"Osebuluwa, Ani, Ikenga,Amadioha, Anyanwu, Ndi iche, Ndi mmiri n’a ndi otu ana m ekene unu. Mmụọ ọma niile mụ na ha na-arụkọ ọrụ, ekene m unu ehhh"

"Ewu nwuru n'oba ji abughi agu gburu ya.
A chuo aja ma a hughi udele, a mara na
ihe mere be ndimmuo
Okuko si na ihe ya ji-ele anya n'enu ma
ya na añu mmiri bu na ihe na-egbu si
n'igwe abia."

The priestess dressed in an all white regalia adorned with cowries and tiny bones,the long ancient staff which she carried was painted white too.

Her lips had a dark shade worn on them and a semi circle was drawn on her left eye, both eyes surprisingly had no eyeballs.

She stood in the middle of a large courtyard, with palm fronds as a make shift fence, smoke rose fiercely from three stones which a calabash rested on.
There was no fire beneath but whatever was inside the pot was boiling angrily.
Unblinking, she muttered silently again more incantations.

"Hmmmmm, the toad does not run in the day for nothing. " She said with a strong authoritative voice, turning her eyes to the three people before her who shuddered at her gaze, she spoke again.

"What do you seek, descendants of Ekwelum. "

Two of the women turned to look at each other in shock, they didn't tell her their surnames, they turned to look at the only man in their midst, he too were confused.
They were richly dressed and had this poise which only the rich possesss.

"We came from a faraway city. "The man spoke up and the women nodded in agreement.

"Someone directed us here. "
"Yes, we have heard... " one of the women tried speaking

"Woman, i did not ask you. Let him speak. " The priestess hushed her up.

"We came regarding something deep and mysterious which have been going on in our family."
The priestess her eyes distant, turned to his direction.

"Have you finished? "
Again all three of them gave each other puzzled glances.

"He who brings an ant infected wood should get ready for the visitation of the lizards. " She threw another proverb.

"You have not seen anything"Her voice boomed again and a smile quickly pass. "Karma is the only restaurant in the world where you are not served a menu.. You are served what you deserved. "

Again the trio stared in plain confusion, with each sentence she spoke she was driving them deeper and deeper in confusion .

"Wise one. " spoke the man as he adjusted his glasses.

"You speak in parables. "
She gave a one sides smile and shook her head.

"I see a dark cloud, i see a voice crying for vengeance, I see the bl00d of the innocent flowing down the Anam river, the earth soaked with it.

If nothing is done. "She pointed at each of them.

"You, you and you and all your family members will be wiped off the face of the earth. " She paused allowing her words to sink.

The trio began to shake, sweat beads .
"So what must we do? " The man asked again .

"The answer you seek lies with your grandfather, ask him and you will get your clue, locate the final resting place of the one who was unjustly k!lled and seek
forgiveness else peace will be far from you. "

Nice. Following already

SWORD OF VENGEANCĒ

EPISODE 2

Immediately the priestess finished speaking, she vanished leaving behind a cloud of black dust.

The three of men look at each other and as if a whistle was blown they all ran away as fast as they could.

They got to their car and drove away quickly.
The drive home was one filled with fear and confusion, each one of them wondering who will die next.

Finally they got to their house, Mr Steven Ekwelum ,his wife and his sister got down got down from car as the gateman greeted them as he closed the gates.

"Jesusssss, Jesusss, Jesusssss. " Someone screamed from inside house, the trio exchanged puzzled and fear filled glances and immediately raced into the house.

Mrs Jessica Ekwelum was the first to run inside and immediately stopped in her track her body shaking with fear as she let out a heart wrenching scream, her husband and sister followed suit and also stood still, what their eyes had seen was something even the mouth could not say.

There lying and jerking on the tiled floor was their son, Samuel ,bl00d and foām were coming out of his mouth and nose, his sister kneel over his body as she cried calling his name repeatedly.

"I'm finished, ahhhn, my whole world has crumbled, Samuel... Samuel. " Mrs Jessica shook her son's body which had now become still and cold.

"Samuel, please wake up... Jesus, this can't be happening to me. " She kept wailing as her husband lowered himself into the couch and bowed his head as tears tickled down his cheeks, his sister tried consoling Mrs Jessica who was now rolling on the floor .

"They have taken him ooo, they have taken my only son, who did i offend. " She kept wailing, rolling herself on the floor.

"Jessica, Jessica, take it easy. " Chika, her sister in law tried consoling her. "Its okay.... Please, take it easy.. God sees all, sorry,stop crying ." She tried pacifying her, the more she tried calming her down the more she wailed and rolled over her son's dead body.
"Ngozi. " Mr Stephen called his daughter who sat still, her face wet with tears. He lifted his head up slowly.
"What happened? "
"You are asking what happened, ehn Stephen. " His wife yelled. "Did you not hear what the priestess said, she said we haven't seen anything yet... Who knows it might be your turn tomorrow Chika. "
"God forbid. " Chika said immediately. Just as she wanted to say something else again, her phone rang, she picked it up, listened for some few minutes and let out a yell.
She stood up immediately and took her bag. "Jesus, jesus it is not my portion. " She said and ran out.
That evening Samuel's body was taken to the morgue, his mother and sister were inconsolable

. Mr, Stephen kept asking himself what was really wrong with the whole Ekwelum family, death and misfortune was now a norm.
He sat down, his heart heavy as the words of the priestess kept echoing in his ears.

"He was complaining of stomach ache. " Ngozi began, her eyes distant as she sniffed,

"He went to sleep, then he woke up screaming. " She shook her head sadly.

"He said... he said he saw someone chasing him. I took it was a mere dream, I thought with school work and all and ge was stressed.

We were here in the living room, when he complained of the same stomach ache, then ut happened. " She finished and broke down again in tears.

"When are we going to see Pa Ozomena, remember what the priestess said. The earlier we are done with all this the better for us. " She said using the edge of her wrapper to ckean her eyes.

"This family is cursed, this family have been curs ed for years,ahhh, my son. "She shook her head as tears rolled down again

.
"We will go and visit Pa Ozoemena next week."Mr Stephen said.

"Next week. " His wife exclaimed, her eyes opening wide. "Next week, perhaps by then we all would have been wiped out of the earth. "

"That's enough, Jessica. " Mr Stephen shouted. "Besides how sure are we that she us saying the truth? "

Surprise washed through his wife face. "Saying the truth you say? Where have we not gone on behalf of the whole extended family, how sacrifices have we offered, we have gone to different places Stephen. Is it Okiti Pupa, abi is it Ijebu ode, Abagana, Okene, Oron, Ikot Ekpene, Arochukwu,Tema in Ghana. Tell me Stephen and when we see someone that tells us the source of our problem, you call her a liar. "


Mr Stephen bowed his head in deep thought, just when he reached for his phone, it began to ring.

"Hello..... Yes... Thats what the priestess said. " There was a brief silence followed by him standing up immediately.

"That's can't be possible. "

His wife and daughter looked up at him as he ended the call.

"What is it. " She asked. "Talk to us nau, what happened. "
He heaved a sighed, shook his head and look heavenwards .

"Pa Ozoemena is dead. "

To read the next part and more. Intriguing stories.

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