth gleefully for the third.
A knife pins the last piece of meat to the wall of the hut just before it enters Dotun's mouth. He was so focused, with his eyes in the sky, that he didn't see the blade coming. His shaking eyes slowly turn towards the women and they are frowning at him in unison. It seems one of the younger women launched the attack, she has another knife ready in her hand.
Dotun: ehehe-hehe-ehe
He zooms off.
The elderly woman shakes her head and speaks.
Woman: Children of nowadays, very lazy, especially the boys, all they want to do is eat food, work they won't want to work, tufia.
Not looking where he was running, Dotun bumps into Omalicha.
Omalicha: Dotun!!
Struggling to chew the large piece of meat he already threw in his mouth, he says with a sheepish grin.
Dotun: Sowii!
Omalicha: What were you doing?
Dotun: Noffiiiinn??
He says again with a full mouth and an even more sheepish grin.
Dotun: Dho youv wantsh swome?
Omalicha: No! That’s not a good thing to do, you should wait like every one else...
Then she remembers there’s something she wants to ask him.
*piaaunnn!*
The three pieces of meat shoot up far into the sky, too fast for any of the women to notice and in a few seconds, Dotun catches the first with his right, the second with his left and opens his mouth gleefully for the third.
*vwoom!*
A knife pins the last piece of meat to the wall of the hut just before it enters Dotun's mouth. He was so focused, with his eyes in the sky, that he didn't see the blade coming. His shaking eyes slowly turn towards the women and they are frowning at him in unison. It seems one of the younger women launched the attack, she has another knife ready in her hand.
Dotun: ehehe-hehe-ehe
He zooms off.
The elderly woman shakes her head and speaks.
Woman: Children of nowadays, very lazy, especially the boys, all they want to do is eat food, work they won't want to work, tufia.
Not looking where he was running, Dotun bumps into Omalicha.
Omalicha: Dotun!!
Struggling to chew the large piece of meat he already threw in his mouth, he says with a sheepish grin.
Dotun: Sowii!
Omalicha: What were you doing?
Dotun: Noffiiiinn??
He says again with a full mouth and an even more sheepish grin.
Dotun: Dho youv wantsh swome?
Omalicha: No! That’s not a good thing to do, you should wait like every one else...
Then she remembers there’s something she wants to ask him.
Omalicha: How did you even do that?
Dotun swallows then replies, utterly confused.
Omalicha: How do you make things move without touching them?
Dotun: Owh that! Hmm... I just tell them to move and they move, I guess.
Omalicha: ...but how does it work, how much can you lift, can every other wiccan do it?
Omalicha: ...but how does it work, how much can you lift, can every other wiccan do it?
Dotun: Hmm... I'm not sure everyone else can but my grandpa could too! For now I can only lift things that are twice my weight but my grandpa was aweessoommeeee!
He flexes the hand still holding on to one piece of meat.
Dotun: If I exercise more I should be able to lift bigger stuff, yup.
He smiles, hoping he has satisfied her curiosity.
Omalicha: ...but how does it work? How do you do it”
Dotun stops for a moments, not sure how to
explain further, he shoves the second meat in his mouth, still thinking hard. It feels like there's smoke coming out of his head, thinking is definitely stressful.
Uzo: What are you two doing?
Uzo is angry,
Uzo is angry,
Uzo: Stealing meat! What’s wrong with you??
Omalicha: I didn’t steal anything, it’s Dotun
Uzo: Finish it quickly before...
Dotun jumps at the suggestion and swallows hard. Someone is coming, it sounds like more than one person, but their steps are almost in sync. They appear, then turn to look at the group.
Voice: You.
The blank stare is directed at Dotun, this doesn't look good.
Next
*Footsteps*
Dotun jumps at the suggestion and swallows hard. Someone is coming, it sounds like more than one person, but their steps are almost in sync. They appear, then turn to look at the group.
Voice: You.
The blank stare is directed at Dotun, this doesn't look good.
Next
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