THE TEMPEST

Chapter One - AfterNight 

The hissing sound of the snake along the bushy path altered the running of the horses as they were galloping down the road to the river. In shock and what seemed like a reflex, they neighed and soon their fore limbs were high up throwing down their riders who then had no choice than to start asking questions as to what could have made the horses behave the way they did.

As they turned facing themselves, they found something stranger, it was as if the day had suddenly turned into night. The Sun suddenly became darker and darker and soon they were in total darkness. "What's going on? One of the men asked in fear. Before he could get an answer, they started seeing torches lit up in the far darkness and it seemed to be getting closer. Still miles away, they saw what they could only assume an army of invaders on horses marching towards the river. 

The river was what separated the forest in which they were and their own town 'Ilu Igbasaye' . And now, it seems as if the town was about to be attacked and there was no one to announce the impending doom. 

As the horses approached with their lit torches being held by the horsemen, the men who stood by started running towards the river as if to save their lives, but one by one they were slain. As the last man was almost at the river bank, he was axed down and left for dead... He blanked out and bleeding he opened his eyes after some time to see his town in ruins... He looked around and all he could see was Women and children being taken away by men who seemed like they were taking them captives. But he couldn't see the men of his town. Were they all slain? He asked himself. 

As he lay there asking questions, he felt someone stab him,  but he had no strength to even look back to see. In pains he groaned and... 

Sweating profusely,  Kolawole shouted as he was brought back to reality. His mum ran into his room followed by his father 'the Otun' of Ilu Igbasaye. 

"what happened?  What did you see?  Hope it's nothing very serious? " These and many more, his mum kept asking him. 

Kolawole has always been a gifted child. Like a gift he was from the gods who had blessed him with grace of seeing into the future, or as his friend would call it... Taking a sneak into the future. Kolawole, who is 26 year old at this time, had been asked of of the goddess of the River 'Orisagbomiwa' . 

Mrs Bolatife, Kolawole's mother had been married for 8 years without a child. At that time, Mr Okin, her husband had received different advice from his family members and friends to take another wife, go and test his manhood somewhere else, divorce his wife and many more. But he loved his wife so much and refused to take to any of their advice. His own mother, had said she would disown him as her child for refusing to heed to her words. His dad was late then, he would have been more understanding than his mum. But all that didn't deter his trust and love for his wife. It was all these and some other things that made them go to the river goddess to ask for a child. 

They thought they would be asked to sacrifice this and that, but to their amazement, on reaching the shrine called 'Ile Orisagbomiwa' they were asked to go in facing backwards, on entering, they were greeted by maidens who were attending to the priestess. They bowed and offered kolanuts on the white plated calabash at the feet of the priestess. 

The room was a large room clothed in white, at first Mr Okin thought it was white paint on the walls till he looked and kept observing the way some sides were folded and then he saw more clearly thag it was cloth. The room was neatly dressed with even the floors being clothed in white linen. Then, he noticed the room had some ornaments hanging from the ceiling. Some were beaded materials, some like cowrie, some others like calabash with substances immersed in them. 

It was from one of those hanging calabash that the priestess had ordered a maiden to offer Mr Okin and his wife something to eat from. After eating, they were offered water in a white calabash that was beaded all around. The water was later known to be from the river of the goddess. 

The priestess then began to speak to them. She called out his name... "Mr Okin, I know what brought you here. The gods have spoken to me as you've drank that water and eaten what has been offered to you. And your prayers have been answered already. But here's an important information for you, when this child clocks 5 years of age, you are to bring the child back for some atonement and this is compulsory because this child of yours will bring in wealth to your household and this village will benefit from the gift of this child"

"Priestess, thank you so much, we don't know how to repay you, but all that you've told us, we will do accordingly " said Mr Okin and his wife who were now laying flat on the floor thanking the goddess. 

After 9 months of their visit to the priestess, Mrs Bolatife gave birth and they named the child 'Kolawole' meaning a child who brings in wealth.