Merry Haven - Episode 9

 

Dream upon dreams, the lessons went on, the tests were accurate, he was becoming a great healer.

Tettes and Nal test had worked, they brewed the herb in the South road forest, it was a location that were seldom visited by Merrians. They sold the herbs under a false name to an old native drug trader. They often met at the forest road, conducting their transactions . They were becoming their own boss (Tettes gave all the earnings to Nal, he was okay without it, money wasn't his desire, he had his millions.)

The old man tutored him more on different varieties and recipes of  herbs, he was quickly mastering herbal recipes.

 They were in the forest, brewing an extra-power herb. Nal recommended the forest as a safe place for brewing the herbs, but they did it with fear and care. Nal wanted to test the extra-power herb on himself, he wanted to use it to ward off his bullies.

The small cauldron was placed on three stones, with the burning of firewoods heating the cauldron. The steaming heat from the cauldron was flying out through the open space of the cover, Tettes dropped the cover against a nearby rock. Stirring the boiling herb. They were in a clearing, sitting on a little rock.

When the herb was ready, Tettes poured it into a bottle. The cauldron was left at a safe box underneath a brushwood

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

. The two friends dashed to the road, hoping to hail a taxi.

"You have to be patient, it must be cold before you test it, don't let your parents see it. We wouldn't risk being caught." Tettes was advising Nal. The herb was stored in Nal's bag. The hailing of taxi was futile, they decided to hike a little, waving at vehicles that buzzed past. Vehicles seldom move on this part. They got a taxi that saved them from the hike.

They met at school, it was the day the herb would show its effect. School was over that day, but they lingered, waiting for the three bullies.
They waited under a mango tree, few leagues outside the school. Students were buzzing past them, moving quickly to their various homes.

"Am jittering, I pray the power potion works." Said Nal.

"Chill... It will work, since you felt the reaction in your system."

Three burly boys strolled along their path, the tallest of the trio was a boy with haggard looking dreadlocks, he wore a pitch dark jacket. The others white long sleeves were folded, wearing a designers black trousers instead of the normal plane, with gold chains jingling at the trousers waist. The sight disgusted Tettes. The bullies spotted Them, hastening their pace to get to them.

"If it ain't Nal..." The tallest bully muttered. "Tettes sometimes I wonder why you're always following this jerk. He is a miser." His fellows cackled. "Jerks stick with their fellow a*sholes!" He spoke in  stentorian tone. 

This was too much for Nal. He dashed to the leader, ending a punch on his chubby cheeks. Blood spurted out of his mouth, like a soft drizzling of rain. The tall bully backed away, trying to tend to his injured mouth. His fellow bullies watched Nal with surprise. 

Tettes could see the passion  in Nal's eyes, Nal looked surprise as well, he gripped the two bullies firmly on their shoulders, he jammed them together with a strange force, they both collided. They winced in pain, the pain was too much for them, they all did what Tettes didn't expected, they ran for safety.

Some students watched it all, it was probably a surreal spectacle to them, because they knew how weak and timid Nal was. Nal had shown great courage, and he had triumphed. Tettes enjoyed it all; the surprised gazes, the actions, the bullies running, Nal's triumphant eyes - he loved it all...

The gossips found ways of traveling to them. It was fun to  Nal.

Nal has proved himself, so he was that strong. 

The chumps are scared of him  now. 

I even heard that  Nal attacked them again. 

That boy Is tough, I think I like him now...

All these gossips were circulating the whole  nooks and crannies of the school, the three bullies had given Nal his freedom. Nal was now the hunter, hunting his obnoxious preys.

Tettes was still spotting a  similar figure, the man was virtually every where. He saw him at the entrance of the bookshop across Eatery Delite, his prying eyes made Tettes shiver. The man was cladded in a pitch black coat, wielding  a long staff in his left hand. Tettes increased his pace, walking faster to school.

  He saw the strange man the next day, this time it was under the mango tree (where Nal proved himself to his bullies). He was still in the coat, Tettes quickened his pace, wishing he could fly to school.

He woke up late, still brooding about the strange man. He cared less about his rumpled bedsheet. Miss Mag will pardon me for it today, he thought.
 He strode to his window, parting the curtains. A jetty black Crow glared at  him, it had a dark blue eyes and... "Holyshit!" Tettes muttered with awe.  The eyes  was one he knew,  it was  like Annas'. The crow was on the  window's sill. It was still staring at Tettes. It flew away, Tettes was snapped out of his awestricken state. He hadn't seen such before, he wondered if he was going insane.

Nal lacked his recent findings, Tettes wouldn't tell, he doesn't want Nal to be part of it, it might go sour, he wanted Nal safe. It hurts to keep such knowledge away from his friend, but he felt he was doing the right thing. 

He brewed more herbs for Nal,  he did brew for the old native drug trader.

The forest road seemed too tranquil, only  made less gloomy  by the sweet wind.  The rustling of the  wind made the trees at each side of the  road to sway in sync. They were stuck at the  pedestrian lane of the road, that led back to the burstling street  of southroad, waiting for the native drug trader. 

Nal held a leather that contained four bottles of the concoction. Tettes was with his bag, resting it on his right shoulder. They had stayed for an hour, still waiting for him. 

"Tess, what is wrong with you? You feel moody." Nal enquired. He did have ways of quickly spotting Tettes mood.

"Nothing. Am fine, do I look moody?"

"Yeah, you do. It's written all over you, you have been less interactive since we got here today."

"it's nothing really.." Tettes insisted. He must  try to act normal,  he would lie about  his reasons for being mute, he thought of a great lie. "I'm not having the dreams again, the old herbalist has forsaken me." Tettes managed, it wasn't a lie though, but he was glad he used it.

"He can't leave you now, this is when we need him the most." said Nal, he looked concerned about it. 

"Don't worry, he will come back,  he always do."

"I pray he comes. Your not done with all the lessons, you have more to learn."

"I do?" Tettes chuckled, he was releived of his sad mood a bit. "He said something unbelievable the last time he was in my  dream. He said that I can also do magic..."

"Woah....! He must come back, let's do some magic! It could be true, I believe you can do it. The power herbs I do take has some magical component, I can feel it. And the way I  am dealing with Mark and his friends is too powerful to comprehend. I believe him, you are a healer and a Magician."

"let's hope so. Is up to him."

"He will come, don't be sad about his absence, please be cheerful. "

"Thanks man." Tettes said, with a  big grin.

It was odd, but he wanted Nal to be safe, being discreet would help.

The old native drug trader arrived, his engine was humming a harsh tone on their ears. His motorcycle was as old, rough, and wrinkled as his face. The man saved their ears from the harsh engine tone when he halted. He had grey hair that gave him the virtue of his old age, weak eyes and a stunted figure. 

"Welcome sir." Nal greeted, Tettes mimmicked Nal's words. 

"Good day, Am ready for the herbs. The last one you gave me worked wonders, am getting known as a great herbal doctor, thanks to you guys." Said the old man. He had a cracky voice.

"Not thanks to us, give all the kudos to the herbal doctor that made the herb. We are only suppliers." Tettes corrected, trying as much as he could to veil their identity. 

"When will I  meet him, I will like to learn from him." Said the old man.

"No you can't,  that's why he has suppliers, he prefers to be unknown." Tettes added.

"These are your herbs." Nal poked in, giving the leather to the old man. The old man took it, depositing it into the basket on the motorcycle.

"Here." said the old man, giving them money. "That's five thousand Afros, it's complete." He added when Nal took the money. 

The day was still young with the soft wind whizzing past Tettes ears like a mild whistling of an enchantress. The old man left minutes ago, yet they couldn't get a taxi home.

~
Tettes opened his eyes to a new day. Sydney was seated at the edge of his bed, staring at him. Syd was tall but not as tall as Annas. He had a calm and beautiful face like his mum. His smartly trimmed hair and beard contradicted Annas's rough ones. The crystal white of his eyes shone straight to Tettes. Tettes had failed at placing which of his brother looked more attractive, it was an observation he wouldn't get right. Both (Sydney and Annas) were handsome in their own way. Sydney was athletically built as well.

"Tess, good morning... Mum couldn't wait for you, she wanted to let you sleep as much as you want, you needed it." said Sydney. He craned his neck to the rumpled bedsheet. "Miss Margaret went too, thank your God she didn't come here."

"it's a good thing she didn't." Said Tettes, moving his eyes to the rumpled bed sheets.

"Just learn making your bed when you  wake up. It shows how mature and responsible you are." Sydney advised.

"Thanks. I can still meet up with church service." Tettes said, springing up from his bed. 

"you can't anymore, it's eight minutes after nine.." 

"uh oh... I guess you are right." Tettes said, resting on his bed. 

"Tell me Tess, how is mum taking Annas's absence?" Sydney asked, he had been away himself, always busy with maintaining and working in their father's business empire. 

Tettes moved closer to his big brother, sitting close to him "She is scared of his absence... she has been calling his phone number but it has always been switched off, sometimes not available. She has been trying it for several days now."

"I have also been on it, still not available."

"she is too concern, it's disturbing her seriously. She wanted to go search for him, but Miss Mag insist she wait and give him sometime. But he went to  Wide-pass for a business thingy, he can fend for himself, he is an adult."

"Mum wouldn't see it that way... I just hope he returns."

"I pray so. Maybe he is trying to stay off dad premises for some time. He does that. "

"I hope so. Come downstairs, Miss Mag prepared dinner for you before she and mum left." Syd said, striding out from the room.

Annas was a man of his own, Tettes hope he comes back early and keep Juliet out of her misery. Tettes had his problems, Annas absence shouldn't disturb him, wether he quits being a jerk or not was no concern of his.  

 He strode to the window, parting the curtains. He saw the strange Crow again, the Crow glared at him. Tettes shooed the Crow away, veiling the window with the curtain. He parted the curtain again, shutting the window (he loved leaving it ajar, covering the curtains instead).He wouldn't leave it open anymore, the Crow gave him a bad feeling in his guts, shutting the window wouldn't give the macabre beast access to his room anymore. 

 He dashed out of the room, trying to rid the sinister looking Crow out of his head, dinner would be a good distraction.

Same occurrences; The strange man at the bookshop, the crow on the compound's Jack-fruit tree (his window was always shut, the crow no longer had access into his room) - he only spotted them when he was alone.   

His dad walked into the living room with a man he hated seeing - Doctor Bitrus. Tettes hoped he wasn't here for him, he wasn't having any scary dreams. Though the dire dreams visit frequently but he wasn't screaming as before. 

Tettes was on the love seat with his big brother, watching a  program on TV. Mr Ernest and Dr Bitrus sat on a couch beside the love seat.

 The doctor was of average height, with a robust face and tiny eyes. He sipped the juice he was offered with care, tightening his frail lips as though he was disgusted by something, or he was probably shy,  Tettes couldn't place it. He looked as cute as ever in his black suit. The doctor's comportment was shaky,  Tettes had never seen the almighty Doctor this timid before. 

There was something odd about Doctor Bitrus, he wasn't as before. He was always cheerful, he loved teasing and joking with the family, but he lacked such features, he was probably bothered about something, Tetttes wondered why he was mute. 

"Doctor, hope all is fine... Just so you know, am not seeing the nightmares anymore, am fine as ever." Said Tettes. 

"He is not here for you. We went to an occasion together, he is staying here for some minutes." Mr Ernest answered for the doctor.

"But dad, what occasion?" Sydney asked, Tettes noticed the sadness in his voice.

"It was just a get together occasion,  we and some old friends. It was just us." Mr Ernest answered. Tettes was  surprised at Doctor Bitrus's calm mood. 

Tettes glared at Doctor Bitrus, examining his timid gestures. "Doctor Bitrus you aren't speaking, hope all is well."

"yep - yes.  Yes,  all is well." Said the doctor. Tettes couldn't place what he beheld, It was as if Doctor Bitrus face transformed into a skull and returned to its normal form. 

"Syd, did you see Doctor Bitrus face?" Tettes whispered to Sydney. 

"yes... It looks shy and timid. It's unlike him." Sydney whispered back. 

Tettes was shocked, he was the only being in the living room that noticed the changes, something didn't seem right.

Doctor Bitrus stood up, picking his briefcase. "Mr Ernest I may take my leave, thanks for the stop over."

"let me see you off." Mr Ernest offered. They strode out. 

Tettes heard the sound of the engine, he dashed out trying to tell his dad of the  danger he perceived. His father was at the porch, waving at the doctor as he left in his milk mercediz.

"What is it son, you look restless." Mr Ernest noticed. Tettes was calm now; his dad was safe. Spilling out his observation would be helpful, but he lacked the courage to tell. Maybe it is in my head, he thought, letting it be. 

"Nothing dad, your safe and sound, is all that matters. "

"what do you mean son?" Asked Mr Ernest, he was studying his son like though he just discovered something new and strange. 

"Nothing dad. It's just - I thought you called Doctor Bitrus because you are mentally sick, now that I know you are not, am fine."

"Okay, am not sick, thanks for caring."

Something wasn't right, Tettes felt it. Doctor Bitrus wasn't the Doctor he knew, his skull-like form said it all. He must find out the missing bit, he should, he feared the danger, it was lurking. He longed for his dreams, this was when he needed it most. He needed his herb master, he might know things that was out of human comprehension, he must have answers.