Circles of blood graced the terrace that led to ogele's river, could this be an Hunter's handiwork, no it couldn't have been, as I remembered that sacred grounds like this, is no hunting ground for the hunters, fear gripped me when I saw pieces of human flesh laced with fresh blood,while the flies danced, buzzling round the pieces, I shook, I could hear my heartbeats, it seems faster.
I should have stayed back with ogechukwu, I sobbed. I hear sounds, seems like footsteps, No it's not, the rustling of the winds stopped, I saw an ikwikwie watching untop the osisi aki bekee tree, it eyes glowed like sun, a bad omen. In a flash I dropped mama's earthenware, it's her favourite,but I couldn't wait to watch as it came crashing down the earth, and to the earth it returned, dashed towards the forest thick, hoping I will take cover in the safety provided by the vegetations bunker, I hid myself against the greens, unsure of what I was hiding from, panting heavily, I wished I could chameleon myself against the greens around me, as a little child, I have watched the Ugwumagana changing colours at will to suit his environment, I wished I was a Ugwumagana , or better still with some esoteric powers that will transform me into a bird, I just wanted to be back home, my introduction is few moons away.
I laid low blending with the vegetations, I watched, my eyes seemed tired,but i could still hear the faint sounds, suddenly I saw some sparkles of light across, I crawled over, walking on my two knees, I moved in its direction, steering my way around the trees, careful not to reveal myself, it seems a foolish idea,i should have just ran, ran as fast as my legs could carry me, only ogechukwu could run faster than I do in the village, but some unknown spirits kept pushing me to this unknown danger, if I die, I die.
With every step I took, the sounds seems clearer,i saw a human figure, bending low, with its head down into... I couldn't see well, seems the plants around him will not let me see him well , I stood up for he seems in a danger, this I thought,so I dashed up moving confidently to him , which proved to be a bad decision,for it became clearer, nothing could be more horrible than this, rooted to my foot, I tried moving, seems mother earth is filled with some magic glue, the cardinals meeting at my head, the more I saw,the less I saw. A man eating figure, he never seemed bother with my uninvited presence, as he continued tearing through the fabrics of his victim's flesh, blood laced the map of his mouth, with different tributaries of blood dripping down his jaws, his canine seems unusual, with some pointed up like an aroused nipple, there in between his dentals, some intestine seems trapped , and it dangled like an headless snake below. I stood rooted, seems my chi is bent on punishing me today,this punishment is far too heavy for me to bear. He continued tearing his way down through the flesh, working his way down,pushing the bones aside, he hungrily devoured, filling his stomach with every bits, an Udele circles nearby, hoping that he would be generous enough to leave some fleshy carcase.
Something moved in me, I noticed my right leg has shifted from its original position, I was about lifting the other when I lifted my head to look at the "man eating man" my heartbeat ceased for seconds, he was looking at me,his eyes shone like that of a cat, his clothes covered in blood, he left his precious meal, he drew nearer, the Udele also perched nearer.
He drew nearer, and my spirit seems to have left my body, a fleshy lump seems standing, I tried to picture his face, but my sight was already failing me, I saw nothing but death approaching me, wearing an oyinbo coat, which is already covered in blood, it's irregular pattern making some odd designs on the fabrics, a crucifix with X inscribed on its meeting point dangled around his neck. He stood before me,watched me like some thousands years artifact which was just unearthed from the rubbles. Danger smelled around him,he watches with a keen eye, seems I fascinate him,i wished the earth will open up its ugly mouth and swallow me, I prayed for death, but not from this horrible being, he moved his hands, and he touched me, his hands upon my shoulder,I shuddered at his touch,as if he wanted to examine his next meal, he moved his hands from my shoulder, placing it on my face, his fingers found rest on the sofa of my face, for he seems pleased with it , moving across my facial templates, I seems helpless, my nostrils drizzled with liquids, it thundered, the Udele flew away hurriedly , I fainted into his open arms and it rained heavily.
I dreamt of him in my dreams, and I knew it's him, he was wearing the same oyinbo coat I saw him wore, just that it's without blood stains. We danced under the sun, and with our hands interlocked together, we ran down the hills together, with wings we flew, riding through the Stormy weathers to the sea, and on its banks, we made love, and the next day I gave birth to a boy, we both named him Onwuatuegwu, so much he looked like his father.
I coughed my way back to life, and found ogechukwu sitting beside the fire in my room keeping tabs on the pot placed on fire, he shouted, Papa! Papa! Ifesinachi has opened her eyes. Papa rushed like a child down into my room, mama I was told had gone down to call a dibia, for I was told, I laid unconscious for three days.
Fully back to life, I was administered to by the dibia upon mama's arrival, upon seeing me regaining consciousness, mama sprawled on the ground not minding her wrapper, and the wet group stained the face of Father Clement, who was patterned on the wrapper, she sang various songs to chukwu thanking Him for my survival. When asked to state recount my ordeals in front of the igwe days later, I simply told them, I was attacked by a wild animal, a soft spot I had developed for this man eating man, reasons I cannot fathom. One thing I was sure of, is my sanity, Ogechukwu knew I lied
My dreams later became our favorite home, for he visited several days after, another baby we gave birth to, another boy, and we both named him, Ozuluonye. Next time we will have a baby girl, this I was sure of...
Written by Amudipe Marcus
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