Obiora returned to drills after a week in the labs, pale and spent but happy to be once more united with his siblings, the 5th generation children were allowed to eat and be together for a few hours thrice a week, asides that they only saw one another at drills and classes where they were taught by grizzled old professors and learnt different languages under the watchful eyes of their handlers.
Omotola’s handler, Katie was kind to her and sometimes told her about her own life outside the institute which was against protocol; Amaka, Babybaby’s handler adored her and spoilt her terribly. The rest of the handlers took their jobs quite seriously and Katie once said they feared the children and their abilities but feared the institute more; she would expertly change the discussion to new topics whenever she tried to get her to talk about the institute.
It was after Obiora’s porcupine stunt that the doctors began wondering if they could force the children t
After waiting for two hours into the night which felt like days, Omotola was beginning to doubt whether she got Shettima’s message right and when she was about calling it a night a sound made her jump.The electricity in her wings flashed defensively, by their lights she watched in fascination as Shettima stepped out from a shadowed corner of her cubicle, his charcoal colored wings spread around him like a cloak. Omotola grinned in greeting. He smiled back then moved around checking out the room.“I thought you wouldn’t get my message’’ he whispered, took me a while to find where you sleep, I stumbled into Orchid’s cubicle while she was shaving her legs, her room so pink and bright I could barely find a dark place big enough to escape with.’’ he made a puking face and gave another rare smile as Omotola chuckled."What took you so long?"“My own cubicle has been renovated with bright fluorescents lights to stop me le
They found themselves in a large dome shaped hall, bigger even than the halls they used for drills, the spherical roof inlaid with glass windows from which a group of people stared down at them, dressed in business suits, army uniforms and lab coats, Omotola noticed doctor Mugabe standing with a stern faced broad shouldered man in an army suit decorated with so much medals she wondered why she wasn’t hearing the jingling down from where she stood.“Can someone tell me what’s going on here?’’ Orchid whispered nervously, they were alone now, their handlers had silently withdrawn.“These people own us,’’ Shettima said so quiet Obiora had to lean forward to hear him; they’re here to watch us do what we’ve been trained to do since we learned to walk and fly, the 5th children were silent as his words sank in.“What do they want from us?" Babybaby asked, her lower lip quivering.“To do what we do best’’ Obiora replied this
As I once more fled to the solitude of dreams, the weaker I had become, the weaker my grasp over my dreams as I was instead swept into memories I had no desire to remember. To my chagrin and shame, I was forced to re-live them all, the pains and regrets and then this particular one I was swept unto like the erratic flow of a river pregnant with rains.I saw myself strolling through the slave markets of Ajashe Ipo; now known as Porto-novo, invisible to the eyes of the the mortal traders and merchants. The gathering of clouds and the distant rumble of thunder heralded my arrival, the traders throwing a few worried glances at the sky wondering whether it might rain.All this I ignored as I moved closer to the objects of both my curiosity and loathing. The foreign Portuguese merchants.For a while I stood and watched the foreigners argue with Yorùbá, Fon and Ewẹ traders, haggling and bartering goods, salts and gold in exchange for slave
Something woke Omotola in the dark. She squealed, panicking until a familiar voice hissed at her to hush it, she brushed her hair from her face and glared balefully at Shettima.“What’s the big idea Dracula you want to give me a heart attack?’’ He smiled apologetic, "sorry if I scared you, but it's really important that we talk.’’“You saw me at drills just this morning,’’ Omotola growled irritated, ‘’I need my sleep, and haven’t we agreed you quit your midnight strolls for a while? You’ll ruin everything.’’“Change of plans, I saw something else’’ he cuts in so sharply she shuts up fast, “if we have to leave we should leave soon.’’“You have a nice cubicle, she heard a deep voice said.’’She squealed again in alarm, her wings flashed electricity so bright Shettima flinched, then she saw Obiora chuckling, his twin Orchid stood beside him grinning in amusement, carrying a sleepy Babybaby astride her
But things took a turn for the worse as the classes they’ve always had together was canceled, Omotola had a sick feeling that the institute was trying to ease their separation by keeping them apart, like puppies about to be sold off, not siblings with humane feelings.Drills and tuition became a private activity and their schedules were adjusted to reduce the chance of them being together but instead, the recent turn of event did nothing but agitate them the more as they began to act unruly, Omotola was punished, prodded and confined to her cubicle without meals several times for asking questions, of course the institute needed someone to blame for that because Katie was never seen again, and she was replaced by a stone faced lady who ignored all attempts at conversation.“Where’s Katie?’’“Silence…”“Who are you and when is she coming back?”“More silence…”&ldq
“Who are you?’’ Binta asked, her voice squeaky, which sounded kind of silly since he already introduced himself as their father. The man seem to think the same because his chuckle like thunder booms shook the room.“You look like Aina my first daughter whom my wife Oshun bore for me. She was always mischievous. Alas she perished in the great fire. The corners of his mouth seem to curl downwards in regret as he said this, then a smirk spread over his face so fast Omotola thought she must have imagined it been sad a second ago.“So the pampered 5th generation finally had the liver to step out of their comfort shells, I was beginning to think you were too daft to think for yourselves’’. His jabs stung but they wisely held their tongues but Babybaby who was still learning to keep her mouth shut, stood up for them.“No we’re not! She fired back “Look who managed to get himself locked in a cage, who’s the daft one now.’’ they held breaths
“I admit that I underestimated you pagan god,’’ Doctor Mugabe said, his bearded face demonized by his furious countenance. “your unwelcomed affiliation with the specimens has complicated our plans but no matter, we’ll improvise, you have been nothing but trouble from the onset but soon, your usefulness to mankind will soon be over.”Shango’s face was devoid of expression but his fierce eyes followed Doctor Mugabe as he stalked around his spherical cage with so much intensity Omotola wondered why he wasn’t blown away by the psychic wave of hatred pulsing his way.“Your rebellious curiosity disappoints me children,” the doctor stopped to face the 5th generation children, his back to Shango’s cage in a show of power. “In spite of our care and nurturing, a decorated monkey will still be a monkey, since you have decided to act like your freak sire, we shall treat you as such, now we cannot afford to allow you jeopardize our decade long plans at the peak
I had always pictured these children as repulsive and witless as the other abominations the men in white coats created from my blood, I was wrong, for there they were before me, magnificent and regal in their bearings, I couldn’t help but feel some pride burning through my being.They daring to come seeking answers to quench their doubts signifies creatures blessed with intelligence and bravery, my heart stirred with hope. The men in long white coats had finally made their mistake, for my liberation stood before me in the form of my offspring, I answered their questions as best as I could for I needed to bring them to my side. I told them everything about me and everything I knew about the institute they called home.In answering theirs, I couldn’t help but wonder about whom answers mine, how they found my body, how they succeeded in holding me for decades, and the powers behind their existence, the people who gave them the go ahead to eat their pou