The Betrayal
(Episode 25)
The chief priest raised the dagger high above Lillian’s head. Lilian closed her eyes and held her breath. She did not want to see the dagger sink into her chest. The drummers beat harder until the sound reached a crescendo. The drums only added to the trepidation that hung in the air. But before the dagger could come down, an owl flew into the temple and perched on Hayak’s head. It hooted three times, and the chief priest’s hand froze in mid-air. He turned around. The crowd hooted and immediately became apprehensive.
“This is a bad omen,” the chief priest’s voice shook.
“Do it!” Hayakramah yelled, baring his brownish teeth.
The chief priest hesitated, and Hayakramah grew angry. He threatened the revered older man.
“But, Hayakramah, you know it is not a good sign for an owl to hoot three times during the HAYAKUNNAH let alone perching on Hayak’s head. What are you trying to do? You want us to incur the wrath of Hayak?” Hayakharet’s father shouted at the supreme commander.
Hayakramah grew red hot with anger and slapped the dethroned king with the back of his hand. The crowd became repulsed by his action, and they began to murmur.
The drama bought me some time. I intensified my effort, and before long, the rope snapped. I slid my hand into my pocket and brought out the pistol. I had not held a gun in my life, but at least I had seen people use it in movies. I broke loose and yelled to catch their attention. I fired two shots right above the head of Hayakramah. The blast flashed across the temple, and the noise thundered and echoed several times as it ricocheted about the temple. The crowd screamed and ducked to the ground trembling.
“He has lightning and thunder in his hands. He is a god!” someone shouted from the crowd.
The people went hysterical.
Hayakramah ordered guards to seize me. The fools charged forward, and I taught them a small lesson. I shot them on their ankles. They both fell to the ground and held their legs, crying like babies. Blood did not waste time to flow out. Their clubs flew in the air and bounced off on hitting the ground.
“Awwwwww! He is a messenger of Hayak!” the crowd roared.
The disoriented usurper ordered two more guards to take me down, but they hesitated. Annoyed, he pushed them away and picked his spear. He came for me. Idiot! I spoke to my pistol again, and the obedient gun answered immediately. I buried a bullet into each of his thighs. Ew! One almost tore through his thing.
“WA-YOOO!!!” he screamed and jumped about like a chicken with no head.
The chief priest walked up to him and whopped his head with his staff. Hayakramah cried more and fell to the ground, and the people grew more terrified. He dragged himself to Hammerhead of Horror. Do you remember him? The big-headed traitor. The usurper held the traitor’s leg and begged him to help him. Headward hissed and kicked him hard in the face. “I don’t know you,” he told him.
Just then, Hayakharet’s band of warriors—the ones that went for Annaukun—arrived. They presented to the people the gorilla’s head. Shouts of joy burst forth from the people. The drummers increased the tempo, and the crowd went berserk.
“Behold, our saviours!” The general who had Annaukun’s head in his hand announced, pointing at us. He explained how we told them we had killed the beast and how they found our words to be true.
The moon fully shone on my chiselled body, and the white paintings on my body began to glow. All the people hooted in awe and fell on their knees to bow down to me. “Bless us, messenger of the gods.”
I motioned to the priests to cut loose my friends and Hayakharet, and they did that immediately. Fiona ran to me and hugged me. Sister Elizabeth, Amitabh, and Lilian hugged like one family. The warrior princess ordered her warriors to round up the traitors and Hayakramah. She marched up to Headward. The traitor began to whimper and tremble the moment Hayakharet stood in front of him. His big head shook as if it had gone out of control. She sent a combo of blows and kicks into his stomach. He doubled over, coughed, and vomited blood and all the contents of his stomach. “Seize him!” she commanded.
The king and the queen both hugged and kissed Hayakharet. After that, the king, the queen, and the chief priest came to thank us, expressing their profound appreciation in no small measure. Hayakharet also walked up to my four surviving friends and me, and all of us embraced in one big hug. The people kept doing obeisance to us.
The king gave orders, and a huge party was thrown for us. The whole people gathered at the centre of the village and sat in circles around burning fire, eating and drinking. I must say that these people knew how to enjoy life. There were roasted boars and goats with enough sweetened drink to go along with them. We watched them dance. Though their dance steps were strange to us, they were fascinating to watch. They invited us to the dance floor. We loosened up and allowed the spirit of dance flow through us. We danced together—with ourselves and with the locals. Even the king and his queen took to the dance floor. We enjoyed ourselves throughout the night until our bodies ached.
The following morning after we had rested well, the king sent us forth with a royal parade. He volunteered his royal carriage to convey us. Princess Hayakharet insisted that she and her regiment would escort us. The king gave us many gifts, but their usefulness in our world was what we were not sure. However, if there was one gift I cherished most, it was the Ntunja seeds.
We eventually arrived at the point where the entourage had to return. The sounds of moving vehicles were not far ahead. Princess Hayakharet gave us one last hug and removed her royal necklace and wore it around my neck. We all said our final goodbyes and each party went its way.
We had not taken many steps when an arrow flew past my ear. We all froze.
To be continued … Watch Out for the Next Episode!
