Chapter Nine: My Destiny and the excursion.
I finally fell asleep. Sleeping was sweet especially since it's a sound sleep.
That night,I had a dream. Some kind of a spooky dream.
In my dream, the black Cobra appeared to me. Though I was in my room, but the room looked different. Green 🌫️ fog, filled the environment
The Cobra was quite larger than when it first appeared at the uncompleted building. It had the statue of a warrior. I could see my grandma sitting on the bed absent minded. It looked like she wasn't even seeing me but she was quiet.
"Hi Naagin"
"Hi"
"Hope you missed me? Anyways,how is Ovie?" It said like we were casually friends.
"He's fine and thanks for helping him" I appreciated with a smile.
"Time is not by your side, Naagin" The snake said as it wound itself round me.
Staring at me face to face,it gave me a smile.
"What do you mean by saying'time is not by my side'?" I asked with a confused look.
"Let me explain"
The Cobra snake told me of my destiny. It told me that I was the chosen one. It told me about Umuguor community and how I was to free my people from slavery.
"There is no time to waste, Naagin. You have come of age, your enemies are at large"The snake says as it frees me from its grip.
I took time to process what the snake had told me. I do know about the slavery of the people of Umuguor by the Agbejor community, but I have nothing to do with any of that. I have a grandmother to take care of and a dream to achieve. I can't be wasting my time on some kind of destiny. My Grandmother had always told me that I am the one to choose my destiny,no one else is to help me choose it.
"I'm sorry, you are just trying to make me feel everything is real. Especially since it's a dream" I said with a determined look.
I woke up.
I kept breathing profusely when I had woken up from the dream. It was a strange dream, though, I didn't have time to think about the dream.
I checked my watch,it was 7:30. A Sunday morning. Ovie woke up not long after.
"Good morning" he said once he had woken up.
"Good morning' I muttered weakly with a smile.
I stood up and gave him a peck on his smile cheeks, both. He looked stronger than yesterday, he even showed me he could stand. An impossibly quick recovery. He was a lot handsome when he smiled.
A nurse came in to check on him while I left the room to ease myself. After my activity at the restroom, I took my time in going round the hospital. As early as that morning,a lot of patients could be seen around.
"Hi"
A young girl on a wheelchair greeted with a smile.
"Hello" I said returning her gesture.
She presented me a flower,a 🌹 Rose flower. It was nice and I accepted it.
"The doctor said I would be able to walk again and I feel like giving everyone a 🌹 Rose flower" the girl said.
"Thanks so much and hope you achieve your dreams" I said with a lovely chuckle.
********
I went back to Ovie's ward, only to see a woman with the principal and the doctor. The woman, being introduced to be Ovie's mother gave me a refreshing smile.
Ovie was discharged not long after. I asked Ovie's mother about Ovie's father because I haven't seen him.
"You must have seen his father, I'm a right?" Ovie's mother asked.
"Yes ma . I drove both I and Ovie to school for extra classes" I said.
She sighed. Sorrow was written all over her face as tears trickled down her face.
"You do know about the crisis between Umuguor community and Agbejor community?" She asked again.
"Yes ma" I said wondering how that related to the question I asked her earlier.
"Ovie's father is related to the king of Umuguor. He could have escaped during the war, but somehow he was kidnapped by some hoodlums from Agbejor community and was identified to be a relative of the king of Umuguor" She said smiling but tears could be seen trickling from her eyes.
I left Ovie's mother crying realising that Ovie's father is one of the captured people of Umuguor. Ovie looked more like his father since he was the only child (according to Ovie).
Ovie was finally discharged. I left the hospital and dropped home by Ovie's mother. I went inside to get dressed in order for me to go to church. Mama was already prepared when I got home so I had to hurry up and get dressed.
Church was one of the boring places I had hated. I have no friends in church and no association. The youths in church said I was somehow weird especially the spiritual faithful ones. I wasn't in the choir section nor did I do any activity in church.
We got to church somewhat late. "The Roman Catholic Church" stood in so much glory. The church was parked with a lot of cars and motorcycles. I and Mama walked in to meet the ending of the praise and worship. Mama sat at the middle line while I sat at the back.
★★★
Church was as boring as ever but it came to an end. After the church service, Mama went over to meet the Priest along with some other men and women. I followed her to the Priest's office. Being the first in line,we went into the Priest's office.
The priest being an old man with a white beard and a half head looked at Mama and me like we were criminals.
"Come in and have a seat"
We sat down on the two chairs in front of his table. Looking at both of us squarely, he cleared his throat.
Suddenly,his face turned sour immediately he saw me. Mama's attention was turned over to me.
"Sir ,is there any problem?"Mama asked with a confused look.
The priest stared at me with a fearful look written all over his face.
"Get out of here!! Get out!!!!" The priest shouted.
Mama who didn't really understand the situation told me to seat down. She tried explaining to the Priest that she had come for the Priest to pray for I and her, but the Priest, overtaken by fear kept shouting.
We left his office with people's eyes staring at us and mouths gossiping without control.
I couldn't figure out what actually made him scared of me. But I knew it had to have been the Black Cobra snake's doing.
TWO MONTHS LATER
I sat in class somehow lonely. It was prep time and Ovie had not come to school. Praise still have not been caught or could he have joined a cult. A cult have been terrorizing schools and the police have been trying to track it down. Ovie came into the class not long.
"How are you, Naagin? Hope you slept well last night?" Ovie asked as he walked up to me
"I'm fine" I said.
The school bell was rang for assembly and for 30 minutes, everything went well.
The principal came to give her announcement
"Good morning students"
"Good morning ma" we all greeted at the assembly hall.
"This announcement is mostly for the ss3 students. Since their Waec is coming up soon, the school had decided to arrange an excursion to Benin city. They would be visiting a museum with already prepared tickets. The bus that would be convey them has already been provided" She said as she was given an applause.
I could hear some students wishing that they would have wanted to also go on an excursion. I smiled.
"Next week Monday is the excursion, so SS3, get prepared" She concluded as we all matched to our classes.