Littlest Drop - Episode 1

 

It wasn’t the red earth spread out on the compound: of four huts and a large mud house in between, or the dried leaves of Iroko tree tossed on the side of the road, it wasn’t even the dust, the hot air or the heat. For the first time in months Ohunene was oblivious of her surrounding, as she gazed at the sky transfixed while she seated on her wooden stool outside the large mud house.
For almost two years, there have been no rains in Ipa’ku village. No mist had formed and no windblown from the south was cold . Some days came with no sun shining and others with sun as though the inhabitants had taken the place of Mercury.
The people of Ipa’ku survived anyway; they would have died of thirst, hunger or of their hopeless dreams of ever getting rain. What is life without water? Without water humans are left to damnation.
But tonight seemed to be the end of the tragedy, the day before had brought hope and essence to some souls, though lots of them had lost theirs long ago. The south wind blew to their skins a damp cold air, the sun was low on its scorching routine and it brought the question to their minds ‘will we see the clouds cry water again?’ and tonight breeze—bizarre breeze ascertained that they could believe in the words “when there is life there is hope”.
At one side the rain clouds had formed, there was lightning with no sound, and the other side was as clear as daylight though the sun was setting.
“Look, the rain will fall tonight” Ohunene said as she pointed to the side of the rain clouds with a smile pasted on her face.
Everyone seated outside the large mud house was oblivious to what she’d said, they heard but had lost their faith, the lot of them waited for their death day—only then can they kiss the earth goodbye. The creator won’t pay them with thirst and hunger. 
“There won’t be rain today, eat your food and be strong” Ize said as she handed a plate to her

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. She was the only young lady among the few who had hoped for a better tomorrow. A tomorrow when the clouds will cry sweet tears of rain, a tomorrow when the fountain will regain the lost glory of Ipa’ku and a tomorrow when she could hold a baby and sing folk songs.
Ize’d referred to the dirt she called food, Ohunene calls it dirt, the food everyone eats for survival—a plate a day was sure to keep them alive till they finally get eternal bliss—death.
“The rain will fall, you will see, just wait” she muttered as she received her plate of food.
Ize wanted to believe, she’d seen the rain clouds that made her happy but her happiness disappeared when she saw the side with clear clouds as bright as daylight. Most people said it was atonement for the sins committed over the years. The rain was gone, the fruits and vegetables were gone, the livestock grew thin every day, at first they’d to kill one each day for a healthy meal—that didn’t last. The livestock had gone too.
But the Ohinoyi{king} was wise and had saved a huge lot of grains on which every household gets their daily bread as though he knew the curse was someday to manifest, and that finished at the end of the first year. The Ohinoyi is a good man, he could’ve fled to the big town and settled but was he to leave his people to complete damnation? He couldn’t, it is only humane to take care of one’s people. He traveled to the town on first days of the week and returns the third day with food and water to share to all. It continued till six months ago when he complained of running out of money and announced that everyone had to buy the food they needed. No one complained. No one could. Some families bought two bowls and others bought five bowls, but their money soon finished. They had spent without profit and no one could ask for food again. 
He then suggested barter. They bring house possessions and valuables to be taken to the town in return for food and water. That was how they’d survived.
“And tomorrow I will get a better food, good water and you won’t take my stool” Ohunene said with great enthusiasm. She loved her stool, it was the only thing that connects her to husband and she’d wished to see him someday.
“Ohunene, I see what you see and I understand. Even I had wished for the rain” she tried to explain. She once beamed with hope in her heart to get the better tomorrow she wanted, but days turned weeks and to months and she lost her faith at the end of the first year. Ohunene never lost her hope.
“But you see that clear side of the sky?” she pointed at the side with bright clouds as bright as daylight.
“Yes, I see it”
“It breaks my heart”
“It will rain; I believe it will” Ohunene said again.
She had looked young two years ago before the unending curse began, when her husband was still around and her younger brother, Omeiza took Ize in as a wife. Omeiza was a successful farmer, he had two plots of fertile land now filled with carcass of the livestock he delayed to slaughter for his family's survival. Sometimes he thanked the Creator for not blessing Ize with a child yet, how could he eat dirt and lay with his wife? The product won't be healthy.
He had counted days, months and now more than a year— and he hadn't touched Ize. He watched her barter her expensive wrappers, her necklaces then her wedding portrait for their survival and she was going to take Ohunene's wooden stool the next day but she had cried in protest and went into praying— a sincere prayer after such long days. Perhaps had they prayed like she did long ago, the Creator would have answered. Her light never failed her, it had told her old mind to pray and she did.
"I wish I could believe Ohunene, I wish I could, all I have is hope. I look at the rain clouds and my heart heave with joy and the voiceless lightning confirms this joy then I look at the bright clouds as though it tells me it is all but a deceit"
"Pray" Ohunene said
"Say a sincere prayer" she added.
"I also wish I could but I lost my faith too" Ize said then went inside to dish Omeiza food, and suddenly the splattering sounds on the roof, the bizarre breeze of the day before came again and the rain began to fall.