The Dancing Mermaid Episode 10 – Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites
…she then gripped my both hands.
“Who are you? What is your name and where are you from? “
I started to sweat profusely, turning my head left and right just to buy more time so I could think of what to say to her.
“Where are you from?” she asked again.
“Like I said before, I’m from the neighboring village. My name is Mona ” I said with my gaze aside.
“Your name is Mona? ” she questioned and then she opened my palms and started to look into them.
“Your palms, just as succulent as that of Ojali, my daughter ” she said fondling them.
“There’s something about you that I can’t really say but, I feel as though I have met you before “
“…Erm…mama, that is because you have missed your daughter so much. Don’t you think it is time for you to go home and rest? You have been here for too long” I said to her trying to control my tears.
“You know, I come here every three days just to sing her favorite song. I’m no longer the happy, strong and agile woman that I used to be. My daughter’s absence is k!lling me slowly by the day” she said with her gaze fixed to the river.
Then she turned to me.
“I wish that her body was brought back so I could at least bury her myself. But, do you think she’s de@d? I have this feeling that she’s still alive, but somewhere”
“Ermmm…mama it’s time for you to go home” I cut in.
She let out a deep sigh.
“You are right, it is time for me to go home ” she said struggling to stand on her feet but I quickly helped her up.
“Thank you ” she said with a smile.
“Don’t you think it is time for you to go home too?” she questioned.
“Yes I will but, can I walk you a little?” I queried smiling and with my hands behind me.
“You want to walk me home?” she asked smiling back.
” No, I mean I would like to walk you …”
“Please, walk me home. As you can see I’m sick and might need support along the bushy path. I have been coming alone all this while but what if something happens to me on my way home today being alone? Maybe fall and d!e or something?” she questioned still smiling.
“The gods forbid! Mama you are not dy!ng now, you still have more years ahead of you” I said snapping in. Her words really broke me and left me convinced at the same time.
She shook her head.
“Ok, I shall walk you home” I said.
I held one of her hands as we both walked through the bush path together. She told me all sorts of stories, same stories she had once told me as a little girl but I enjoyed every bit of it.
As soon as we arrived home she sat on a stool under a tree right in front of the house and then I hurried beside the house to pick another stool to sit on. As soon as I dropped it I remembered my transformation, and I how I was supposed to pretend and act like a total stranger.
“Oh my!” I whispered to myself.
“But, how did you know there was a stool beside the house? ” she queried staring at me.
I was shocked as soon as I heard that and I became so uneasy.
“The stool!” I let out feigning a smile.
“I just thought to check beside the house maybe I would find one” I said.
She smiled and then nodded her head.
I was with mama for few hours, I helped her do some chores and when I was about to leave Baba returned.
“Good day Baba” I greeted bowing my head and bending my knees. He looked up and couldn’t take his eyes off me.
“Welcome. How did your outing go?” mama said snapping Baba out.
“Oh, fine!” he replied with his gaze off me.
“Who is this one that’s just as beautiful as a mermaid?” he queried, my heart splitted into two as soon as I heard that and then I stood there like a statue with my head bowed.
” Yes, she’s indeed beautiful” mama responded with a smile.
“She’s my friend, she’s from the neighboring village” she added.
“Young lady, you are welcome” he said and then he excused us.
“Mama, like I said it’s time for me to go home now”
“Why not stay with me a little?” she questioned.
“Maybe some other time” I said.
“You know, ever since my daughter disappeared and my brother Ocholi d!ed, I don’t really have anyone to keep me company. My husband only goes out and comes in and doesn’t really bother about me”
“What, your brother is de@d? ” I questioned popping my eyes and then I remembered I was supposed to pretend.
“I mean, you lost a brother?”
“Oh yes, his name was Ocholi”
“What happened?” I queried.
“Who knows? The gods called him home” she said.
At that point I felt really b@d cos, it was something that could have been averted but being unable to tell anyone what I had heard and witnessed really got me so heartbroken. I was lost in thoughts when mama suddenly spoke.
“Are you ok?”
“Oh, yes! I’m fine!! I have to be on my way now” I said.
“Thank you so much, hope to see you some other time.”
“Sure” I responded
I kept looking back, she wouldn’t stop smiling and waving at me. I wished to spend at least a night with her but, if only wishes were horses.
On my way out of the village guess who I saw? It was Ruka coming into the village with beads tied round her ankle. As soon as she came close I noticed she was wearing the bead. The same bead she denied I never gave to her.
“Good day” I greeted as soon as she passed.
“Good day” she replied.
“Erm…” she paused as soon as she heard that.
“Your wa!st bead, it’s beautiful” I said.
“Thank you ” she greeted with a smile.
“Where did you get it? I mean I would like to have something like this” I said.
“Oh, this” she said bowing her head to take proper look as if she just put it on.
“It’s a gift from… My grandmother. Yes” she said feigning a smile.
“Really?!” I exclaimed and then she nodded.
“Well my name is Mona, I’m from the neighboring village”
“I’m Ruka. I’m from this village and I’m a professional dancer. So feel free to call on me whenever you have an event” she said grinning.
“Very well then, I’ll take my leave now,” I said and as soon as I turned to leave I saw Dogo approaching from a bush path.
“Wow, the almighty Dogo” I muttered to myself.
“Meet my husband,” Ruka said as soon as he approached.
I was flabbergasted hearing that as my heart shattered into tiny pieces…
The Dancing Mermaid Episode 11 – Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites
… “Your husband ?” I questioned.
“Yes!” she said nodding her head and grinning at the same time.
“Good day” I said to him raising my hand halfway.
He looked at me from head to toe and then, at his wife.
“Who is she?” he asked her, then turned to me almost smiling.
“Are you from this village? You look as shiny as the sun. Your husband must be very lucky”
I locked stares with Ruka as soon as he said that, she immediately started scratching the back of her neck and from her facial expression one could tell that she had become so uncomfortable.
Then she giggled feigning a smile.
“We’ll take our leave now” she said dragging Dogo by the hand.
“Ok, see you some other time” I said waving at them.
After taking few steps away I turned and there Dogo was still staring at me even though they were both walking home together but I quickly turned my face.
“Ruka and Dogo?” This world is indeed a very w!cked place. Who would have thought that Ruka who used to dislike anything concerning Dogo would later end up marrying him?” I soliloquized as I paused with a hand on my wa!st and another on my chin. Everything seemed like a dream to me.
“But why would Ruka of all people, the Ruka I loved and trusted so much be the one to do this to me? What did I ever do to her? What if I had truly d!ed? Ruka would just move on just like that as if nothing happened? Hel! No! We are in this together” I said to myself and then proceeded to the river.
As soon as I arrived the river, I paused for few seconds as my eyes ran immediately through the bushes to make sure there was nobody around. I raised my hand and then ran it over my head in circles three times with my legs already inside the river, and then I changed form into the new mermaid.
I swam straight to the queen mermaid’s chamber to thank her for what she did.
I went on my knees as soon as I Saw her.
” thank you so much for everything” I said with smiles as I bowed my head.
,”Rise” she said
“How is your mother?”
“She’s fine. Even though she is no longer as strong and agile as she used to be “
“It is well” she said.
“Please excuse me, I need to go see Siraf”
“You’re excused” she let out smiling from ear to ear.
I left and headed straight to Siraf’s chamber. He stood in the middle of the room backing the entrance and then I opened the door and entered.
“Welcome, the fairest of them all” he said.
I became so shocked and then he turned.
“How did you know I was here?”
“It’s a matter of the heart” he said tapping his chest.
“How is your mother?”
“She’s fine but, devastated. You know one thing that surprises me? She doesn’t believe I d!ed. Like, she still has that feeling that I am alive but somewhere”
“Blood is thicker than water they say. That’s a true mother for you. ” Then he approached with a smile.
“How do you find your new body? You like it?” he asked smiling from ear to ear.
I nodded sporadically.
“Yes of course. Thank you so much for helping to convince the queen mermaid earlier “
“My pleasure” he said and then held my arm.
“You know, I keep having that feeling that you would one day wake up and say you want to go back there to stay”
“To stay? I cannot go back there to stay among those people that once rejected me and chased me out to d!e. I cannot go back there to continue to see the face of the one whom I once called my best friend. There’s too much h@tred and jealousy over there “
“For your mother?” He asked again this time, looking into my eyes.
“Oh yes, mama” I said withdrawing my hand from his with my face aside.
“Of course I cannot go back there. But I will be visiting her from time to time to keep her company so she wouldn’t feel too lonely.
He nodded.
“Shall we take a stroll? Let me show you some places you have never been to”
“Ok” I said grinning.
No day passes by without me looking into the mirror the queen mermaid had given to me to check on mama. At times she would be asleep and at times she would sit under the tree before the house with a hand on her jaw and atimes, she would be by the river and I didn’t want to visit her often so she wouldn’t notice or suspect anything.
Then one day I decided to check on her through the mirror again and then I saw her lying in her room alone and in shivers.
“What? Could she be sick?” I muttered dropping the mirror immediately, and then I swam to the queen mermaid to ask for permission to visit mama and she agreed.
I went to Siraf’s chamber to tell him but he wasn’t around so I swam hurriedly to the shore and then ran a hand over my head and I changed form.
On my way to the village along the bush path I saw a middle aged woman carrying a boy of about three years on her back. After we had exchanged pleasantries I was about going my way when the boy spoke.
“Mama see, mermaid!!!” he said pointing at me.
I was stunned and then I doubled my pace unable to look back.
“Keep quiet, she’s not a mermaid” I heard the mother say from afar.
I ran to mama’s place and she was still in the room shivering. I stood by the entrance.
“Good day mama” I greeted.
She managed to turn and as soon as she saw me she smiled.
“I knew you were going to come around today” she said but I smiled back.
I went and sat close to her.
“mama, are you ok?”
She sighed.
“I am not ok. My bones are aching so bad and I feel very feverish”
“But, what about Baba?” I asked.
She looked at me.
“Your voice, it reminds me so much of that of Ojali. ” she said and then paused.
“I haven’t seen him since he left this morning”
“Mama, I’m sorry if I’m a constant reminder of Ojali your daughter”
“You’re sorry, for what? ” she said and then struggled to sit up, I rushed and assisted her.
She raised her right hand, and then her left hand.
“You see, I feel quite better now that you’re around”
“Wow, the gods be praised”
“So, tell me. Who is your father in the neighboring village?” she queried.
“How many siblings do you have?” she added.
“Well, arhmmm… It’s just me in this world now cos my grandmother who brought me up is no more” I said avoiding her eye contact.
” I’m sorry about that” she said.
I noticed some rashes on her face and then I moved closer to her and called her attention to it.
“You have some rashes on your face” I said pointing at her face.
“Oh, yes. It’s caused by fever. It usually comes out each time I’m down with fever”
She said touching her face.
I later assisted her outside and then we went to sit under the tree. I made a pot of soup for her. As soon as she tasted it she paused and then looked up straight into my eyes, I was standing right before her.
“How come?” she questioned with her index finger suspended in the air.
“What is that mama? You don’t like the taste of the soup”
“No, not that. Never mind ” she said now staring into the soup.
Like exactly an hour later I was doing her laundry and then passed by her where she sat without noticing what was in her right hand. And then I turned all of a sudden and caught her staring at me. She was with a mirror.
“Ojali!” she exclaimed…
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