AMAYA
(Son Of The Moon)
Episode 11
The accident;
Rain lashed against the windshield of king Zoe’s navy blue car, as he drove down a deserted, one lane highway, going a little over the speed limit in his rush. His wheels slipped a little on the wet slippery pavement, but he kept the car steady. Zoe peered through the front window trying to see what was ahead of him; it was pitch black outside, with not even one star in the night sky, and only the moon’s faint light and the small square orange lights lining the road to see by. Outside the front window, the rain was coming down in torrents, blurring Zoe’s vision even more. The windshield wipers whipped back and forth over the window, attempting to clear away the large droplets clinging to the glass – but it seemed they weren’t moving fast enough.
Looking out his side window, Zoe was a little uneasy to notice that trees walled him in on both sides. Two blinding lights suddenly blazed ahead like two shining eyes trying to pierce the impenetrable darkness – and with a jolt Zoe realized that those lights belonged to a car – a car that was speeding towards him from the opposite direction, but in his lane. Again Zoe’s eyes took in the wall of trees on either side – He had no room to veer either right or left out of the oncoming vehicle’s way. He slammed on his brakes and turned the car so the passenger’s side was to the oncoming car. The sound of his car’s screeching brakes and tires skidding on the wet pavement shattered the immense silence that had been pressing in on Zoe all night. Suddenly, as his car spun out of control towards the oncoming car, images flashed across Zoe’s mind – images of his family and friends and clips of his life flashing past like a slideshow that was sped up.
A huge blow hit the car, and it seemed like an immense weight was thrown on Zoe; the last thing he saw was a waterfall of glass cascading down on him before everything went black, and the immense weight was lifted off him as he seemed to float away into complete and utter darkness.
“Accident?!” I exclaimed as images of Zoe, Christian and the two royal guards flickered,blurring my vision. Their yells filled my ear drums and they finally blacked out. “
“There’s an accident scene at the old town road. Go and bring the victims here for me. ” I instructed my shrine servants and they left immediately. Just about an hour later,the victims were taken to my shrine. It rained heavily in other places but not in my shrine.
At the point they got to the shrine,the two royal guards were already in coma. Christian and Zoe were struggling to live again. I had to lay them on mats under the cool moon-lit night and started my spiritual treatments on the both of them.
I noticed that I ran out of some important herbs,I had to go into the woods to look for them before the actual treatment began.
Zoe and Christian remained in my shrine unconscious for seven uneasy days,still on treatments. For these seven days and nights,I barely had a rest or a sleep.
In these seven days,mama came visiting in each of these days.
I had to send a message across to Zoe’s kingdom,to inform them what was wrong with their king.
They finally opened their eyes in the seventh day. I was the must happiest of them all.
“Thank the gods you two are still alive. ” I said.
“Amaya! Your eyes looks saggy and fluffy. “Christian queried. “Have you had any sleep at all?”
“That’s not important right now. How’s your health?” I asked.
“Better now. Just a slight headache,but I’m fine. ” Christian replied.
“And you?” I turned to Zoe.
“I’m better now. “He replied.
“Good! Your guards should be here anytime from now. You need to go home and rest properly. “I said and turned away.
“What day is today?” Christian asked.
“The seventh day after the accident. ” I answered.
“Seventh day? You mean we have been sleeping for good seven days?” Zoe asked. “Did you do anything to us?”
“If I’ve wanted you dead I won’t bother bringing you here. I would have left you and let the night vultures feed on your remains in old town road. ” I replied.
“Don’t say that. You’re not that heartless. ” Christian queried.
“So you think. ” I replied.
Zoe’s guards got to my shrine exactly an hour later after they had woken up. They were taken back thereafter.
It was almost June 1st for our annual celebration which was usually done by sacrificing a human for the gods of the moon,twice every year. This time around,my father won’t be responsible for this sacrifice,I will be. So,the gods selected their sacrifice exactly tenth of May.
When the gods had selected their sacrifice,the name of the person and the family that he or she is from reflects on the altar of the moon child.
That tenth of May,the entire villagers would gather in my shrine, following the selection of the gods sacrifice.
Exactly twelfth of May,the result of whom was selected would be called out to the villagers,so that whoever that person is would get ready for the first of June, which was the actual days for the sacrifice.
People that lived overseas would return to hear the results.
That day, I walked out of my secret chamber and found a massive crowd outside, waiting for me,with their eyes tightly locked. These people dare not look at me. Whenever I start coming out,they would all close their eyes tightly,till I instruct them to open their eyes.
“You may open your eyes. ” I said.
“Thank you wise one. ” They chorused.
I dipped my hand into an earthen pot and brought out a piece of paper. The inscribed name read; “Vincent ” boldly inscribed in bl00d. With an attached photo of his face.
“What?!” I exclaimed softly. “Vincent?! My brother!”
“Uhm! Wise one,who’s the sacrifice for this months covenant?” The crowd asked.
“Vincent!” I said.
“Wise one,which of the Vincent. ” They asked.
“The second son of my parents, Vincent. ” I sobbed.
“Yeah!!!” The crowd rejoiced, because none of them was taken.
After the announcement,they all returned to the various homes. A message was sent across to Vincent that he was the sacrifice for that month.
My mother cried her eyes out again because of Vincent,to a point people started accusing me through false rumours that I wanted to repay Vincent of all the wrongs he had done to me,that was why I sneaked his name into the earthen pot,so he could serve as sacrifice for the gods.
My mother summoned me to Zoe’s palace and I honoured her invitation.
“Mama you sent for me. ” I said.
“Amaya,please forgive Vincent for everything he did to you in the past,and take back his name as the sacrifice for May. You’re just sixteen years of age. You can’t possibly instill your hands in your own brother’s bl00d. Please!” Mama pleaded.
“And what makes you think that it was my making? You were they in the village. You grew up there,it’s that how it’s been done?” I asked.
Vincent could not say anything. His head was down,as tears flowed continuously from his eyes.
“Amaya please, forgive him and retrieve his name, please!” Chimamanda pleaded.
“I am not in any position to question the gods,neither am I the one who chose the names for them. ” I quickly stood up and returned to my shrine.
From time to time,my mother kept coming to my shrine with Christian and Zoe. They kept pleading on behalf of Vincent. I was so confused on what to do. So,I went straight to my father and asked him if a selected name could be changed. He said no,but in the case of a moon child, who’s sibling name was chosen,the only way to avert it was for the moon child to replace the selected name.
“How do I make this request,father? Vincent isn’t ready and mama has been on my neck that I am responsible for Vincent’s selection. ” I asked.
My father pleaded and tried talking me out of my decision but I refused.
He asked me to make the request for three good days continuously if I was truly serious with my decision and I did.
“My son,you’re the moon child,you have to think this through properly first. ” My dad said.
“I’m ready. What do I do father?” I asked.
“Go! Run to the old town road forest at night, around 12:00AM midnight,you will meet the gods there. Make your request and return after that. ” He said to me. “Do not look at their faces.
“Thank you father!”
I waited till it was 12:00AM.
Once down, I began walking to head into the forest dripping from the rain that drenched my clothes.
I was playing a dangerous game,a game that would result in death and it was too late to quit. These gods were going to kill me if they found me and the thought of it caused me conflicting emotions.
The rain fell steadily on my body as I crossed the street,there were no cars in sight,and darkness enveloped the whole sky. I approached the mail box and took the envelope out my pocket.I brought it too my lips and planted a soft kiss on the name of my mother, then released it in the mail box.
By the time, I reached the forest my boots were soaking wet and I could almost feel a wretched cough sizzling in the back of my throat. Nearing the opening in the bushes, I slipped through,and fixed the branches to conceal any gaps in the leaves.
Without a second thought, I started to walk down the old, endless, grey path, scattered with leaves and long twigs. Every step I took lead to a deafining ‘CRUNCH’…
The further I went in to the forest the more frightened I got. The tall trees, which were masked by shadows, towered over me, almost like they were watching every step I took. All was silent. No bird chirp, no howl of the wind. I started to smell a type of flower, the smell was so strong that I started to get a headache.
The darkness of the forest was thickening. With no light in sight I tried to get out of the endless maze. Following the path, I ran the back of my hand across all the trees. They felt weird, like coral from under the sea, the moss cold and wet, the bark sharp and bumpy.
Finally,I saw a gathering of shadows under the moon-lit night.
“Amaya! Amaya!! What you’re here for is quite difficult to be granted. You’re the moon child. There shall not be another,till you grow older. ” One of the shadow said in a scary voice.
“Please! I beg of you to grant me just this once. I can’t give up my brother! Take me instead. “I pleaded. I continued till they finally agreed.
“Now run back home, without turning back. ” The shadows said.
“Thank you so much!” I said and started running back home.
Hesitently, I crept through the deserted forest. I thought I could feel people behind me, but when I looked back, not a soul was there. As the path reached deeper into the mysterious woods, my torch flickered and eventually turned off. Everything went dark, but I stumbled on, feeling my way around, finding new paths that would hopefully lead me out, in my desperate attempt to escape this nightmare that I feared would never end.
So, finally I came out of the forest.
… To Be Continued.
©️ Rihanne Maya
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