The shipwreck, am I alone here?

Hello steemians nice writing to you again, when I saw the picture we were told to write on. It brings to mind the peaceful and secluded nature of the village river. Peaceful and relaxing in its every view, the boulder surrounding it proves to be the best place to take a dunk into the water, such is the nature of water; peaceful yet dangerous which brings to mind a old Ibibio adage that says MMON ANEM KE CUP(water is sweet In a glass). And I present this folkore to you, concerning one of the deadly things that water houses.

Okon was returning from his evening hunt when he decided to stop by the village river to have a drink of water. He decided to admire the beauty of nature before drinking. The water flowed peacefully and the boulders surrounding it served as a beautiful resting place. After drinking to his fill, he raised his eyes to see a beautiful girl seated on the boulder. She was looking the other away as if she was expecting someone. Never had he laid his eyes on beauty such as her, he decided to approach her.
“Good evening pretty, how are you?” he asked.
Jacqueline was surprised that a human had noticed her, offering her best smile she turned to say hello to the stranger.
“Hello, good evening sir”, she responded.
Okon walked to her and asked her if she was expecting someone, she replied in the affirmative that she was expecting someone. He offered to keep her company. They had a lengthy discussion where Okon told her briefly about himself and his occupation.
Jacqueline was very discrete about herself, only revealing her name. she was secretly wishing that the person she was waiting for would not arrive and meet her with Okon. She tried her best to send Okon away but Okon insisted that he would stay with her till her visitor arrived. Sadly, jacquelines wish was unanswered because Hector met her discussing with him.

Hector arrived the to discover his betrothed talking to another man which is not to be so. He stomped to the boulder she was sitting on in anger only to discover that the man she was talking to was a human. That even pissed him off the more, why would she stoop so low to talk to a human. On reaching her, he grabbed her roughly by her arm and demanded why she would talk to a human. Okon couldn’t bear to see the way this man treated Jacqueline and decided to step in.

“hey, why are you dragging her like that; is that how to treat a lady?” Okon asked hector. “that’s not your business human” Hector replied. Okon was stunned as to why this unknown man would call him human and decided to ask why Hector made such a comment, when he opened his mouth to speak; Jacqueline shut him up by saying "“Okon you promised to leave when my friend arrives, thank you for waiting with me, please leave now”* she said harshly.

Okon quietly left why Jacqueline spoke harshly to him while he was trying to defend her from that bully that called himself a man. He was so consumed in thoughts that he didn’t realize when he reached the house. He was pulled out from his thoughts by his mothers voice who greeted him loudly.
*“Good evening mother, why are you so loud with your greeting?”" he asked.

“evening dear, I greeted you twice and awaited your response but didn’t receive any from you, that’s why I greeted you loudly. I thought that the water spirits had taken your voice for breaking a rule” his mother replied.
Okon was the second and last son of his mother of four children. His two younger sisters joy and esther collected his bags as he went inside to freshen up. After freshening up, he lay outside his hut on the mat, the moon was full and in view. The full moon made him remember events that unfolded today and Jacqueline, oh dear! What a beautiful name but he hasn’t heard of such in his village, how could he forget the man that came to see her. The man just looked like her and was very harsh to Jacqueline. He also wondered why Jacqueline’s parents would betroth her to such a man.
Why did the man address him as human and why did he not see anyone along the river, not even the small children that liked to take deep splashes from the boulders into the river.
Today was so confusing, the forest was so quiet and he couldn’t even see a cricket to catch. Seems like there was an unspoken law that even the animals decided to obey. Yet again, his mother interrupted his thoughts.
“why didn’t you come home early today? Didn’t you know what today is?” “did anything happen today? Did you kill someone?" His mother threw questions at him.
Okon laughed and said “mother too many questions and I don’t know which to answer first, surely I didn’t kill anyone, there was no reason for me to draw my bow”.

“so why the change in your mood, I am your mother and the Okon I know is a bubbly person, I'm convinced that something has happened which is the sudden cause of your silence”.

“Indeed you’re my mother”, Okon replied Okon narrated the incidence that happened at the river today, he explained that he couldn’t come home early because he was keeping a beautiful lady company as she was waiting for her betrothed.

“Chai! Iyammi (oh my), okon ammekid ndem" (Okon you have seen a water spirit) his mother exclaimed !
*“shh, mother please stop shouting you will wake everyone up”" Okon pleaded with his mother. His mother lowered her voice and said “ I have lowered my voice but you must promise me that you won't go to the river once the sun goes down and you wont see that girl again”.
“yes ma, but why? Okon asked his mother.
“I said you met a water spirit, you’re lucky you were not killed and you're asking me why you shouldn’t see her again” his mother quizzed.
“how do you know she is a water spirit?, what if she is from another village” Okon asked his mother.
“ Sai(oh), she has blinded you with her beauty, from your narration of events, I know she is a water spirit, they usually come out every day when the sun goes down and I'm sure you were not killed because you didn’t know, please my son remember that after your brother and you, you are the only ones I have apart from your sisters who wont become mine again when they are married, please don’t make such mistake again” his mother begged but Okon’s facial expression showed that he was not moved by his mothers words. His mother seeing that he was not moved added “ since you say she is not a water spirit, why didn’t you see children at the river bank”, she lowered her voice and whispered, “ those water spirits feed on children that’s why parents hide and restricts their children movement when the sun starts going down”.

“I have heard you mother, its already late please go and sleep”. Okon bid his mother goodnight dismissing her word. His mother knew that her son was in doubt and decided to visit his elder brother and inform him to advise his junior one..

The next day was a resting day and everyone were mandated to rest, Okon’s mother used the opportunity to visit her first son in his house to tell him to advise his brother on the sin that he was about to commit. When the sun went down Okon’s mother wasn’t yet back from visiting his brother, Okon snuck out.

No movements, rustling of trees, the swaying of the palm trees, the soft crashes of the water against the boulders. He arrived the scene, nothing, no Jacqueline, disappointed he decided to head home.
“didn’t your mother warn you not to come back here?” Jacqueline’s voice asked echoing down from the top of the boulder. He smiled and said “I came to see the face that gives me sound sleep”
“aren’t you aware that the same face can put to endless sleep for breaking the law” Jacqueline asked.
“You broke the law by letting me live yesterday” okon replied.
“touché” Jaqueline replied. “I know why you are here” she continued, “the man that you saw yesterday is the king of the river of the neighbouring village, I have betrothed to him and I must honour the engagement or my mother will kill me”.
“Indeed, you’re a water spirit” Okon asked?
“Yes as your mother told you” Jacqueline replied.
“Because he is a king doesn’t give him enough reason to treat that way, you deserve better, the way he treats now is a sure indication of worse in the marriage” Okon replied.
“it’s for peace to reign between us and I must honour my mother at all costs” Jacqueline responded.
*“When is your marriage” Okon asked.
“in three weeks” Jacqueline replied.
“then let me treat you better” okon told her climbing the boulders to sit with her.

As Jacqueline sensed Hector's arrival, she made okon to disappear to his room in his house. Their secret meeting continued, Okon’s brother warned him but all proved futile. Okon was determined to love his water spirit. On the last day when Jacqueline was to go her husband’s house…she and Okon met with themselves and bade themselves goodbye.

When Jacqueline left okon’s secret meeting stopped and his mother heaved a sigh of relief. Four months later a loud bang was heard on the roof of Okon’s room and Okon went missing never to be found again.
…. Jacqueline gave birth to a human baby which was impossible which meant that she had an affair with a human before marriage. She was murdered while Okon and his baby were offered as sacrifice. Jacqueline's mother refused to lose two children at the same time and decided to take two of okon’s sisters as replacement.

Thank you for your time my dear readers. Let me invite my friends @goodybest, @comfortpeter and @victorlives to comment on this story and participate.