Merry Haven - Episode 10

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His dream dissapointed him. It was a dire moment, he needed to see the old man. 
 He had a sour feeling about doctor Bitrus. Tettes had a plan, it was simple but time consuming.
 
 He acted as an investigator, following Doctor Bitrus like a predator trying to pounce on its prey; but he felt he was the prey, a prey that should use his wits to see that he triumph. 
Doctor Bitrus often visited Claybourne park, which was few kilometers away from Southroad. He sat on a long public bench, watching with awe as the merry-go-round went round . Puffing out his smoke from his mouth, shoving away the lingering ash particles in his cigarette. 
 Tettes was yards behind the bench, purchasing ice cream from a red and white kiosk. It was Saturday, he wasn't bothered. He had missed classes the past week, plus he avoided Nal, he wanted to figure out the missing piece of the puzzle alone. 

Claybourne park was as busy and merry as always. Children and parents buzzed past, moving to different fun sites. There was  a garden filled with kids; some were tossing discus, others were running after a ball, few were dancing to the tune of a jambox, some families sat on a mat, with basket filled with packed food - probably having a good time. It was a fun sight. 

More sites were entertaining to kids, Tettes wasn't here to feed his eyes with the beautiful sites, he was here for a mission. 

He was given an ice-cream by a stout man

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

. He stood beside the kiosk, taking his ice-cream and straining his ears and eyes to study the Doctor. 
 His two senses (eye and ears) rose to action when the doctor brought out his phone and placed it on his right ear. 

Yep.... Am kind of scared. But I think am ready, it will be on Monday. 

Tettes tried to get more, but some noisy kids who sped past him stole away his concentration, veiling the doctor's voice. 
 The Doctor had an appointment,whatever it might be on Monday - he was also scared. Tettes tried to string them all together, but he was getting no clue. School on Monday wouldn't work for him,  he must be with the doctor and find out what was in store for him on Monday. 

Monday ceased to be born, it slowed, like the new hours of a day had now become forty eight. Though It came, but his plan was futile. Mrs Juliet used her car, she offered him a ride to school before she went to her shop. 
 He couldn't get away from school, Nal was at the school gate waiting when Mrs Juliet dropped him. He must stay, having Nal spot something foul could be disastrous.

"Hi mate, what's up with you. Are you avoiding me?" Said Nal, with a sad countenance. His school uniform looked too tight for him. 

"No am not. It's still troubling me." Tettes said, entering the school. Nal followed. 

"You will see the old man, maybe your dream might come this night. You never can tell."

"I hope it does, I really need to learn more herbal recipes." Tettes added, he was glad he could use the lack of dream as a reason for his sadness. He felt like a betrayal, hiding the truth from his best pal. 

School seemed boring and an awkward place to be, he wasn't meant to be in school when the doctor had an evil plan to execute. He couldn't let Doctor Bitrus kill his father. Tettes felt scared. 

Home was boring as well. He sat on the love seat, sipping an orange juice, watching a boring program on TV. The whole family was away, save miss Margeret who was on the couch next to him, studying Tettes like he was trying to get the whole living room messy.
  She chided and made silly threat to Tettes. 'No making of bed, no food' threat got to him the most. Food was his dearest, he couldn't do without it. 

"Miss Mag, am a growing child. I need food." He argued. 

"Then you start doing what's right." She maintained.

"But you know my room is always neat these days."

"Aren't you ashame?! Boys your age are already making money for their family. You are a lazy boy, try being responsible!" she chided. 

"I am responsible. My dad and mom see that we get money. Why should I work for money again?"

"you are sounding like Annas. Better don't learn his ways."

"I can never be Annas, am me. But miss Mag, I really need to eat more,  am a growing child, am fourteen."

"You eat more than an Elephant, yet you are still tin." she muttered. 

"That's how I am for now, I will be fat one day." 

  Juliet appeared, she seemed restless. she sat next to Miss mag,  breathing very loud. Her hands rested on her head, she was nodding her head In a pitiable and pathetic manner.

"what's wrong dear?" Miss mag asked gently. She got no answer. 

Tettes felt restless, he moved to his mom, grasping her hands. "mom, mom, please don't scare me. Tell me that all is well."

"He got an accident. But he was hail and hearty. why did God take him so soon!" She cried out, speaking to no one in particular. Tettes felt the fast beat of his heart, he had no courage to ask who it was.

"Dear, you are frightenening the little boy." Miss Magaret said, trying to think of her next word.

"mom, who?" Tettes asked, shivering inside.

"It's Doctor Bitrus. He was healthy, God why..." she cried, sobbing out her pain. 

Mr Ernest, and Sydney arrived, they were all sad and gloomy. The family spoke less, dinner was avoided - Tettes didn't have appetite as well. Mrs Juliet tried calling Annas, but it proved abortive. It was a burden they had to put away, and probably forge ahead, but Doctor Bitrus was a good family friend and doctor. The death spoilt their day and liveliness. 

~
The wind wooshed and brushed past Tettes's ears. Leaves were plucked down by the soft breeze, swaying in the air. He was under an enormous tree, with leaves scattered everywhere, veiling the soil. 
  Tettes shuddered with fear when an old man appeared out of no where, disrupting his view of the strange scenery. 
"Young cub." said the old man. 

"I have been trying to reach you but I can't. I really need your help I have experienced  strange occurrences for some weeks now."

"Let's hear them then."

Tettes dished out his dreadful tales to the old man. Starting from the Crow with Annas's kind of eyes, to the tall man with a long staff, and doctor Bitrus. 

"It was a scary sight, I have never seen such sight in my life. Doctor Bitrus was kind of not real to me. He changes from his normal face to a skull..." Tettes was saying, feeling relieved he had purged it all out. 

The old man was silent, thinking about an answer. "you are entering a different phase of your life," The old man said,  he paused, watching Tettes. Tettes couldn't place his face. His face was blur "Do you have close friends?"

"No I don't. But but I have a very close friend - a friend, Nal. Why do you ask?" Said Tettes, he was trying hard not to call Nal's name. He wanted him safe, Nal wasn't meant for an alien life, beyond human comprehension.

"Something is coming, something I can stop when you bring me. Don't get your Nal involved in any of what I will tell you to do."

"What is coming?"

"Something that killed me, and my children. Let's not go into details for now, I will tell you that when you bring me back."

"I don't get you. How can I bring you back?"

"You are a healer you can bring me back to life."

"Christ!! I can't, I can't bring you just like that. I can't even bring you. I have never done it before. It seems creepy to me."

"You can bring me back, that's why the tall man has been studying you. He has my body, it might be probably decayed by now." said the elder. 

"And what will I do with your rotten body?"

"You cook my body in a big cauldron, add your blood to it. I will teach you the process, it's a bit complex, but I will get you acquainted with it."

"Is there magic in it?"

"Yes... Let me tell you about the Bitrus case, and why you are seeing his facial changes..." said the elder, he sat on a nearby rock. Tettes sat next to him. 
"Healers are rare on earth, they are also magician, just like you. When you bring the dead back to life, you are free to change his looks, only you the healer. The dead you brought back sometimes is kind of different from the real human, they are with their memories, but they will become sterile. Sterile in the sense that all they do is useless, they can't give birth, they can spill a seed in the soil but it wouldn't germinate."

"Is Doctor Bitrus like s---"

"A Dajri? Yes. This Bitrus is a different person, he is a Dajri."

"What's a Dajri?"

"The dead brought back to life." the elder said, answering Tettes. "You see the Dajri as a skull and back as his real face because you are a healer, a true healer. You can know a Dajri just by seeing his skull-like form, that's a way healers know a Dajri. Your kind create them, a creator knows his creations." He picked a leaf, tearing it. "Bitu was already dead before, he didn't die today, your father begged a true healer to lend him a Dajri."

"He is not Bitu." Tettes corrected. "What do you mean? Why did he use a Dajri?"

"He is hiding Bitruu death, so he needed the aid of a healer to do that, and the healer did it for him. The healer changed the looks of his Dajri into the looks of Bitruu. So that the Dajri - who is now impersonating Bitruu can die a mundane death. He needed to be buried."

"So the Dajri will die again? Just like that?"

"He will not. he played dead by making his heart stop breathing. Dajris are like that,  they can fake death for about days, sleeping with a stopped heart."

"But how did Bitrus die that wasn't mundane?" Tettes asked, trying to grasp it all. 

"That's why I need to come back. Bitrus died in a barbaric manner, beyond recognition. He was killed as a tool for sport. The killer was messing with your father. I must stop him."

"How do you know all these? How did you know that Bitrus was murdered?  I need to know it all!" Tettes purred, feeling impatient. 

"Thanks to the tall stranger you have being seeing."

"Who is he?"

"His family has been keeping my remains for about few decades and a century now. I do communicate with him in dreams as well. He is a magician but not a healer, true healers like your type are very rare,  we only have few true healers on earth, the healer that brought that Dajri might probably not be able to make another Dajri."

"why can't he bring forth the dead back to life again?"

"Because he is now very old, he doesn't have the power to bring back the dead. It is energy consuming. He might die trying."

"Why do you want me to be the one that will bring you back."

"You owe me that. I taught you how to make good herbs, I even taught you extra-power herbs that can make you stronger than a lion - and it gives you strength when you're riding her. I taught it all to you, at least pay me back.." said the elder. Tettes wasn't buying his selfish reasons. "Okay, okay. I was only joking. I want you because healers are rare,  I can't access any healer, I only got into your realm - I mean dream because you let me to. You invited me, other healers had abandoned and rejected my plea."

"I didn't remember inviting you into my dreams. But you are already dead how come you  dwell in my dreams. Why can't I reject your plea?" 

"You can.. But you have to bring me. Am already dead, yes, but I conjured this apparition because I can. I tapped into  some powers."

"How?"

"Because I can. My ancestors wanted me here, though they hate it that I will  become a Dajri, but it's the only way to stop what is coming."

"What is coming?"

"Death, devastation!" The elder stated.

"Whatever you mean... But why were the few healers you begged to bring you back refused to?"

"They were scared of someone. He might know when am back. He might wreck devastation on the healer that would bring me back. That's why you can't see my face, you just know that I am older than you, I am veiling my apparition so that the 'some one' wouldn't see and know that am with you."

Tettes felt a frozen cold piercing his heart, what was he getting into, he was beginning to feel insecure and frightened. "I can't be the one that he will destroy. I can't do it!" 

"Sorry if I hurt your feelings, but the thing is that we are all marked for his destruction." said the elder with a sad tone. 

"You say 'we'?" Tettes asked, not relating. 

"Our family, son. I am your great grandfather. Our family had been suffering from a curse for a very long time now. you have to bring me back, I don't want it to repeat in your generation." The old man pleaded, with a sympathetic look. 

It all came as a shock to Tettes, so he was with his great grandfather all this while without knowing. A curse, a man that wrecks havoc, Tettes wasn't happy about it all. "What curse?"

"I will tell you when you bring me."

"I will try..."

It was all happening like it was not real, he knew the dream was not merely a dream, it was reality, twisted into a dream-like realm. His family can't be cursed, they were all happy, he consoled himself. The old man,  who was his great grandfather, wasn't giving him a hint of the curse.

"What about the Crow?"

"The crow is a human being, he is a time police, his kinds have been hunting the 'someone' that causes destruction, he will also help us. I will tell you all of it when you bring me."

"What do you mean?"

"Just bring me back, I will tell you all you need to know..."

"I will try and see how the Bitrus-faced Dajri will come out of the grave, he will be buried in a week time. Can he sleep and stop his heart that long?"

"Yes. But he will be slowly dying, so the better they wake him, the best. Please be careful, don't go to his grave, it wouldn't be safe."

Tettes didn't answer, he knew what to do, and he must find out some things for himself. 
 The wind hastened and whoosed violently, raising up leaves. The leaves covered his great Pa, he was gradually turning into leaves, swaying in the air with other leaves. Tettes was left alone, under the enormous tree. 

He opened his eyes, and found himself in the comfort of his bedroom. Miss Mag was watching him, she looked exhausted and meek, lacking her normal cantankerous manners that Tettes dreaded. 

"Rise and shine!" she muttered.

"Good morning." Tettes greeted, rising up to make his bed. 

 Miss Margaret wore a smile, watching Tettes as he made his bed.  "When you are done come down stairs, the family needs you."

"Will be there." said Tettes, still making his bed. He watched as Miss Margaret was leaving. He got back to his bed when the door slammed shut,  relaxing his fatigued body. "Am really exhausted, really need a more sleeping hours." He muttered. He thought about school, he would skip it today, the family was mourning.
  He pulled open his cupboard, picking out his dream dairy. 

Dear dream diary, it has been a long time since I wrote, I..... 
He lost focus, he shouldn't be putting his recent dream on the diary, he thought. Nal might get it, he wouldn't want that. The dream was in his memory, it would never depart. He dashed out, getting ready to face and greet the family. 

~

Doctor Bitrus was buried in the town graveyard. Tettes was awed at the number of the doctor's relatives, they were like a community. Tettes had never known much of his own relatives. He only knew uncle Benjamin, and his mother's two brothers, and their parents. They were the only relative he had ever seen. 
 Tettes was dressed in a black suit, like his father, and Sydney. Uncle Benjamin was in a black suit as well, with a matching hat. 
Miss Margaret and Mrs Juliet wore a black loosed gown with a simple gele (head tie). Annas was still not home, it troubled Mrs Juliet. 
 The casket was sinked into the  gorged soil amidst cries from friends and relatives. There was a sad and gloomy atmosphere around the grave, as people made nice and warm comments about late Doctor Bitrus. 

"He was my first friend in this world, we started our first stage of schooling together, always a cheerful, funny and a warm person. He always stood by me in our nursery school, giving me his lunch just to please me. He did please me, he was a selfless friend." Mrs Juliet was saying. The late doctor's mum grew a smile on her chubby face. "We have always been together, we went to the University together, we read together, had many great time together. He was my best friend. He still stood by me, he never wanted to leave me,  that's why he asked me to give him a chance to serve as a family doctor to my family. I will forever miss him." Mrs Juliet said, sobbing and pouring out her tears in torrents. Mr Ernest nestled her weeping face on his chest, tapping her on her back. 

People took turns, speaking about the wonderful life of the late doctor.

  They were dancing and jubilation of a life well spent back in the late doctor's home. It marvelled Tettes, African burials do, he wondered why they were dancing as though it was a merry occasion. He wouldn't understand all of it, it was appalling to him. 

~
The graveyard felt cold, the soft breeze added to the chill. It was a pitch dark night. He hid behind the lined eucalyptus trees, studying the late doctor's grave. He shouldn't be doing it, he shouldn't have come. 
  He left the family back at the late doctor's home, lying that he wanted to be with Nal. He was eager to see how the Dajri will come out from the grave.

He waited for long, trying to pick out anything odd, it was a futile mission. His heart beat faster when he felt a tap on his back, he quaked in fear, turning to see who it was. 
 He spotted a fat short figure, "crap!! Please - plea - please wo - who are you?" He asked, faltering.

"I knew you are up to something." said the voice triumphantly. He recognized the voice. 

"Nal?!!" Tettes said with shock. 

"I have been monitoring you lately, I know that you have been following Doctor Bitrus before he died. I know when you lie to me Tess. I saw you today at eatery's delite hailing a taxi. I saw you from the bookshop. So I followed you."

"I am sorry that you have to find out this way. I was scared of telling you any of it, it is a dangerous path, and I don't want you to walk with me on it. I care for your safety."

"I don't care what path you follow, we are friends, friends stick together, no matter what. We will walk on that path together."

"You don't understand Nal, your life could be in danger."

"And yours as well. It is dangerous finding out whatever you are finding alone. Don't forget that we started all of it together."

"I am sorry that I sidelined you. But --"

"shhhhh... No but. We walk the path together."

"I don't think you understand it." said Tettes. 

"I don't think I need to. You have been my guide and protector in school as far back as primary level. I will help you with whatever you are trying to do." 

The wind swept with threat this time, Tettes black suit seemed not fit to kick the cold away. Nal was in a black sweatshirt, yet he shivered. 
 They heard a strange sound  somewhere around Bitrus grave. They hid behind the lined eucalyptus trees, craning their necks out to watch what was creating the sound. 
 The sound of footsteps. Tettes listened, the sound was coming clearer, like a sound of boots stampeding on the ground. Tettes craned his neck to have a view, they were three figures, it seemed like two men and a woman, the man and the woman were holding spades.
  The second man had a stunted figure, he walked slower, with a torch in his hand, he seemed old. They walked along Bitrus's grave yard, halting when they reached it. 

 The old man sat on the ground, resting his back on a tombstone. Watching as the lady and the man were digging.

"Reginald you know you can use magic to dig the sand out, stop wasting time." said the old man. 

"I prefer digging, at least let's dig a little before I use any magic. There is time, I veiled your presence from Unkur, so you are safe." the lady called Reginald said. 

The man shoving away sand, halted, probably fatigued by the digging. "Reginald, he is right. Use your magic, it will make it fast." the voice sounded familiar. 

"Tess... Is that not Annas?" Nal whispered. 

"it seems like. But how? He has been in Wide-pass all this while." Tettes whispered back, stupefied by what he was beholding. 

Tettes couldn't see his brother fully, but he saw some of his features through the beaming of the old man's torch. He saw his long beard and his braided hair. He couldn't mistake Annas's height. It was him. 
 The girl did it, Tettes had never seen it before, he had never seen a spade shoving out sand without it being propelled by humans. He saw how the  spade dug out sand. The girl directed her hands toward the moving spade, probably controlling it using magic. 

"Nal, are you seeing this?!"

"Wow!! it's magic. Telekinesis." Nal muttered. 

The spade dug out sand, even faster than when it was harnessed by Annas and the girl. 

"Your dad begged me with his millions, I never wanted money, but Your dad's offer was compelling. I and my dajri might need that amount..." said the old man. The spade was shoving out sand faster. Annas watched the spade as it moved. 

"Whatever!! But you took it. We needed you for the job, you are the only healer we can reach." Said Annas.

"My kind is rare, I don't think if they are much of us again. Do you know that your great grandfather was a healer?"

"I don't need to know, just let's do what brought us here and leave!" Annas snapped.

"Where is the doctor's real body, is it dismembered into pieces? You could all have given the family their dismembered son, than making them bury one of my dajri."

"Quiet old man!! you talk too much!!" The girl shouted. The spades struck a wood. She moved closer to the grave, picking the spades and tossing it aside, swaying her hands at the casket. The casket was levitating high into the air, she directed it to a free space, dropping her hands, the casket landed with a thud. 

"Nice work. Is a pity, always cleaning Unkur's mess. When will we ever stop?" said the old man. He got no answer. 

The pitch dark night, got Tettes wondering what the time was saying. He would sleep in the graveyard, the night was too sinister, and the graveyard looked macabre. He had no choice, he couldn't run from the strange activity happening in the graveyard. 

"How are we going home today?" He asked Nal. 

"I don't think we can go now, not when your brother is trying to get doctor Bitrus corpse away. What is happening, I know you know something."

"Not now, we aren't safe for now."

"What did your dad do, if that is not the Doctor's corpse then what is in there?" Nal whispered. 

"A Dajri. I will tell you all I know about it. But not now."

"I am sorry for asking too much."

"Don't be. Let's be safe yet."

This was too much for Tettes, he couldn't string it all together. His father had been hiding things away from the family. Was Annas working for him? he thought about it. But Dad hates Annas, he thought. 

  The girl dusted the casket, pulling it open. "Come and wake your Dajri up." she called out to the old man. 

"I am too old, give me time to come there, or you come get me." he said, still resting his back against a tombstone. He tried getting up, but failed. He tried again, managing to get himself up, he moved slowly to them. "I tried, is not easy to stand up and walk at my age. I tried." the old man praised himself. He tapped the sleeping Dajri.
 He whispered words Tettes couldn't here to the body in the casket. The Dajri rose, Tettes saw the dajri through the beaming of the torch - it was a carbon copy of doctor Bitrus.

"Holy Cow!!!" Nal muttered in shock. 

"Be careful. Don't let them see us." Tettes cautioned. 

The Dajri sprang out from the casket, studying the vicinity. "I did it, didn't I?" he asked. 

"yes you did." said the old man. He moved closer to the dajri, touching his forehead with his right hand. Tettes beheld a new being. The dajri was transformed into a slim young man,  probably his real form.

The girl did magic to drop the empty casket into the grave, and in covering the sand "Come together now, hold hands." She said. They all did. Within seconds they were no more.

Tettes and Nal was left alone in the graveyard, alone with the dead, they had seen strange things. They had to flee from the haven of the dead, they were alone, home was where Tettes longed to be.