Chapter 6

Umumiri

The sun had already formed a golden circle in the sky as people of Umumiri community was ready to settle in for the day ,most were thankful death had not come knocking during the day but that was not the case of Mama osita as she ran to the only man who she knew would help her .

    "Papa Nnoma ohhh" she called out tieying her wrapper to her chest "hey my son,my only son Osita"

    She was in despair, her son Osita has not returned from his hunt and no one claimed to have seen him .

Nwoke a manain his late sixties dark skinned slightly robust rushed out of his house on hearing his name 

"Nwayioma why have you come here at this hour ,what have gone wrong"

  He asked knowing most people are now locked  in at this hour of the evening not wanting to be used for sacrifice for Oshimiri.

   "Osita has not returned from the bush ohhh"she fell to the ground wailing

" ah ah mama what is it"Nnoma came out to see her soon to be mother in-law on the ground  wailing 

"Have you gone to ask his friends or maybe check the market" Nnoma father asked as his daughter tried to help her up

  "Yes ohhh,yes I have ,no one have seen him today"

  "Hmmm...Osita is not one to suddenly go out without informing anyone "Nnoma replied sitting on the ground with the wailing woman now dejected

"I told him not to go ohhhhh" she lamented

"I told him not to go to the bush"

"Mama calm down na , you are scaring me,Osita will come back ,I know he will" 

Nnoma couldn't allow herself to give in to fear, her beloved she believed would return soon

  "You women should stop this noise and allow me to think for a minute"

    They all kept silent looking up to Nwoke relying on his words as an assurance

    "Nnoma take her inside to rest she can't return home at this hour for the road must have been deserted, if Osita doesn't return here before tomorrow I will go look for some of our youths if they will not see me as a mad man to go look for him" he replied shaking his head in agony and despair he wandered when this all will end

    "put yourself together woman,if Osita had fallen into the hands of Oshimiri masquerade am sure then he gave them a hard fight before he died"

  That alone was enough to throw the two women into sorrowful morning as they held each other tightly and wept for it was a great loss

  Whether Nnoma father admitted it or not They all  knew deep within them Osita had fallen prey in the hands of the masquerades and was never going to return but they just wanted to hang on to that slim thread of hope .

   *****************

ABUJA

     Dr Paul led the way to his office as Charlie trailed behind dreading any news the Dr had for her.

    The office was opulently furnished and offered its occupant the luxury of a huge glass wall with the view of the big city ,it still carried the same hospital smell of antiseptic,drugs and so on she distracted herself with the huge human skeleton that stood at the extreme end of the wall a bed which she assumed was used for examination there was a small for adjoined which should be the bathroom.

Dr Paul sat down at his seat opposite her as he motioned for Charlie to seat with a grim smile he searched through files on his desk.

"Yes as to why I called you here, I have found a doctor who could help with your husband case"

Charlie allowed herself to breath holding on to a glint of hope .

    "Its a private hospital in India, I have made all the inquiries necessary its a well know medical hospital ,but you could still go on and make your own research to be certain"

He paused to know if he had her attention

"So what do I do Dr" she smiled weakly

He passed her a file which had updates about the hospital and financial updates

"When you are ready let me know let's work on the necessary medical protocols" 

"No time madam " he added

"I understand the urgency of it Dr ,can I go see him please"

"Visitors are limited because his case is a fragile one but I will take you to him if you promise to be discrete "

"Yes I will doctor , I understand" Charlie replied with a greatful look

The Dr led her to the private ward where her husband was kept ,she broke into tears her once vibrant husband life is been controlled by beeping monitors and oxygen its been a week but charlie still found it difficult to control her emotions, he looked thin and dead to the world,it was only the ready monitor that showed signs of life .

  "I will leave you alone with him now " Dr Paul said after checking the drip attached to his veins

  Charlie nodded already seated at the stool close to him

"I have failed you my love... I have failed you,if you were here with me you would have told me what to do...how can I face the harsh trivialities of this world  without you, everything is fallen apart,am at the brink of loosing my mind"

Pouring her heart out she held the cold unmoving hands of her husband 

"What do I do now,please I need you to help me scale through this,just wake up from this slumber"

**************

     There was an unseen force that came with a howling wind dancing round his car suddenly he was pushed by the spirit to pray he started speaking in tongues as the wind carried dust from the red earth around him Jesse coughed gasping for air

   "Return back to where you come from or loose your life"

A voice howled angrily in the wind as it squeezed life out of Jesse

  Jesse was loosing his stance on the ground he felt a surge of power building in him ready to explode

"Now I don't care to know what  powerless tactics you use ,but my Bible tells me though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil for my God is with me his rod and his staff they comfort me  by the power and authority he has given me I rebuke you and send you back to where you have come from"

Suddenly there was silence the wind has ceased ,the night was still ,darkness had already blanketed the earth he wondered what lay ahead of him now he knew the journey ahead was no child's play .

Jesse offered a song of Thanksgiving to God as he walked round the car again to be sure all was well

   He found himself playing a song from his phone

  Still by hill song  a fav on his playlist as he sang along all ready and alert