Outcast - Episode 7

 

I know I was recuperating and my temperature was getting back to its normal. I saw Papa came to the side of my bed and held my hands and squeezed into his own. He touched my face to check my body temperature. I looked at him and blinked. He was ageing so gracefully. He worked so hard everyday, so we would have something to feed on.

"Nwa'm, your mother just delivered a baby girl", Papa said. I smiled . The joy that I would have someone to play with now. My classmates talk about their senior and junior ones. I get jealous seeing them drag their junior ones home.

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Mama and I were discharged after a week, Papa wanted to pay for the bill but Padre Pio asked him not to worry. Papa looked so emotional as he thanked the priest. I stared at Papa's face trying to make out the emotion on his face. First time I was seeing him so emotional in his look. Papa still kept that mean face even when he was laughing. He always told me, "Obiefuna, you are a man and shouldn't be caught behaving like a woman in term of emotion". I'd only nod my head in affirmation.

Lot of well wishers came to greet Mama. Mama Nnukwu was specially happy. A female child finally, she bragged to her friends that came. In the night, Mama Nnukwu summoned a meeting

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

. Papa sat on a wooden chair with a resting back that rested so lowly. Mama sat on a long chair carrying my sister. Mama Nnukwu sat on a stool. She adjusted her wrapper and leg.

"We need to find where Iyi uwa is buried", Mama Nnukwu said. I thought what's Uyi uwa in my mind. 

"We need to find in what form it's buried in this compound first", Papa replied.

"The river goddess want him dead but there is a force holding him back. A powerful force. The river goddess needs to be appeased before she leaves Obiefuna to his parents", Mama Nnukwu said. I saw Mama adjust herself and the baby she was carrying.

"We are not appeasing any goddess. I know the force fighting your superstitious belief. It's the power of Christ in Obiefuna", Mama said and dragged me while carrying my sister into the sitting room. While in the sitting room, I heard Mama Nnukwu telling Papa that Iyi Uwa was buried in the form of a stone in the compound and they need a native doctor to appease the goddess, who will come and search for it. She said it and left immediately to her hut.

"What's Iyi uwa? Could it be what I saw that night through the window when the ground was opening?", I asked rhetorically to myself. 

During my sister's naming ceremony, she was named Nwakaego, meaning Child that's more important than money. The next day, Mama took us to church for us to be baptised. We started wearing scapular and going to evening mass during weekdays. Papa didn't know who to support between Mama and Mama Nnukwu stance towards us. Papa always told Mama Nnukwu, "I'm your son and I practice your religion, leave my wife to practice her own with her children".

"She has poisoned your mind", Mama Nnukwu would reply.

"Leave it like that", Papa would say.

Since Mama gave birth, I'd help her to fetch water and run errands. Anytime Adaeze would want to fetch water, she will ask if I was interested. As usual, we went to fetch water. We followed a little path that  linked to the river. Adaeze was singing a folklore song. I was fascinated. She switched to another song.

Nne Nne'm, udu m araputa'm, I replied udu

Udu'm ji chu mmiri
Amaghi'm, udu awa, I replied udu

Translation,

My mother, My mother, my bucket has implicated me, I replied bucket

Bucket I used to fetch water, I don't know how it fell and broke, I replied my bucket.

Immediately, we saw a python that obstructed our way. I screamed, "Jesus". The Python stretched a bit to obstruct us, I wanted to run back but Adaeze held me back. The Python moved a bit and we passed. We got to the river and we fetched our water. Adaeze told me to wait for her that she's hungry. She entered the bush to pick some kernel she would break and eat. Immediately Adaeze left, I started staring at the water as it flowed calmly.

Read " Living In The Ghetto " by the same author ( Obinna Tony )

. I remembered my dream, I looked back, like in my dream, our path had been covered with vegetations. I  screeched, Adaeze's own interrupted mine. I ran to the bush and saw her limping. I tried carrying her outside but she was big and I couldn't. I dragged her out of the bush to the river bank as she was crying and writhing in pain. Her leg was swollen and gushing blood. The Python had bitten her. She was bleeding from the nose. I looked at the path again, it had cleared. I screamed for help, the water made a splattering sound and a heavy wind started blowing. Immediately, my scream attracted some helpers as they came and carried Adaeze to the village while I followed them with tears dripping down my eyes .