REO THE MERMAID Part 1 – Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites
‘My name is Reo, and I’m a little female mermaid. Mom asked me never to swim offshore but I can’t be swimming in the same environment all the time. My elder sister swims wherever and whenever she wants but I don’t know why my case is different. Well, let me look left, right, up and down, nobody is looking.Let me swim outside this place and see what’s going on in the neighborhood. ‘ I thought to myself.
I swam and swam, till I went far away from home and I couldn’t find my way any longer.I cried and cried, called on my sister, my friends and my mom but nobody responded. I even sang our favorite song but no one sang along.
I saw a human bent down, fetching water.I hid behind a leaf but the tide carried me and I landed in the calabash she was fetching water with into her pot,unknown to her.
She lifted the pot and then carried it, I was still in the pot of water very frightened.After some minutes she lowered the pot and then dropped it and started speaking in the language that I don’t understand. After a while a little boy came around and started playing with the water with his both hands. His mom yelled at him but I didn’t really know what she told him but after his mom yelled at him he left and then returned after few minutes with a little bowl in his hand. He dipped the bowl into the pot and then fetched water but I followed the water he fetched. Immediately he saw me in his bowl he threw the water on the ground and I landed on the ground thumping.He attempted running away out of fear but he summoned courage and came close ,picked me up with both hands and was taking a stern look at me.
‘Put me in water you fool’ I said to him.
He screamed and then threw me away, came close again after few seconds and picked me up in his palms.
‘You talk? ‘ he asked.
Stunned. ‘Wow, you speak English? ‘ I asked him too.
‘Of course. English is our general language here’ he replied.
‘But a woman spoke in a language I didn’t understand’ I said to him.
‘Well that’s my mom and she spoke in our native language ‘ He replied.
‘OK so can you please put me back in water? ‘ I asked politely.
‘If I drop you back in that pot my mom might throw you away out of fear or do something bad to you. OK, just hang on’ he said.
He put me on the ground and then left and returned with a Glass bottle of water. He lifted me up and then put me in it.
‘That’s it’ He said.
‘Wow, thank you ‘ I said to him.
‘Meanwhile, my name is Reo’
‘I’m Justus.What are you doing here? ‘ he asked.
‘Well I couldn’t find my way home. My mom asked me never to swim outside my place but I decided to take a stroll but could no longer find my way home and then ended up in your mothers pot of water.Please can you help me back home? My sister’s wedding is in two days and I need to get back home. Don’t worry just put me back in that river, my dad must have organised a search party by now so as soon as i get back in water and I sing our song I’m sure my people would hear me. ‘
‘Arrmmm,its not as easy as you think’ he said
‘How? ‘ I asked
‘You see, children are not allowed near the river here. The elders say mermaids would have them kidnapped and they won’t get to see their own people ever again. ‘ He replied.
‘That’s not true, it’s all lies. We don’t kidn@p people and as a matter of fact we are harmless. Please help me I promise you that no harm will come near you. ‘ I assured.
‘OK OK, I’ll try.I heard mermaids could make ones wish come to pass. If I help you get back home what will you give me in return? ‘ He asked.
‘I’ll give you whatever you want ‘
‘OK. I wish to go to the white man’s land. Me, my mom, dad and siblings. Can you also make that come to pass? ‘ he asked again.
‘I promise ‘ I replied him.
‘Justus! Justus!! What is that you’re holding? His mom walked in on us asking.
‘Ermmm.. It’s an empty bottle of water ‘ he replied.
‘Trash it or keep it somewhere and come help me in the kitchen ‘ his mom said to him.
He ran into a room and then kept me under a pillow.
‘This room belongs to my siblings and I and this is my pillow. Please hang on till I’m done from the kitchen then I’ll help you get back home.’ He said smiling.
He left and after few minutes a very little girl lifted the pillow and stood still looking at me, then she screamed
‘Saraaah! Saraaah!! ‘ She called.
‘Oh Oh, who’s Sarah? ‘ I said to myself..
Saraaah! Saraaah!! She called again. But Justus came running in and he picked up the bottle and put it behind him then an older girl walked in.
‘What is it Cara? Why were you screaming my name like that? ‘ The older girl asked looking at the little girl.
But the little girl couldn’t utter a word, she just stood there pointing at Justus.
‘What did you do to her Justus? And what are you hiding? ‘ Sarah asked.
‘Nothing! ‘. Justus replied while sneaking out of the room. As soon as he got to the outside door he took to his heels.
‘He was hiding something, Justus was hiding something behind him’ Little Cara managed to say.
‘Like what? ‘ Sarah asked.
‘A mermaid. I saw a mermaid in a bottle under Justus’s pillow’ Said Cara.
‘What? ‘ Sarah approached the bed and then attempted to raise the pillow.
‘He already took it with him’ Cara said.
‘It wasn’t a mermaid that you saw, maybe you saw something else’ Said Sarah while walking out of the room.
‘I knew no one was going to believe me. But I swear I saw a mermaid ‘ Cara said to herself.
Later that night while the family was having dinner, Sarah, Justus and Cara kept looking at each other through out. Then in the middle of the night while they were all asleep, Justus brought out the bottle and said to me.
‘Hey, you’ll be fine I promise. I’ll take you to the river tomorrow. But are you hungry? I kept some bread for you’. He opened the bottle and then dropped a tiny piece of bread in it.
‘ Who is Sarah and that little girl? ‘ I asked.
‘Sarah is my big sister and Cara is my little sister ‘ he replied. But before he could utter
one more word Sarah got up.
‘And who were you talking to ?’ She asked.
‘Ermmm ‘ Justus said scratching his head.
Sarah approached and grabbed the bottle from him.
‘What? You trapped a mermaid in there? ‘ Asked Sarah.
‘No I didn’t. I wanted to help her get back home? ‘ he replied.
‘You’re crazy right? ‘ she asked again.
‘No I’m serious. I caught her from the pot mom came from the river with this afternoon. She needs to go back home. Her sister’s wedding is coming up too’ Justus said trying to convince Sarah.
‘And who told you all this? ‘ Sarah asked.
‘Reo, the mermaid. She talks’ Justus replied.
Sarah grabbed the bottle from Justus and then started staring at me.
‘Hi, I’m Reo’ I greeted.
Sarah flung the bottle In the air And hid behind Justus out of fear but Justus caught it.
‘Don’t be scared, Reo is harmless. ‘ Justus said.
He continued ‘Look Sarah, mom mustn’t know or hear about this OK? I promised to help Reo get back home and she inturn has promised to fulfill my wish’.
Sarah came out of her hiding.
‘Fulfil your wish? Which is?? ‘ Sarah asked inquisitively.
‘Going to the white man’s land ‘ Justus replied smiling broadly. Then Sarah grabbed the bottle from Justus again.
‘What about me? Can you fulfill my wish? ‘ Sarah asked
‘OK’ I replied
‘I want pearl necklaces, handbags, glass heels, earrings, beautiful clothes.. ‘ Sarah said still wishing but I cut in..
‘Look, I can only fulfill just a wish, I’m just a tiny little Mermaid’
‘OK then… Ermmm.. I want glass heels ‘She turned to Justus. ‘I promise you I won’t tell mom about this’ Sarah affirmed.
Then they laid down to sleep while Justus put the bottle beside him.
Very early the following morning Sarah woke Justus up so they set out to the river. But on their way they met an old lady.
‘And where are you going you two? Don’t you know that children are not allowed on this path which leads to the river? ‘She asked
‘Ermmm ‘ Justus muttered.
‘Now get back to wherever you’re coming From’ she yelled.
Justus and Sarah ran back as fast as their legs could carry them, then Sarah made Justus join her in hiding behind a tree till the old lady passed them unnoticed. Then they continued on their journey to the river again. As soon as they got to the river, mermaid soldiers were already everywhere looking for me. Justus opened the bottle and then poured the content into the river.I hurried and hugged all the soldiers and they were so happy to see me again. Then the commander of the mermaid soldiers matched forth and stretched forth his sword and pointed it at Sarah and Justus.
‘Where did you take her you two? He asked.
‘No, no, they took me nowhere. They helped me instead’I replied.
But the commander brought out a bottle of concoction and poured it on Justus. Sarah dodged it and then ran back a little. Justus melted into the river slowly.
‘Noooo ‘ I screamed.
It was really very painful watching Sarah run home and shouting at the top of her voice ‘You betrayed us’..
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Read this Awesome inspirational Story > TALITHA CUMI!
To be continued..
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