Journey To The Unknown

Episode 3

So bright and early was the morning as Anochie was seen in front of their mud house,sitting on a bench with only a wrapper tied on his waist,slowly playing his flute in a sorrowful
tone. Tears ran down his eyes as he played,but the cause of his tears no one can tell. His
mother woke up to see his part of the bed
vacant. She wondered where he went to, so she rushed outside only to see him sitted there playing his flute, she said nothing but rather went inside, tied up a wrapper and ran to his late husband’s brother house. She was close enough to Maazi Ukadike’s house and began to shout his name in tears

“Ukadike, I am finished ooo”Mrs. Nworie
shouted and fell at the door mouth of his
house. Mrs. Ukadike rushed out and carried her up consoling her followed by Ukadike

“It’s Okay Mama Anochie..What is it?”She asked

“Is Anochie dead?”Maazi Ukadie asked holding his staff tightly to his chest

“Haaa!!..My Husband,stop saying that”Mrs.
Ukadike rebuked him

“What else will I say eeh woman”Maazi said and sat down close to Mrs. Nworie

“My wife,what is it?”He asked again
“Heeei!!..Mrs. Nworie shouted. Why did death
take away my husband from me oo”She
exclaimed in more tears

“Dry your tears and stop blaming death. Death comes in it’s time”Maazi Ukadike said

“Then it come and carry me also.”Mrs. Nworie said

“Tufiakwaa!!. God forbid”Maazi Ukadike
rejected her statement spitting out the
chewing stick in his mouth

“Mama Anochie take it easy and talk to us”Mrs. Ukadike said

“Is it not Anochie”Mrs. Nworie said
“Anochie??..What did he do?”Maazi Ukadike
asked surprisingly knowing that Anochie was
never a bad child

“Since his Father died,he hardly smiles,always isolating himself and playing the old flute his father gave to him. Eeeh,am I not better than dead tell me Mama Ada”Mrs. Nworie said looking at Mrs. Ukadike (Mama Ada)

“Hmmm..This is serious. Let’s go let me see
him”Maazi said and she dried her tears
following Ukadike.

On reaching to Nworie’s house,Anochie was still there playing the flute and tears was still
dropping from his eyes without him noticing
any movement.

“You see what I am talking about Nna anyi”Mrs. Nworie complained and Ukadike walked up to Anochie,he sat besides him and called his name

“Anochie”He called but Anochie did not
respond

“Anochie!!”He called more louder but Anochie still didn’t reply so he tapped him hard

“Anochie!!!”He called again tapping his back and Anochie arose in shock

“Aarrh!! Papa,you are here”Anochie said
recovering his senses and placing the flute back on his neck

“No, I am not here,this is my twin spirit. What
has come over you Anochie?”Ukadike asked
Anochie as Anochie looked at his mother whse
eyes were red in tears

“I don’t understand what you are talking about Papa”Anochie said

“Why do you want to kill your mother before
her time?? Eeh Anchie!!”He yelled at him

“What?? Kill my mother, how Papa??”Anochie asked in surprise looking confused

“Oh,you are asking me how isn’t it? Ok,now
listen to me”Ukadike said in an elderly order
“You hardly talk to her or even anyone,you
hardly smile,you are always isolative playing
this your flute leaving your mother in heart
break and memories of your late father. Is it
good eeh Anochie??”Ukadike asked him leaving him speechless still gazing at his mother

“Anochie I am asking you!!”Ukadike barked at him

“Sorry Nna anyi,I can’t really tell but I normally have this sad and sorrowful feeling”Anochie said holding his flute
“And only my flute keeps my mind at rest from the feelings

“What sort of nonsense feeling is that,you
better conquer it and make your mother happy again. Look at her,she is now turning to the letter I written with faint ink getting thinner by the day. Anochie,mind yourself!! I have finished my own”Ukadike concluded
“Yes Papa,I am sorry. Mama, I am
sorry”Anochie said in remorse

“Mama Anochie,you have heard him, he said he is sorry. It’s ok now”He said holding Mama Anochie
“I know Anochie is a good boy,don’t worry it might be the feelings of his father”He
concluded

“Thank You Nna anyi”Mama Anochie
appreciated him and Ukadike tried leaving but
he turned back

“And by the way Anochie, Why are you
crying?”He asked looking at the tears on his
eyes

“Am I crying??”Anochie asked touching his eyes
“Chim oo (My God),so it has gone to that extent that you don’t know or feel any stimulus again.

Hmmm, Anochie!! Well,let me start going”He
said and left shaking his head.

The eyes of Anochie and His Mother jammed
together boiling up a Mother and Child feeling
and Anochie played the flute for his mother to
make her happy..
*
*
“My Father I greet you”Prince Azuka, a tall fair handsome young man greeted Ebubedike his father.

Azuka’s physical combinations made
him proud because he was known as the most
handsome amongst their neighbouring villages.

“My Son,how are you today”Igwe asked him

“I’m fine Papa”He replied
“Ooh..That’s good”Igwe replied and ended the smiling mood on his face
“Papa,this calamity that has befallen the land is bothering you so much,afterall it does not affect you,you no longer bear children so I
don’t see the reason you will be eating yourself up”Azuka said

“May the gods seize to release their anger on you Azuka. Now get out of my sight if you don’t have anything else to say!!”Igwe ordered and Azuka stood up

“I will be at the stream”Azuka said and left with his two guards.

“What sort of a son is this??”Igwe asked himself and sighed

“Nwaagu,get me my palm wine”He said to the guard standing besides him
*
*
The Prince walked the path that led to the
stream followed by his guards,the path was not wide due to the fact that bushes were on both sides. Ada and Anochie went to the stream on that day after the words of Maazi Ukadie his uncle.

On their way back they met the Prince. Ada was a very beautiful girl with anything better than figure 8,she tied a wrapper t cover her b—-t in the local way leaving part of her stomach below open and an average lengthy local skirt she wore carrying her calabash on her head laughing with Anochie as they were walking back home so the Prince lustfully admired her as they drew closer

“Good day My Prince”
“Good day My Prince”They both greeted trying to pass from the little chance they had near the bushes but the guards blocked them

“What is this now,let us pass”Ada said drawing back with Anochie

“Why will you pass when you have not paid
homeage to your Prince”Azuka said smiling
broadly

“What kind of Homeage?”Ada asked
“But we greeted”Anochie added
“Will you shut up your mouth! I wasn’t talking to you flute boy”Azuka harshly said to Anochie

“I’m sorry”Anochie said
“Sorry for yourself.. Now you, I don’t know
your name”Azuka said
“My name is Ada, Ada Ukadike”Ada said
“Oooh,I see,that name makes you more
beautiful”Azuka said but Ada said nothing
“Well as you can see I am interested in you,so kindly follow me to the bush and give me what I want”Azuka said smiling

“What? May the gods of Umuanyanwu forgive
you. Do you think I am one of those girls you
molest? Excuse me”Ada barked at him and
tried to pass but the guards pushed them back
thereby breaking the water pot of Anochie
“Chim oo (My God)”Anochie exclaimed
“That serves you right weakling”One of the
guards said

“Bring her!”Azuka ordered and one of the
guard tried to carry Ada
“She is going nowhere!!”Anochie said angrily

“What if I insist?”The Prince aske d and a guard hit Anochie and he fell down in pains. The other guard brought down the calabash of Ada and carried her on his shoulder covering her mouth. She yelled aloud and cried pleading but no one heard for her mouth was covered.

They got into the bush and Ada was la!d down
by the guard holding her hand and the other
covering her mouth as she mutely pleaded…
Anochie,painfully stood up seeing that they
were gone,tears ran down his eyes and he
began to play his flute in angry tears..

“I get whatever I want”Azuka said as he pulled off his robe and unzipping his trouser,he knelt down sexually admiring Ada touching her sensitive parts,but when he got to remove her local skirt an invisible hand slapped him that he fell on the other side.

“My Prince”A guard shouted and ran to the
Prince taking him up..

The flute of Anochie became louder and more
furious that wind began to blow around him…

“What happened my Prince”The guard asked

“I don’t know”He said and walked to Ada again who was still held by one of the guards. As he drew closer,he received another slap
“What was that??”He asked holding his cheek painfully.

Before the guards could reply they
received their own portion of the slap. The
more they stood,the more the slap increased
so they ran out quickly with the Prince holding
his robe in his hand. Ada wondered what
happened and stood up immediately.

On standing up she saw Anochie coming to her
fastly “Anochie!!”She called

“Ada what happened, I have been searching the whole bush for you”Anochie said taking her by the hand

“You are wounded”Ada said ignoring his
question

“Don’t mind that”Anochie said touching the wound

“What will you tell Mama about it and the pot
also”Ada queried standing back

“Just don’t bother about that, Let’s go”Anochie said and they went outside the bush,Anochie carried Ada’s water pot for her since his own was broken.

After dusting herself, they went
home leaving Anochie’s broken pot behind….