Mark woke up to see his wife and his daughter packing some clothes into their travelling bag. He sat at one corner and watched them converse enthusiastically.
He then cleared his throat.
“Honey, I’m bothered,” he said to Grace, his wife.
“Bothered about what?” she said looking inquisitive.
“I had a ba.d dream last night.”
“What is it all about?”
“I saw three fierce-looking masquerades chasing you. You ran as fast as you could at first but later got exhausted. You fell and got caught up and suddenly they all gathered around you and I woke up.”
“It is not my portion! I reject it!” she declared, flickering her fingers multiple times.
“But Honey, this dream is just the reflection of what you had in mind. Stop getting yourself worked up about this journey because it will be a successful one”.
Mr. Mark was mute.
His wife continued arranging the clothes into the travelling bag.
Grace’s mother had been disturbing her to bring her daughter, Olaedo home to see her.
Olaedo is eleven years old and has never visited her maternal village.
She had heard so much about her grandma. Her mother said her grandma was a powerful woman and a no-nonsense kind of person, she was dreaded by many.
Olaedo looked so excited.
“Daddy, cheer up. We won’t stay too long in the village.”
Her father was indifferent, he later picked up a newspaper from the side chair and started glancing through it.
“Honey, it’s more than eleven years since we got married and you still haven’t gotten over what my mother did to you when you were coming to marry me.”
“How many times will I tell you that this has nothing to do with the way she acted towards me?”
“What then is the problem? Why do you keep telling me not to take Olaedo with me while going to see my mother.”
“You know she hates me.”
“I know but she has requested to see her grandchild. Don’t forget that she’s still my mother.”
“Someone who refused to come for Omugwo because she was against our marriage.”
“That was then. Please forget about what she did.”
Grace’s mother didn’t support her marriage for reasons best known to her. Grace and Mark dated for two years after graduating from the same university.
Mark proposed to her and she accepted. He then went to see her parents and declared his interest in their daughter but her mother gave him a cold reception. Her father didn’t have much to say but couldn’t oppose his wife. Mr Mark left afterwards.
Grace’s parents’ attitude towards her fiance didn’t change her feelings towards him. Grace made everything possible to be with Mark. So two months later, Grace came home with a pregnancy test result and declared she was pregnant for Mark.
It’s usually a thing of shame for a young girl to get pregnant out of wedlock in their village. So her father insisted that whoever impregnated her must marry her.
Her mother without considering the consequences stood her ground that Mark won’t marry her daughter. It was a tug-of-war in her family then but finally, Grace with the help of her father married Mark.
Her mother never gave them her blessings, she rather decided to keep a distance from them, most especially Mark.
She doesn’t communicate with them, Mark stops communicating with her too even though Grace keeps in touch with her.
Grace’s father died three years after her wedding.
Grace and her husband have been struggling to have another child after Olaedo but it’s not forthcoming.
Grace’s mother suddenly started calling that she should bring her granddaughter to come and see her.
The sudden change seemed strange for Mark. He hasn’t been comfortable since his wife told him about her decision to take Olaedo home.
Olaedo’s school had closed for the first term and it was also the Christmas holiday.
Her mother had told her about how exciting it felt to spend the Christmas holidays in the village. Olaedo had been looking forward to experiencing all that her mother told her.
Their village is about a 2-hour drive from where they live in the city.
They woke up early to start preparing. When they were done arranging their clothes in the box, they had their bathes and dressed up.
They had their breakfast and were set to leave. Olaedo’s father took them to the park to enter public transport. He paid for their tickets and waited for the bus to get filled.
Some minutes later, the bus got filled.
Mr Mark then bade them goodbye as the bus left.
Then he left for his place of work.
About two hours later, the bus drove into Amaeke Community Market Square which is also used as a park for commercial vehicles.
All the passengers alighted, and those with luggage reached out for theirs respectively as they got down. Olaedo and her mother took their luggage too.
Many people were coming into the village during that period. It was just a day to Christmas.
Grace called a commercial motorcyclist from their stand and described their destination to him. He told her how much it would cost, she accepted the offer and they entered the bike with their luggage and left.
A few minutes later, they got to Grandma’s place.
Grace’s mother hearing the sound of the motorcycle came out and stood in front of her house, looking closely to know who the visitors were.
Grace and her child got down from the motorcycle. She brought out money from her purse and gave it to the motorcyclist. He collected it and started looking for balance in his pocket.
“Hmmm, is that my daughter or someone else? Coming home with Okada… Wait… She’s the one, that must be Olaedo her daughter. She’s not looking bad though but she’s supposed to be driving a car by now. My only child coming home from the city with okada.” her mother said as she observed them.
The motorcyclist gave Grace the balance and rode off.
Grace carried the luggage as they went into the compound.
“Mama!!!” Grace shouted sighting her mother.
They both rushed and hugged her.
They greeted.
“You are welcome, my children.”
“Thanks, mama.”
They all went into the living room. Olaedo sat on a couch with her granny while Grace sat on another couch opposite them.
“Olaedo is now a big girl,” Mama said as she patted Olaedo’s back.
“How are you doing, my child?” Mama continued.
“I’m fine Mama,” Olaedo replied.
“She looks like me oo, see her eyes and her mouth, just like mine.”
They all laughed.
Grace went into the bedroom and dropped their luggage. She then went back and joined Mama and her daughter in the living room.
Mama asked them about the city and the happenings, and they all discussed excitedly.
As they were discussing, Grace’s phone rang and it was her husband. She picked up the call and informed him that they were already with Mama. They talked for a little while over the phone and he later ended the call.
“Mama, that’s my husband. He sent his greetings.”
“Hope he’s fine.”
“Yes very fine, he wasn’t comfortable seeing us leave the house.”
“Why?” Mama asked, looking a bit angered.
“He knew he would miss us,” Grace replied smiling.
“Really, like he loves his daughter so much.”
“As if you knew, he doesn’t joke with Olaedo at all. He always wants her around him, I know it was part of the reason he doesn’t want us to travel.”
“That’s so nice of him. Let me get you something to eat.”
“Ok, mama.”
Mama stood up and left for the kitchen.
She later came back with a plate of food and water and dropped it on a table before Grace.
Grace thanked her for the food and then ate with Olaedo.
When they were done eating, Grace carried the plate to the kitchen and washed it.
They later freshened up and changed.
In the evening, Olaedo was with her mother alone in the room.
“Mummy what about the exciting places you told me about?”
“We just came today, tomorrow is Christmas. We will be at home with Mama on Christmas day, and from the 26th we will start visiting those exciting places.”
“Okay, mummy.”
They later went to bed.
The following day which was Christmas day, Grace and her daughter woke up early and left for church. Mama didn’t join them, they knew she wouldn’t go. Grace only started attending church when she started dating Mark.
About an hour later, they came back from the church and helped Mama in preparing the Christmas food.
Later in the afternoon, five women who were Mama’s old-time friends came around to celebrate Christmas with them.
They all ate and drank together.
In the evening, when Mama’s friends had all gone, Grace was sitting with Mama in the living room.
“So, Mama, you are still friends with these women.”
“Yes oo, we are still together. This is how we visit each other and wine and dine just like sisters. They are the reason why I still stand strong.”
“Awesome! I love this kind of friendship oo.”
Mama smiled.
They later left for their different bedrooms to sleep.
The following day, Mama went into the room where Grace and Olaedo were and saw them sorting some clothes.
They exchanged greetings.
“Are you people preparing to go somewhere?”
“Yes, Mama.”
“Where?”
“I just want to take Olaedo around the village.”
“Leave that for me, I’ll do that. Just dress her up and I’ll take her around.”
“Thank you name, that means I’ll go and visit my friends that came home.”
Later on, Grace and her daughter dressed up but she left the house leaving Olaedo behind with her mother.
Olaedo sat in the living room waiting for Mama to get prepared but it seemed she wasn’t ready to go anywhere.
Later on, Olaedo felt she had waited enough.
“Mama, are we not going again?”
“We will go my child, let me change to something better,” she said and left for the bedroom.
A few minutes later, Mama came out wearing a beautiful blouse and a pair of wrappers.
“Let’s go.”
Olaedo stood up and stepped outside. Mama locked the door and they both left.
As they walked out, mama was showing her the vegetation and empty lands.
They walked into a compound. A woman came out to meet them.
Olaedo looked and saw that she was one of the women that came to Mama’s house on Christmas day.
“Mama Grace, you are here!” Mama Ejiro said excitedly as she welcomed them into her house. They all sat down on a couch in her living room.
She offered them two cans of soft drinks. Mama Grace appreciated her and opened the cans.
“Is that Grace’s child?” Mama Ejiro asked.
“Yes, my friend.”
Mama Ejiro turned to Olaedo.
“How are you?”
“I’m fine ma,” Olaedo replied.
She then spoke a few lines of their local dialect to Olaedo but she did not understand.
She ignored the little girl.
She and her friend used the language to communicate right before Olaedo.
“So this is his child,” Mama Ejiro said.
“Yes, Mark thinks he is wise. My daughter was supposed to milk him dry but he thinks he has powerful protection. He got the nerve to embarrass me by going against my decision.”
“I know that Ejiro my son loved her so much even though he wasn’t showing it.”
“By now she was supposed to have had as many kids as possible with Ejiro but she chose to be stup!d. A covenant we made right from the day they were born. Coming to think of it, how is Ejiro and his family?”
“My sister, no issue yet, they still go from one hospital to the other.”
“Is it still possible to bring Ejiro and my daughter back together?”
“Yes, but mine won’t be a problem, I know exactly how to separate Ejiro and that lady he calls wife.”
“I know that Mark can be stubborn in the spirit but I heard he loves this girl so much. I can use her to get what I want. She’s already with me and I can do that later.”
“What happens now, you may not see such an opportunity again.”
“You are telling the truth. Let me act fast. We need to go to Iyieke River for the r!tual.
“I’ll join you people. Let me change.”
“Okay.”
Mama Ejiro went in and changed her clothes.
They all left for the Iyieke River.
Mama continued showing Olaedo around until they got to the river.
Olaedo was delighted to behold the river. It was her first of seeing such in real life.
“Mama, this is beautiful, can I enter?”
“Yes but be careful.”
She gradually got beyond the bank of the river and started playing with the water as Mama and her friend observed her.
Later on, Mama loosened her wrapper and held it to a tied edge of the wrapper. She untied it and brought out a tiny shiny silver necklace. She tightened back her wrapper and went into the river to meet Olaedo.
She went and held her hand.
“Ola, you are enjoying yourself oo. Come to this side,” taking her to a deeper part of the river.
“The water is clearer here unlike that dirty area,” she continued as they moved into the river.
“I’m scared Mama, hope I’ll not drown.”
“Nothing will happen to you, your leg is still touching the ground, right?”
“Yes.”
Mama then brought out the necklace.
“I bought this for you, do you like it?”
“I love it, mama, thank you,” Olaedo said touching the necklace.
“You are welcome, my child.”
She then wore the necklace around Olaedo’s neck.
Olaedo felt delighted as she admired it.
Mama then gently immersed her head in the river for some seconds and brought it out.
Olaedo started coughing because she was almost suffocating.
“Sorry my child, let’s go back to the other side. I just want you to experience the deeper part.”
“No, I want to go back to the house.”
“Okay, let’s go home.”
They got out of the river and were leaving.
After covering a little distance, Olaedo felt her neck to check the necklace that Mama gave her but discovered it was no longer on her neck.
“Mama! My necklace!”
“Where is it?”
“It’s no longer on my neck.”
“Maybe I didn’t fasten it well and it had fallen off.”
“Mama let’s go and look for it. It should be somewhere there,” pointing towards the river.
Mama followed her as they started searching for the necklace.
Ejiro’s mother stood back looking indifferent as they walked back to look for the necklace.
A few minutes later, they came back without the necklace.
Olaedo looked unhappy.
Mama cheered her up and promised to buy a better necklace for her, she agreed and they left.
They walked through the path leading to Mama Ejiro’s place. When they got to her compound, she stopped by and entered inside.
“Mama Grace, we shall see later.”
“Alright.”
“My regards to Grace. Goodbye,” she said waving at them.
“Goodbye,” Mama and Olaedo chorused and continued moving.
They later stopped at a kiosk and Mama bought a snack for Olaedo. She started eating it immediately after they left the kiosk.
In no time, they got to the house. The door was still locked indicating that Grace wasn’t at home.
It was a kind of relief for Mama. She then opened the door and they entered.
They both had their baths and ate the available food in the kitchen.
Olaedo then went to bed.
Later that night, Grace came back and saw Mama sitting alone in the living room. Grace greeted her.
“Mama, where is Olaedo?”
“She is fast asleep.”
“It seemed she enjoyed herself so much, this one that she is already asleep.”
“Yes, she enjoyed herself. You know what I can do. Why are you this late?”
“I followed my friend to her group’s end-of-the-year party. Mama, I saw people that I hadn’t seen for years. This type of opportunity doesn’t come all the time. And when I remembered that olaedo is with you, I relaxed and enjoyed the moment.”
“Okay, oo.”
“Mama, I’m so tired. All I need now is to freshen up and go to bed,” she said and left.
Grace later did as she said. Mama licked the door and went to bed too.
The following morning, Olaedo and her mother were already awake but were still in bed discussing.
“You enjoyed yourself yesterday,” Grace said.
“Yes, I did but I lost the necklace that Mama bought for me.”
“Mama gifted you a necklace and she never told me. How did it get lost?”
“I don’t know, but she said she would buy another one for me. Mummy, I don’t want to go back to that river again.”
“Interesting, you even went to the river. No wonder why you slept early.”
“Mummy, will you go out again today?”
“Yes, any problem?”
“I want to follow you.”
“I can see that Mama stressed you up yesterday. Don’t worry, we will go together.”
Later that day, they both prepared and were about to leave. Mama was seated in the living room.
“Where to?” Mama asked.
“We are going to the community square. My friend told me that today is the masquerade carnival.”
“That’s true, it’s going to be a beautiful site to behold. All the masquerades in this community will be out for the parade. I don’t know the last time I went to such an event.”
“You that don’t like public gatherings.”
Mama smiled.
Lest I forget, Olaedo told me about the necklace you bought for her. Thank you, unfortunately, I didn’t see it.”
“I promised to replace it. I don’t know how it got lost.”
“No problem. We will be right back.”
“Okay. See you later.”
Grace and Olaedo then left for the community square.
When they got to the square, people were already assembling but the carnival hadn’t started. So Grace secured free spaces and they both sat down and waited for the parade to start.
A few minutes later, Grace’s phone started ringing. She checked it and it was her husband. She picked up the call and greeted him.
“Where are you? how is Olaedo?”
“She’s fine and we are at the village square to watch masquerade carnival. Any problem?”
“I tried your number several times yesterday but it wasn’t reachable.”
“Yes, I followed my friend to their end-of-the-year party. There was a poor network in that area. Hope everything is alright.”
“I was calling to find out where Olaedo was.”
“Olaedo is always with me. She’s here with me. You can speak with her.”
She then passed the phone to Olaedo and she spoke with her father. She then continued talking with him.
“How are you doing?”
“I’m fine. Please you guys should be careful over there.”
“Okay.”
“When are you people coming back?”
“Somebody is missing us,” she said smiling
“I’m serious.”
“In a week.”
“Is that not too long?”
“No please, you always have us with you. Allow us to enjoy this moment, please.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to you later.”
“Alright, bye.”
He then ended the call.
The carnival later commenced. It was a colourful one. Masquerades from different villages attended the carnival.
The village music group were at one end giving out their best melodiously. People roared in awe as the masquerades came out in their numbers and performed.
Different edible items were being sold at the entrance of the community square.
Everywhere was buzzing in excitement.
Grace bought some snacks that they ate while watching.
When they got tired of watching, they went back to the house.
As the day went by, Olaedo and her mother didn’t miss any prominent event within their community. They enjoyed every bit of events that period.
When the day came for them to go back to the city, they woke up early and prepared. Afterwards, they left for the park with their luggage.
When they got to the park, Grace paid for their tickets and they went into the bus and sat, waiting for it to get filled.
About thirty minutes later, the seats were filled and the driver was getting ready to leave.
The driver arranged the passengers’ luggage and closed the trunk and passenger doors. He then entered and drove off.
Grace called and informed her husband that they had left the park for the city. He told her to let him know when they got to the city so he could come and pick them up. It was still the first week of the year, so Mark hadn’t resumed work.
About two hours later, the bus arrived at the park in the city. Everyone alighted. Those that had luggage went and carried them and left.
Grace and Olaedo stood at one corner of the park with their travelling bag and a big nylon bag filled with things they bought from the village market. Grace brought out her phone and called her husband. She told him that they were waiting for him at the park.
In no time, Mark drove into the park. Olaedo saw him and was so enthusiastic. She waited for him to park.
Immediately he parked and got down from the car. Olaedo ran up to him and hugged him. Grace later came with the bags.
They were excited to see each other.
“Daddy, I’ve missed you,” Olaedo said.
“I missed you people more.”
He then turned to his wife.
“How is Mama and everyone?”
“They are all fine,” Grace replied.
“You are welcome back.”
He then carried the bags into the car, and they all entered the car.
Mr Mark ignited the car and drove off.
After a few minutes, they got to the house. They came down and carried the bags into the house.
Just a few minutes after their arrival, Mama called Grace and she informed her that they got home safely. Mama thanked them for coming around and ended the call.
“I’m hungry,” Olaedo complained.
“I prepared rice and stew earlier. I know that you people will need it,” her father said.
“I’d love to have a taste of that food,” Grace said while smiling.
“Go ahead, you will confirm that I’m a good cook.”
They all laughed.
Grace quickly went into the kitchen and later came out with a plate of rice and stew with two spoons.
She placed the plate of food on a stool she kept in front of the couch where Olaedo was seated. She sat with her and they started eating.
“Hmm, you tried oo,” Grace said as she tasted the food.
“You don’t need to tell me, I never bought food for once since you people left.”
“Seriously, you tried.”
After eating, they went into the bedroom to freshen up and change.
In the village, Mama and her friend and Mama Ejiro were coming back from the market and discussing. They were both carrying small nylon bags with some foodstuff inside.
“They finally left today,” Mama Ejiro said.
“Yes, my friend.”
“Tonight will be a good one for her induction, so she can start working immediately.”
“It’s a nice idea. We will do it tonight.”
They switched topics and later parted ways.
Later that day, around midnight, Grace and her husband were in their room sleeping while Olaedo was in her room too, deeply asleep.
Just a few minutes after midnight, Olaedo suddenly saw herself beneath a deep sea with some middle-aged women around her. She was wearing that necklace that Mama gifted her and facing a being seated in a magnificent chair.
She couldn’t pick the face of what she was facing, but the being was revered. There was a big clay pot of food with a sweet aroma in front of that being.
She was familiar with those women even though she couldn’t remember seeing their faces anywhere.
The women communicated excitedly in a strange language. Olaedo didn’t understand the language but it seemed they were all in the mood of celebration.
One of the women started dishing out the food from the clay pot to other women.
The woman later gave Olaedo a plate of the food. She collected it and was watching to know the type of food that was inside the clay plate because she hadn’t seen such before but the aroma was inviting. She couldn’t recognise which food it was.
She looked around and saw others eating happily. One of the women gestured for her to eat the food. She tasted it and it was delicious. She then ate to her fullest.
When they were done eating, the woman who shared the food collected all the plates and kept them beside the pot.
The women continued conversing in that strange language.
Later on, everyone including Olaedo knelt and bowed to the being. On lifting their heads, they all appeared submerged in the river.
They started dispersing from there.
Olaedo walked to the coast.
She was surprised by the way she walked out of the river without sinking.
She looked around and discovered that the river was the same as the one she saw at her mother’s village. She followed the footpath to leave and then woke up.
She was startled.
“What kind of dream is this? It looked so real. I was even wearing that necklace that Mama gave me.”
Olaedo then looked through her window.
“What! It’s already morning.”
As she was still talking to herself her father entered.
“You have been deeply asleep since. I would have woken you up but since your school hasn’t resumed, I decided to allow you to enjoy your sleep.
“I was actually dreaming.”
“What’s the dream all about?”
At that point, Grace entered. Olaedo greeted her and she sat on the bed.
Olaedo then narrated to them all that happened to her in the river.
“That’s strange, which necklace did you say you were wearing?” her father asked.
“It’s just a mere dream, Mama gave her necklace which later got lost, I didn’t even see it. Besides Mama promised to replace it which she later did not replace,” Grace cut in.
“It may not be a mere dream as you speculated.”
“We just got back from the village and she saw the river in the village. It’s her memory that’s playing the trick. Stop reading meanings into it just because you didn’t support her going to see my mother.”
Mark was mute likewise Olaedo.
Later on, they all left the room and went about their daily activities.
A couple of days later, Olaedo was in deep sleep again and it was already morning. So her father was worried, remembering the last dream she had while deeply asleep.
He decided to wake her up.
“Ola, wake up,” he said while tapping her gently.
She was still lying like a log of wood but breathing showing she wasn’t lifeless.
He tapped her once again. She jerked and got up.
“Why are you disturbing me!” Olaedo shouted.
“Ola, is everything alright?” her father said looking stunned.
“Why did you interrupt my session?”
“Which session dear?”
“Leave me alone!”
Her father was terrified. He turned and gently left the room.
He then went to his bedroom and pondered about what just happened.
“That isn’t my Olaedo, how could she talk to me, her father like that? Something is wrong somewhere. Let me just believe she was sleep-talking.”
Olaedo was already awake but refused to come out of her room.
Later that morning when her mother was preparing to go to her shop, she went into her room and saw her still lying on the bed but fully awake.
“Olaedo, what are you still doing in bed?”
She refused to speak.
“Get up from that bed now,” her mother shouted.
She sluggishly got up from the bed and went into the bathroom without even greeting her mother.
She later went about her day’s activities but throughout that day, she sulked at any slightest provoc.ation.
The following day, she slept her usual hours and even woke up before everyone.
As time went on, Olaedo developed the act of seeing visions and making accurate predictions. She was also having serious mood swings. When she sleeps deeply and is woken up by any of her parents, she becomes provoked.
On one occasion, she was in a deep sleep and refused to wake up when her mother tapped her, so she sprinkled cold water on her.
She got up and was so annoyed. She then warned her mother sternly never to try such.
That got her mother started.
Her mother felt it wasn’t normal so when she got to her shop, she took out her phone from her purse and called Mama.
“Mama, I don’t understand Olaedo these days.”
“What happened?”
“Olaedo’s behaviour is changing, she constantly has mood swings.”
“Did anyone provoke her?”
“No, Mama. Is it possible that something is following her from the village?”
“No, not all, why do you say so?”
“She wasn’t like this before we travelled and her father thinks it’s from the village.”
“Don’t mind that your husband. It’s a normal thing for children of her age to have mood swings. Make sure you don’t beat her during those periods, leave her with your husband.”
“Okay. Again, I think she sees things that would happen in the future because she predicts accurately.”
“You see! Your daughter has a great destiny. That must be the reason for her mood swings.”
“I think you are right on this. I’ll talk to you later Mama.”
“Ok.”
Grace then ended the call.
A few days later, Olaedo’s school had resumed.
So she woke up early and was preparing to go to school.
Her father was in his room preparing for work while her mother was in the kitchen getting their breakfast ready.
Olaedo then walked into her father’s room.
“Daddy, I’m seeing a fat.al accid.ent just a few poles before your workplace. Many people will d!e. If you leave now, you will be involved in the acci.dent. I want you to leave in an hour.”
“You have started with your predictions.”
“Daddy, I’m not predicting, it will happen and nothing can stop it. I just don’t want you to be involved in it.”
“Hmmm. Okay, I will stay back even though I might be late for work today.”
“Ok,” she said and left.
Mark sat back and pondered over her daughter’s recent behaviours.
His wife then brought breakfast which he ate and continued waiting as his daughter directed.
“Honey, aren’t you leaving now?”
“My dear, your daughter came with her predictions again.”
“What did she say?”
“That there will be a fat.al acci.dent a few poles from my workplace and that I should wait an hour before leaving.”
“Don’t take her words lightly oo. Olaedo is gifted.”
Mark was calm.
He was trying not to complain so much about Olaedo’s behaviour but was very observant about the changes.
Olaedo later left for school.
Mark was seated in the living room waiting when his phone started ringing. He brought the phone out and saw it was his colleague who was calling. He then picked up the call.
“Mark, where are you?!” his colleague said panicking.
“I’m in my house.”
“We heard that a fat.al accid.ent happened around the GK bus stop. I’m just calling all our workers who are not here. Thank God you are safe, let me check on others that are yet to come, bye,” he said and cut the call.
“Honey! Please come!” Mark shouted.
Grace rushed to the living room.
“My colleague just called and said that a fa.tal acci.dent occurred at GK Bustop.”
“You see! God is using our daughter, may his name be praised,” she said excitedly, waving her two hands in the air.
Her husband was speechless.
At school, Olaedo was known to be a gentle and brilliant girl. She was in JSS one and was one of the best students in her class.
Her teacher was a no-nonsense kind of woman. The students considered her a wi.cked woman because of the way she disciplined them.
Olaedo is rarely in her hitches, for she sticks to every of her rules and regulations.
Olaedo was the envy of her classmates because she was the only one that’s loved by their wi.cked teacher.
A couple of days later, Olaedo was still in bed around 7 in the morning. Her mother went into her room to wake her.
“Ola, Ola, wake up. You are already late for school, Ola you are late for school,” she said as she continued tapping her.
Olaedo then woke up.
“Good morning mummy,” she greeted.
She got up and quickly rushed out of her room.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes Mummy, I’m late for school,” she replied from the bathroom.
Her mother was surprised that she didn’t overreact like before.
Olaedo had stopped telling her parents what happened whenever she was deeply asleep.
She was gradually becoming aware of her connections and powers.
Olaedo quickly had her bath, put on her school uniform and rushed to school without eating food.
Her mother tried persuading her to eat but she said she was late for school. Her mother then gave her some money to get some snacks on her way to school.
Her school is about a 15-minute walk from her house.
When she got to her school, it was already a few minutes to eight o’clock.
The students were already at the assembly ground and were being addressed by one of the teachers.
A few students were kneeling behind the assembly ground. That’s the position for latecomers.
When Olaedo saw some students there, she knew she was already in for some punishment. She went and joined them.
A few minutes later, the other students at the assembly ground started matching into their classes.
When they had all gone into their classes, the male teacher in charge of latecomers walked up to the students behind the assembly ground.
“You chose to be coming to school late every day, right?” Master P said.
Most of them started giving reasons for their coming late.
“Quiet!”
The latecomers were calm.
“You all are lucky that I’m in a good mood today. In a single file!”
The students quickly got up and lined up. The teacher started giving each of them seven strokes of cane on their palms. As they received the strokes, they left for their classes.
It was the first time that Olaedo was ever punished in school. She was so deeply upset that she wept. She regretted not staying back to eat food because she was trying to avoid being late for school.
She walked to her class sluggishly because she knew that another punish.ment awaited her there.
When she got to her class, her teacher was writing on the board. Olaedo went and stood in front of the door and waited for her teacher.
Her teacher turned and saw her standing. Olaedo quickly greeted her and she gestured for her to come inside.
“Go and sit down. Next time don’t come late to my class.” her teacher said and continued writing on the board.
Olaedo thanked her and went to her seat.
Two of her classmates who sat beside her started mumbling.
“If it were another person now, she wouldn’t let the person in,” the first student said in a low tone.
“Don’t mind her, she’s always being partial when it comes to this foo.l.”
Two of them started talking ill about her but when their teacher turned, they kept mute.
Olaedo felt bad but couldn’t do anything at that moment.
They continued with their lessons but Olaedo couldn’t take her mind off that teacher and the students that made her feel bad.d.
Later that day, at night, she went to bed as early as possible. She finished up all the chores that could make her parents wake her.
The following day, she woke up early feeling so delighted.
She then started preparing for school.
A few minutes later, she left for school.
When she got to her school, everyone was thrown into mourning.
Olaedo walked up to one of the students.
“What is happening here? Why is everyone looking gloomy?”
“Master P is dead,” the student said.
“Really! hmmm,” Olaedo said without looking remorsed.
“So this is the punishm.ent nne mmili promised after I report.ed them, that’s bru.tal. In his next life, he will be more careful. Who knows what will happen to the other two anim.als in my class?” Olaedo thought as they were in the assembly ground.
All the students went back to their classes afterwards.
Olaedo didn’t see those of her classmates who used ab.usive words towards her. She suspected that something strange must have happened to them.
It was after a few days of not coming to school that their teacher started asking after them. It was later discovered that both of them were down with a mysterious illness.
Olaedo refused to let her parents know about what happened in her school.
Olaedo then believed that she had a powerful defence in case of any circumstance.
She enjoyed attending meetings in the marine world even though she still doesn’t recognise the women around her. She also developed the act of going to the venue alone in case of emergencies.
Olaedo was fully aware that anyone that punished her in any way could be punished by Nne mile, the strange being. She was proud of her powers even though she hid them from her parents.
“I will keep reporting my haters and those seniors who love punishing junior students. My problem is that I don’t want offenders to die, I never mentioned that Master P be killed. I will request a special punishment for those that offend me,” Olaedo thought while sitting alone in her room.
Later on, at Olaedo’s school, the students were in their break time and a good number of the students were walking about the school environment doing one thing or the other. Olaedo was in the company of two other girls playing a swell game at the school’s field.
A few minutes later, a bell rang, indicating that the break time was over, and the students who were outside started going back to their various classes. Olaedo and the two girls were going back to their class when a teacher stopped them.
“Hey! You, come,” the teacher said pointing at Olaedo.
Olaedo quickly went to meet her, the two girls that were with her waited for her.
The teacher handed her a 200 naira note.
“Take this money, go to the canteen and buy me moi moi,” the teacher said.
“Ma, the break time is over. Everyone is going back to their classes.
“And so? Be fast, please,” she said and left for her office.
Olaedo pleaded with the girls to wait for her still. They agreed and waited in front of the teacher’s office.
She then left with the money to the canteen and bought the moi moi. She ran to the teacher’s office and gave it to her.
She came out to join the two girls that were waiting. They started running back to their class.
Just before their classroom block, some senior students stopped them. They were functionaries responsible for punishing students who loitered about after break time.
“On your knees!” Kosi, one of the senior students commanded.
Kosi was the school’s disciplinarian who was feared by junior students.
Olaedo and the two girls knelt.
“Senior, excuse me,” Olaedo said.
“Shut up I don’t want to hear whatever you want to say.”
“Teacher sent me to..”
Kosi gave her a hot slap.
“Did I ask you to speak, little rat?”
Olaedo was angry and quiet. She still wished to explain to the disciplinarian that a teacher sent her on an errand.
She started speaking again, the two girls with her hushed her to keep quiet but she continued.
“A teacher sent me to buy something for her,” Olaedo said.
“I can see that you are the stubborn type. I will teach you a lesson.”
“I have told you what happened and you still want to punish me. You will pay for it.”
The seniors were shocked.
Chika, one of the senior students rushed and slapped Olaedo but Kosi told her that she could handle her alone.
“You don’t know who I am! When I’m done with you, next time you hear the name Kosi, you will run for your life,” Kosi threatened.
“Can you imagine the temerity, a JSS 1 student for that matter?” Kosi said facing other functionaries.
Kosi then pulled her belt from her skirt and started whipping Olaedo with it.
When Kosi was done whooping her, she asked them to run back to their class.
Kosi later didn’t punish the other two girls that were with Olaedo.
Olaedo wept bitterly as they ran back to their class.
It pained Olaedo so well that she promised to pay an emergency visit to the marine world.
“I’ll report her to nne mmili. But I will tell her not to kill her but strike her with strange illnesses. Next time she will be more careful,” she pondered.
Later that day, Olaedo came home weak and tired. She did a few chores and slept off without visiting the marine world as she planned.
In the morning, Olaedo was disappointed when she woke up but promised to visit there tonight unfailingly.
She prepared for school and left.
When she got to her school, she saw everyone mournful at the assembly ground. She drew closer to know what the problem was. She then tapped one junior student.
“What is happening?” Olaedo asked.
“Two SS 3 students died last night.”
“Died? Who and who?”
“Kosi and Chika.”
“What happened to them?”
“I don’t know.”
Olaedo was surprised by the news because she never visited the marine world. Besides she didn’t want anyone to die again for hitting her.
“Maybe they were sick,” Olaedo said trying to reassure herself that it wasn’t what she was thinking.
Later on, all the students went back to their classes.
Later that day, around midnight, Olaedo left for their meeting place in the marine world.
She was alone with Nne mmili the strange being.
“You are here to confirm whether I was responsible for the deaths of your offenders.”
Olaedo nodded.
“I did it. Nobody messes with my daughter and gets away with it. That’s why all my daughters are dreaded because I fight for them even when they don’t report to me. I protect my children always as long as we remain in covenant,” Nne mmili said.
“Thank you Nne,” Olaedo said as she bowed her head.
Olaedo woke up with mixed feelings.
She was excited that she had a powerful being protecting her but
scared because she didn’t know who would be next to die.
She avoided troubles because she no longer needed to report offenders to the nne mmili before they were punished.
A few days later, a rumour started circulating in the school about her. They said she was a witch and had a hand in the recent deaths in their school.
The rumour kept circulating that it got to the school authority.
The principal sent for Olaedo.
When she got to the Principal’s office, she denied ever having a hand in the deaths.
But from investigations, the school authority discovered that those who died punished olaedo on some occasions.
Olaedo was later sent home and asked to return with her parents the following day.
She carried her bag and left.
Later in the evening, her parents came home and she told them that she was asked to go home.
“Why?” her mother asked.
“I don’t know. They said that some students died after punishing me.”
“Did you in any way say some negative words to them?”
“Yes, I told one that she would pay for what she did because I was explaining to her why I and my friends were outside after break time.”
“I knew it. Our daughter is gifted just that she used it negatively. There is power in her tongue. Be careful the way you use your powers.”
“What if we go as the school authority requested?” Olaedo’s father suggested.
“We are not going anywhere. Even after clarifications, they will still link the deaths to her. She needs to leave that school.”
“Are you for real?”
“Yes, has anyone around us died? Is it not prophesies she has been giving us? I don’t even believe those allegations, I won’t let them define who my child is to me. There are better schools in this town.”
Her husband didn’t say a word.
Mark wasn’t comfortable with the way things were going. He knew something was wrong even though he couldn’t say exactly what it was.
“I can’t continue waiting for my wife when she acts like she doesn’t understand that everything isn’t alright and I can’t go to Olaedo’s school because my wife doesn’t accept it, I need to do something,” he thought.
He then made up his mind to unravel whatever circumstances that had taken over his daughter.
A few days later, Mark got up as early as possible and started preparing for work. When he was done and was ready to leave, he went to the kitchen where his wife was.
“Why leaving so early?” Grace asked
“I have a lot to do in the office.”
“No breakfast today?”
“Yes, I don’t want to waste much time.”
“Okay.”
Mark then left the house.
Olaedo was with her mother in the kitchen because she had stopped going to school.
“Ola, this one that your father didn’t eat before leaving the house.”
“He said it was too early to eat.”
“Where is he even going to, this early?”
“He said he has a lot to do in the office.”
“Mtcheeew, I don’t believe that. He has been behaving strangely lately. Anyway, I’ll be leaving to go and check up a better school for you.”
“Okay, mummy.”
They continued preparing the breakfast.
Later on, they both ate and Grace left to check up on the better schools around while Olaedo stayed back at home.
Mark went to the house of one of his close friends. He had explained to him all that had been happening.
“I know someone who can help you out,” his friend said.
“Where does the person stay?”
“Not far from here but I suggest you go with your daughter for clarity purposes. You said she was at home, right?”
“Yes.”
“Go and bring her so we can go together.”
“Okay let me try,” he stood up and left his friend’s house.
A few minutes later, he got to his house.
Fortunately for him, he met only Olaedo at home.
“Where is your mother?”
“She went to check up on a school for me.”
“Okay, dress up we are going somewhere.”
“Okay,” Olaedo said and went into her room to change.
In no time, Olaedo came out well-dressed.
Her father locked the door and they both left.
Mark drove her to his friend’s place. His friend joined them and they all left.
About thirty minutes later, Mark’s friend directed him to stop in front of a compound before them. Mark drove to the compound and stopped.
They all got down and entered into the compound. Mark’s friend led them to a block of flats and knocked at a door.
A man came out and welcomed them into the apartment.
They walked into a room that looked more like an office. There was an office desk and swivel chair with two visitor chairs. There was also a couch in the room.
The man who welcomed them sat on the swivel chair, Mark and his friend sat on the visitor chairs while Olaedo sat on the couch.
On the desk was a big bible, a bottle of olive oil and a short golden sword.
The man asked them their reason for coming.
Mark explained to him what had been happening in his house.
The man opened the bible on the table and while holding the sword in his right hand, started going through the opened bible.
After some minutes, he looked up and started talking to Mark.
“I am seeing your daughter in a marine kingdom, she was initiated with a necklace. That necklace is the connection she has with the marine world. You won’t see the necklace physically on her neck but I need the necklace to liberate her.
Mark was shocked. Olaedo bent her head and was quiet.
“You will come with her again in seven days, let me pray about it and tell you how to get the necklace.”
“Okay.”
They all thanked him and later left.
So Mark stopped by his friend’s place and his friend got down. He then drove back to his house and dropped Olaedo.
Later that day, in the evening, Olaedo was in the living room with her parents.
Mark told his wife how they went to see a prophet and what the prophet said. His wife started fuming in anger.
“So you have started going to some places without my consent, and now they are telling you negative things about your daughter. The necklace he talked about was the one my mother gave to her which even got lost. What is the prophet even insinuating?”
“I don’t know why you are misunderstanding this whole thing. Let’s discuss the best way to go about this.”
“I’ve been running around to get a better school for our daughter and all you could do was go to diviner’s house to seek advice about your home. Now they are talking ill about my mother. There is nothing to discuss about,” she said and left for the bedroom.
Mark was devastated.
He then turned to Olaedo.
“Please don’t mind your mother, we are trying to work things out. You need to be liberated from that strange spirit in you before things get worse.”
Olaedo nodded.
They all went to bed afterwards.
From that day on, Grace stopped talking to her husband.
On the day the prophet asked them to return, Mark told Olaedo to get dressed as he started preparing.
Grace went into Olaedo’s room and saw her dressing up.
“Where are you going?”
“We are going to see the prophet.”
“You are not going anywhere!”
“Mummy please I want to go with Daddy.”
“I said you are going nowhere,” she said and turned to leave the room.
Olaedo rushed out of the room and entered her father’s room.
When her father was done preparing, they both left the bedroom and were leaving.
Grace saw Olaedo leaving with her father. She rushed and dragged her back and started beating her.
“So you have grown wings, you can’t obey simple instructions. Go back and remove that cloth. You want to turn my daughter against me. It will never happen in this house.”
Olaedo went back to her room and started crying.
Mark stood speechless.
Grace went into Olaedo’s room and continued scolding her.
“Why can’t she understand, well I’ll go alone and see the prophet.”
Mark turned and left the house.
Some minutes later, he got to the prophet’s place. The man welcomed him as soon as he entered the office.
“Have a seat,” the prophet said.
Mark thanked him and sat. He then told him that he couldn’t come with Olaedo.
The man’s countenance changed for a little while before he continued speaking.
“Your wife is under a spell and had as well committed a sacrilege. I see trouble in the marine kingdom, where is your wife now?”
“She was with Olaedo when I was leaving the house.”
“Call your mother-in-law now and tell her what’s going on.”
“She doesn’t pick up my calls.”
“Try.”
Mark brought out his phone and started calling Grace’s mother. He called several times but she didn’t pick up.
“You see what I was talking about.”
“No problem, you did your best.
When you get home, tell Olaedo that whenever she sees herself in the marine world, she should unfasten the necklace from her neck and throw it on dry land before waking up. That’s the first step to her liberation.”
“Okay, thank you, sir.”
Mark later stood up and left.
Meanwhile, when Mama saw Mark’s calls, she didn’t want to pick up but was worried because he rarely called. So she decided to call her daughter.
Grace was sitting in the living room when Mama’s call came in. She picked it up.
“Grace, hope you are okay.”
“Yes Mama, I’m fine.”
“Your husband was calling.”
“Maybe he wanted to report me to you.”
“What happened?”
“I prevented Olaedo from following him to a diviner’s place. I don’t understand what the man was telling him.”
“Good! Where is Olaedo?”
“She is crying in the room.”
“Crying? Why?”
“She wanted to disobey me and I beat her.”
“What!!? That’s not right!,” Mama said panicking.
“Please start coming back as quickly as possible,” Mama continued.
“I’m already at home Mama.”
“I mean to the village/”
“Village? Mama why?”
“You are wasting time, start coming back else you will die.”
“Mama, what’s going on?”
“Do as I said,” she said and ended the call.
Grace was confused.
“What is happening, that I will die if I don’t come home. It’s not possible, I will not die. Death is not my portion,” she said and continued what she was doing.
Her mother called back severally but she refused to pick up.
Later in the evening, Mark came back and met Grace and Olaedo in the living room. Olaedo greeted him but her mother didn’t talk to him.
He left for the bedroom.
Later that night, Mark called Olaedo into the room.
“The prophet said that whenever you find yourself in that marine kingdom, you should unfasten that necklace and throw it on dry land before you wake up.”
“Okay Daddy, I know exactly when to do that.”
They were still talking when Olaedo’s mother started screaming from the living room.
“Please!! Don’t worry about me!! Please!!! Somebody help me!!! Mark!!!”
Olaedo and her father ran to the living room and met Grace holding her neck and struggling as if someone was strangling her.
“Honey! What is the problem?!!”
Grace couldn’t talk but was screaming and groaning.
She suddenly started coughing out blo0d.
Mark was scared, so he rushed and brought his car key.
He quickly carried Grace to where his car was packed, Olaedo helped and opened the door while he put her in the back seat.
Olaedo knowing fully well what was going on went back into the house as her father ignited the car and zoomed off.
“You will be fine, nothing will happen to you,” Mark said to encourage her.
The road was a little bit free because it was already late.
Mark was driving as if he was being chased.
Grace had stopped screaming or groaning. Mark was frightened, so he intensified the speed.
He later drove to the emergency unit of the hospital. The orderlies quickly rushed to the car to bring her out.
When they brought her out, she had stopped breathing.
She was later confirmed dead.
Mark was in so much sorrow. People around consoled him.
Grace’s body was later deposited in the morgue.
Mark went back to the house that night devastated.
During the time that Grace wasn’t picking up Mama’s calls, Mama ran to Mama Ejiro’s place and told her all that was going on. Mama Ejiro was troubled.
She brought up different ideas on ways to make Grace come home but none worked out.
As time went on and they could not do anything, they both left for an emergency meeting underworld.
When they got there, Mama went and knelt before Nnemmili and started pleading. She complained that the offender was her daughter who was also a covenant child of the marine kingdom.
Nnemmili objected saying that Grace committed a sacrilege that was punishable by death. Mama pleaded more but to no avail.
Mama and Mama Ejiro had in the years past, made a covenant in their kingdom that their children would get married when they have come of age.
But when Grace disobeyed her mother and married Mark, the connection became weak even though she couldn’t conceive again after being legitimately married to Mark.
Her connection was weak but she could still be manipulated in the marine kingdom.
Later on, as Mama Grace and Mama Ejiro couldn’t do anything to stop the verdict on Grace, they watched helplessly in the magical mirror as life was been snuffed out from Grace.
At that point, Olaedo arrived.
She saw them pleading for Grace’s life to be spared but Nnemmili wouldn’t stop.
Olaedo was wondering why those women took her case personally. They had before then watched people di.e without any form of remorse.
As soon as Grace die.d, Nnemmili turned to Olaedo and looked delighted. Olaedo had suddenly become Nnemmili’s favourite.
“It is done my daughter, nobody toils with my own and get away with it. I will always protect you.”
Olaedo couldn’t say a word. She started shedding tears but noticed that the two women were angry with her.
She was beginning to wonder whether they knew her mother from somewhere.
Olaedo wanted to ask questions but remembered the instruction of the prophet concerning the necklace.
“I may end up getting more entangled here if I should say what I have in mind. Let me just do this for my father and leave,” Olaedo thought.
As the women were still sober, she decided to leave the gathering.
She then knelt and bowed her head before Nnemili.
On lifting her head, she appeared submerged in the river. She then looked around and saw that nobody was watching, she quickly unfastened the necklace and left with it to the shore.
When she got to a footpath, she threw the necklace away and then woke up.
She checked her time and it was still in the early hours of the morning. She got up from her bed and went to her father’s bedroom.
Mark was sitting on his bed, looking overwhelmed with his two hands on his chin.
Olaedo knowing fully well what had transpired, went and sat beside her father.
“Ola, I didn’t want to wake you up.”
“Okay, where is mummy?”
Tears started rolling down from Marks’s eyes.
“Ola, we lost her, my wife is dead. She couldn’t even wait to receive treatment.”
Olaedo felt pity for her father, she hugged him and they both wept.
Afterwards, they barely slept till morning.
Mark was thinking of how to break the sa.d news to Grace’s family. Her father who had little support for their marriage was no more and the last time he called Mama, she didn’t pick up nor return the calls.
He was still in deep thought when Olaedo tapped him.
“Daddy, I was able to unfasten the necklace from my neck before waking up.”
“Good! That reminds me, we will go and see him today. Hope you threw it away like he said.”
“Yes, I did as he directed.”
Later on, Mark picked up his phone and started calling Mama. He called severally but she didn’t pick up.
He then called one of his uncles and informed him about his wife’s demise as well as his relationship with his in-law. His uncle promised to help him out with the necessary arrangements.
Later that day, Mark’s uncle came to his house and both of them left for the village. Olaedo was home alone.
About two hours later, they got to Grace’s village.
Mark then drove to Mama’s place and parked in front of the compound.
Mama had already come out to see who brought the car to her compound.
Mark and his uncle alighted.
Mama saw them and walked back to the house.
Mark and his uncle gently walked into the house, greeted Mama and sat.
“I hope all is well Okwudili,” Mama said to Marks’s uncle while looking indifferent.
“Nne, all is not well. A toad does not run in the daytime for nothing. It’s a thing of pai.n that we haven’t seen for a while and we are meeting now because of an incident. Mark called and told me that his wife had a severe attack last night. He rushed her to the hospital but she couldn’t make it.”
“Couldn’t make it, how?”
“Nne, she died,” Uncle said and bowed down.
“What!? She died, just like that. I won’t accept that,” Mama said and started wailing.
They started consoling her but she continued crying.
“So you have finally succeeded in killi.ng my daughter. Mark, you kille.d my daughter, oh this is too much for me,” Mama said as she continued wailing.
“Please, Mama, I did not kil.l your daughter. I can’t do such a thing to my wife. I love her so much.”
“I will never forgive you for doing this to me. You have been a thorn in my flesh and now this.”
A few of her neighbours who heard her voice gathered to know what was going on.
“What is happening,” one of her neighbours asked.
“Grace is dead!” Mama shouted amidst tears.
“What!!”
They all joined Mama in crying.
Some of her kinsmen later came.
Mark and his uncle discussed with the men concerning the burial. They concluded on a date and related it to Mama.
They left afterwards.
A few days later, Olaedo and her father went to see the prophet.
They were already in his office and they were all quiet as the prophet was engrossed in the opened bible before him.
The prophet then raised his head and began to address them.
“Olaedo has been disconnected from the marine kingdom but is not entirely free. We will embark on midnight prayer and denouncement for seven nights.”
He then turned to Olaedo.
“Hope you are ready to be delivered.”
“Yes sir,” Olaedo replied.
“I just want to be sure that we are not forcing you out of that kingdom.”
The prophet then picked up a pen and a sheet of paper from the table and wrote down some chapters and verses from the bible. He then gave it to Olaedo.
“You can read well, right?”
“Yes sir.”
“You will pray with these chapters and verses during the midnight session. And then renounce every covenant and form of involvement with the marine kingdom cult. I will be praying for you from here.”
He then turned to Mark.
“You can join the prayer as well.”
Mark nodded in affirmative.
“I will do anything to make sure that my child is liberated,” he assured.
“Good, you will start tonight. Bring her back when the prayer ends.”
“Ok, sir. Thank you so much.”
Olaedo also thanked him. She and her father stood up and left.
Olaedo and her father started the prayer as directed by the prophet.
A few days later, Mama Grace and other women gathered at their meeting place in the marine kingdom.
Nnemmili was infuriated.
“Olaedo!! Olaedo! had the guts to remove her necklace, our bond. She had been disconnected from us but I will never let that happen. I need her back!
I want her here and now!”
Unusual quietness enveloped the whole place, they had never seen Nnemmili that furious.
Everyone bowed their head and were quiet for some minutes before Mama Grace spoke to pacify her.
“Nne, I am sorry that you feel this way. Please let your mind be at peace. I’m sorry but Olaedo isn’t that special. We can let her go. She obviously does not want to be part of us.”
“She can’t just leave whenever she wishes.”
“Nne leave that to me. Do not be offended, I will get her replacement in no time.”
Nnemmili became calm.
They later discussed other topics and dispersed afterwards.
The following day, Mama Ejiro came to Mama Grace’s house.
They were in the living room discussing.
“Have you decided to forgive Olaedo and her father for what they did to you?”
“Forgive who? I can never forgive them, never!”
Mama Ejiro was surprised.
“But why were you pleading that she shouldn’t be brought back?”
“I don’t want her to be under the Nnemmili’s protection when I’m ready for them.”
“Now I understand your point. I’ll be glad to join you in this fig.ht. I heard that Mark came.”
“Yes, that’s true, he came to tell me about what happened to Grace.”
“Okay.”
“She will be buried at her husband’s place in a week.”
“Okay.”
They switched topics and later on, Mama Ejiro left for her place.
A couple of days later, in the morning, Olaedo was already awake. She sat on her bed and was lost in thoughts.
Her father opened the door to her room and entered without her noticing him.
“Ola,” her father called gently.
“Yes Daddy, sorry, good morning Dad.”
“Is everything alright?” he asked and sat on Oleado’s bed.
“I’m confused. I was just thinking about a dream I had last night.”
“What is it all about?”
“I saw those women from the marine kingdom again.”
“In the river?”
“No, I saw where I was walking down a footpath with them. They all wore long faces as we walked down.
Then we got to a point where the footpath was divided into two, I followed the one on the right-hand side and the women followed the one on the left-hand side. There was a thick transparent rubber wall in between the two roads.
As we walked down respectively, the women wanted to cross over to my path but that transparent rubber wall prevented them from reaching where I was.
Three of them angrily left while the other two were trying so hard to penetrate the rubber wall. I took to my heels and then woke up.”
“Hmmm, I think it’s not just merely a dream because we concluded the prayer last night.”
“Yes.”
“We will relate this dream to the prophet when we get there today.”
“Ok, Daddy.”
He then stood up and left Olaedo’s room.
Later that day, they both left to see the prophet as he directed them.
When they got to the prophet’s house, he asked them to exercise a little patience because he was with someone.
When he was done with the person, he called them in.
They exchanged pleasantries and sat down.
“You are welcome once again. Did any of you receive any revelation within the prayer period?”
They were quiet for a moment before Mark said that Olaedo had seen a dream the previous night.
“Tell us what you saw my daughter.”
Olaedo then narrated the dream just the way she told her father.
The prophet smiled.
“I saw a similar revelation. Some of the women in the marine kingdom still haven’t given up, a stubborn fly follows the corp.se to the grave. We need to be fervent in prayer to conquer them all.”
Mark heaved a huge sigh.
“You do not need to give up, we will pray for three more days.”
“My wife’s burial is in three days.”
“This is more reason why you should take this prayer seriously. I see battles ahead. I will continue to pray for you two.”
“Thank you, sir,” Olaedo and her father chorused.
He then handed them a piece of paper containing the chapters and verses of the bible they would use to pray.
They left afterwards.
They started the prayer that day as the prophet instructed.
On the second day of the prayers, they all travelled to the village in preparation for Grace’s burial.
On the day of the burial, the villagers, sympathisers, friends and family gather to give Grace last respect.
Mama Grace didn’t show up for her daughter’s burial.
Mark had expected her to come the previous night but she did not come.
They waited for Mama Grace and she still didn’t show up. They called her phone number severally but no one picked it up.
Mark and his people became worried.
The elders from Grace’s kinsmen approached them to find out what the problem was.
“Grace’s mother isn’t here yet and we are about to put the coffi.n into the grave,” Mark complained.
“What’s keeping her then? I think she was still in her house when I was coming because the door to her corridor was still open,” one of the kinsmen said.
“Please let’s not waste time here. She is fully aware that today is her daughter’s bur.ial and she’s keeping everyone waiting here. We are part of the family and are giving you consent to go ahead with the buria.l,” another man added.
“I just hope what we are doing is right.
I’m suggesting we give her more time,” Mark said.
“Okay, if you insist,” the second man agreed.
They continued waiting for Mama.
After an hour, Mama still hadn’t come and people were already seated under different canopies.
So the men decided to bur.y Grace in her mother’s absence.
People got up from their seats and gathered about the grav.e.
Then four able-bodied young men carried the cof.fin from the table where it was, close to the grave.
They placed two long strong ropes underneath the co.ffin and each of the men holding one end of the rope, was able to lower the coff.in into the gra.ve.
Immediately the coff.in hit the gra.ve, Grace was given a 14-gun salute using compressed gunpowder in a metal jacket and it seemed it dawned on everyone that Grace was gone forever.
Everyone started wailing uncontrollably.
Later on, Mark was called to pour sand into the gra.ve, followed by Olaedo and everyone who was related to Grace.
Afterwards, the youth filled the gra.ve with sand and everyone went back to their seats.
Mark and Olaedo were in white attire. They were both under one canopy.
Mark was seated in front of a table before him.
People were coming to sympathise with him. His close friends and relatives were with him. Olaedo was with one of her father’s relatives.
Some stewards were sharing food and drinks at different canopies and gentle music was playing from a big sound system at one end.
Later on, people started leaving because it was getting late.
Mark was still seated and attending to people who came to see him.
Suddenly at Mark’s canopy, people from the back started shouting and running away.
“What is the problem?” one man asked.
A woman continued shouting and pointing under one of the chairs.
The man shone his torch under the chair and saw a huge brown and black python curled up and its head upright ready to attack.
The man switched off the torchlight and gently moved out to get a big stick.
Immediately he left, the python curled out and started running towards Mark.
Mark and everyone around him ran.
One man summoned the courage and threw a big stone at the python’s head. It quickly ran into a nearby bush.
The man who went to look for a big stick came back fully prepared. He started searching the bush with his torchlight. Others joined him with different weapons.
They searched the whole place but didn’t find it.
As they turned to leave the bush, some people started shouting from Mark’s compound.
They rushed into the compound and found another python hiding in a dark spot. The man boldly went and hit its head with the big stick. The snake was uneasy and tried to escape but it was too late. Everyone started hitt.ing it with their weapons and didn’t stop until the snake was confirmed dead.
They got some petrol and burnt it into ashes.
Mark and Olaedo were still in the village.
Mark made up his mind to stay indoors in the village for eight days as a mark of respect to his wife.
He would only take a few walks within his compound when he was bored. His relatives were at his beck and call when he needed something outside the compound.
People were still visiting to sympathise with him.
A few days later, Mark was walking around the compound when one of his female relatives came with his phone.
“Brother, your phone has been ringing,” the lady said while handing him the phone.
The call suddenly ended. Mark collected the phone and was checking to know who the caller was. The call came again and it was Mama.
Mark was surprised.
“Hmmm, let me know why she’s calling,” he thought and then picked up the call.
“Hello, ma.”
“It’s not Mama, she said that I should tell you to come over to her house,” a female voice said.
“Who are you and why is she not talking?”
“I’m her neighbour, she’s sic.k,” the person said and ended the call.
Mark was confused.
“Mama, sick? Could that be the reason she didn’t come to her daughter’s bur.ial, but none of their kinsmen said anything about the sic.kness. What if the person who called was a fra.udster, why didn’t Mama speak? I’m not going anywhere.”
“Brother, this one you are talking to yourself. I hope all is well,”
“Someone called with my mother-in-law’s number saying that my mother-in-law was si.ck and wanted to see me.”
“Go and see her now.”
“No, even if I must go it will be after my indoor period.”
“Okay.”
He gave his phone back to the lady and told her to keep it on the table in his room.
He continued walking around.
Two days later, Mama’s call came again. Mark picked it up.
“He-ll-o Mark,” Mama said sounding frailty.
“Good day, Mama.”
“I wa-nt-to se-e you.”
“But Mama..”
“Pl–ea–se co–me,” Mama said and ended the call.
Mark was worried.
He then called his uncle to come over to his place.
A few minutes later, his uncle came and was seated with Mark in his room.
Mark told him about what his mother-in-law said.
“You should go and see her then,” his uncle said.
“But you know my indoor period isn’t yet over. I still have two more days to go.”
“I know that you love your wife but you need to go. You don’t know why she wanted to see you. It’s considered an emergency, seeing her won’t change anything about the way you choose to mo.urn your wife. When you come back, you can continue with your indoor period.”
“Okay, I’ll go.”
“I’ll go with you. Get yourself prepared, I’ll be waiting for you outside.”
“Okay, sir.”
His uncle stood up and left the room.
A few minutes later, Mark came out to meet his uncle. Both of them entered the car and left.
Soon after, they got to Mama’s place and her neighbour welcomed them.
They entered Mama’s room and saw her in a me.ssy condition. She almost didn’t notice that they came.
Mark then turned to Mama’s neighbour.
“What is wrong with her?”
“She was complaining of serious pain in the head and general weakness of her body and she had refused to go to the hospital. I’m only managing her health with medications from the patent medical dealer down the road.”
“Thank you so much, dear. For how long has she been like this?”
“All these started some days ago when her close friend died mysteriously.”
“I see, that must be post-traumatic stress disorder. Let’s take her to the hospital then.”
“No, do- not take me to the hos–pi–tal,” Mama said.
“Mama, you need to receive proper treatment.”
Mama then beckoned on Mark to come closer.
Mark went closer, and so did his uncle and Mama’s neighbour.
“My son for-gi-ve me. I was the one that initiated Olaedo into our marine kingdom cult.”
“What!? Mama why?”
“I wanted to use her to get back at you for making my daughter disobey me. Olaedo was been manipulated when she became a member, and it resulted in some deaths including that of Grace my daughter.”
“Jesus!! My wife,” Mark said as tears were dropping from his eyes.
Mama continued regardless of Marks emotions.
“I came to revenge Grace’s death but got wounded instead. Those pythons that came in the evening of my daughter’s bur.ial were my friend and I. She died that night because she was kil.led and burnt but I escaped and haven’t been the same since I got back. The worst mistake I have made in my life is to fight you. I just want to be at peace with myself before I d.ie. You and Olaedo should forgive me.”
Everyone was shocked by Mama’s confession.
Mark was speechless as he watched his a.iling mother-in-law.
His uncle held him by his shoulder and led him outside.
“What has happened has happened, you can not change it my son. Let’s go.”
They left the place.
The news about Mama’s confession went round the village and beyond.
A few days later, Mark was informed that Mama was dead. She was bu.ried immediately.
After Mama’s b.urial, Mark and Olaedo went back to the city.
Olaedo resumed her academics in a new school.
Three months later, Mark resumed work in his office because he had been on leave.
Later on, Ejiro’s wife conceived for the first time after eight years of being married to Ejiro. Nine months later, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.
*******************
When your parents disapprove of the marriage proposal of your perfect partner, seek to know their reasons before going ahead to do your wish.
Don’t use emotional blackmail on your them to get them to come around, it can lead to severe consequences if they are unforgiven.
THE END…
