Afonja - Episode 4

 

At the second he was gone, ?ya’s resolve broke and her heart fell into a depth of panic, fear and misery. She tripped backwards at the weight of the dread in her limbs, leaning against a pillar that bore the strength of the underworld. Her frazzled nerves jumped all around, fighting the wall of calm that she was struggling to build. Every sound, every whisper and every thought jolted her, reminding her yet again that she was walking into a storm.

Ironic enough, she was the Mother of storms…but this storm, not even in her ultimate power could she stop.

The inky darkness engulfed her in torment, twisting around her in a way that fear would when doom was near . It creeped behind her, teased with tickles of panic and then stepped back with sarcastic humour as if mocking her distress. It was as though the forces of the underworld were against her, even the silence working against her favour. She sighed, anxiety pulsing through her veins and leaping out of her mouth as she stared hard at the entrance where Iku had walked into, praying to her dead lover- Sango- to save her.

In a grip of silent panic, her constricted feelings strangled her, crawling over the goose bumps on her coal skin and crushing the shield of her soul. She felt human all of a sudden; brain synapses, racing heart, rising adrenaline, dilated pupils and wild eyes

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/afonja

. Like an invisible demon, dread held her and settled on her shoulders, pushing her soul into a vortex of foreboding pain and horror. It set her face like a distorted statue, stiffened her limbs and caged her strong mind but she wouldn’t fight it because she knew that unless time could turn back, drag the sun from the sky or turn the earth around then her time had come.

No, not yet…

She broke through the commotion in her head to think, to find the answer but her mind seemed to be heading in one direction; that nagging voice remining her yet again that the end was only doom. The options were in her head, it was to either run or face her fears but the end of both options was the same reality. If she ran then she would become a stray for the rest of eternity and down the memory lane, she would be remembered as the goddess who became a coward. If she faced her fears however, she would incur the wrath of Iku, be killed or banished and would lose her chance to be the Queen of darkness. There was no chance for forgiveness at the Cavern of darkness, no place for restitution or remedy-- life was either black or white with Iku.

Her head was ringing, her limbs fighting the urge to run, to hide or even escape but her brain didn’t understand and neither did her heart so she remained rooted, her youth washing away in the waters of her unforgivable sin.

Iku was preoccupied now so she could only wish that Odudua would do enough to cloud his judgement and make mercy easy. Her last shred of hope was if Iku could see beyond her actions and judge her intentions. She was the Mother goddess and she had only done what any mother would do- man or god.

“?ya,” a solemn voice called, breaking through the fog of her disquietude.

Tersely, her eyes flickered to stranger and then she looked away, her mouth formed in a rigid grimace.

“Olokun,” she drawled and straightened her spine, clear tints of envy in her iris

The goddess smiled, the precious stones and ornaments adorning her curves clanking and glittering as she walked so gracefully and with refined elegance towards ?ya. The precious jewels always had ?ya reeling in jealousy especially because it had been carved with love and kindness by her first lover, Ogun- the god of war and smithing.

“It is unusual to find the great Mother goddess sitting away in distress,” her voice was smooth and of the sound of rolling waves, tickling so gently the ears of those who listened.

Oya knew she shouldn’t be jealous because she had around for far too long and had garnered more power than Olokun could every dream of but the goddess, she knew her type. They were those who with beguiling smiles and bewitching eyes would pull your power from beneath and wipe out so subtly all you have ever lived for. She wasn’t deceitful or sly but she was smart, full of glamour, shrewd and wise; this was the part that stung the most. Olokun was the grand and majestic ocean and she knew it, lulling in even the strongest of heart with her eyes as of crystal beads and her soul as of the angel of wealth, power and beauty; even Iku’s will had nothing on the radiant allure of the ocean. She was the only competition that ?ya had, the only one who stood in battle over her throne as the Queen of darkness.

“I wonder why that is any business of yours, Olokun”

 The tension between them was palpable, thick as the smell of death and building so strongly yet subtly in their aura.

Olokun ignored the harshness of ?ya voice and walked by to a sitting place, drumming her polished nails against the brass frame of the sitting bench. “You always exude confidence and might so forgive me if I am a little worried by this act of agitation that I see,” she crossed her legs, smooth flesh peaking from the slit of her white lacy dress.

A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of ?ya’s right eye. She folded her hands across her chest and turned away from the sight of Olokun “I am not in distress…” she denied “I just happen to have responsibilities that weigh me down,”

Olokun smirked, red lips upturning in a slight sneer “Face rigid with tension, heart beat louder than local drums belie your youthfulness and tell of a damsel in distress,” she laced her fingers and leaned forward “I am not the enemy, Oya. I am just a curious goddess who wants to help. Despite your hostility, it is still saddening to watch you suffer in silence.”

?ya rolled her eyes but walked gently towards the bench that Olokun had settled up and plunged to the farthest end of the furniture. She didn’t want to spill her problems but Olokun was the lesser evil amongst the pantheons of the underworld and she was itching to tell someone, to atleast reduce the burden in her heart. Her ego would regret it but at this point, Olokun was all she had.

“You cannot fathom my problems,” she started, fingers running across her throbbing but bejewelled forehead.

“But I might be able to help,” Olokun shrugged, the red shawl attached to her dress slipping off ever so lightly off her beautiful bronze shoulders. “Did you offend our Lord,”

She let out a bitter chuckle “Offend is too a little a word. I have committed a felony- an abomination!”

“Ew?!” Olokun exclaimed, eyes wide “What did you do?!” she asked in panic