AMAYA
(Son Of The Moon)
Episode 2
“Areee foh! Ariaa foh!” My father splashed the bl00d of the he-goat on the altar in the shrine,from a calabash. “Gods of the moon! Gods of the moon! I officially present to you my born son,Amaya! He’s the chosen one to serve you as the son of the moon. Communicate with him, wherever he is. Possess him spiritually and physically. He possesses the power of the moon!” My father continued splashing the bl00d on the altar,designed with different deities.
“It’s time to complete the coronation. Get your pestles and start pounding those herbs in the mortar immediately. This is the last phase of the initiation. ” My father commanded his shrine boys. Their duties ranged from assisting my father in preparing and offering sacrifices, running errands (since he also stood in place of the chief), gathering herbs, and so many other things. They ate every animal killed and sacrificed if it was released for cooking. I do not remember my father accepting to eat them; maybe he did, but it would be very rare if at all. These two young men were usually dressed in red clothing,with white native chalk painted on their bodies. They are usually found pounding into big mortars with pestles, whenever,my father is about to perform his incantations. They do not sit any day. They stand 24/7.
My father was the most dreaded and feared man in our community. He had k!lled so many people from his shrine. He had so many padlocks and keys hung in his shrine. The padlocks were destinies and glories of people,whom he captured spiritually.
On the first of every six months in my village,the gods of the moon gets to pick someone from our community for sacrifice. This usually occured twice every year. That means that two persons are being sacrificed to the gods of the moon yearly.
My father happened to be the chief priest of my village. He’s the one that usually carried out the sacrifices that occured twice every year.
So,a prophecy came from the gods that my father would have a son that would succeed his chieftaincy title. This could only happen after the gods had possessed the womb of my mother before my birth. Here in my village,the sons of the moon are likened to be unbeatably powerful.
So,after my father had performed all the rituals at his shrine that night,I started feeling some range of moon energies in me. Although, I was then living with my grandma with my siblings. Strange things began to unravel,after the rituals,I felt fully energized.
I was born on the last full moon of the year. Growing up I didn’t have many friends except for my two brothers and a sister. I have always been a clumsy boy,but the only way I’m ever graceful,is at night,under the moonlit night. My second brother Vincent hated me with a burning passion. He always referred to me as an ogbanje( ev!l wizard from the gods) following the death of our mother. But, Christian and Chimamanda always told me that it was uniquely me. I had just turned sixteen years old. One fateful night,I went out to see my mother being frozen in the moon.
“Mother! I’m sorry that I am behind the reason why you’re stock in the moon by the gods. And I also know that the only way for you to be free is for me to give up myself to the gods of the moon. But! You won’t be happy if I do that. How then can I help you out of there? It’s been sixteen years now after my birth! I still haven’t seen your face or even known what you look like,aside from the fact that I long to see your frozen image in the moon at night. ” I cried profusely gnashing my teeth. “For this! My second brother, Vincent hate me so much! Why didn’t you give me up to my father? It could have save you from this distress and hatred!” I continued when suddenly, Christian cut in.
“Amaya! What are you doing out here in the dark?!” Christian asked.
“Brother! How do I get this bracelet off of my wrist?” I inquired in-between sobs.
“What sort of stup!d question is that?!” Christian queried.
“Vincent told me that,the only way to bring back mama is to get it off of my wrist. I’ve tried everything within my reach,but nothing seem to work out. ” I said with teary eyes.
“Hold on! Have you been trying to get rid of the bracelet?!” Christian thundered but I didn’t respond.
“Amaya! Answered me!” Christian’s eyes sparked anger as he jerked me off the ground. “Do you think that mama will be happy to have return and find out that ,her return was based on your life?!”
“Brother! Do you hate me too, because I’m cursed from birth? If you feel threatened around me,why don’t you let me return back to my father’s shrine for me to serve as the son of the moon?” I inquired confusingly.
“I love you,Amaya! I will never hate you. ” Christian then pulled me close to his self with a tight hug. ” Come! Let’s go back to sleep. ” So we returned back to sleep.
Things began to unravel when I started to develop strange symptoms,called the moonlight curse, which usually came only at night. When this symptoms started,I wound start dying. So grandma would rush into the night in search of some healing herbs,which would aid the symptoms whenever it occurred. So,that night I started dying.
“Grandma! Grandma!! Brother Christian! Amaya is dying again,please come oh Come!” Chimamanda cried out.
“My son,Amaya! The symptom again? Okay! Hold on let me rush out into the dark to get the herbs quickly. ” Grandma queried.
“No! You can’t go out there! The moon gods are coming tonight! You can’t go out there. ” I struggled to speak.
“Ogbanje! Ogbanje!! Why won’t you detect that?!” Vincent fired.
“You…can’t…go ..out…to…night… They are com….!” I said in pain.
“Ohhhhhhh! Shut up now!” Vincent fired at me.
“Mama,I will go with you! It’s dangerous out there. At least let me hold the lantern for you. ” Christian suggested.
“Okay my son!” So mama and Christian rushed out that night.
” Moon, bright moon, Son of the Mother Earth, Send down your power and strength, Impart them to this bracelet, Stone of the ground, seed of the heavens, In the flowing crystal water, Milk from your mother, sustenance of the child, While distant, still one, Provide me with your protection and power, Grant me peace and strength, So as the mother demands, moon child, So it must be done. ” I said this prayer aloud once,but as I was repeating the prayer for the second time to effects my bracelet, Vincent suddenly smashed my left hand with bracelet.
“You ev!l child! You have started abi?! Ogbanje! Your ev!l will k!ll you. If anything happens to mama and Christian this night,I will throttle your neck with my bare hands till you d!e. W!tch! ” Vincent thundered. The essence of the prayer was to stop the moon-snatch.
“Haba na, Vincent! That’s too harsh now!” Chimamanda queried.
Mama was already plucking the herbs,while Christian was assisting her with barks of baobab tree,and some lemon grass. Suddenly,a silver glow started casting down the forest slowly.
“Mama! Mama!! Mama!!! The moon!” Christian thundered.
“What’s wrong with the moon? It was too dark out here already!” Mama said.
“Come! We have to leave this place this minute! It is the moon-snatch glow! Let’s run back home!” Christian thundered.
“What?!” Mama screamed. So they started to sprint back home. Christian was ahead of mama with the herbs. The moonlight casting was quite fast this time around.
“Vincent! Chimamanda! Open the door! The moon-snatch gods are here! Fasssssst!!!” Christian banged on the door heavily. So the door was opened and he ran inside but it was too late for grandma. Shortly,grandma disappeared into the moonlight, turning her into tiny sparkles of fireflies.
“Nooooo!!!!!” They all screamed in anguish and shut the door.
“Grandma is gone too!” Chimamanda cried profusely.
“Grandma!” Vincent cried bitterly.
“What’s wrong with grandma?!” I inquired confusingly,but they all kept crying, without saying a word to me.
©️ Rihanne Maya
