Chapter 7

Am on top of cloud nine right now here is a first review of my work by @sammie12e

#Fnbc

"Review of let God judge by @vickybr60 

This is so original.

And it screams knowledge of Africa and it's religious conflicts.

Your spellings, grammar and dictions are worthy to be emulated.

I personally would like you to complete your book,as I feel it's too good to be left aside.

I can gladly recommend this book to outsiders.

Thank you ♥️" 

So this chapter is dedicated to you gal

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Jesse playlist

Let me want what you want by PST Paul Eneche

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ABUJA

The darkness that enveloped the thatched house  was so think that charlie could barely make out human figures,she thought it absurd to be all decked up like she was in a special occasion where no one could really see her,though Ajoke her friend sat beside her she could identify the fragrance of her expensive perfume, there were other women also sitted like her,she was certain they held more sophisticated luster and appeals among peers and contemporaries in the society.

They hummed a song only known to them,she was curious as to who or what they were waiting for .

The thatched house where Ajoke had brought her to was spacious though with wooden benches ,there was an inner room in the house covered with a black curtain she could tell from the dim light that shone inside

"What are we waiting for " her curiosity piqued, she whispered impatiently to Ajoke who seem more comfortable with the silence and dark room

"Shh" Ajoke whispered back humming the song along with the bevy of ladies

"Young woman I know why you are here" A voice from the inner room boomed loudly making the women to pause in their ridiculous chanting

Charlie wondered who amongst the women he referred to.

"You seek for answers to your misfortune but" the voice pause with an outrageous laugh making charlie heart skip

"Are you ready to take the steps this women have taken" the voice finally finished waiting for a response

Charlie found her eyes darting round the figures she could make out straining her ears for any kind of response when Ajoke pinched her and whispered

"Say something"

"Ouch"charlie flinched

" ye...yes"she stammered then turned to Ajoke in a low shrill voice that looked frightened

"What is he talking about"

Some one close to her laughed in mockery 

"You would soon know my dear"

"I am Otubana the greatest I give wealth protection and solutions but you give to Otubana so you can recieve from him" the voice echoed as sadistic laughter boomed then incantations followed

"Come to Otubana woman...come to me...come"

Charlie stood up from the hard wooden bench she could feel goose pimples rise all over her skin as she slowly walked towards the inner room

The bevy of ladies laughed in chorus,melancholic laughter that resounds from experience

They all knew what awaits her in that room but no one was willing to tell.

It was a mystery she was yet to uncover

She was frightened to her bones but took a step inside the inner room 

What she saw made her scream.

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Outskirt of Umumiri

My babies ohhhh...please don't take them away"

That was the cry that made Jesse jet up from his sleep it was the middle of the night he had found some tree where he had parked his car to sleep through the remaining hours of the night .

"Please ...my babies...don't kill my boys please"

It was a woman voice

"Ngozi please let's go back those masquerades will kill us" it was now a male voice 

Agony was in the air Jesse sensed as he brought out his bible and annionting he locked his car tracing the voice not too far from where he had parked his car he saw a distant figures covered in outrageous clock moving into another part of the bush as the cries of two babies echoed through the night.

Ngozi rolled down on the ground held by a man who was trying to stop her from going after them

"Nooooh..." She screamed

"Please my dear put your self together ,CHI will give us another one"

"Noooh ...it took me years to have a child..Oshimiri cannot just decide to take both from me"she mourned pushing his hands away wanting to bolt after the masquerades

" Ngozi please,it is our tradition that the birth of twins is sacrilegious and to be offered as sacrifice,let them go"he mourned along with his wife

"Afam nooo...oshimiri cannot take my twins from me oh...they should kill me first...After eight years of barrenness, is there no god,

Is there no god that can save us,where is the CHI that you claims gives children can't he protect what He gives"

Afam had succeeded in restraining his wife as he rocked her and they mourned together for their helplessness and loss he looked around the deserted road how far they had chased the masquerades from the midwife house to the bush that led to Oshimiri stream it was forbidden for any ordinary being to see the rock that decorated the stream except the priest of Oshimiri and his assailants.

Today was meant to be a day of joy for the birth of their child after eight good years of Barrenness ,what else could make a man to break down in grief and cry like a woman ,the gods which his forefathers had dedicated their lives to have brought nothing but miseries upon miseries on them

"Ooh...Oshimiri I curse you...I curse the day I was born into this land"

Jesse ignored the two couples as much as he wanted to console them he followed the cloaked masquerades not knowing where he got the confidence from but he sure wouldn't allow them to harm those babies.

They stopped in a big river where a rock decorated as an alter stood he noticed as they danced round the round in incantations placing the babies on the rock as Thiers cries rang out through the night.

Suddenly the wind picked up around Jesse dancing round him with every dirt he couldn't imagine Jesse held his hand to his eyes

" what was it with this wind"

he thought to him self 

But the wind couldn't touch him they only hovered around him he noticed 

But something was wrong the masquerades were coming towards him with cutlass maidens too appeared around him with calabash that oozed smoked as they danced round him.

"I warned you to leave this land" A sadistic laugh echoed in the wind as Jesse saw himself knocked down hard to the ground .