The Inner Gate – episode 6

THE INNER GATE
(RISING BONES)
Episode 6
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Written by Bright Daniel
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The road to the inner gate was narrow with few grasses at both sides. Tall trees with canopy leaves could be found at far distances too.
Olivia led the way followed by Dave. Just as they proceeded, they heard the footsteps of Captain Joe and his men thereby making them to turn around at the same time. The men circulated them while Captain Joe stepped forward to the middle. Dave glanced at Olivia in a way that shows: DID YOU SET ME UP?
“Just calm down” She told him aloud then faced captain Joe waiting to hear from him.
“You are trespassing” he began. “Young lady, I want to know where you are heading to with this boy” he pointed at Dave.
“Which law says that nobody should go to wherever he or she wants to go coz as far as I’m concern, there is freedom of movement on this land, even the freedom to the inner gate if one has the courage”
“I’m not interested on your movement, but the result it shall bring” he moved closer to her while she glared at him silently.
However, Dave watched them carefully and listened attentively too.
Joe lowered his voice as he also glared back at Olivia unabashedly and said, “Whatever your plans are, I must put a limit to it, so you better back off otherwise I’ll make your life miserable”
“May I ask you something, captain?” Olivia posed with hands in,side her pocket trousers. “If there is any way of stopping the death by Defity on this land, won’t you accept it?”
He didn’t answer the question at the moment rather moved away from there as all watched him. Suddenly he turned and said, “There is no remedy” he ordered his men then they left.
“This man is hopeless” Olivia concluded to the hearing of her new found friend.
“You know what I think?” Dave approached closer to her side having the same posture with her. “I think he also has a secret judging from his actions”
Both looked at each other thoughtfully before continuing the journey. Olivia took him not very closer to Defity’s domain but they could see the inner gate burning a continuous fire. The domain was a long horizontal building. There were two metal gates before the inner one and both were opened. Only the inner gate was closed but due to hallow openings on it, they saw the interior part. Nothing was there except human bones, darkness and withered grasses which couldn’t catch fire from the one burning on the inner gate. If one had the mind to enter there, the sight of the wh0le place can make even a brave man think otherwise.
Dave filled his eyes with the sight of the inner gate still waiting for Olivia to proceed coz he had no idea why she brought him there.
“That’s the way to the inner gate.” she began with a whispering voice. “The gate cannot be opened by any human being. I saw it opened by itself on the first day i announced her coming”
“So what’s the plan?” Dave whispered.
“The plan is to enter there”
He looked at her to know if actually she was in her rightful senses. “How and why the hell do you wanna get in there?” he asked.
“That’s why I called you” Olivia pointed at another direction. “I think that’s another way to the inner gate”
Dave straightened up likewise Olivia who saw him frightened. Therefore she smiled in a mockery manner.
“What? Are you scared? I thought you said you’re not afraid to die” she said.
“Yes, but jumping into a lions’ den is like committing a suicide. I’m not entering there with you. Why do you even wanna get there?” Dave stared at her.
“To kill Defity” she replied and began to walk out in a hurry.
“What?!” he followed her. ” With your bare hands?”
“I never said so. That’s another thing you need to know” she concluded as they walked out without looking back.
***
Diego drove straight to Sir Frank, someone he calls his godfather, coz he grew up from the orphanage and Sir Frank was in charge then. Elisabeth insisted to follow him after he explained his last encounter with invisible Elina.
Sir Frank’s residence was a bungalow without fence. It’s location was far away from the main city, thus having no neighbours.
Immediately Diego stopped in front of his compound, came out, Elizabeth asked him, “Can you remind me who we’re here to see?”
He didn’t reply her rather hurried to the door, rang the bell then both entered after Sir Frank opened. He headed straight to the dinning table to sit down even though there was no meal served. Eliza also sat beside him.
“You’re acting strange, Diego” Sir Frank gradually took a seat opposite them. He was a man in his late eighties, old and weak. “What’s the matter young man?” he querred.
Diego placed his hands on the table, swallowed hærd and said, “What do these mean to you; Jezra, Beshia, Elina Celina and.. and.. of course ‘she’?”
The house became quiet as the old man directed his eyes to Eliza and from her to Diego. He must have sensed that something is wrong somewhere. He replied with a shaky voice, “I only know about the name Jezra but don’t know the rest even the ‘she’? Jezra is a name of a village. That’s all I know, so tell me what prompts this impromptu interrogations”
“I little girl called Elina..” Diego wanted to say but was interrupted by Elina who just showed up on another seat beside Sir Frank.
“I’m not a little girl!” she had said with a flaming glare.
“Shut up! You’re a little girl!” Diego shouted back while sir Frank and the girlfriend looked at him strangely. “Look at the stupid insultive Elina sitting beside you” he told Sir Frank pointing at her.
Sir Frank looked beside him but couldn’t see anyboday. “I’m not seeing anybody, Diego” he replied calmly.
“Well, forget it. This Elina said, people of Jezra needs me and i am the only surviving soul of Beshia. Then she also called somebody a ‘she’ whom she claimed has visited”
His explanation reminded Sir Frank some things which surprised him then stood up without saying a thing. They followed him to his library where he brought out a brown, torn and old page of a book which contains some images. He placed it on a table, sat down, put on a table lamp and wore his medicated eyeglasses.
“This is Jezra” he began by pointing at an image on the page. “According to a story by the book where this page came from….” he paused and raised his head up as if he remembered something “Yes… yes.. Beshia.. I’ve heard of that too” he said bringing down his head. “The people of Jezra are doomed and in the bondage of seasonal death by Defity their goddess. She kills each citizen seasonally and the only way to stop her is by using a strong blood of Beshia, the only god in the past who wished to become a human because of a woman. When his wish came to pass after he had laid with the woman, his kingdom began to crumble and he never lived to tell the story” he looked up at Diego. “I never knew you’re his descendant neither did I know that Jezra is still in existence. Unbelievable!!!” he took off the eyeglasses .
“So my blood is needed to free this people. How?” Diego asked.
“You’ll be like their messiah..”
“Wait wait wait” Elizabeth interrupted. “What do you mean by messiah coz I know the only messiah is Christ who died to free us from the the bondage of eternal death”
“That’s exactly who Diego gonna be to them. If he gets to Jezra, they will kill him to use his blood or send him to the inner gate where his blood will be used by Defity and eventually kill her or stop the seasonal killings”
“Alright, enough, my boyfriend is going no where!” Elizabeth insisted.
Diego, himself became tired and dumb. He seemed to him as if he was dreaming. Without time wastage or saying anything, he turned and began to leave the building.
“Deigo!” She ran after him..
****
Jezra once again began to grow dark. There was a story building, the only one found in the land of Jezra where Dave could be seen sitting on the roof coz it had a flat cemented roof. The gentle evening breeze blew his shirt opened in a way only his singlet was seen. That has been a place he had quiet time and think of his life both past and present. He never concentrated much on the future coz he knew it gonna be nothing but death. As he meditated, he heard footsteps and turned to see Rose standing with her hands crossed down her abdomen. The breez also began to blow her gown and hair backward which made her look more beautiful.
“Hey” she waved with a smile.
“Hi” Dave replied. “Come, come and join me” he added.
She quickly went closer then sat beside him. They could see the wh0le village and other far bushes from there.
“So what are you doing here” Rose broke the silence.
“Nothing, just having a quiet time” he smiled looking at her. “You look amazing” he complimented.
“So are you” They became quiet for a while before Rose continued with a different voice. “About last night, i understood you were going through emotional pains. That’s why i had to come to say sorry”
“You know, when I think about the past, I shed tears. I wish none of those happened to my parents and the villagers at large” He looked at her with a smile. “But I’m fine now” he concluded before another tranquillity.
“You once said you’re not afraid to die” Rose glanced at him.
“Yes”
“Then what are you afraid of?”
“You”
“What?” Rose chuckled in amazement. “You’re afraid of me?” she asked.
Dave smiled as he grabbed her hand again. Also, she looked again from the hand to his face feeling her heartbeat. “No, Rose, I’m not afraid of you but I’m afraid to see you dead or taken by Defity” he replied with much boldness and rom-ntic voice.
Rose couldn’t believe it, she stared into his eyes without knowing what to say. Suddenly, she noticed his eyes looking at another person from there. She traced the eyes to know who he was looking at; that was Olivia who was walking very briskly as if going to meet someone secretly.
“Why staring at her?” Rose asked but Dave didn’t reply rather kept monitoring Olivia. “I see both of you togather these days. Whats going on with you two?” She asked again yet Dave didnt reply. All his mind was that Olivia was going to Benjamin’s…..
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TO BE CONTINUED

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