Amaya’s destiny episode 17
AMAYA’S DESTINY
(NIGHT RAIN)
Episode 17
:
Written by author Nath
:
Ghene city once again grew worried over the disappearance of dead victims from the collapsed building the next morning. Meanwhile, Jimmy had dressed for school. Immediately he came out of his room to the sitting room, he stopped behind a cushion, listening and watching a journalist on a television screen broadcast thus: ..”following another night rain, a building was said to collapse without the trace of dead victims. People now live in terror and asking what’s really happening in the city…”
Jimmy put off the television with unconcerned exhalation, thoughtfully headed to the front door only to see a young girl standing when he opened it. He speechlessly took a very good look at her appearance which seems like an apprentice in a secret witch society: dark pointed hair parked in three places, long eyelashes and dark eyebrows with a black wetl¡ps which are totally different from her fair complexion. She wore a crop-top over a mini black skirt then on her feet rested long heel shoes. Accordingly, Jimmy also looked over her shoulder to see a power bike as deadly as the girl.
“How clever are you?” the girl asked, staring directly into Jimmy’s eyes.
“Is that a good morning? And where the f-ck are you from!? Who are you, bitch?!” he aggressively queried.
The girl smiled. “You’re as rude a they said, but handsome. I’m Jade. Ikuku summones you. Follow me!” she climbed the bike. Jimmy jumped in from behind immediately.
“Where is Ikuku?” he asked as the bike zoom off.
“Where else? He’s surrounded by the walls of Den of cleverness” Jade replied. Only then did Jimmy understood why she asked him how clever he is.
The bike took them through a bushy lonely road Jimmy had never imagined to pass through until they stopped before a round local house that has a flat roof, covered by shrub. There were no windows but a single door. Jimmy climbed down from the bike, staring at a riddle encrypted on the door.
“The riddle changes any time the door opens.” Jade narrated, stepping closer to the entrance. She looked at Jimmy who was behind still staring at the riddle. “How clever are you? Can you try?” she asked him.
“So Ikuku is really real” Jimmy muttered. He cleared his throat to read the riddle that says: “A cloud was my mother, the wind is my father, my son is the cool stream, and my daughter is the fruit of the land. A rainbow is my bed, the earth my final resting place, and I’m the torment of man. Who Am I?”
“The first sentence is in past tense..” Jimmy began to exercise his cleverness as Jade smiled at his behaviour. “…rainbow is my bed… one who goes to bed remains dormant…” he chuckled when he finally got the answer. “You’re rain!”
Instantly, the door opened.
“You’re not only handsome but clever too.” Jade walked in followed by Jimmy then the door closed and the riddle changed automatically.
The interior part of the building was illuminated by burning fire on sticks that hung at every corner of the sanctum. Jimmy could see the shell of a tortoise and other totem there. Just as he fed his eyes, Ikuku came out from another room, wearing his usual white garment and a staff in his hand.
“Jimmy Okenagba, to call war the soil of courage and virtue is like calling debauchery the soil of love.” Ikuku spoke in proverb as he was appraoching the boy.
“I don’t care if my people are courageous enough to face the war that is coming” Jimmy understood the proverb. “I’ve been made a thing of ridicule in the public! Insulted by Amaya herself! I dare not speak to anybody again of what is about to come!”
“What about the life of Amaya, lad?” Ikuku lowered his voice.
“I don’t care if she dies or not!”
“Amaya is drastically growing weak by each night rain. Search your conscience again. Do you wish to see her lying dead in a casket when you can save her life?”
“I’ve made up my mind, and there is no going back!” Jimmy stood by his words, stepped closer to Ikuku and continued. “Why don’t you come out from your hidings and make them believe you and what is about to come, huh?”
Ikuku turned his back on him. “Truly you’re rude and stubborn. When Rachael’s destiny was changed to favour the Talibans, yours was changed to save her life. That’s why only you can do this. I must not interfere rather encourage you!”
“When the city start swooning with Talibans, you’ll do more of interferance than encouragement. I’m out of here!” Jimmy began to walk towards the exit, while Jade stared at him. Ikuku turned immediately, waved his staff at the door and the length of the riddle increased, thus becoming more difficult.
“You might have figured out the meaning of my poem. But if you don’t answer the riddle, you’ll forever trapped here coz no one will do that for you. If we do it for you, you’ll accept your destiny. Deal?” Ikuku instructed.
Jimmy giggled in a way that shows: YOU DON’T KNOW HOW SMART I AM. He read the riddle that says, “Samuel was out for a walk when it started to rain. He did not have an umbrella and he wasn’t wearing a hat. His clothes were soaked, yet not a single hair on his head got w-t. How could this happen?”
Jimmy kept looking at the riddle generating silence in,side the den. Jade and ikuku glanced at each other. A minute later, Jimmy turned with a smile. “The answer is in the riddle: ..yet not a single hair on his head… Samuel is bald.” Instantly, the door opened. He began to walk out.
“Jimmy!” Jade ran after him. She met him beside her bike, looking into his eyes as the boy waited to hear from her. She quickly k-ssed him passionately and said with a bedroom voice. “I’ll help you. Please, change you’re mind.”
Jimmy remained quiet, wondering if the k-ss was out of feelings or conviction.
“Take my bike” She placed the key in his hands. “I’ll come pick it in the evening.” She smiled at him attractively.
“Thank you.” Jimmy rode off. He could see Jade through the side mirror of the bike still standing at the door, staring at him.
“You can’t do that” Jade turned to the voice of Ikuku who just came out from the house. “He’s not only destined to safe Amaya, he’s destined to be with her too.” he added.
Jade frowned, walk-passed him without saying a word. Just at the door, she turned saying, “Some destiny can be changed coz I heard the girl in quote doesn’t reciprocate his love.” She finally answered a riddle then entered.
Ikuku spaced out to the sky still wondering how Jimmy got the riddle so easily. “He’s potentially clever.” he murmured.
:
:
Mr Ojile barged into Rachael’s room to see her crying and lying on the floor. Hearing his footsteps, the girl startled up. “Dad, Please! Who are you people?!”
The man neglected her, turned her bed upside down and opened up a secret underground room from the floor. Rachael became surprise that such thing had been there without her knowledge. It was dark and scary like a kri-kri prison.
“Enter here!” Mr Ojile ordered.
Rachael clustered herself against the wall in tears. “No, Please! Somebody help me!” she wanted to run to the door but the man caught her, forcefully pushed her in,side and locked it.
Suddenly, the premesis was disturbed by the sound of the bike Jimmy parked in front of the house. Heroically, he stepped into the house to see the husband and wife staring at him innocently.
“Where is Rachael!” his voice was bold and loud to the hearing of Rachael from the underground room.
“Jimmy help me!” She yelled.
“Rachael!” He wanted to rush to the room but the parents stopped him saying at the same time, “You may have some kind of power in you, but you can’t escape now!”
They raised their hands in incantation, doors shut closed along with windows and the light went off. Jimmy became scared, still hearing Rachael yelling for help….
:
:
TO BE CONTINUED.