NOT OF GOD✋✋✋
Episode 6
©Miriam Edem
“Chinedu, Chinedu, she called out and began to cry when she noticed her son was around.
“What happened to you? I mean what is this? Chinedu asked and attem-pted to to-uchher eyes but she screamed out
“No please, its paining me, Chinedu I want to die, she cried and the few villagers who were there suggested she should be carried to the village doctor.
“In this kind of condition? Just look at her eyes completely black, I have never seen something like this, another villager said as Chinedu only placed his head on his mother hand.
“Don’t take me to anywhere, let me die here, its time for me to go so that my enemies will be at peace, She said.
“Mama what are you saying? If there’s anything I should do to make you feel better you know I’ll do it, let us take you to whatever doctor that can do this, Chinedu said.
“My son forget it, they can’t do anything, it is my time, please tell everyone to go, she said.
“We should go? A woman asked to be sure she heard her correctly.
“Tell every one to go, she repeated herself and everyone left the house and she commanded Chinedu to close the door behind. When he closed the door behind was when he remembered what happened last night and kept looking at his mother not knowing how to ask.
“Chinedu, his mother called out.
“Mama what is going on? Are you ready to tell me now? He asked.
“Chinedu what are you saying? I was at home here when i heard a hissing sound as if a snake was in the house. I said that can’t be because I planted those snake resistant plants around me and snakes has not been disturbing around the house. I used the lantern and looked outside but saw nothing, then i returned and decided to open a basin to keep outside because it was looking as if it wanted to rain, but the hissing sound was becoming very close, and when I turned, look at a very big snake at my back.
It was the basin I used on the snake with all my power and a very serious fight happened only me and the snake, despite all i was shouting in this house, no bo-dy came out. Chinedu, no bo-dy loves us, they are only pretenders because they left me to die that is why I told them to get out, now they want to take me to which doctor so they will finish me off abi? She asked.
“Mama if I should hear you right, are you trying to say a snake did this to you? Chinedu asked.
“The biggest I have ever seen, black and ugly and I fought it alone, but as an old woman what can I do? It spat on my eyes and I fell, and I felt it coming close to me, probably to swallow or bite me and I was still with the basin, so I hit it very ha-rd and I could hear it roll in pains and maybe disappeared, she replied and began to cry and Chinedu held her.
“Mama I am taking you home with me, so that I can go look around to find people who can open your eyes, Chinedu said.
“My son forget it, I can feel it that my eyes are gone, there’s nothing you can do about it, and I am not leaving this house, she said.
“What are you saying mama? Why can’t you leave this house for once even in this condition so I can take Care of you what is going on? Okay what do you want me to do now? Abandon you here so that the villagers will start talking that I left my blind mother to die? He asked.
“So when you take me home you will take Care of me ba or your wife? She asked and Chinedu remembered it again.
“Thanks for reminding me again, did you in anyway poison the pawpaw I left for my wife yesterday? He asked.
“Ahhhgh Chinedu! So I have not even died yet and my enemies are already talking bad things at my back? She shouted.
“Mama just answer me straight up because something happened yesterday and I only asked a question because you were the only one who was with us, Chinedu said.
“What happened last night that made you ask such a question tell me? She asked.
“Agnes didn’t eat the pawpaw I kept for her and she threw it away, the fowls saw it and ate it and that night I found two of them dead which is a clear indication that it was poisoned. Don’t tell me that you did it mama, Chinedu replied and she began to cry.
“Mama! Chinedu angrily called out not interested in her tears.
“I wanted storming here to meet you this morning but got another news from you that made me calm, tell me the truth who poisoned it! He shouted.
“What do you want me to say when you have already been convinced in your heart that I poisoned her. Chinedu search my house and when you see anything that looks like poison don’t bury me when I die. Was it not you who took out the slices of pawpaw for me and I told you to keep the rest for your wife knowing it is good for her in her condition? Yes I may hate Agnes but it has never cross my mind to hurt her, and how can I do that? How can I poison her knowing you’ll be implicated in the case or has my old age made me stupid? She asked back and Chinedu became more confused and felt bad..
“Its okay mama, sorry I even asked such a question, I should have realized anything could have killed the fowls because that is not the first time it has happened. I’m sorry, Chinedu apologized.
“Please just leave me alone, are you not ashamed to ask me such a question? How can you let your wife control and manipulate you this way against your own mother? she asked.
“Mama please I am begging you let me take you home, you can’t stay here, Chinedu said.
“Over my dead bo-dy will I step my feet there, leave me alone Chinedu you can go, She angrily said and Chinedu stood up looking at her.
“Just go, I didn’t tell you that I’ll be dying now, its just blindness and its not a new thing. Go to that wall, there’s a calabash there bring it for me, she said pointing at a direction and he slowly went to it and saw the calabash.
“Don’t look into it, she added and he gave it to her.
“This will do, don’t worry about me, she said.
“Mama how will you eat? Who will cook for you? Okay allow me to bring a small girl who will be helping you at home please, Chinedu said and she laughed.
“Chinedu I said forget about me, I can take Care of my self, now go, go! She shouted and he sluggishly left. He met with the villagers that was at his mother place and they asked about her,
“She’s fine, but then, you all heard her scream in the night right? He asked and they nodded.
“And how many of you came out to see what was going on? He asked.
“No one can go into her compound in the night, everyone knows this that’s why no one bothered, a woman replied.
“What do you mean no one can go into the compound in the night? Is there any security there to drive you away? He asked.
‘But that’s the truth or didn’t she tell you? Another woman asked.
“Don’t tell me that! You all are hypocrites! He shouted and angrily left them back home.
Immediately he entered was when Agnes was seen opening the door and she saw him coming,
“Where did you go to? She asked.
“Are you just waking up? He asked back.
“Yes but I didn’t see you, she replied and he went in with her.
“I went to my mother place, he said and Agnes frowned.
“To do what? Probably to ask why she poisoned me yesterday? She asked.
“A lady knocked on the door while you were asleep and told me something happened to mama, he replied and Agnes smi-rked.
“What kind of petty excuse is that so she can escape or cover up what she did abi? Agnes asked.
“Will you just hear me out? Mama is blind! Chinedu shouted and she looked at him.
“Blind how? That is not possible, she said.
“Well if you don’t believe go see for your self, he said and covered his hand on his head worriedly.
“But how come? What did she say happen? Agnes asked.
“I don’t even un-derstand myself, only that she said she saw a snake in her room and she fought with it and it spat into her eyes, he replied.
“Unbelievable! Agnes shouted.
“If you don’t believe go see her, mama eyes are completely dark in fact you can’t even see her eyes, I have never seen such a thing before, he said and Agnes was just looking at him.
“Despite her pains I had to still ask why she attem-pted to poison you but I was wrong, we were so wrong! The fowls could have died another death, besides the fowls has been dying from time to time how could you think of such a thing that mama could have poisoned you in my own house? Does it not sound dumb? Chinedu asked looking at Agnes and she became more confused.
“But…. But I thought……….. ” I know mama does not like you but she can’t go far to kill you in my house, will that not implicate me and can she do something that will ever hurt me? Agnes please be thinking, stop using your emotions every time, he cut her short and left the sitting room.
Agnes stoop up pacing around for a while and left to meet her husband,
“I’m sorry, maybe I was wrong, but what about mama? What will you in her condition? She asked.
“She does not want me to do anything. She said I should leave her alone and she does not want to stay with us either after I asked such a question. I am just tired, he replied and she slowly tou-ched his shoulders.
“Let’s go find a doctor then, you said she’s in pain let’s relieve the pains at least, Agnes said and he breathed out.
“Mama is very stubborn, when she says no, her no remains no, he said.
“Okay can we go see her? I have to apologize to her, she said and he looked at her and made her to sit.
“How is the baby? Still feeling pains? He asked.
“No I feel okay but I’ll go to the hospital later after seeing mama, she replied.
“Alright, but let’s have something to eat first okay and we’ll go there together, he said and she stood up.
Just as Chinedu said, after eating they left to go see his mother but was surprised to see the door locked,
“Mama! Chinedu called out knocking.
“What do you want? I want to be alone, she replied inside.
“Mama please open the door nah stop doing this, he said and after about five minutes of begging she sluggishly opened the door and returned back using a stick.
“You have a stick? I actually came back to do that for you, He said holding her hand.
“Who is with you? She asked when Agnes went speechless when she saw what her eyes has never seen before
“Mama its me, good morning mama, Agnes slowly said leaving the door she was but she was quiet.
“So you brou-ght her here to mock at me? She asked her son.
“Please mama I’m sorry, I…I..I …” What are you apologizing for huh? Stop pretending here and get out! She cuts in shouting that made Agnes shook. The blind people she do see are always weak and sober but her mother in law is just the opposite.
“Mama please we made a mistake and this is not good for you please calm down, Chinedu said and she hissed.
“Mama please forgive me, I can’t explain what took my thoughts to poisoning believe me, Agnes said and she hissed again and Chinedu heaved.
“Uhmmm dear stay with mama let me go find herbs for her, mama you’ll like it, it will make you feel relieved okay I’ll be back, Chinedu said and stood up and Agnes felt like crying for him knowing she will be left alone in the room with her mother in-law and an invisible snake who knows if its still in the room.
She sat shivering and her mother in-law smiled,
“Who are you? She asked and Agnes looked back thinking another person must have walked in.
“I don’t un-derstand mama its me Agnes, she replied and she smiled again.
“This won’t end well at all, but make sure you don’t harm my son, she said and turned her dark eyes to Agnes where she sat.
“What are you talking about? Why should I harm your son? She asked.
“Whoever I am talking to knows I am talking to him, don’t harm my son don’t you dare! She sternly said and Agnes heaved.
“Mama i’ll be outside, Agnes said and slowly left the house to stay outside.
She slowly paced round and plucked leaves around at intervals has she waited for her husband and she stopped at a plant and tou-ched it. Suddenly her stomach began to roll making sounds and she withdrew still with the leave she cut from it and she unknowingly placed it on her stomach and it became worst. She screamed out falling on her knees and her mother in-law came out with her stick and the calabash and smiled,
“Just as I thought, so you tou-ched the snake plant around and it reacted, she said in her heart and Chinedu was seen running to her………..
TBC