Palingenesis – Episode 11

When they all realised that Ben didn’t run and seem to know the strange man, they started coming out of their hidden places one after another. Most of the girls still remained in the bus, except for Clarieta, she wasn’t in the bus and she was yet to come out of the bush.

“Wise one please help us, he is dying “Ben said pointing towards where Isaac’s lying 

“Where is that girl” Chief priest 

“Which girl are you referring to” Ben asked 

“The girl that was with him when he fainted” He replied

The boys went to check for her in the bus but she wasn’t there, they checked the bushes around screaming her name but got no response. 

“She is gone, her mission is accomplished already” the chief priest spoke to no one in particular. 

“What do you mean by that wise one” Ben inquired 

“Like I told you and your friend the other day, in due time, you will understand everything. Step aside” he said to Ben 

Ben obeyed immediately, and then the chief priest brought out some charms from his bag, he started chanting some incantations. Bringing out different charms and touching isaac’s forehead with it. 

They were all looking at him with so much attention, it was just like what they see in the movies but this time it was happening right before their eyes and it’s very real. When the chief priest realised that there were still some negative powers holding back Isaac from resuscitating, he instructed two boys to lift his body and carry him farther away from where they were. Ben and Seyyid lifted him and did has the chief priest has instructed. 

“There is no need to fret, he will be alright, you people should continue fixing whatever is wrong with your bus, you must leave this place as soon as he wakes up” the chief priest said and proceeded to where they took his body to. He continued with the incantations, he put some liquid stuffs in his mouth and something that looks like Kola on his forehead and in his two hands. 

The process continued for a long time, the people at the bus were done with fixing the tyres and are waiting for the chief priest to be done. Some already gave up hope that Isaac was going to die, some including Ejiro were already crying. Clarieta was still no where to be found. The priest still continued incantating and then stood up suddenly from where he was squatting, he was yet to be on his feet when Isaac sneezed. 

‘What happened to me’ Isaac asked. 

‘We should be the ones asking that question, you passed out when you went in to the bush with Clarieta’

The memories began pumping in, he remembered how he followed her unwillingly, he remembered the sex and that was when he blacked out. 

‘What did you see when you passed out’ the chief priest asked. 

‘It was like I was taken back to decades ago, in a very primitive village, I saw a girl talking to me, she called me a name I really can’t remember the name again, she told me to be strong’ he paused abruptly like something just popped into his head. 

“S’ara giri omo ekun, iwo lo ma bori, (Remain brave strongman, you will conquer) those were her words exactly” he explained. 

Ben and Seyyid kept staring at him like he was insane but the chief priest understood what was going on. 

“It has been written already, all these are just the manifestation of the prophecy” the chief priest said 

“What prophecy” they all chorused together. 

“In due time you will understand, rise up my son. It’s time for you people to leave” he replied them

The others that were by the car were now worried about what was going on with Isaac in the bush were they him, one of the lecturers was about to go and check up on what was happening when he saw them coming out from the bush. They all jumped for joy to see Isaac on his feet, the girls rushed to hug him and the boys just shook hands with him.

‘You people should start leaving immediately’ Chief priest 

‘Leaving, But we haven’t seen Clarieta yet, how can we leave without her’ Ejiro 

‘You have to leave without her’ chief priest replied her with a stern look

‘I can never leave without my best friend’ Ejiro insisted

‘Best friend you say’  the priest asked almost shouting. 

‘Yes’ she snapped back 

‘What do you know about her, have you ever seen her family, have you ever been to her father’s house, have you even ever seen her talk to any of her family members before’ the priest shouted again, he was wearing a very furious look. 

Ejiro thought about all the question, she has never seen her speak of or to any of her family, she practically had no friend apart from Ejiro herself. Many a times, she had asked her about her family but she just shoved the questions away. 

“You really don’t know her and you call her your best friend, that girl is not who you think she is” the chief priest said with a soft tone. “She has fooled you all but you are not to be blamed because this was how it was supposed to happen, the only thing altered in the prophecy now is that you are supposed to be dead due to what happened to you in the bush” he pointed to Isaac. 

“You are not dead now because the gods are behind you, you have to be on the look out now because she will come back to finish what she has started, farewell to you all” he left immediately he finished talking in order not to be asked another question. 

As soon as the chief priest left, they all ran into the bus out of fear of what may happen to them if they remained there all by themselves. All that happened in the space of when their bus had flat tyres till now seemed like a dream to them all, they just had a first class witness of things that will be tagged as superstitions in a movie. Isaac almost died and the priest said it was Clarieta that wanted to ki*ll him, Clarieta herself is no where to be found. 

Isaac’s wondering why Clarieta would even want to ki*ll him, he wondered if they have ever met in the past before meeting in the university. 

Ben’s wondering what all that just happened has to do with him, is there a connection to him in the prophecy. 

Ejiro’s thinking about how she has been fooled by Clarieta, she was so blinded by her love for her that she couldn’t see the obvious. Most times she had caught Clarieta talking to herself, sometimes she was absent minded. How could she not have made anything out of all those scenarios. 

The journey back to Abuja was a very silent one unlike when they were coming to the village full of excitement and anticipation of the adventures that they will experience. It was indeed a very interesting one, one they will never forget in their lives. 

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Few weeks after returning from the trip to the village for the burial, everything has returned back to how it used to be. They have all moved on with their lives pretending like nothing out of the ordinary happened in the village, Except for Ejiro who was still baffled and finding it hard to move on without someone that she regarded has a friend, someone more than a friend to her. She hadn’t spoken to Ben ever since their return, since she was now certain that he’s dumped her for Anne. On the contrary she has been getting closer to Isaac ever since their journey back from the trip, their friendship has been getting stronger than it was before. Most times they talk on phone, sometimes he visits. 

Ben on the other hand has been preoccupied with his love for Anne, they were gradually taking their relationship to the next level. Ever since Anne returned from the village, he has been staying at her place and they were literally living as couple. Everything’s going on cool with them except for the visions they see anytime they kiss. The most remarkable one that occurred was the one that occurred last night, Anne just came out of the shower and had a very short white towel wrapped around her. Ben who was busy with his phone couldn’t concentrate on what he was busy with anymore, his eyes were fixed on the fresh laps revealed by the short towel wrapped around her. He was still picturing her without the towel when she actually untied the towel and let it slip away, he’d always fantasised about seeing her Unclad but he didn’t think her body will be this hot and Sexy, it was like he was staring right into the body of a goddess. His brain thought about it, his little soldier responded and his feet reacted, he gradually walked towards her and placed his hands on her breasts, he fumbled it and then stuffed it in his mouth, he kissed her on the neck and was gradually moving to the lips but he thought about the visions and flashes. He returned his mouth back to her brea$t and kept on suckling it, she began to moan softly, she was beginning to enjoy it, she felt his cold tongue on her brea$t and it felt so great. She put her hands round his face and raised his head to kiss him, he didn’t want to kiss her but he didn’t know how to go about it without sounding rude or offending her. Their lips intertwined, he was cautious at first, scared of seeing those horrifying visions but after a while that they have been kissing and the visions didn’t pop in, he gave the kiss his all, in no time he was kissing her passionately while his hand was locating it’s way into her womanliness, he finally navigated his hand there and felt the wetness, Just as he was about to insert his hands inside of her, the vision popped in and before a twinkle of an eye, he blacked out.

“What actually happened last night baby” Ben asked Anne who’s busy watching one of her favourite telenovelas on telemundo. He very well knew she doesn’t like being distracted or disturbed anytime she was watching but he didn’t have much of a choice than to ask her. 

“Babe can we talk about that later please” she replied with eyes still focused on the TV 

“Okay if you think this telemundo thing is more important than me then it’s alright” he said with a very serious tone.

“Okay Okay” she picked up the remote and switched of the TV. “What’s your question again” she asked 

“What happened last night while we were making out” he replied 

“I should be the one asking you, one minute we were kissing and the next minute you passed out, I was actually very scared and thought about the worst, then you started speaking gibberish but you were still unconscious” 

“Gibberish, what was I really saying”

“You were calling some funny names, some local names like that, I really can’t remember the names” said Anne 

“You can’t remember any of the names I was calling” he questioned her and starred at her like she was lying to him or hiding something 

“There was this one you kept on repeating and repeating, I think it is errmmmm” she raised her head like she was trying to revive her memory and remember the name. After thinking about it for a long time, the name popped into her head. 

“Omolabake” they both chorused .

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It was past midnight when Isaac started hearing the voice again, voice popping out of his head, he wassn’t as bothered as he was the very first day the voice spoke. It was just a few days after they returned from the village, Ben had practically moved to Anne’s apartment, he only comes here once in a while. He was trying to read for the exams that’s coming up in a matter of months, it wasn’t really easy reading alone because he’s used to reading together with Ben so he tried to make it easier by inserting his handsfree in his ears and grounded his favourite song ‘Ojumo by Asa. He was beginning to get into the vibe and the book he was studying when he heard a voice call his name, he removed the handsfree from his ears to ascertain if someone just called him or not, after few seconds when he didn’t hear nothing, he inserted the handsfree back into his ear and then the voice called his name again. He removed the earpiece again and waited for few minutes but nothing happened, the compound was as silent as a graveyard. He plugged the earpiece back and then he heard the voice again, he pretended like he didn’t hear it and then the voice spoke once more.

“Isaac can you hear me” the voice said 

He didn’t know what to do, is he supposed to reply the voice or just run away he thought. 

“I am sure you can hear me” the voice said again 

“Yes I can hear you, who are you “he replied barely audibly 

“Am glad you can hear me after all these years, you used to hear me when you were a kid but all of a sudden, a barricade was placed between us” 

“I don’t understand what you are saying, I can’t remember hearing any strange voice when I was little, what are you talking about ” Isaac inquired 

“I know you can’t remember but someday soon, you will recall everything vividly” 

“Please who are you” Isaac asked with a frightened voice 

“I am Babatunji” the voice replied. 

… To be continued