souloho19:
Walking was very tough for Osi. Each step caused a searing pain that shot straight to his chest. Almost forcing him to his knees for a rest. But he had to keep on moving. Sneaking out of the clinic was not difficult. It had been eerily quiet with no sign of the doctor or the nurse. It seemed everyone in the village had gathered at the market square.
Jelemba gripped his hand tightly and Osi tried his best to pick up pace. He was getting closer to the market square and he gritted his teeth in determination. He wasn't going to fall now, he couldn't give up. He chanted the words 'mind over matter' continuously in his head. He could collapse when he arrived at the market square but for now he had to be strong.
°•°•°•°•
Pa Kenneth seemed to be warning up and enjoying himself. He actually smiled. A scary evil smile.
He was obviously getting into his element and he began pacing as his voice grew louder.
His plan was to set the mood with his narrative while his accomplice in the crowd did the rest.
"Many many years ago, when I was still-"
"People of Amaife! Did we come here to listen to tales by moonlight or we came to mete out justice!!" Benedict interrupted him rudely.
There was a slight murmur from the crowd, it was like they all held their breath waiting.. Benedict had just interrupted their leader. For a second a pin could be heard dropping but then they all shouted in agreement "burn the devil, burn the killer! Burn the tyrant! Let him rot in hell!"
The chanting resumed.
At this point, pa Kenneth fell quiet. There was a resigned aura about him now, as if he had accepted the fate of his son.
Bartholomew's eyes were partially open and he stirred. He was no longer bleeding, it was as though all his blood had been drained and he looked dry. It was obvious he had few minutes or luckily an hour left but he was going to feel the pain of being burnt to death. Benedict was going to make sure of that and as he carried the 5 litre keg filled with kerosene (lifting it like a trophy) the crowd seemed to go wild.
They shouted "rot in hell! Burn in hell! Go and meet your twin brother the devil!"
Some of the youths began their regular war chants "ja ja kere, kere o, kere o..Ja ja kere..!"
Benedict poured a generous amount of the kerosene on Bartholomew's face "This is for Ozioma and her mother!" He shouted with fury.
"....kere o, kere o..ja ja kere!!"
"This is for Chisom!" More kerosene on his chest and neck.
"Ja kere..kere o.."
"Die and go to hell!"
°•°•°
In one week she had lost her 3 children. Bartholomew was as good as dead and just minutes ago she heard the rumour that Sofiri- her second son had died that afternoon. At the hand of his brother.
She observed her eldest son who was her first child as he lay still and unmoving apart from the frequent twitching of his legs and hands. He had killed both of his siblings, his blood sister and blood brother and she suddenly felt angry as the realization struck her. Angry at him but mostly angry for him.
He used to be a sweet little boy until his father took him and his brother away. He was barely three then and Sofiri was just learning how to walk.
She had known about the evil deeds Kenneth committed. But he had always controlled her.(Even now he still held so much control over her. She didn't even think twice but had gone to fetch the palm wine just as they he planned.)
she loved him dearly and had always been eager to please him but somewhere along the line the love turned to a terrible fear. Now when Pa Kenneth said jump, she asked how high and did just that. Even when he refused to marry her she still allowed him back to her bed even though she had been married then. Ezinne had been conceived that night.
Hearing her daughter's name snapped her from her deep thoughts. She blinked and refocused on what was happening around her.
"This is for Ezinne! Rot in hell pig!" Benedict poured the last of the kerosene and at this point Bartholomew was completely soaked.
He murmured something only Benedict heard and the youth leader laughed. A very mean laugh.
"People of Amaife, the devil begs! Did he listen to our daughters when they begged for their lives?"
"No!...death to the bastard!"
Benedict stood a short distance and lit a cigarette "people of Amaife, we would also have another trial today..our own leader...our number one citizen, the father of all...was the very same man...was the culprit who offered him shelter" he inhaled the smoke deeply and blew it from his nostrils. "He has a lot of questions to answer!" He looked directly at Pa Kenneth "you hear me...elder he said the 'elder' mockingly. "You have a lot to answer! But first..death to the killer!" He dragged from the cigarette once more, blew smoke rings and flicked it on Bartholomew's body.
The body burst into flames immediately.
There was a loud cheer from the crowd as the villagers gave a shout of victory and some clapped their hands.
The body burst into flames immediately.
At first there was nothing but then Bartholomew gave weak shouts..maybe if he had a little strength he would have flayed his hands about and tried to put out the fire but as it stood he could only watch himself burn.
Mama Ezinne watched her son and felt a pang in her heart. She remembered when he was a young and handsome boy. She remembered the first word he had spoken "momma". She remembered-
She couldn't stand it anymore, the grief she had tried so hard to fight was unleashed all of a sudden and she looked away from the body as her eyes became moist.
But she ran straight into Pa Kenneth's steely stare. She had never seen such an expression on his face in all the years she had known him. A mixture of rage, hurt, disappointment and so many more contorted features she couldn't understand. But his eyes...his eyes carried a very clear message and she trembled.
when it came to Pa Kenneth she only knew obedience.
She pushed aside her guilty conscience and hurriedly opened the keg. She had distributed the cups earlier but Benedict's ""justice"" (quadruple quote intentional  ) had stilled proceedings. Now she opened the keg. She made up her mind there and then; She was going to drink a cup also. She won't be able to live with herself otherwise.
She shut out the still gentle voice in her head...the voice that sounded so much like Ezinne asking 'what are you doing?' and instead focused on the victorious shouts and singing ('Finally! The devil is dead! Woooo!') Coming from the crowd.
The villagers were jubilating, shouting and singing and mama Ezinne filled the cup in her hand and passed it to the closest person. His name was Phillip and he was one of the youths that had dragged Bartholomew to the market square. He broke from his singing and smiled at her. "Thank you Dada...daalu"
"Please drink and pass it" she said, avoiding his gaze.
"Haa..please o..I haven't drank palm wine in a long while and besides I haven't slept..I spent the whole night searching for that bastard..I think I deserve to finish this cup...biko"
Before she could respond, he drank the palm wine..rushing it down his throat in a single gulp.
°•°°•°•
Pa Kenneth smiled when the young man downed the contents. He was pleased when people started requesting for palm wine.
The ones who had gotten cups were waving them frantically, requesting a fill.
ha-ha..begging for poison
He looked at Bartholomew's charred remains, still burning and smoking up to the sky. your death would be avenged son..he promised quietly
He felt his insides light up in pleasure when Benedict strode comfortably to the keg. His peers parted for him as he passed, making the old man scoff. This clown has already attained 'Dé' status...so much respect and for what? agitating for jungle justice? running a kangaroo court with only one outcome? He spat in the dirt in contempt when the butcher turned to him and shouted "my people let's not forget we have another trial! Bartholomew had an accomplice...we need an explanation...but first..." He turned to the keg and someone offered him a cup immediately. "We shack!!"
°•°•°•
Reverend Okorie was very disturbed by what he had seen/was seeing.
He belonged to the school of thought that judgement belonged to God alone but he had been helpless to do anything apart from mutter a quick prayer for the soul which was no doubt hell bound.
He was feeling restless in his spirit. He had a feeling something was going to happen which confused him considering all that was happening but he didn't know what it was.
But something he recognised as the holy spirit told him it was about Pa Kenneth...just looking at the evil smile made him frown in thought.
°•°•°•°
Osi arrived at the market square almost out of breath. His chest felt like it was on fire and he would have given anything to be back on the bed in the clinic. But he knew he was in a race against time...could even feel he was behind...
He said a quick prayer as his eyes scanned the crowd. So this is one of the best stories I have ever read. Keep it up up... you are very good. Started yesterday and now I'm done, waiting for more updates. Please tell me you are not one of the NL writers that do not finish their stories. Please don't be like them. 1 Like 1 Share |
Literature › Re: The Devil Wears Okrika by EngracedMay(f): 6:23pm On Nov 18, 2017
