The beginning of the end

One minute he was with me and another he is gone -faded as though he never existed. Too numb too cry, I feel the arrow through my chest. The poison cursing through my veins- the effect was instantaneous. I fell almost immediately paralyzed- the pain to my right side was intense. I felt too stunned to move so I lay there immobile. The world was spinning. "That one's a fighter - thought she could run away. Hasn't got much juice left in her anyway." I could fairly make out a grin on his face. God the world was spinning my head felt as though it would split into two. "No I cannot go like this Amadioha must avenge me, Yes; His servant cannot die like this, No way. I cannot die like a nobody just like a sacrifice. No way. I had been devoted I do not deserve this fate, NO. "Slowly as I knew the end was near I began to recount to when it had all begun.

It was the day of my ritual cleansing, I was finally a woman. Standing before Ani and the other gods of fertility I promised to devote my works to things that will only bring village glory. I am from a small village called Mbutu, we never did have much but we were proud, content and happy. In the harmattan, everyone in the village came round the town square to listen to words of wisdom from the ancients. We heard these words so that in time we too might equally impart into our children the words of our fathers and their fathers and the fathers before them.

We owned farmland collectively and in the planting season we planted our crops together. Awards were given to the man who cultivated the most yams- because it was the food of kings. Women were given no such honours for we were only there to help. We did not mind this; we got our licks in when it was time for the full moon dances. We showed off our graces as women, even the married ones enjoyed the heady feeling they felt when their husbands couldn't take their eyes of them. It was funny to see men who would never argue over anything get into mock fights to entice a young maiden to be their bride.

It was at one of such meetings that I had met him. He was standing far away from the crowd and smiling at the jeers from the crowd who were having fun watching the mock fights. He had thick hair and an unshaven beard but even at that he was the finest man I had ever seen. I felt like coming closer to talk to him but he must have gotten tired of the noise from the crowd because he left before I had a chance to do anything. Later that night I fell into deep thought about the stranger I had met at the square. Even though meet is too strong a word for what had occurred, I wished I could meet him and talk to him. Even though I had only seen him from a distance I felt like I would never be the same.

The next morning, I approached Kaka, my grandmother, and I told her of this stranger. When I was done, she said in Igbo,

"Nne, you said that he had long hair and stood apart."

"Ehen, I did"

"Then avoid him. It's best you came to me not your mother for you see, he is not a normal person. "

"Hehn?"

"He is an Osu- he is bound to a god, he is not free-born and if the men had seen him there they would have killed him. He carries his hair long and unshaven so as to remind all that he belongs to a god. He cannot marry people like us- the freeborn- lest we become like him. He only marries his kind. All Osu people are offsprings of maidens dedicated to gods. My advice is that you leave him alone, go down to the farm and fetch me some yarrow. Tomorrow, we will see Agwoturumbe and ask him to procure an amulet for you to keep you from encountering his kind. They are abominations and deserve to remain in Ohia Agwu for the rest of their days." She coughed loud and hoarsely, she had stiff longs and if not taken care of could lead to lock chest and eventually death.

Normally I would have run off to fetch the medicine man but I was so shaken I did not move until she shouted my name loudly. I ran off to fetch Ileka the medicine man. He was the only medicine man for miles and miles around. As I ran I tried not to think of what I had just heard. I met Ileka coming back from probably another hose call. One look at me, he knew that something was up with Kaka again. He did not say much, he only picked up his cowries and went with me. On arrival, he threw the cowries up and began muttering something strange. He did this every time he had to go somewhere to ensure that the gods were with him as he entered every compound. He did this also before attending to Kaka. He must have gotten an affirmative because; he took at a couple of leaves, crushed them and asked me to fetch water. He made a broth out of the leaves and gave them to Kaka. Her cough subsided instantly. He said something about Kaka's condition but I could not bring my mind to focus and understand it. He left his broth with us with a payment of 15 cowries in his hand.

Over the next few weeks, I tried to follow Kaka's orders after all, I did not know the stranger and I am sure he had not noticed me. I had been thought to obey without question and it had never failed me .I tried not to give thought to things , as a woman I need only my looks and the sense to serve my master well. Nobody needed my input especially as a young person. No, the elders are always right I reasoned. I must follow in their ways and footsteps. Following Kaka's advice, I tried to put him out of my mind and almost successfully did so if not for the events that followed.

His Eyes

One faithful day, Mama had sent me to buy a local substance for mixing medicine called utaba. The only place that this was found was in a far village called, Omole. It was one of the few villages known for its trade in this substance. Mama usually made this trip with me but today she told me to go alone. Mama said that very soon I would be old enough to get suitors, when I get married I would make this trip alone so it was better to start now.

The market was 4 forests and 3 rivers far from my house and as such I had to carry a lot of cowries in other to pay for the boatmen to carry me across the water . I woke up before the first cock crow and began to make arrangements. Mama gave me instructions on how to cross the river. If I was fast, I would get home before dark. I was to avoid using the short cut route because it would lead me to Ohia Aru and only experienced hunters took that route. She equally told me to avoid all men who appeared unshaven. She would tell me why later but today, I would just have to obey her and avoid them. Just then, Kosisonna woke. Even though he is just a baby, I wonder he had some sort of ESP because he woke up only at the moments important matters were discussed. Noma, my stepmother, often said that he behaved this way because he had Papa's genes. Kaka often told stories of Papa as a child- according to her he was a crybaby. Our mothers- his wives – often made jokes about this but they never did so to his face.

"Kosi, I'm coming. This child and his timing….Nene wait here let me get him." She hurried off without a reply.

She returned some minutes later with Kosi in her arms and the cowries to purchase utaba from the market. I heard the first cock crow as I was on my way out of the compound. I felt agile. I had eaten heavily for this journey and I had also packed some roasted corn and plenty of water to sustain me on this trip. It was going to be a smooth trip, I told myself- or so I had thought. Crossing the first stream was no hassle as the boat man was already present. Although I could not see his face properly, I noticed that he had a firm build and outline. He was also clean shaven- thank goodness. He merely asked my destination and after I paid him, he helped me on his bat and we silently made the journey to the end of the river. It had taken an hour or two but it felt longer because the man said nothing and I was getting bored just looking at the heads of the crocodiles on the water. I wondered if the tales that they were reincarnations of our ancestors who came back to watch over our streams had any truth in them. 'If our fathers believed them then it must be true,' I decided.

On the shore of the first river, I said my thanks to the boatman who acknowledged it with only a nod. Since the sun was up, I began to study the elderly man's features. He appeared older than Papa. It was hard to tell as he was sitting down, but he was a man of average height with stout build. I looked at his face and for the first time I noticed that he was blind in one eye. He must have noticed my expression because; he chuckled and touched his blind eye. He only said one thing, "If you are crossing the next forest, and beware of the snakes on the trees. Do not associate with the Osu people, the gods will always find a way to make you pay if you do."

I was terribly shaken and I began to wonder why the gods had set apart a group of people from others. Surely we were all people so why the segregation?. I could not ask the man to explain himself because he had already rowed out with his boat into the river. Absent mindedly, I picked up my bags. I walked for a long time lost in thought. I did not know when I had crossed paths through the first two forests. I kept pondering this until I got to the next river. The next boat man was the complete opposite of the other. He appeared tall and lanky. He equally could not stop talking. In the hour it took me to cross that river, I almost had a nervous meltdown. His talk activity made me miss the silence of the other boatman. I couldn't have been more grateful when the journey ended. Before I could leave he said something that made me stop for a moment. "Remember not to talk to the unshaven people. The gods will get you if you."

At this point, I began to get tired of this entire unshaven people-Osu- business. Why was a tribe ostracized because of the demands of the gods themselves? It did not make any sense. If they were properties of gods, why did the people avoid them? If anything they should be worshipped. It didn't make any sense. I quietly pondered all these as I settled down to enjoy my mid-morning snack. The water was cool, I needed that. I spent a couple of minutes massaging my ankles under a tree at the shore before I began my journey one more. I asked directions from an old lady who sold okpa to the boatmen working there and I resumed my journey once more.

I had walked through the path leading to the next forest. I had never particularly paid much attention to this part of the journey probably because I was often too tired to mark the land marks. This was a problem but believe it or not, I found a shortcut to the market. A hunter directed me to the path. I had quite forgotten what my mother had said about shortcuts. I reached the market without having to cross the next river. For someone who had been walking since morning, it seemed like a miracle.

Due to the high demand of this medicine, I had to wait till evening in order to properly bargain with the traders. Since it was late they would want to make fast sales- this was my opportunity. I waited till the evening before I bought a bunch for only 2o cowries, such would have cost me 50 initially.

I had to make haste before the sundown. I took the initial shortcut, but as it was darker, the trees started looking funny. I began walking in a straight line. I found myself in the middle of a cluster of huts. A woman coming out of her hut saw me and screamed. She pointed at me and said, "Free born what are you doing here? Those who come here never leave." I was sweating at this point, just then I remembered what my mother had said about the shortcut-what good timing. I began to pray to Ani and all the gods I knew to get me out of this mess. I gave promises I had no idea how to keep but I guess that was not important at that point. I just knew that it was imperative for me to leave that place at that moment.

Just then, a hand pulled me and began talking rapidly to the woman. I looked into the most ferocious eyes I had ever seen. I wasn't sure but the way he stood made me sure that I had seen him before. Then it came to me- the stranger from that night. He did not say anything only pilled me away from the bemused lady. He took me through the path I had come and to the river shore and left me there. When I turned to thank him, he only said coldly,"Hm.. You may leave and don't come back child."