The Prophecy... (Chapter 1)

Normally I write contemporary english-themed stories. It's no surprise since I literally grew up reading Hadley Chase books. I remember thinking he was the best author ever, lol.
Anyway, since my patriotic poem, I am Nigeria had positive responses from @antimetica, @agmoore and @girlbeforemirror, I decided to go distinctly african on this one...

Enjoy...

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Source

The Prophecy

Chapter One

Dawn arrived gradually, though the realization of its presence felt abrupt as per the shrill announcement of the roosters. Over and over they seemed to repeat the same message, even when it seemed clear that sleep had left the eyes of their reluctant audience. Still they persisted, until thrown stones indicated that the news had now become stale and rather irritating.

Slowly, men and women leave their mats and wooden beds to yield to nature's quick demands. Then the men, dane guns in hand, and a slinging bag across their shoulders, mount their bicycles and ride away towards the thick forests. Totally unconscious of the saying about the early bird and the worm, they nevertheless practicalize it as they go in search of early game.

The women, chewing sticks in mouth, rouse the young ones - who are never willing to get up with the roosters - to help with the preparation of breakfast. Then in little time the air is rent with the clank clank clank of metal spoons and pots, along with the smell of burning firewood mixed with the aroma of spicy soups. As the voices of mothers shouting and children laughing begin to grow consistent, you know that the day has fully begun in Adoka village...

It was on a day such as this that Okopi was born. Everyone had got up as usual, heading towards the place of their different tasks. Men to their farms, and mothers and children to the kitchens. To the ordinary observer, there was nothing special or different about this morning. It was just another day in the village.

But it wasn't...

In a tiny hut close to the edges of the forests, guarded by two able bodied men armed with sharpened cutlasses, a strange child was been born. And if any of the men on rickety bicycles had paid little attention to the very narrow footpath that cut across the main road, then they may indeed have heard the sharp voices and screams piercing the silence of the trees in phases.

"ékpè, push this child! Push this child like a true daughter of Otada! You dare not die on me! "

But then this footpath was more like the road less travelled. The Idoma people of Adoka considered this narrow road sacred. It was believed to be laced with all sorts of charms and concoctions, placed at strategic points to prevent the dead spirits of the forests from crossing over into the lands of Adoka village.

So no one from the village was there to witness the strange woman shout and scream for hours through the break of dawn. And no one was there to witness her die, as the old man exited the hut, a small brown bundle held up in his hands.

"àgbó, bring me the growel" he muttered, motioning to one of the bare chested bodyguards.

The guard entered the hut, and moments later, comes out with a small bottle shaped gourd, tied at its mouth by a string of rafia. As he approaches, the old man places the baby on the floor at the foot of a tree stump just before the head of the footpath. He then waits as the old man unslings the bag tied around his waist, and empties the fetish contents on the floor next to the baby. Then the old man turns to him, and collects the now untied gourd. He takes a swig almost immediately, and thereafter pours a little on the stump. Then he begins to chant praises to his god...

"He who neither sleeps nor wakes...
Whose single thumb can hold back the day break...
He who took the wealth of Och and gave to the pauper,
And protects the weak from the spiritual hunters...
Your servant summons you here today,
Come explain this mystery...

He takes another swig from the gourd, but this time he spits it out on the tree stump. He then pulls out a number of small smooth pebbles from his bag, talks into them, and spreads them on the floor. The guards jump in alarm as he screams almost immediately.

"à téèpù! Tufiaaa!"

He picks up the stones and repeats the process. But it is clear from his reaction that whatever he saw now was no different from what he had seen the first time. Slowly, he retrieves all his items one after the other, places them in his bag, and turns his back on the child.

"àgbó, you will take this child to the river and drown him. Do not look back when you go."

The bare chested guard who had brought the growel bowed his head and makes to obey...

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A large crowd slowly disperses from the village center. Men and women are walking in groups, some in solemn silence while others are whispering to themselves in hushed tones as they shake their heads.

Earlier a lone woman had run into the village square in disarray, falling down at the feet of the Och. She had been repeatedly saying the same thing over and over but had been in such hysteria that it was difficult to understand her. The council men had tried to calm her down, and it had taken more than a few minutes for them to succeed. In this time the crowd had gathered.

Onyeche saw a familiar face from the dispersing crowd and stopped him.

" What happened?" he enquired

The solemn looking fellow shook his head a couple times before responding.

"The Dibia is dead, him and his guards. They found a dead woman who just put to bed in his hut, dead too."

"And the child?" Onyeche asked, knowing and fearing what the response would be.

"The child is missing." the fellow responded, as he shakes his head and makes to take his leave again. "The prophesy is coming to pass"

THE END

#SladenSpeaks

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ékpè - woman
growel - a traditional drink made from fermented cassava
Och - traditional ruler among the Idoma people
à téèpù - He has come unbidden
Tufiaaa - abomination

Written for @thewritersblock's First chapter Challenge

I am currently undertaking my compulsory national service year, and I've been posted to the Idoma speaking area of the country. The friendly people here have inspired this one...

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