Episode 5
Mamiwota Is After My Life๐ญ๐ญ
What have I gotten myself into?.
Silence was entertained for about 5 minutes after the river goddess had read out her rules to us. Then Angela asked her what would be the consequences of not abiding by her them.
“Death and more deaths! I don’t spare anyone who goes about disobeying me”. The Mamiwota replied. The river shook at the sound of her voice.
I sat back on the wet soil, with my feet inside the river and wept silently.
“Angela has killed me”. I muttered repeatedly.
She walked passed in between us back to her throne
“And one last thing. She said pointing her finger toward me
….If I can cause your socalled prayerful mother from coming to see you, I can do all things. I can do the unimaginable!”.
Wait, did I hear her say she prevented my mother from coming for omugwo?. That means, she was the one behind her sickness.I couldn’t take it anymore and without thinking I stood up and rushed to attack her, pushing off Angela’s hand as she tried to stop me.
Before I could get close to her throne, I found myself hanging on the air, above her head. I was paralyzed from the the shoulder down, only able to move my head. This story belongs to Joy Ifunanya.
I heard Angela’s voice from below, crying and begging her to forgive me.
It took a while before she finally adhered to her pleas, and the spell was removed from my body . I fell into the river with a heavy splash, and had to swim back ashore with so much struggle.
Once I was out, we ran as fast as our legs could carry us out of her shrine, but not without me pleading for her forgiveness and promising never to go against her rules ever.
When it seems we have run far enough, we slumped on a clearing by the lonely path, panting heavily.
“Dora, what were you thinking? going to fight a mamiwater?. Are you okay?”. Angela found after about two minutes.
I didn’t speak to her. And if I had, my utterances wouldn’t be pleasant to the ear at all. I blamed her for everything.
*
Angela started telling me about this great river goddess in my third year of marriage. I had run out of the house one night to her place… hubby travelled, and mother-in-law took that as an opportunity to come to the house to taunt me. I could no longer bear the hurtful words she was saying to me that night so I ran out of the house.
I didn’t give Angela’s suggestions a second thought before turning it down. My husband and I have been trusting God. We believed He would give us our own child in due time.
“I believe in miracle”. I had muttered.
“This is the one thing I don’t like about you. You too do. Do you think God will come down from heaven and give you a child?. She shook her head, and sighed.
…. the answer is ‘no’. Heaven helps only those who help themselves. Help yourself, Dora, help yourself before it becomes too late”. She had lectured.
Each time we meet, she must rant about the river goddess, and all her powers.
“Dora, you need to try this out”. She would say.
I kept declining until recently. Y’all know the rest.
*
When I didn’t respond to her question, Angela comported herself. She must have sensed I was m@d at her.
…Seriously I’m so sorry for everything.I know a couple of person she has given children, but I swear I didn’t know there were conditions attached. I would had let you know had I known”. She pleaded.
At this point, I got up, dusted myself, and started walking away with her following quietly from behind, still apologizing.
In the bus we boarded when we got to the main road, I sat in-between two other passengers on a different seat from Angela’s to avoid further communication. Even when we alighted, I paid the tfare and turned to the direction of my house without turning back.
The w0rst awaited my arrival.
People were gathered in my compound. Some were sitting while some others stood in groups in different places. They were all speaking in low tunes.
The couple that fought me earlier were leaning on the pavement in their veranda with their daughter standing in front of them. It seems they were interrogating her.
As I moved closer, I saw the landlord’s second son standing behind his father’s truck. It seems he was having a serious discussion with someone over the phone.
“What is going on here?”. I thought out loud.
I walked passed him, and was about to enter my house when Iya Folake, a neighbor stopped me.
Everyone knows that woman as a gossip and I have always tried my best to avoid her. But that day was a different ….I was curious.I stood back, and watch her approach me.
“E be like you no dey house since(Seems you have been out?)”. She began.
“No, I’m just coming back”. I replied.
‘That means you no know wetin dey ground now?(Does that mean you’re not aware of the latest development?””. She asked, supporting herself on the wall.
“What happened?”. I asked.
She looked around excitedly before announcing:
“Ethel don die. She die for night(Ethel died last night)”
“What???”.I exclaimed.
Was it that serious?
Please, share ๐๐๐
Typing 6…..
#Story from Joy Ifunanya
