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

"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

Children clapped as they circled a glowing fire. They sang an Igbo song and when it ended, they laughed, jumped and stamped their feet on the ground. The parents of the children were clustered in one part of the village square, chatting in low voices.A child spotted Ibekwe and ran to him. "How are you?" Ibekwe asked the child."I am fine," the child responded with flickering eyes.Ibekwe carried the child on his shoulders and was spinning the young boy in a playful manner when a short woman approached him. From the giggling coming from the child, Ibekwe knew the woman was the child's mother."The gods will bless you my child. I have been looking for my son everywhere," the short woman said."He is a good boy who likes to play," Ibekwe replied.Ibekwe handed the child to the short woman and she dragged the young boy into her arms. Suddenly, Ibekwe felt an urge to ask the woman why children were playing close to the fire but he r

Like a wavy spirit, morning came quickly but the rooster in Ezeugo's compound did not crow and its refusal to remind Ezeugo that daylight had come did not stop him from waking up early. He got up and found Ojiugo still asleep, eyes closed and staring into space. He went outside and grabbed pieces of bundled firewoods which he used to make a fire. A few minutes passed and the water he placed on the fire was heated. He put off the fire and took the hot water and went to bath. When he returned to the room, he found Ojiugo still sleeping. Her posture had not changed. She was facing the opposite side of the window, still staring into space.He wore his clothes and kissed her on the cheek before leaving the room. When he stopped at Okwudili's compound, he knocked at the door. Okwudili opened the door and they whispered after exchanging greetings. A while later, Okwudili came out and told him to lead the way."Where is the charm that Osisiakalaka gave you?" Okwudili asked.

An hour had passed when a pregnant Chinelo had left the shrine and Osisiakalaka had succumbed to her grief and commit an enormous crime against his moral code of conduct. Abortion. He dropped the palm oil lamp and opened the door slightly. The yellow light flickered, showing the faces of two matured men. He looked at the first man. The man's lined face crinkled into a smile."Great one! We greet you," the man chorused."You are welcome servants of the gods. You may come inside and sit down," he replied and waved the lamp on their faces as if he was trying to ascertain their identities.As the two men entered inside the shrine, Osisiakalaka peeped to see if anyone was hovering outside the verandah of the sacred place of the gods. Pleased with the fact that it was only the two men and him that were around the vicinity of the shrine , he shut the door."How are your wives? Are they well?" Osisiakalaka asked."Great one! They are well."The two