Act of faith - S01 E31 (Story Episode)

4 years ago

Act of faith - S01 E31 (Story Episode)

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 31

Title: Eze Ani, The chief priest of Ani

AS NARRATED BY ADANNA
As our elders would say, “he whom has been bitten once by a snake will run when he sees the tail of a lizard” I went to the stream that morning to get water as any other day, I was just about bringing the pot out of the water when I heard the rustling of the leaves, it was this same rustling I had heard some days back and had almost led me to my death.

Hearing that rustling again, I didn’t have to think twice, I had to run for my life. As I ran I could hear footsteps behind me, the killer was obviously running after me. I had no other option than to shout for help, I called on Jason but he didn’t show up, I knew it was the day the gods had planned for me to be killed. The person’s hand suddenly held me, I lose balance and fell to the floor, I closed my eyes waiting for death to come but surprisingly, nothing happened. I then summoned courage and opened my eyes slowly, I could first see a man in red not in black, I opened my eyes fully and behold , standing in front of me was Gabriel. I rushed up immediately and stared at him in shock, he was also staring awkwardly at me, ” Gabriel” I called out slowly as tears fell from my eyes, I embraced him tight. ” What is it? You look scared” He held me tight , ” Why were you running?” He asked again. I looked up at him, he looked more handsome and more muscular, his voice had grown deeper. ” That is a story for another day, you lied to me, you sa…” He interrupted me, ” Shhhhhh, that isn’t the way to welcome me home” He smiled and drew my hands back towards the stream, ” I miss you!!” I shouted and jumped on him , he carried me to the stream like a baby, fear was still in me , I shook in his hands.

• ” Who is Jason?” He asked after we have moved some distance, he was carrying my pot for me not on his head, he was holding it like nothing. ” He was the guy that saved me” I replied him, he stopped and stared at me, ” Save you? As how?” He asked dropping the pot, ” Some nights ago, I went to the stream..” He interrupted, ” Why will you go to the stream at night?” He asked me, ” I didn’t go to the stream in the morning, I was feeling weak and depressed.

My mom wanted to cook at night so she asked me to go get water” I explained to him, he only nodded for me to continue. ” I was just about leaving the stream when I heard the rustling of the leaves, I turned to see but saw no one. And then I saw someone in black approaching, I took to my heels but I wasn’t fast enough, he caught me and brought out a sword to cut me by my waist, he was the one that gave me this mark” I showed the mark to him, he was obviously filled with anger, his facial expression depicted it, but he only nodded and urged me to continue. ” He told me that he will have me killed and by day break, the chief priest will inform the people that the gods had killed me like the others. He was about cutting me more when out of nowhere, another man in black came into view.

My killer ran away and the new man carried me to safety, he told me his name is Jason before he left, I had actually asked for his name” I concluded in tears. ” was the first guy also in mask? ” he asked me, ” Yes, the both men were on mask” I replied, ” Stop the tears, everything will be fine” he assured carrying the pot and also holding my hands , leading me home. ” I bought something for you from the city” He told me as we got to the front of my compound , ” Come to my house this evening” he added with a smile, he then hugged me and left.

°°

It’s being frustrating, but also a bit clear. From Adanna’s story, it was easy to deduce that the killer had something to do with Eze Ani, and from sir Jude’s guard statement , the one I fought with in the ship, the killer is also likely to have something to do with Sir Jude.

The killing is now getting to the height of it, they want to take my girlfriend along, ” impossible” I thought to myself. Wait! What about the trending name of the moment, JASON? first I know him as a thief being sent out of Newriton some years back, and now he is the same person who saved Adanna from the clutch of death, Or is it another Jason? It might be, but I dont think it is. I know I have to act fast, but I can’t do it alone, I need backup. I need to get help from Newriton, Israel and Morgana will do. I will definitely kill myself if I let a thing happen to Adanna, I will kill myself I repeat. ” I thought it was a rumour” I heard someone behind me, it was Alvana. ” What is a rumour?” I asked back smiling and shaking hands with him, ” I thought it was a rumour that you were back” he said sitting down. ” I came yesterday, how did you know?” I asked him, ” That you sister that beats boys, she told me” he answered with a short laugh, ” Linda is a fool, I warned them not to tell anyone of my return” I thought to myself ” So what did you bring from the city?” He asked , ” I brought fruits” I replied with a smile, ” The village is full of fruits, some even rot and get spoilt ” He said . ” How has the village been? Thank you for looking over Adanna ” I told him. ” I didn’t take care of her for you, she is my friend” he told me and we bursted into laughter. ” She was attacked some days ago” I changed the topic, ” She told me about that, and how she was saved by one Jason, all thanks to the Jason” He said not showing interest in the subject. ” I need to find that Jason in this village” I told him after some moments of silence, ” I will gladly join you in the search” he adjusted on the bench. ” Why?” I asked him smiling, ” Because, I want to know who saved my friend from death” he answered. ”

Adanna told me you fought and beat up Mbe the cat whose back has never touch the ground in any fight, was it true?” He asked as he adjusted his shirt, ” Yes, I did, he was molesting her by the stream” I told him. ” You know your job doesn’t permit you to do that” he said while I suddenly turned to him, ” what do you know about my Job?” I asked him with a shocked facial expression, I knew I was meant to keep cool, he might mean something else but Alvana is strange. ” Good evening o” Adanna greeted as she entered Into the compound, ” Hmm, I think I will have to go now” Alvana said getting up from the bench, he greeted Adanna and went out of the compound, my stares followed him. ” Adanna , the most beautiful maiden of Atata, welcome” I greeted as I stood up from the bench. ” Nonsense, Where is everyone ?” she asked me, ” Everyone has gone everywhere ” I replied and she bursted into laughter. ”

Ogbakpo ” She hissed as we sat on the bench. ” You couldn’t wait for me to come back, you have to start calling me with Alvana phone” I started, ” Is that the thing you brought for me from the city?” she asked, ” No” I replied as I brought out a brand new phone from my pocket, ” I brought you this so that you won’t borrow Alvana’s phone to call again when I go back”. I told her stretching the phone to her, she only stared as she twisted her mouth, ” You are going back?” She asked without collecting the phone ” Not anytime soon” I replied as I placed the phone in her hands, ” Thank you, but I can’t use this, and I dont think I need it, I can ..” I interrupted her, ” Don’t start, I will teach you how to use it” I told her as she opened the pack and stared at the screen. ” this is big!” She exclaimed smiling, ” That’s because you are a big girl ” I smiled, ” Ogbakpo ” she hugged me.
• ” Morgana baby” I started as the call got connected, ” Hey Gabi, what do you want, I know you need help” She said, I wonder how she knew, yeah , I only called her Morgana baby when I needed help. ” I greatly need your assistance here in Atata” I told her squeezing my mouth and praying silently that she doesn’t turn me down. ” In what aspect?” She asked , ” Like in unravelling the serial killer stuff” I told her, ” Okay, I will be there in two days” she answered to much of my surprise. ” Yeah!! Thanks,Israel is also coming” I told her, ” Yeah let catch some fun ” She laughed and we ended the call.

It was in the night of the same day, I had called israel earlier and he had willingly accepted to come the following day, his main reason was to see Adanna and not because of our self developed mission, I will have to keep Adanna from him. Now back to Alvana, he seems to know everything, firstly, my mark, and now he knows fighting in public is not good for the nature of my Job.

Alvana is up to something, maybe he is hiding something, something I will soon find out.
•It was 12:00am, the time most people term midnight, I was all dressed in black, I also had a mask on. I had a secret mission to accomplish that night, a self mission. I wanna pay a visit to Eze Ani. I hid my gun in its normal place and my knives were also hidden in my jackets. I jumped out of my window and escaped out of my father’s compound to the night. I knew the shrine of Ani, I had come across it when I was much younger and I could still remember it vividly.

I walked like a shadow, I couldn’t even hear my footsteps, I took guard in trees when I suspected any movement, I kept on looking behind to see if I was alone, I would sometimes turn abruptly and point my gun to no one in particular, the road to the shrine was more like a jungle, I sometimes had to jump obstacles to avoid falling, this was how I moved until I got to the shrine of Ani. I met the chief priest backing the shrine, he was reciting some incantations, something I couldn’t understand, the leaves were rustling vigorously, the trees seemed to be responding to his incantation as they shook both left and right.

I thought I felt the presence of the gods as the cool breeze of the night swept through me, for once I felt scared of the night, everything seemed strange. I stood behind him but outside the shrine, he didn’t feel my presence nor even suspected anyone was around or behind him, he continued with his nonsense as he chatted more loud and laughed at some instance getting me more scared ” Eze Ani, the chief priest of Ani, I greet you” I said in a thick voice, he turned immediately to me. ” Hmm, who have you killed this night?” He asked looking directly at my face, I looked at myself again and realized I was dressed like the perfect picture of who Adanna had described to me that had attacked her, my dressing have certainly confused him.