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EXILE - Chapter Fifty-six
Ibekwe was surprised to see the long line of people which pointed towards the shrine of Osisiakalaka. The sun had just risen and from the look of things, it wasn't happy with the way people flocked where the diviner communed with the gods. In order to show its disapproval, the sun had decided to shine brightly on people, sending them hot rays that made some of them hide under trees or run home to seek shelter but a few of them were stubborn to leave and one of those set of stubborn people was Ibekwe.
Ibekwe took another good look at the line and hissed. How long would it take before he had the opportunity to see Osisiakalaka? He thought. He wondered how he was going to see Osisiakalaka without having to wait for a long time. After two sharp looks, he noticed that the hut close to the shrine that served as Osisiakalaka's temporary residence was almost filled with people who sat down at the verandah and spoke in hushed tones with a lad that had been assigned to serve as Osisiak
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Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Fifty-seven
Adaugo rushed forward and hugged Ifeme as they approached her compound. Her wrapper, made of red and yellow stripes proudly hung on her waist, shielding the region between her waist and her knee. She covered her developing breast with a different piece of cloth with a material utterly distinct from the wrapper she had worn. The orange tree which stood at the side of her mother's hut dispersed some of its leaves with caution as it dwindled to the sound of the incoming rain. A smile appeared on her face as she saw Ibekwe standing behind. Solitary. Watching the birds chirp while flying past the orange tree."Ibekwe are you not going to hug me?" She asked."I think I am fine without that. Besides, you have Ifeme by your side," Ibekwe replied."So you are still going to avoid me like you did before?"Ifeme interrupted. "Leave him alone. Let my brother do what he wants. You cannot force him."Ibekwe folded his hands, watching the little show that was pla
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Fifty-eight
Ibekwe cupped his hands as the liquid flowed through his throat. He leaned on the wall and angled his right knee, to give his body adequate support. The night air had grown warmer, much to the comfort of his own soul and a wind had risen and the rains had slowly darted away. After he emptied the water inside the gourd into his stomach, he dropped it down and placed it near the kitchen counter. He lit a fire and grabbed some firewoods to keep the surging flames of the fire, glowing. He heard the sound of a metal gong and there was a moment of silence as the town crier stopped in front of Okoli's compound. The town crier gave his message and a cranky sound followed.Ibekwe yawned as he stretched his hands as if he was trying to catch something unknown to him. He dropped his hands down. The night was cool and not as dull as the previous nights where he had to stack pieces of firewoods to keep his body warm. This night was better. Despite the rain, the moon had still decided to p
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Fifty-nine
Ibekwe quickly bolted the door as he entered the room he shared with Ifeme. The room was poorly litted, almost dark. He cupped his hand and yawned, stretching his elbows sideways. The moon was slowly shrinking as it prepared to announce the coming of a new day. Midnight. He crouched as he took his sleeping wrapper and spread it on top of the bamboo bed. Satisfied with his effort, he carried the fading palm oil lamp and dropped it near the door. He knelt down as he pressed his lips tightly. He prayed for a short period of time to no god in particular. He prayed that whoever was looking at him should guide him. After he was done praying, he slipped into the bamboo bed.Ibekwe twisted his head from one point to another as he stared at the ceiling blankly. He kept on changing his sleeping position until he accepted that no position was suitable for him unless he stopped thinking. After wrestling with sleep for some time without
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Sixty
Ibekwe got up quickly as if stung by a bee. He stretched his eyes to where the palm oil lamp rested, quietly. Slowly, he moved towards the palm oil lamp to check what could have possibly made the lamp to give up its light. After several failed trials of reviving the lamp from its gloomy mood, he dropped it and returned to the bamboo bed. He laid down straight, closed his eyes and prayed for the lamp to come back to life. He kept on praying until he felt a touch on his lap. It was a gentle touch.The palm that rested on his lap were soft. They were like feeble palms that had not smelt the pain and suffering accompanied with manual work. The palm circled around the ball of his foot and stopped, then moved up to his knee and continued. Ibekwe smiled when the palm stopped at his thigh.At first, he thought it was Ifeme's palm but he knew it couldn't be him, lying on the bed and touching him. He opened his eyes widely and saw the face of a woman or more like a girl. S
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Sixty-one
This was the second time that Ibekwe was visiting Osisiakalaka's shrine and he was familiar with the road to Osisiakalaka's temporary dwelling place and his shrine. The long trees with vivid branches spreading across different directions indicated that he was close to the shrine. He lowered his pace and squinted to see if the long line of people that came to visit Osisiakalaka everyday for his help was still there. He didn't hear the voice of a single soul.The place was free from any human form except for a statue resembling an awkward human with an inscription on his feet which he could not see clearly because of the gap between where he was standing and where the statue stood. He moved closer to the statue and roamed his eyes to check if any unwanted visitor was watching him from a silent corner. Aware that he was not being watched, he faced the lifeless human. The elbow of the statue was almost touching its knee as if it was taking a bow of silence in front of the high go
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Sixty-two
Ibekwe sat on the bamboo bed and swung his feet to the floor. His drowsy eyes persuaded him to fall back and rest on the bed, and sleep but he snubbed it."Lie down on the bed," Osisiakalaka husky voice filled the room. "You need to sleep."Ibekwe laid down on the bed. The room was quiet and from the charms and amulets that were hung on the wall, he knew he was inside Osisiakalaka's temporary dwelling place. He watched as Osisiakalaka paced from one end of the room to another before he spoke again; his face was red and his lips were pressed tightly."What were you doing here?" Osisiakalaka asked.Ibekwe kept quiet."Why didn't you go home when you saw the words written on the statue?" Osisiakalaka asked again, sounding differently."I wanted to see you because I was still having strange dreams, thoughts and sometimes I feel my mother's presence. I also talk with my conscience. I am not normal."Osisiakalaka stroke his beard. "You woul
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Sixty-three
"Wake up Ibekwe," a voice said.Ibekwe got up slowly and retreated back to the bed when he saw the figure of a woman. He shouted Adaugo's name. Three times he hollered but no one beside him responded."Ibekwe! Are you alright?" The voice asked.Ibekwe strained his eyes till he grasped the full image of the woman in front of him. His mother, Akwaudo."Good morning mother," he replied slowly."You had a terrible sleep last night. You almost got your father angry," Akwaudo said, drifting away from the bed."But I slept pretty fine. My visit to Osisiakalaka made we feel better.","If screaming the name of Adaugo in the middle of the night is the result you got from yesterday's visit to the shrine then you need help. Several times you yelled her name. I already warned you and your brother to be careful around that girl. I will have to see her parents even if it is the only way I can keep you safe.""Don't do that mother. It is not n
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Sixty-four
The grasscutter looked at the fallen leaves, dispersed in diverse regions around the ground. Its moist body vibrated slowly as it bent its head to sense any form of danger. Seeing none, it hastily crawled away and kept on moving until the scent of an edible fruit swept past its nose. The grasscutter stopped and observed a small wooden structure above the fruit that was acting as a threat to its mission. Speedily, he grabbed the fruit and jumped out of the trap. After gnawing the fruit selfishly, the grasscutter shut its eyes and rested. Minutes later, it was asleep with its rodent claws on its belly.It took a short period of time for the grasscutter to realise the mistake it had made. It opened its eyes and was shocked to see a predator standing close with fingers searching for its body. The grasscutter tried to run fast but it couldn't. It was stuck. It moaned as it tried to free itself from the tight grip of the rope. Its predator stared with brave eyes and made an evil cl
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