The Retelling Story of Igodo - Episode 9

 

Thanks so much for your patience

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Something strange happened......

The rope that Odum held turned into a snake. Panicking, he loose his hands and then fell into the pit together with the snake. His scream for help was the last thing they heard before the pit suddenly closed.

"No, no, Odum can't go just like that". Ebuka broke down into tears.

"If this is a dream? I need to wake up from it" Ojadike spoke out.

"Amadiohia!! Amadiohia!! Why did you forsake us now, why did you allow Odum to die? Why, why?" Ikenga questioned Amadiohia.

"Let us go, we have been in this forest for the past four days and we haven't found a clue that will lead us to the cave where Amadiohia's knife is . We all have to abscond from here quick. Odum is gone and gone for good, our tears can't bring him back". Uzodinma said crying, she was trying to encourage them but inwardly she was happy. Her plans were working, one down, five more to go.

Ikemefuna went over to where the pit was before and bent down to look carefully, it seemed something wasn't right, this wasn't aberrant to him. Something must have gone wrong some where and somehow.

He stood up and went to meet the others

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/the-retelling-story-of-igodo

. "We have to keep moving. It is abysmal that we had lost one of our brothers in the forest of the dead but nevertheless we all have to be adroit in the forest from now hence forth, okay?". Ikemefuna said and they nodded their head in unison.

"He's right, come on let us start going. We are going to take that path down there", Uzodinma said, going down the path,  prompting the others to follow her.

"I think we should go the other way, I have this strange feeling that we are going the wrong way. Let us follow the other path", Ikemefuna said pointing the other way, he had been feeling unease after Odum's sudden death.

Uzodinma broke out a tiny smile as she stare at Ikemefuna, "And why if I may ask,?"

"I don't really know Uzodinma, all I know is that we are not taking the right way". Ikemefuna said trying to reason with Uzodinma.

"Are you now a seer Ikemefuna?" Uzodinma questioned.

"I know I am not a seer neither am the seer here, but I have never for once doubt my spirit". Ikemefuna replied back.

"Please, that is enough. Uzodinma you have been the one leading us since we started this journey, I don't see any harm in what Ikemefuna said that would warrant you to ask him such question. So I suggest we take the path Ikemefuna pointed". Ojadike chip in and the rest of them agreed on what he said.

"Very well then, Ikemefuna, lead the way". Uzodinma said pretending to let the issue slide, as Ikemefuna took them through the rightful path, her abhorrent towards Ikemefuna grew more and more. She laughed wickedly in her mind and began to plot against Ikemefuna, his death will be so easy.

Meanwhile in Nwagebe Village

Nneoma was on her way to Nwagebe stream when she fell down suddenly to the ground, her Udu (earthen/ clay pot) broke into many tiny pieces.

She stood up from the ground immediately, dusted herself from the sand patched on her body.

"Mbanu- No!! No!!", she shouted, panicking, she rushed back home.

She passed her sister, Ugochi who was sweeping the compound, and her father who was also preparing to go to his farm to harvest some cassava, yams and maize. Nkechi was weaving Nkata- Basket, she was planning to sell it in the village square later that evening. Everyone of them stood still as Nneoma passed them with speed only meant for spirit.

She went to the back of her house non-stop, passing her mother who was pounding fufu and was waiting for the water Nneoma went to fetch from Nwagebe river, she was surprised to see Nneoma running into the narrow bush path that was beside the kitchen, going towards their family shrine.

Nneoma approached their family shrine, she only went there whenever she felt something was going to happen.

She quickly went into the shrine, going towards where a black clay plate lay on the floor in front of their deity, she took the plate in her hands. It was decorated with various charms and in it were seven eggs.

Nneoma looked surprised on seeing seven eggs still intact, none of it looked broken. 

"Something must be wrong, how can all eggs still be intact when I fully know that one of them is gone, so how come?" Nneoma asked no one in particular, suddenly a vision came to her, she saw what happened to Odum and also the conversation held between Uzodinma and her brother. "Something smell fishy here, and I am going to find out that fish. Who ever is doing this, should know that they have meet their match".

She kept the clay plate back and went back to the kitchen. Her mother had stopped doing whatever she was doing and was waiting for Nneoma's return from the shrine, she didn't have to wait for long  when Nneoma approached the kitchen.

"Nneoma, what is it again? Is Ikemefuna your brother okay? With the way you ran into the shrine, I hope nothing has happened to your brother, my only son?" Obidiya quickly asked, seeing the look on Nneoma's face, she thought maybe something had happened to Ikemefuna.

"Mama, someone is daring me ooooo". Nneoma said laughing out

"Someone? Daring you? Who?" Obidiya asked.

"Mama don't worry yourself, Ikemefuna is doing fine. No one touches the tail of a Lioness and live to tell the tale. The best way to eat an elephant in your way is to cut him up into little pieces".

Read " The Forgotten Wolf " by the same author ( Ifeoma Isabella Okeke )

. Nneoma said, took another udu and quickly left her mother's presence.

Okeke, Nneoma's father, had been wondering if his daughter made an encounter with an oddity on her way to the stream. He saw his daughter emerging with an udu under her armpit.

"Nne, who provoked you?" Okeke asked his daughter, pitying the one who had anger Nneoma.

"Papa, do not call the forest that shelters you a jungle, that is all I have to say", Nneoma spoke

"You are speaking in riddles again. Nneoma, I asked you if someone provoked you", Okeke said.

"Papa, its no riddle. A roaring Lion kills no game, I am going to fetch water from the  stream now", Nneoma said and left her father, her two sisters quietly watching her as she left for the stream.

Who ever that had provoked her is in big trouble, a very big trouble.

Meanwhile in the great forest of the Ancestors

Igodo and Okike sat down, patiently waiting for the children of Amadioha, it has been four days since the children of Amadioha had journeyed to great land beyond and haven't make any progress of finding the knife of Amadioha.

"Do you think they will all make it out alive?" Igodo suddenly asked Okike, he had been having some strange feeling that all is not well.

"Only time will tell, someone in their midst will betray them, leading them to their death. I just hope Ikemefuna noticed it on time and save them from death".

"I don't get you old one".

"You won't understand, because you cannot understand the language of the spirit. I see someone, someone coming to their rescue, Amadioha can be cunning at times".

Meanwhile in Umu-Igodo

Igwe Omenike was in his palace with his elders when one robust woman came running into his palace with an udu-clay pot in one of her hands, she fell down immediately she got into the presence of the igwe and started crying.

"Ogini nwayi- what is it woman?" Igwe Omenike asked as both him and his elders stared at her for answers.

"Our river has dry up", the woman said, wailing.

"Please, explain to us what you mean by that" Mazi Okoro said

"I said, Umu-Igodo river has dry up" the woman repeated herself again, then proceeding in explaining further. "I went to the river this morning to fetch the water I will use in preparing my family breakfast this morning, when I got there, I couldn't see any trace of any water in the place the river use to be. It had  suddenly dry up"

"I thought things were getting better without any deaths recently, why is this strange thing happening now?" Igwe Omenika asked no one in particular.

"Emm woman, go and fetch the water in our neighbouring village for now. We are going to find a solution to this new problem". Onuwu told the woman. She nodded and left them, going to do what the Onuwu told her to do.

"From death to our river drying up, what is really going on?" Igwe Omenike asked no one in particular, wishing Igodo and the children of Amadioha could appear in right in front of them and tell them the answers to their new calamity.