Dora And The Water god!
Episode 11
… I ran home as fast as I could and I saw people gathered around my stepmother and her daughter, they were seated on the ground wailing at the top of their voices.
“What’s going on?” I asked myself as I approached and immediately people saw me coming, they made way for me to pass and right there, people’s attention were now on me.The ones wailing and crying tuned down their voices too.
Some started to whisper in each other’s ears while some stood watching with keen interest.
I walked straight to my stepmother and her daughter and I squatted before them.
I could see shock and fr!ght in their eyes, they couldn’t even look at me.
“What’s going on?” I asked them.
They turned and looked at each other, and then at me.
“We lost my son last night, thank you for your ev!l act”” My stepmother said looking away, and then looked into my eyes suddenly like one who took some few seconds to gather some guts.
“Oh please! Stop pretending as if you don’t know anything about it. I know everything ok? If not, how would lightning just strike down a young man like that? No rain, nothing. If it wasn’t from you then from who? Knowing fully well that it’s an abomination for lightning to strike down someone from this village. He’s been buried in the ev!l forest, so are you happy now?”
“Mama how can you say that? How can I possibly send lightning after my own brother?” I said with tears already welling up my eyes.
“You want to start pretending right? Who in this village does not know that you exchanged your life with that of my son?”
“What?!” I exclaimed.
“But it was you and your children who st…” I said but she cut in immediately, screaming at the top of her voice for people to help her and also come to her rescue”
I stood up slowly and with tears in my eyes, I started to look around to see how the people present would act but they stood staring at me.
My stepmother got up and started retying her wrapper in a rush, and then started to scream at her daughter who still sat there with head bowed, asking her to get up before she would pounce on her and she got up slowly.
“Please, help me carry her to the palace. She must explain to the me, the King and the villagers how my son got struck by lightning” She said but nobody moved an inch towards us.
“Dora, follow me to the palace if you know you’re innocent ” She said already on her way.
“Mama I’m innocent” I managed to say and she looked back immediately.
“If you know you’re innocent, follow me to the palace “
I started following her while the people around too followed from behind.
We arrived at the palace with the King, the Queen and some of the cabinet members already seated like they were in a meeting before we came in.
One of the cabinet members asked us what the matter was and my stepmother immediately started telling them that I k!lled her son.
“How?” The King asked, and she told them that I exchanged my life with that of her son.
“How possible is it?” The King asked again smiling.
By Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites.
“Your highness, you don’t know what this girl is capable of doing. Her heart is so w!cked and deep. She k!lled my son and I’m very sure of that. If you think I’m lying you can send for the village Dibia so she can swear to prove her innocence”.
“I don’t believe what you’re saying. Isn’t this the same girl who returned from the land of the de@d?” He quizzed looking at the Queen who already sat there looking so confused.
“Exactly!!” The Queen exclaimed all of a sudden.
“Your Highness, I’m innocent. ” I said on my knees.
“I wasn’t going to let this out but at this point I have to. It was my stepmother and her children that k!lled me that day I d!ed, her son in particular str@ngled me to death” I said and everyone there screamed.
“You’re a liar” She said again.
“This same girl is possessed and doesn’t even know what she’s saying. If you think I’m lying let me show you something ” She said untying the knot she made with the helm of her wrapper.
“See this, this is the necklace of the water spirits. ” She added, raising the necklace Neon gave to me. I was so sh0cked to see it.
“Ok so, how does it relate to the issue on ground?” A cabinet member probed.
“Thank you. I caught her in the middle of the night some few days ago, calling my son’s name and asking their god to take him in her place. I heard it from my room and I tiptoed to hers, only to find her holding this necklace and talking to it”
“Mama!!!” I screamed with popped eyes.
She turned and looked at me.
“Am I lying?” She asked her daughter who stood there beside her timidly.
Her daughter couldn’t even look at her, and also wasn’t as lively as she used to be.
“No, you are not” She finally managed to say drawing a circle on the ground with her big toe.
“Are you sure about this?” The King asked and my stepmother affirmed.
“She’s lying” I said sobbing.
“Then you will need to swear to prove your innocence” Another cabinet member said.
The village Dibia was sent for immediately, and he arrived after about half an hour chanting at the top of his voice from afar. He entered the palace and they all greeted him but as soon as he saw me, he came close.
“Please, make her swear. She’s denying k!lling my son” Said my stepmother.
“First of all the great Dibia, do you know anything about this necklace?” The King asked and my stepmother raised it.
The Dibia looked at it for a few seconds, and then breathed out.
“Yes, it’s from the water. If you’re not one of them or related to them you can’t use it” Said the Dibia.
“Your highness, I can explain” I said at the top of my voice.
“Before you explain, the great Dibia, make her swear an oath that she knows nothing about the de@th of this woman’s son” Said the Queen.
The Dibia looked into my eyes, and then turned swiftly.
“She can’t swear now till after 9 months for she’s with a child in her w0mb.” He revealed and my stepmother’s jaw dropped in awe, then he continued…
“Within these 9 months till she puts to bed, woman, you must make sure that you don’t put her through any form of stress else, another calam!ty will befall you. She’s your stepdaughter, but look after her like your own within these months. I shall be back after 9 months for the swearing” He said , turned, and then danced out of the palace …
To be continued.