THE JOURNEY 6

As soon as the drum was shut, it looked like a tunnel.  Akidi began to hear strange voices, then he heard Nnuka's voice like it was a roaring lion then his parent's voice and Nwayinma's voice, she sounded so loving and was asking about their son.

He then began to see weird things, he saw his late relatives sitting under a shade and chatting away, Akidi wanted to reach out to them before he remembered the Dibia's warning not to talk to any other person before Nnuka, he looked away and they beckoned to him to come over while the let out weird sounds and  laughter's.  Akidi was frightened but he had to be a man and face this challenge, he left them and suddenly saw himself walking through thick bushes when he met some children playing and dancing in circles, soon the children came together and formed into a huge woman with a scary face, she began to chase Akidi and he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.  He ran through the bushes and was almost losing his breath as the huge monster caught up with him when Nwanyinma, his late wife appeared and saved him from the spirit, he heaved a sigh of relief and before he could say anything, Nwanyinma was gone just like the wind that brought her.
  Akidi gasped for breath, he wished this nightmare would be over soon, he looked down and saw a beautiful lake with fruits blossoming from the trees that surronded it, he wanted to take a swim and pluck from the fruits but the Dibia's voice echoed to him once again, he took another turn through the bushes in search Nnuka.

Akidi had walked for many hours already, he began to wonder what his mission here was all about if he had begged Nnuka and appeased her spirit,  he couldn't make anything out of the journey. 
He was tired of walking already and decided to take a rest, as soon as he spotted a huge tree with shades, he made for it and sat under the tree, soon he dozed off, only to wake up to see that he had been surrounded by five beautiful maidens who were identical, they were whispering and he couldn't make out anything they were saying,  they turned to see he was awake, then began to laugh,  their laughter's grew louder as they danced and twisted their bodies like snakes.  They continued dancing round Akidi and laughing before another young woman appeared and joined them in their loud laughter's, hers was the loudest, she was veiled so Akidi couldn't see her face.  It was not until she spoke that he realized it was Nnuka, the woman he seeks, he immediately knelt down and began to plead with all his might and strength asking that her spirit forgives her for everything his family put her through and release them from her spell.

After his pleads, Nnuka took Akidi into a place that looked like a cave, she told him, he she had forgiven him as he didn't know what had really happened but asked that his son be betrothed to her as she had reincarnated into the child that was born and of whom the Dibia had asked that Ozoemena be betrothed to.  Akidi wanted to plead for mercy on his son but Nnuka won't hear, she told him he would stay in the cave until the Dibia opens the drum that lets him back into the land of the living and if he is not able to make it back, Okeosisi his friend would stand as representative at Ozoemena's betrothment....
Akidi thanked her and she disappeared, he thanked his chi for his son's safety and hoped he makes it back to make amends!
Ifunanya Ononiwu (c) 2016