The Child of Thunder 11

By
Ifeoma Isabella Okeke

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“Why have you been staring at me like I have grown three heads?” Ogbanje asked Adaku, her stepmother, who had been gazing steadily at her.
“Nothing, I was just thinking” Adaku replied without hesitation.
“By staring at me as if you want to strangle me to death? If It is so then please look somewhere else”
Without uttering a word Adaku stood up from where she sat, giving Ogbanje a scornful look, and she dashed to her chamber.

**********

Ogbanje’s Dream:

Ogbanje found herself at the crossroad. A “Y” juncture. On the spot she was standing, rays of white light emitting. But the two parts ahead were embedded with darkness.
Not afraid but her eyes were full of surprise.
She saw two men standing in both path.
“My beloved Adaolisa, come to me, come to your love Amadioha” the young man in the shadow of the dark spoke up.
“Who are you? And what am I doing here? Why did you call me Alaolisa? Who is Alaolisa?” Ogbanje asked all at once.
The second male on the left path answered instead. “I have brought you here so you can choose between the both of us who will be your husband, him or me? he questioned without any feelings of remorse.
“Alaolisa mu, do not pay any attention to whatever he says, for I am your…”
Ogbanje woke up from her dream.
“Thank the gods it was only a dream” she said as she looked round her hut.
But on a second thought. Who was that one that refer her to Alaolisa and why does the second one keen on her choosing between the both of them?
This was really a strange dream.
But why will Amadioha said that she was his Alaolisa. Something is definitely fishy somewhere. The Child of Thunder 11
If she was truly the Alaolisa as Amadioha has said then why hasn’t he revealed himself to her. Why does he only speak to her through his voice?.
She heard a noise outside her room.
Who could be the one that is outside by this time of the night.
She shifted herself from her bamboo bed and slowly made her way towards her hut door. She tiptoed quietly towards the hut door.
Opening the door silently and quietly, she quickly took a peek outside and was surprised to see Adaku, tied up in white wrappers. A red head band was on her head. She was carrying a pot. Her face wasn’t the Adaku she knew.
Ogbanje Observed what she was doing. Her eyes were use to the dark and so she was seeing very clearly.
Suddenly, the old woman whom she usually help appeared. She transformed into a young woman, almost making Ogbanje to shout out in surprised.
What was the old woman doing here at this ungodly hour? Did she know Adaku?
“Adaku”, the old woman began as Ogbanje listened attentively. “I know what you are about to do?”.
Adaku waved her hands in the air around them in attempt for Okoro’s household not to hear their conversation, but Ogbanje wasn’t affected by that act of hers. “Killing him will affect her greatly and if I do not kill her by then, I will kill Ebuka or turned him against Ogbanje”.The Child of Thunder 11
“There, you keep on saying that but I know you are fighting a lost battle. Killing Ogbanje’s father will make her descend on you with her wrath” Eze Nwayi warned.
“I am not scared by a mere Little child who calls herself Ogbanje all because a strong god is with her. In case you have forgotten Eze Nwayi, I no longer belong to your witches coven anymore. I also have a strong god backing me up now. Eze Nwayi. I am now above you. More stronger than you can ever think”
Eze Nwayi! The old woman she usually help was one of the Amusus (Witches) they have in the village. Not only that, she is the Eze Nwayi of the witches coven.
And Adaku was one of them, planning to kill her and her father. This would definitely caused her to see the other side of her which she hardly bring out.
“Adaku if only you really know what you are up against. Do you know that Ogbanje is been protected by her two mothers and her husband? Leave this lost battle of yours before you die in it”
Does she knew about the strange man calling her his wife?
“What two mothers and husband are you speaking off? Because the only one I know is dead” Adaku asked.
“One was her mother from the previous world which is too powerful and the second one you killed. Ogbanje is the Princess and her husband is the one that has been protecting her from all our attacks. Don’t be too deceived by your new powers. They said the head that harkens to the voice of the wisdom shall be praised alongside with it’s body” Eze Nwayi said and hit her legs twice on the ground and transformed back to the real Eze Nwayi “I only came here to give you a final warning, it is up to you now Adaku”. Eze Nwayi warned again and disappeared.
Ogbanje was silently watching and listening to their exchange of words till end. And for the first time she was rendered thoughtless.
So, Ogbanje have two mothers? Adaku thought as she silently made her way back to her hut.
She tiptoed back to her bamboo bed to think about what she had just heard from her so called Step mother and the old widow.

*******

Ebuka smiled as he watched everything that had transpired between the Eze Nwayi and Adaku. He had been the one to have waken up Ogbanje from her dream his brother, Ikenga, was planting into her head.
He knew that Adaku and the Eze Nwayi would meet.
At least now his Alaolisa has known the true color of the old witch and that of Adaku. He has to go to the ‘Ogbanje world’ to inform the queen what have been going on.

*********

Nnenna’s Hut:

“So you mean he came back?” Ebuka questioned.
“Yes Ebuka, I met him at the stream when I had gone to fetch some water my step mother would use throughout that day” Ogbanje answered repeating herself once again. She was planning to tell him about the discussion between her Adaku and Eze Nwayi but left it for another day for now, she was going to tell him how Ikemefuna had paid her a visit again, early this morning to tell her, she would be his sooner or later.
“Ada mu, you know that Enwere m gị n’anya nke ukwuu, nri?- I love you so much, right?” Ebuka asked all of a sudden. He felt it was time to let his feelings out for the girl he had grew to love with all his being.
“I already know that Ebuka. You know, I have always loved you and have always carried you in my heart” Ogbanje said.
Finally she was able to confess about her undying feelings for Ebuka.
It is time she embrace his love for her.
“And I love you Ebuka. I have always loved you right from the first day” Ogbanje added quickly.
“Good Ada. You have no idea what that word means to me. I am finally happy you said those words to me. I am so happy I waited all these years for your love” Ebuka said, his face radiating love.
“But promise me Ada that if this stranger comes back for you again on no account should you reply whatsoever he asked of you, Inugo- do you hear?” Ebuka added as he stared at his beautiful Alaolisa.
Ogbanje nodded her head, then rested her head on the shoulder blade of Ebuka.
In a hidden spot Ikemefuna watches them. He nodded his head. He ran off from his hidden place with an inhuman speed.
What Ikemefuna didn’t know was that Ebuka wasn’t a mere human whom he would soon tossed.
Suddenly Ebuka felt it and stood up unexpectedly, looking around him carefully.
“What is it Ebuka, did you see any thing?” Ogbanje asked all of a sudden, she was confused and unease at what Ebuka was doing.
“He was here Ogbanje, I felt it” Ebuka said hurriedly.
“Who was here and why did I not felt it like you did?” Ogbanje asked.
“Ikemefuna was here, Ada, but he’s gone now. I think he had stalked you and followed you into this place” Ebuka replied back nonchalantly.
“I see”, Ogbanje said but became confused. “But how were you able to sense his presence Ebuka? How did you know it was Ikemefuna that was here?” Ogbanje added suddenly. She had finally felt the presence of someone faded scent.
But how did Ebuka got to know before her?.

To Be Continued…..

Story by Ifeoma Okeke