Preordained - Episode 6

 

“No, I’m not your biological mother,” Mama had eventually replied after so much persuasion. And suddenly, I was being filled in on every single detail of my existence, coupled with that of my biological mother. 

“Lulu, I’m sorry,” She began in tears. I was tearing up too, and Mama wouldn’t let go of my hands . “One fateful morning, I’d gone to the farm to clear the weeds when I met your mother. I’d never met her before, I didn’t, and still don’t even know her name. But at the time, you were bound to pop out at any moment, she looked helpless, and so I’d brought her back with me to the village.”

“She did give birth to you, albeit in grave pain. We knew she wasn’t going to make it, she knew that too. But right before giving up, she’d asked me to remove the earrings and necklace she had on. She insisted that I gave it to you the moment you turned two, and she also insisted that I named you Lulu. I tried my child, I tried to ask about her life, where she was from. But she wouldn’t say anything. All she said was that your heart will eventually find your real home, and that before then, I had to take care of you. She made me promise her that.”

It was quite a lot to take in

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

. It felt overwhelming to think that I’d been living a lie, a life of uncertainty; It even hurt more to think that I had no definite history. At that point, I suddenly wished I hadn’t been so inquisitive. I wished I could just go back to the bliss of being ignorant. But of course, it was already too late. 

“Is that all?” I asked, refusing to meet Mama’s gaze.

“No,” She sniffed, readjusting her wrapper, and walking over to her belongings. I didn’t understand what was happening, not until my gaze had landed on the golden crown: a carbon copy to the one I’d seen in my dream.

“W-what is t-that?” I stuttered. I found it difficult to hide that feeling of utter shock.   

“This also belonged to your mother.. I think you should have it,” She revealed, handing it over. 

And I’d received it, albeit with a shaky hand. 

Apparently, things never remained the same from then on.

Read " After Grad " by the same author ( Ishola Ubaydah )

. I wouldn’t talk to Mama, I couldn’t even look at her. And the times that I’d reached my emotional limits, I’d simply headed straight to Nathi’s, letting my guards down, and crying my heart out in his arms.

“Who exactly is Lulu Madiba?” I’d vented at myself one evening, unaware of the fact that Mama was lingering somewhere behind. And she’d patted me lightly on the back, whilst the tears in my eyes had flown even more fluidly.  

“I know I’m the last person you want to talk to right now, but Mama Yahimba asked me to give you this.”

It took a few second for me to actually turn to look at her. And it was only then that I’d also noticed the bundle of paper she was stretching out. 

“What is this again Mama?” I asked, bemused. 

Smiling warmly, she simply responded. “Why don’t you check it out yourself.” 

Overwhelmed by a little pang of curiousity, I’d slowly, but surely accepted it, watching her retreating figure, as she vacated the hut almost instantly. Thus, upon her exit, I’d eventually revealed its content. 

“I knew it!” Came my soft yelp. Of course, I’d known all along. I’d known there was more to Mama Yahimba’s book than she’d wanted me to be aware of. Secured in my hands, was the torn pieces of paper from the same book, the pieces of the puzzle I’d been initially left to ponder on myself. 

Placing the paper together, my eyes had then flickered to the wad of texts underneath the picture of my jewelleries. 

“These are the accessories that a Banshee is never without,” I read out loud. “And although, the full extent of the Banshee’s power is not very well known, it is a fact that a pack of big dogs cannot do without her, as her absence could only make the members of the pack go rogue, hence, in grave danger.”

Danger? What sort of danger? I inquired mentally to myself, flicking through the pages again, in search of answers. 

I found it. 

Danger of being killed by a stronger pack. The book explained. 

“There are even more packs?” I thought out loud, whilst all I got in return was absolute silence. 

It was difficult to surrender myself to sleep that night, not when my thought wouldn’t stop wandering back to the new information I’d just discovered. 

But as my eyes began to slowly close up sometime later, I’d concluded on one thing, before drifting off to sleep. 

I need to find my pack.