The Brain, Chains and Gods

In no time Inyang was at home ,lying on his mat bed trying to catch some sleep .He through away his wrist watch . Nature gave him a shove at the desired time, he rose immediately, the was no sunlight shinning in, he knew he was on time. On his shoulder was his bag, he stood outside yawning . He bit his chest when he saw Ini outside for the first time so early, he walked up to him. Inyang tried to tell him he was going to be away for sometime, Ini probably got the message.

Ini stepped into the bush and got a palmfrond. He tied it into a knot and placed it on the ground infront of
 Inyang's hut and stepped aside, he put his hands on Inyang's shoulder and proceeded to guide his bleating comrades down to were they would have an unusual meal on this cold breezy African morning. Inyang went closer to examine the "no trespassing" sign that was placed infront of his hut facing the dark cloudy skies. Walking to the open path he looked upwards but the falling star he once saw was there not again. Inyang looked harder but then something else called on him, it was the quest that awaited him ,he turned his back at the hill and started walking down to the
stream hoping he wouldn't have any problem locating Archibong. Getting to the stream there wasn't a soul
around.

Inyang looked around not knowing what to do,for a second the smell of danger loomed,he couldn't see the
surface of the stream,it had been covered by the early morning fog dancing on the gentle water waves. The sounds of the breathing trees was heard. Something laughed inside him,something that had warned him about trusting strangers . Was it all a set up ,his eyes twitched. The frogs and crickets were quiet but in the dark he could hear something,someone,he quickly turned around, the cold sweat came rushing down his neck but to his relief it was the one he wished it would be.He felt a tap on his shoulder,then seconds later a voice, "come with me",Achibong greeted Inyang with an order and a straight face.

"Are we ready to do this ?" Asked Inyang who was trying to recover from the initial scare. Archibong smiled ,he loved Inyang's seriousness, he had so much to gain from Inyang than Inyang could ever imagine. Achibong knew he was at the verge of being the ruler that Baba said he would be . "let's go ,this way", Achibong matches into the bush,"the boat is over there." "Heh!!What is this, I thought we were trekking to meet with Baba,you didn't say anything about -...." "Shhhh,you are too loud, I thought we had a deal." Achibong whispered. Inyang paused, some many things crossed his mind all of a sudden,he wondered why he trusted Achibong so much.

Still he agreed to be the fool . Achibong looked at him straight in the eyeballs,"look",holding Inyang's hand, "allow me do my part. look ,you can trust me .The stranger that helps to break ones kola-nut is indeed a friend." Archibong
looked at him with his face into his chest, "try and understand Inyang, I mean no harm,but I need you to trust me just as I ‘m ." Inyang tinted his eyes and nodded. They proceeded. Tearing through the bushes Archibong led Inyang on
till they finally came to a halt.Inyang and Archibong weren't the only people going through the bushes,Ini
promised his folks he would give them a treat . Just a day before he lost one of his older ones to the
villagers elders,he wished Papa could stop giving his goats continously to the chieves.Through the years Ini made sure the older goats were the ones he sent to Papa whenever the chieves demanded for one .Ini allowed the younger ones have a chance to live and enjoy life until they too were called on.From their body language Ini knew they were aware that once again one of them had departed .This was the reason why Ini tried to compensate them by bringing them to this green fallow land ,he always kept the land fallow so that on days like this he would attempt to wipe their
tears ,which in turn was the only way he could wipe his own tears by allowing them graze on the fresh
green leaves . But the time wasn't right for them to start grazing,he sat with them waiting,enjoying the
sun rise . The sun shun on her forehead.Although Mmayen was coming down the hill with an empty pot on
her head it was really Inyang that was running up and down her minds hills and valleys .She didn't hesitate, thinking whether or whether not to,she swung her way into the farm house,she had not seen Inyang
the day before,she yearned for an eye contact or even a wink from his brown eyes.She bounced her way to his
hut ready to give him a big hug . But Mmayen came to a quick halt ,she saw what was on the ground infront of
Inyang's hut . She was lucky to still have her balance,the pot barely sitting on her head swaying , she quickly
held it and placed it on the ground . Then she took a better looked at what beheld her eyes.She quickly recognized what it meant,but why should Inyang leave such an instruction,her heart sunk.Looking around she saw nobody to ask about his where about, she took the advantage of being the only one there.Trespassing was a purnishable offence,an abomination if caught,but that was the risk she was ready to take just to know if her heart was above water. But she wasn't brave enough.She picked up the pot ready to leave but when she thought about it the third time she dropped it, determined to face the consequences, ready to cross the river of fear . She had to be fast . Dashing into his hut hoping to find out if he had really left for good without even saying good bye.To her relief his
things were still sitting on the ground of the hut .

Back on her initially journey,walking to the
stream,she wondered where exactly Inyang was, but what
bother her the most was the palm frond that was at the
front of his house.While she strolled to fetch some
water,Inyang laid in the boat closing his eyes as the
boat drifted ,meandering through the creeks.He
relaxed till the lost sleep came knocking. He slept
off while Archibong paddled on.The clouds had given
way to the sun, but still the goats waited for Ini to
stand on his feet before they started grazing . It
wasn't long before he stood and after then they began
to graze . Ini leaned on his big long stick and
watched them graze, but there was an odour in the air
he wasn't sure where it was coming from,his sense of
smell was razor sharp it made up for his talking
deficiency.
He circled round looking into the nearby bush, the
herd perceived it but they were too busy doing the
do.Everything seemed to be perfect ,after a while Ini
sat back and ignored the odour that itched his nerves.
But unknown to him and his friends the intruder was
still lurking, waiting for the right time to strike
.It had just finished shedding it's skin and now it
was on the prowl .It slapped the breeze with it's
double head tongue,the strong scent of the herd meant
that breakfast was at sight.The serpent played it
well,positioning it's pieces strategically ready to
attack.In the tranquility,danger stretched and
yawned,the sun breathed life into the calm water waves
and they started becoming violent,the waves slapped
the sides of the boat , splashing on Inyang's face .
Opening his eyes he looked around,he barely could see
land,they were in the middle of the river.He launched
forward in shock ,"what is all this,"he yelled at
Archibong.
"Calm down my friend we are on course,we are on
our way to meet with Baba," replied Achibong but
Inyang was fed up with the secrecy.
"why didn't you tell me all this?"
The frown on Inyang’s face said it all.
"Inyang ,don't be scared for the path to any
treasure is never smooth,just do i say and all will be
well with us,please my friend,calm down."
Inyang was breathing hard,he stared at Archibong not
knowing what to do or say .
He looked around once again,he couldn't believe his
eyes. The water was becoming increasingly rough,
"hold on tight to the boat ,it is not yet time to
row.The waters shall guide us ,till they can see no
more .Then we shall take charge of our destiny."Said
Achibong.
Inyang grabbed the sides of the boat ,terrified.The
boat was thrown from left to right crashing into the
incoming waves. The reality of their trip gradually
presented itself.The morning started of so peaceful
but now it gave birth to turmoil,Ini was under a tree
,the heat had sent him hiding .
Suddenly he heard a cry,a loud cry,the type that
told only one type of story-danger.The unseen stranger
had finally reveal it's shiny brown and black self to
everybody,pandemonium reigned ,they scattered in all
directions.Running quickly Ini had to be at the scene
as quickly as possible but he found himself in between
the horns of one of the fleeing goats he tumbled and
stumbled but once he hit the ground he was back on his
feet.
The pain from the collision held it's peace for
later.Following the cry he hoped it wouldn't stop
before he got there;when he finally got there he saw
one of his friends,its black and white fur blended
with the brown and black colour of the python that
roled it up.Quickly, Inyang hung his bag over his
shoulder,the boat had started swallowing water,he
tried to throw them out ,or else the mother water
would in turn gulp them down her mighty throat.In all
this Archibong remained very compose,even as he heard
the roars of the water echoing the chants of doom.The
first blood was drawn and now it was time for Ini to
call out the warrior in him;his facial expression
spoke for itself so did the pain he inflicted on the
massive python as his stick split the air in its path
to finally land in between the pythons eyes.The python
quickly relaxed it's muscles allowing the goat take a
sip of air while it writhed on the ground in
agony.Picking itself up it finally set it's eyes on
what had come in between it and it's meal. It laughed
in s's uncoilling itself gently ready to express it’s
red angered.The rest of the herd were not far from the
scene they were happy to reunite with the one that had
been caught. But now their focus was on Ini,their
guardian.Ini,was slowly moving backwards,the serpent
sled towards him.Ini aimed at it's head one more time
and took a big swing. He missed. The serpent's mouth
was wide open exposing it's fangs as it poised for an
attack,he knew even he could end up being the
meal.Ini stared into it's eyes and saw death;so did
Inyang when he saw the gigantic wave roaring towards
them.Inyang held his breath as the wave charged at
them,it lifted them up high he could see the other
followers still coming behind the king wave but
immediately they hit surface of the water Archibong
tossed the paddle to Inyang and gave him the go ahead
to start the fight for their lives.The struggle was
on,the python launched itself charging towards Ini,but
he saw it coming, he stepped back and roled over and
reunited with his stick once again.Swinging his stick
in the air towards the snake;Inyang and Archibong
dipped their paddles and split the water ,they knew
they had to fight for their lives.Ini was barely
balanced when he saw the python charging at him
again,this time his swing met it but the rock that
sat beside his foot became the banana pill that
brought Ini crashing to the green grassy ground. He
tried to get up quickly but the python was quicker
giving Ini a handshake before hugging him.Ini could
hear their bleats,where they encouraging him,trying to
urge him to fight on.He could feel it's cold slippery
skin caressing him as it bound his hands to the
sides,the spot on it's eye told Ini the ruthless
story of survival.Ini screamed as it did a test run on
one of his ribs. Tears roled down his eyes ,he was in
pain.He could see a smile in the pythons face it was
enjoying every bit of his agony.After another squeeze
,it was ready to break it's fast.The serpent xed
Ini's forehead with it's tongue.Ini closed his eyes
waiting to be taken but then something from the ugly
burrows of raw courage spat words to his ears.Ini
managed to take a long breath ; his red eyes , swollen
face and twitching limbs came together.The python
stared into Ini's eye's but instead Ini opened his
mouth exposing his own human fangs."It's going to be
me and you,meee and youuu," speaking in a language
,only him and python could understand,his eye’s
turned blood red the warrior in him had come over him
.Then suddenly his teeth dove towards the pythons neck
.When they arrived they submerged themselves into its
flesh,the goshing blood wasn't a real testimony of how
far his teeth had journeyed.The taste of the
serpents blood made Ini a vampire temporarily. He
fiend for more and he delivered another bite.The
serpent sang songs of pain, it's teeth sank into
Ini's shoulder and remained there but then it was
forced to take them off .Ini's lower and upper teeth
met after sinking into the snakes skin.Ini ground
them.Their blood mixed pouring on themselves but the
large portion wasn't Ini's.The serpent uncoilled
itself and led aside,so did Ini,clutching his
shoulder,"let me see you hold your wounds,coming to
fight the one with hands and teeth ,huh," Ini told the
dying serpent in a language only he could
understand,spitting out pieces of the pythons tissues
as he made victory sounds.By now the turbulence had
seized,Inyang and Archibong had succeeded in riding
their way to calm waters .Exhausted they laid on the
boat trying to get back their breath.Ini managed to
get up ,looking around he saw his folks,even better he
saw the one that had escaped death.He turned round and
kicked the snake on it's head and then sighed a long
sigh.There was nothing else to do but to make a meal
of what wanted him to be it's meal .He lifted the
hefty animal and placed it on his other shoulder.As he
bounced his way back home with his followers behind
him he slapped his chest,he cared nothing about the
dripping blood crawling down his shoulder but the
dead one's blood dropped, crashing into the sandy soil
to soon become dust. The journey had only begun for
Inyang and Archibong;Inyang could see an island
ahead,he guessed that was were they were heading
to.Archibong looked down into the water and shook his
head.Inyang saw he looked a bit worried."What is
that," Inyang asked."Hmpph,do you belief in our gods.I
mean do you belief they exist and control our lives
and all that?"
Inyang wasn't expecting such a question,"why ask ,is
there anything you want to tell me ?"
Inyang put down the paddle.
" Well, i have been quiet about so many things but
now we are here,destiny has done it again," Archibong
looks down trying to summon enough courage to tell his
story,"look here," he points into the water,"can you
see anything,look closer." Inyang open his eyes and
looked deeply into the dancing water and saw what
Archibong was trying to show him,he had never seen
anything so intriguing.Inyang and Archibong went
across gently from the dark waters that refused to mix
with the sparkling colourless water that was on the
other the side,"they dared not to be siamese twins
,instead they rubbed shoulder to shoulder never to
switch sides," said Archibong.
Inyang was amazed by what he had just seen,
"how come?"
"Believe it or not Inyang but nobody has cross that
line for such a long long time apart from us ,the gods
had pinned us(my people) down to the island, we were
never to leave our island never to cross this
line.Over there is where I come from,I was raised
secretly to walk under the clouds,they said I was the
chosen one but i still don't know what that means,I'm
the only one ever since the gods put the curse."
They drifted closer ,then they came to were a
big tree grew out of the water,it had vultures
sitting at the top motionless which were even stranger
than the tree that seemed to grow out from the surface
of the water.
"Many had tried to leave but didn't succeed ,the
water swallowed them and later spat them out,they
floated on the water until their bodies rested on
this tree for their eyes to be picked by the vultures
I wondered if these vultures have had anything to feed
on ever since I left.The gods were known to be
ruthless but when i set off even their thunders and
lightning couldn't scare me ,after a while it seemed
to me these gods only lived and existed beneath in our
fears,so I chose to extinguish my fear. I never
thought there was another world, when I got to Obio
Udop I kept vomiting, the smell of the animal blood
they slaughtered twisted my stomach,ever since then I
haven't returned here until now,I promised to come
back with help but they could only clutch on hope
,they really believed I was chosen but until now I
still don't understand what that means and how true it
is.
Inyang,my joy is that i never forgot them and
now I have returned with help," Archibong turned to
Inyang.Inyang thought he had heard it all but never
had he heard such but what bother him was the most
was what Archibong meant by bringing help to the
people,"what’s this help you are talking about all
about,how does it concern me?"
Archibong dipped his hand in the water,"I will get
to that, I need you to hear me out, okay?"
Inyang eyes popped out when he saw some skeletons
resting on the tree, everything was strange, without any
alert all the vultures flew away towards the
island, maybe they went to alert the gods that there
were intruders Inyang thought. Archibong paddled gently
until they entered one of the numerous creeks leading
into the island. They gradually escaped the sunlight as
they went deeper into the island, scattering his eyes
Inyang had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't
dreaming, the trees were covered with signs and
symbols. Archibong took a glance at Inyang and
smiled, "are you happy now? this is just the beginning".
Inyang dipped his hand into his bag and brought out
his camera, he hoped it was still intact after the
rough journey.He was lucky, when the flash came on he
knew it was still working. He couldn't help but take a
shot; taking a snap the flash illuminated a small
portion of the swampy forest. Inyang looked in that
direction again, he had seen something that instantly
caught his eyes. Turning around he met a startled
Archibong ,"what was that like lightning?"
Archibong went blue he hadn't seen anything like
that before, he had already started reading it
superstitiously. Inyang knew and understood why
Archibong was the way he was, "sorry did I scare you
,no need to be afraid it's just a camera for taking
pictures, in a second you will see what I mean," the
picture automatically came up and Inyang started
waving it in the air.

"Before I forget Archibong, I just saw something
that looked like a crocodile back there, are there
crocodiles here?",  Inyang took a quick glance at picture
as he spoke , "look, here it is, it's in the
picture," he passes the picture to Archibong.
"Yes, we do have crocodiles here but ," he brings
out some raw meat from his bag and sighs as he
nonchanantly throws it to the crocodile, "they are
not harmful," Archibong brings out a picture of a
city, he picture that had been given to him by the
researcher that he claimed had conned him.
"You don't look excited, you should be happy you
are going reunite with your family once again."
Archibong didn't say anything for a while, he passed
his own picture to Inyang. Inyang took a look at
it, rubbing his chin.
"This is Lagos how did you get this picture?"
Archibong looked in very low spirit, something was
bothering him, "that picture you hold is the future of
my people, our journey to paradise started when i first
set my eyes on it."
Inyang raises an eyebrow confused, "what are you
talking about?" shaking his head.
"Hmmph,let me tell this to you maybe then you will
understand."
Inyang looks at him with all amount of seriousness.
Archibong had never told anybody the sad story ,it was
going to take some courage to open up to Inyang, he
paused for a second then began.
"Sit calm don't be afraid of the crocodiles
,alright, they can not harm you," he put down the
paddle,"all this started a long long time ago, I was
far from being born then, it was something that was
experienced by my great great grand ones, you see here
in this island we had a belief and were controlled by
our beliefs and our gods. We believed that at an
appointed time the gods that had protected us and gave
us the fertile soil to farm and the fishes we fished
were going to come down to meet with us. We were a
small people and at several times we had to fight to
keep this ours, but it was one of those battles were
we needed our gods to fight for us, we obviously had to
make certain sacrifices and promises to appease the
gods; Ikang and Ubak created and destroyed ,we had to
appease them so as to win the battle. Somehow our gods
stock to the deal and we kept winning all the battles
and overcoming our foes but the time for us to pay
back to the gods was drawing nearer, everybody on the
island prepared for the anticipated day .Some people
doubted, saying that no such day would come, the chief
priest himself was slaughtered by the order of the
king, the raining season had come gone and still
nothing happen, gradually everybody threw away such a
belief, they people started believing the battles were
one by them and not by the gods they invoked from the
bottom of the tree we just passed; but it was when
nobody expected anything to happen ,that was when all
came to reality.
The king knew what it meant and ordered that
the grave of the late priest should be kept sacred in
order to entice his lingering soul, but the gods would
have non of it, just like they said through the oracle
,they came down ,our eyes could not believe what they
saw, the gods had promised that they were going to
come down and take the chosen few with them, the ills
of the society were going to be left behind to suffer
the hard life,  the thieves, prostitues , cripples were
all going to be left behind.
According to what I was told, it wasn't even a
rainy day, it was a sunny one that the gods appeared
,walking from the waters into the island and straight
to the village square were the demanded to see the
king, everybody's blood went cold when they saw
them, exactly as they were told the would come. After
talking with king that night they picked those who
merited to be with them in their beautiful world and
those who were to be punished forever.
My great great grand father was one of the most
decorated warriors in the village then he had
protected and fought for the village many times, but
while all this was happening his wife happened to be
caught sleeping with one of the gods. She tried to
explain claiming she was compelled to do so, but how
could a god actually want to do that to another man's
wife it was unheard of. Her husband, the warrior
pleaded that she should be forgiven that they may go
with the gods but the king insisted she should be
dropped, her offence was a great one and she couldn't
escape punishment. On the day of all days they were
all ready to set off ,the king, the gods and the rest
of the village members that had been chosen. The
warrior sat in the massive boat the gods came with and
visions of the pain his dear wife would be going
through began to torment him, he couldn't stand it, he
just couldn't let her go through all the mental
torture she would go through alone.

He turned to his son who was sitting next to him
and began to talk to him. He told him he would be going
back to meet with his mother. His son agreed to come
with him but he disagreed, ’you must stay and go, you
mother and I will be okay, you don’t deserve to suffer
for our own faults’. He wiped the tears from the face
of his crying son and handed over the warriors
necklace which was made from the crocodiles teeth to
his son and then plunged into the water. He jumped
right out of the boat and swam back to meet
her; Archibong's face squeezes and pauses, 'he was a
fool throwing away his bright future for her, she that
cheated on him, she had disgraced him, hmpph,there is a
saying that "the warrior is what his heart isn't,"
this time he was his heart, maybe he wasn't a fool but
without that i probably wouldn't have been here,"
throwing the little piece of stick in his hand against
the bark of one the nearby trees, "I would have been
somewhere else living the good life not here, in the
midst of descendants of thieves, cripples and
prostitutes i wouldn't have been given this task, to
carried my people to the paradise they had all
missed. Leaving behind this life here, probably after
sometime we would be able to forget the fact that we
were ruled by the animals; oh,what were you
thinking, that’s why the crocodiles and pythons here
can’t harm us, the python use to supply us with its
rich oil but since then we haven’t been able to kill
any of such animals, nobody wants to find out what will
happen if the gods saw him killing the animals.
The gods had given them dominion over us so we
couldn't kill any animal for food except for a
sacrifice, that is why you see this animals not alert
at our presence, we have lived with them for so long we
are used to them ,but once in a while they eat us up
but that too is done because they too have to make
sacrifices to the gods that gave them the authority
over us. We have lived in our darkness for so long
not able to walk under the sun but soon all that is
going to be of the past ," Archibong took a second
glance at his picture, "when I first got this picture I
started believing that truly there was going to be a
way, the paradise that seemed so far was not so far
from us after all, the city in the picture is so close
to our paradise, it fits all the descriptions ,I would
be damned if it isn’t the home we had been denied, the
same tall huts that were reaching to the skies as our
doctrine told us, we couldn't picture exactly how it
would look like in it's entirety, after all non of us
had been there but when I set my eyes on the picture I
knew this was were my people were meant to be."
Archibong gazes into Inyang's eyes for seconds
without turning away, "this is why I need you, I need
you to take me there to were all the tall huts are, to
the place were peace and happiness reigned so that I
can come back and take my people away from all this to
were they truly belong, after all, how better were the
others, please Inyang you must help me their lives are
in my hands and mine in yours," Archibong starts to
shade tears but tries to hold himself together, "help
me make their dreams come true for all these years we
have been praying making sacrifices for forgiveness
but still the gods refused to give us a sign, Inyang
look around you," Archibong gets up and scatters his
eyes in a frustrating manner and spots another
crocodile, "can you see them, look,  there are
everywhere," pointing at the crocodile, "we are under
them, they rule us ,have you ever been ruled by an
animal?" Archibong wipes the tears off his eyes and
throws it into the water, "promise me Inyang that you
are going to take me with you, I will come back on my
own and take my people and lead them there?"
Inyang rocks his shoulders then opens his mouth
that had been tied up in the last minutes by what he
had just heard.
"But Archibong i must-,"
"just promise me ,just stick to the deal, you didn't
come here all the way not thinking you were going to
play your own part did you."
Archibong raises his voice and Inyang can't say
anything but yes, although he had certain doubts.
"Yes ,of course I promised, listen to me
Archibong I'm not the others I'm not a cheat there's
no way i would come this far and I would do such a
thing."
He pats Archibong on his shoulder, "but Archibong
,if I may, you said the gods came down and carried the
chosen ones but what I don't understand is how were
the people sure they were the gods, did they come down
with wings from the skies or what?"
Archibong jumps to the question immediately, "no
of course they didn't come down from the skies," he
laughs.
"The gods weren't birds were they; they came in a
big boat and when they where out ,that was when we
knew that truly they were the gods, they were like no
other that had been seen ,they stood tall with eyes in
the sun, their hair were like that of the rafia mane
made for the Ekpo masquerade, their white bodies shun
as the sun hit their beautiful skin, it wasn't a debate
everybody knew this were the gods that they awaited."
Inyang's chest swoll up as he tried to make sense
out of what he had just been told, "did you say the
gods had whhite sskin?"
"Aha, you must be convinced now, aren't you?"
Smiled Archibong, convincingly. Inyang erupted inside
he knew exactly what that meant, his soul bled as he
thought about what the people had put themselves
through just for nothing, they had been tricked and
taken away as slaves to an unknown land which was
far, far from their paradise. Their hearts broke as
reality struck, the whips and lashes .The diseases that
spread through out the boat as they were transported
told them they had taken the wrong turn to paradise
,hell was their destination, no amount of sacrifices
would change a thing, Inyang cried his eyes out as he
realized the harm that had been done back at home.

Ironically they were the lucky ones, they
were the ones in paradise but one of the proverbs
Papa told him was that,' it was what the ear heard
that made the soup taste good', they dwelled in the
hell they had created for themselves. Sitting in the
boat Inyang wondered who was better off ,the ones with
the chains on their hands or those that had it in
their minds, he wept. As everything came together ,his
eyes flowed like waterfalls especially when he thought
of Archibong's great, great grand father ,the
warrior. His wife was probably raped, but nobody
understood the truth, Inyang was afloat as he remembers
that the warrior refused to go to paradise he stayed
back with his beloveth, somehow love always had a way
of settling things. Inyang was in a dilema, he had to
make the decision then was he to tell Archibong
exactly the truth, letting him know there wasn’t any
paradise sleeping on the outside world waiting to be
awoken and if Archibong didn't believe it he would
only think he was making an excuse not to carry him
along.
How could he convince Archibong that the city
wasn't paradise ,that it was far from the peace of
mind and happiness they fiend for or should he carry
him along and allow him find out for himself ? Inyang
remained confused, his conscience had already started
eating him up even though he knew there was almost
nothing he could do to save or convince him. Archibong
went close to Inyang he was a little surprise the way
Inyang reacted to the story, "what is the matter, what
makes you like this, are you okay?"
Sucking his nose in Inyang put himself back
together, he hadn't reacted like that in a long time.
"Yes ,I'm okay ,I'm okay....I was just thinking
about all what you said, I'm an emotional person."
They were both remained silent as they continued to
paddle their way inwards, Inyang was intrigued by the ,
"Eyei," symbols hanging down the roof of the swampy
trees that grew over the little stream, he took more
shots but this time without the flash on,still he
couldn't help but weep inside. For minutes he had lost
his enthusiasm, but gradually he regained it ,there was
a thick white smoke crawling on the surface of the
stream, it blinded their vision partially , Archibong
looked very relaxed it was something he was used
to, "look, there," Inyang looked up, he saw a blue cloth
hanging down, it had signs and symbols all over
it, during Inyang's research he had come across
something like that before but this was a bit
different, Archibong brought the boat to a stand still
just right infront of the cloth, he gave Inyang
sometime to examine it and probably take a couple of
shots.
"Do you know what those signs say ?"
Asked Archibong, pointing at it. Inyang shook his head
, "no I don't."
"The signs says nobody should harm any animal or
enter any further, this sign was put up by the Ekpe
society before they departed with the king, the
original cloth had been changed but we maintained the
same message, so that from generation to generation
they would grow up and know exactly what were their
limitations."
"Do you know why my people think I'm the chosen
one , the one to bring back salvation?" He looks at
himself, using his fingertips to follow the veins on
his hands that appeared to be greenish . "Cause of my
light skin, I'm the fairest of them all so that should
suggest that I'm the closest to being a god ,like the
ones they saw when they came ,but inside me I know
that I'm just as how every other person is, but then
how come i have been successful enough to go this
far, are they just coincidences or am iI really
destined to do this?"
Inyang shakes his head, "why do you ask yourself
all this questions, what is important is the efforts
you have put in to save your people and what's the
smoke doing here?"
"Don’t worry about that someone is tapping some
palmwine ,ignore it we are on our way to see Baba
,when we see him you will get you all the Nsibidi
signs and symbols you desire."
"You mean this island is actually inhibited?"
"Yes of course, but you must understand that these
people are not free to walk around and do what they
want to do like in other places, not everybody in this
village was in support of me leaving but since so many
people have attempted to leave i couldn't be
stopped."
They got to a junction , Archibong took to the
left, to the right was were the smoke was coming
from, entering further Inyang saw a skull hanging
down,it had leaves sticking out of it Inyang turned to
Archibong, "what's that? "
"That is warning to all intruder's, the leaves
they used and the manner it is wrapped represents the
diseases that could be inflicted on the trespasser."
"Hmpph, do you really belief that, Archibong?"
"Of course, you see when you are in a place some
how you are bound to their believes and if you also
belief in it then it would definitely work on you, but
still I'm not saying it works all the time like it is
said, it's the condition that makes the crayfish bend."
"So hopefully ,nothing is going to happen to
me, right," Archibong laughs ,"no, nothing is going to
happen to you, you are with me so automatically you are
not trespassing, we have good intentions ,besides ,Baba
is the clan head here so nothing like that can
happen."
Inyang nodded his head in satisfaction. Looking ahead
they saw another boat coming in the opposite
direction, Inyang hoped they didn't mean any trouble. On
the boat were two women and a man, they stared at
Archibong ,turning their heads backwards as they
passed by it was obvious to Inyang that the people
were not sure it was Archibong they were seeing.
"They don't belief i'm the one,i don't blame them
who would have thought somebody could actually leave
and come back not floating on the surface of the water
like the bones of those who had failed,i can't wait to
see Baba," Archibong murmured to himself,"oh,i hope he
is still alive,he promised he would wait for me to
come back,just as i promised to come back."
They got to what looked like a dead end,Archibong
jumped into the water while Inyang remained inside the
boat,Inyang saw some people at shore,he could tell
from they way they were staring that they knew he and
Archibong weren't the usual faces they were used to
seeing,but Archibong didn't care wading through the
water trying to get them ashore.Inyang saw that the
people were gathering themselves together waiting for
them to get to the shore,he could hear their
murmurings;they were seven young men and three elderly
women with them.As soon Inyang and Archibong got
ashore Archibong took out Inyang's bag and all their
belongings and hung them on his shoulders,stretching a
hand he helped Inyang out of the boat,"lets go,"
Inyang was a bit reluctant ,the size of the men made
him think twice."Lets go, "Archibong repeated this
time with more authority,Inyang followed him,Archibong
was about to pass in between the men when they halted
them,"who are you and where do you think you are going
to," the eldest of them spoke to Archibong with his
hands on Archibong's chest."Ahah,look at me very well,
look at my face you mean you don't know me."
Archibong's confidence made the men pause they
murmured amongst themselves trying to figure out who
he was,but it was the woman standing behind them that
recognized him and screamed,"it is him, ohh,it is
him,he is the one ohh,"
"who is he", the man asked.Looking to the sky in
greatness Archibong replied,"it is me ,Archibong the
son of Baba,the only wave to cross the treacherous
river and to return."
It was then they recognized him,they all shouted
and carried him up but Archibong halted them,"and here
is my friend,Inyang,the proof that i hid not in the
bushes and he is the one to take us to where we all
belong."
They hugged Inyang and carried him too on their
shoulders.The pipe in his veined hand was made more
than two centuries ago. He kept coughing but that
didn't stop him from smoking . The veins on his neck
were like intertwining roots,his hands vibrated as he
took the pipe closer his mouth to take another puff.
But he stopped half way,was his old ear deceiving him
or was he actually hearing people screaming and
shouting,he threw his head backwards ignoring the
sound. He blew the gray smoke out and watched it
dance in the air, but the light skinned elderly
was disturbed once more .
The sounds where getting louder,it was
disturbing the oldman who was trying to stay alive
soothing his worries with a nostril feeled with
tobacco ,he wondered what exactly was going on;putting
his feeble hands on his walking stick he attempted to
get up,he was still strong,he did but when he heard
the sound made by slapping their palms against their
lips he knew it was something good,could it be that
his son that promised to come back was truly back,he
had hung on to life for sometime he didn't want to die
in confusion,not knowing whether his son had made it
or not.When Archibong got home he demanded to be put
down,"let me down,let me down," he had set his eyes on
his father,the oldman threw the walking stick to the
ground and stood on his two feet,something he hadn't
been able to do for a while,he had his arms wide open
for he knew that his son had made it back just as how
he said he would.Archibong broke through the crowd and
ran to his father , when he got there he stopped and
gave his father,the oldman, a gentle hug,"i can die
now," whispered Baba.
"No, you can't, you must wait,you must hold the
breath in your chest so that i can come back and take
you with the rest what I have found is an eye opener."
Baba bored into Archibong's eyes,"Archibong,this is
paradise,being here with you again."
Baba turned to the nearby crowd and rose his hand
effortlessly.
"Go,go and bring the best food for my son he has
returned to us," immediately the crowd dispersed.
"Baba this is my friend,Inyang,he is the one that
will carry me along ,the one to show me the way,he is
student , that is someone that learns about different
things," Baba nods his head,"so Baba he will need your
help he is trying to get information on Nsibidi signs
and symbols i hope you will be able to help him?"
"My son",refering to Inyang,"don't mind my son,he
worries himself alot,how are you?"
"Fine Baba" replied Inyang all smiles."Well,before
we talk more on that issue you need to eat and
rest,you must be tired,then after that i can show you
what ever you want to see ,okay?"
"Okay,Baba.Apart from the pipe the oldman held in
his hands which were definitely imported what was most
intriguing to Inyang were the traits still left
behind,Baba was very light skinned,something the
dwellers thought was the lineage where the one that
was to deliver them was going to come from.Inyang had
heard and seen alot in one day, while Archibong was
still with Baba he decided to lie down while they
waited for the food to arrive."
He jumped to his feet as he saw darkness,he had
temporarily forgotten where he was,he didn't think he
was going to doze off the way he did.When he realized
where he was he saw Archibong and Baba chatting as
they sat outside chewing on some 'Edita iwa,' a local
appetizer made from cassava tubers,"come on ,you are
still on time the food is ready but first you must
join us with some of this",Baba offered Inyang some
and asked him if he had tried anything like that
before,"of course i have although its been quite
sometime since i did."
Replied Inyang.Inyang wondered when he would be
able to get what he came for,it seemed to him that he
had been forgotten in all the joy of their
reunion,it was already dark when was he going to get
the materials he needed,;he finished having dinner and
retired to where he was supposed to sleep still
waiting to be hinted on what they had in mind for
him.That night Inyang slept but when he thought about
his travails how he finally got to where he was he bit
his chest.He was far, far away from home, he hoped
that they would make it back to Obio Udop safely,even
in the darkest places and farthest lands he still was
thinking of Mmayen,he couldn't wait to be with her,if
he had all what he came for then he would probably
stay on for sometime before he left Obio Udop,but
Inyang knew his life would never be the same without
her,something had bitten him and left a scar that
would never to fade away.Baba had organized some
dancers to entertain his son,Inyang could hear the
screams and drums but was too tired to get up.Trudging
his way to where they were he had his camera in his
hand,when he got there he told Archibong to seek
permission from his father before he took the
shot.Baba didn't know what it was all about and so did
the rest of the people,but they loved the flashes of
light,they screamed as Inyang took a shot .Inyang was
so amused he gave them another shot.After the singing
and dancing Archibong served them with what they had
been waiting for,which was the full story on his
journey there and back,they eagered to know what the
world outside was like it was already an unbelievable
think for them to know that such a world existed,they
all listened with great focus and attention and for a
second Inyang thought if the young Archibong was
actually their messiah,he certainly had the charisma
for leadership but still Inyang knew that the paradise
they yearned for was actually their present ,a fools
world was what awaited them in the world
outside.Inyang knew it was a helpless situation but he
could only wished there was some way out for them .
Gazing into the night sky he spotted the
moon,flashes of him and Mmayen crossed his mind,he
knew not that the moon at that point in time was being
shared between him and her;she sat down outside and
reached out for it but couldn't touch it ,that was how
far she felt she was from him.Worried she kept
wondering where he had gone to,"what is the matter
Mmayen,you ve been in doors through out today and you
haven't had anything to eat i hope you are alright?"
Papa was worried,recently she was always going out
but on this day she hadn't stepped out,he shook his
head and went in.The teardrop a half, she was sad that
Inyang was no where to be found but she was happy to
see the moon still far from being full.After a while
they,Inyang and Mmayen coincidentally got up and
walked into their different huts to catch some
sleep.Before the cock crowed Inyang heard a tap on his
shoulder,he quickly arose;Archibong and Baba were
already awake,"Inyang , wake up Baba is ready to take
you to where he will show you most of the signs you
wanted."
As Inyang heard that, he wiped the sleep off his
eyes and got up, carrying the things he needed."Where
is he," he asked after Baba's where about,"he is
waiting for you somewhere just follow me i will take
you there” Archibong replied.
Archibong led him into the bush,Inyang could barely
see since it was still dark.By the time they got to
where Baba was the sky had begun to clear,Inyang
paused when he saw Baba sitting in the middle of the
tree's and shrubs,"there he is, go and meet him,i will
go back and prepare so that we can be off as soon as
you are finish," stepping aside.Inyang looked at him
not knowing what to do.
"Go on ,he is waiting for you."
Archibong told him.Inyang took four steps and
turned round but Archibong was off.He waded through
the little shrubs until he got to where Baba was
seated."Good morning,Baba."
Baba was facing down but when he heard Inyang ,he
raised his head up real slowly, placing his feeble
hands on Inyang's wrist,"how was your sleep my son?"
"Vvery well Baba,very well."
Replied Inyang.Scattering his eyes Inyang saw a
rabbit tied to one of the trees standing close by,he
wondered why,also there was a clay pot on the ground
by Baba's feet with an arrow which pierced through
the smooth white clay powder.Inyang tried to put the
puzzle together but failed.The terrified rabbit turned
round the tree trying to break loose but ended up
tying itself up some more,it had succeeded in
strangling the foot of the tree leaving no room for
itself to move.Inyang watched the rabbit try to escape
but turned immediately as he felt a strange breeze run
through his face which was followed by a certain sound
.His eyes caught Baba spread open a little mat made of
the softest of raffia,thinking he was going sit on it
but he just placed it by the side of the clay pot.
"On the ground ,my son,”Baba said pointing to
the ground,Inyang sat," listen and listen well for the
sounds of the drums are heard only by an ear but
understood by both."
"Archibong tells me that you need this
information desperately but what i want to know is if
it is going to be used for good or evil.You see, these
signs and symbols i'm about to give to you were
preserved by our fore fathers ‘cos’ when the king left
with the gods, he went with his ruling body the Ekpe
society members.
After then it was difficult for us to know
all the interpretations,especially the signs that were
used in war times," he paused for a moment,"but my
great ,great grand father was a warrior a member of
the Ekpe society the only member that stayed
behind,although he tried to bring the Ekpe society
back the gods never seemed to be on his side,but
before he died he refused to die with all the signs
that were suppose to be taught to only members of the
Ekpe society,he showed them to only one of his sons
who in turn showed it to the next until it finally got
to me,hmmphh,although i have showed it to Archibong i
guess sometimes things have to change especially if it
is for the sake of good."
"So now i will show you how it all started before
it became what is now,okay?"
Inyang nodded,shivering with excitement ,"okay
Baba."
"Now would you step aside and watch?"
The sun's light winked through the forest trees
striking the rabbit,Baba got up and squelched calmly
across the wet ground with an empty hand towards the
rabbit;when it saw him coming it did it's best to
break loose but to no avail,it squeaked crying for
some help but only saw Baba’s wilted figure forging
closer.Inyang watched with his pen and notebook at
hand making all the necessary jots.The rabbit froze as
Baba's shaky right hand came for it;it became
submissive,allowing itself to be taken,Baba felt the
smooth fur around the neck area.As soon as the tip of
his middle finger and thumb kissed he throttled it
with his veined hands.He lifted it up and showed it
to the gods in the skies;bringing it down, he walked
back to his former position where he met with those
he placed on the ground.Standing infront of the pot he
tossed the rabbit to the left hand and with his right
hand he picked up the sharp tooth arrow, spreading his
arms open like he was trying to weigh the arrow and
the rabbit,at least that was what Inyang thought but
in actuality he was choking the rabbit,sipping the
air,until he saw it's tail twitch,he knew then that
the sand in it's hour glass was running dry.
The arrow was soaring in the sky ,the twitching
rabbit and the shaking hand of Baba merged in
resonance, he let his hands go down;but soon came the
diving arrow.The rabbit choked ,yearning desperately
for air and soon it was to give up. Baba placed the
rabbit directly above the pot and then came the
arrow, to rescue it from it's agony. He released his
grip and immediately it gasped for air but then the
arrow came and sank it's tooth in it's throat;was it a
double tragedy or had it been relieved ?Baba cared not
but watched as it's blood dripped into the pot of
white dusty clay.Holding the rabbit by it's hind legs
he circled it round his head ,then he dropped it into
a pond of water that flowed into the stream that
flowed to the crocodiles jaws.Back to where the pot
was Baba sat infront of it placing the pot in between
his legs;with both hands he mixed the clay and blood
together,he took his time squashing trying to blend
the blood and clay powder until Inyang felt he was
enjoying it.With his hand to his back, he pulled out a
black and white feather that of a vulture,dipping it
into the mixture he began to draw the signs on the
raffia mat,he kept going until he filled the mat with
different signs that came up to about a hundred.Baba
took his time to explain what the different signs
represented, with Inyang jotting them down.He never
believed there was so much to be learnt or discovered
especially after Papa had made such discoveries,
remembering Papa he smiled within .He stood up
readying to make his way back to the house where he
would meet up with Archibong.'My son ,Archibong tells
me you are leaving this morning'?Said Baba holding
Inyang's hand.Getting up to his feet, Baba said"I just
want to thank you for agreeing to show Archibong the
road to where we have been deprived of,if this is all
you want from us as a token of appreciation,then take
this but if there's any other thing then please let me
know."
Inyang collected the raffia mat from Baba
looking at it deeply, he shook his head,"no Baba
there's nothing else,this is all i want,all i ever
wanted."
"Now tell me, this world how is it ‘cos’
Archibong says it has got the tall huts as it is in
our beliefs.You mean that everything there's free,you
mean peace reigns eternally,no fighting ,killing of
one another,food for all ,"Inyang saw the excitement
in Baba's eyes,his heart sank this was the part he’d
been trying to avoid. He took a good look at the
raffia,the all important raffia,it was like the
precious elephants tooth held only by the ruler,what
was he supposed to do,was there any such paradise on
earth in one of the great cities,shaking his head for
he knew there was no such place.
Inyang was about to say something when Baba
cut him short.
" And why would you leave a place like that
and come here,if you ask me, i would never leave such
a place for any reason whatsoever,but why do you?"
"Why didn't i just take what Papa had offered
to me," Inyang asked himself, feeling like a traitor,
"i should never have embarked on this journey," Inyang
thought to himself.How was he going to explain to Baba
that there actually wasn't any paradise out there,how
would they take it if he told them that those weren't
gods they saw but men like them ,men that took their
leaders to suffer and be treated as slaves,how would
they belief all this;how would the people that were so
happy with Archibong feel , they probably think he
and Archibong were two big liers.He searched his head
for a way out as Baba waited on him,but instead of
answering the questions he broke down.He couldn't take
it anymore;dropping the raffia on the ground, ran back
home.The agony in him refused him tears as he made his
way through the bushes,he couldn't believe he’d let
go off the one thing he’d struggled for,something he
had always wanted , why didn't he have the guts to
swallow his conscience and walk on to the success he
had been waiting all his life for,his limbs were tired
even they too felt his misery,after all the trials and
tribulations he had to go back empty handed.Baba
stood there confused not knowing what to do ,
wondering what he had said to upset the youngboy;the
oldman managed to squat , picking up the raffia he had
made for Inyang and out of frustration walked to the
pond were he had thrown the rabbit into.He became
extremely sad thinking he had ruined the opportunity
the people had. Meanwhile Inyang laid in the bush
crying, trying to calm himself before going home ,he
was about to get up when he heard a sound coming from
around;he ducked and remained still .After a while
hearing nothing,he quickly got up and started walking
back home,he contemplated going back to apologize to
Baba for disrespecting him but then all he wanted was
to leave the island and start heading back home.Baba
began to feel weak his legs became heavy,he fell to
the ground beside the pond; he felt his heart beating
faster and faster,he felt less and less of himself,the
numbness gradually spreading everywhere,he knew he was
coming closer to his demise ,he was happy he was going
to die with a smile especially when he heard
Archibong calling on him.Archibong's heart dropped to
his stomach when he saw him on the ground,running to
his father, he raised him upwards,"Baba what is
it,what happened,did you fall", He scooped some water
from the nearby pond with his hand and used it to wipe
the dirt of Babas forehead.Baba was very weak he could
barely talk but he managed to utter a few sound with
his feeble voice,"my son,make sure you fulfill our
promise,follow Inyang,he knows the truth i can see it
in his eye's ,make sure you follow him, lets hope we
........,"Baba was coughing out vigorously.
Archibong waited for Baba to finish
talking but after the cough all he heard was
silence,perfect silence.He felt the warmth of Baba's
breath on his neck he, knew it would be the last.Every
where was quiet ,time stood still,as his whole life
flashed pass him.His pregnant eye's conceived ,the
down pour was felt by the grains of soil;his cry was
like thunder,but before his cry were his sorrows;more
thunderous were his cries when he saw Baba's wooden
pipe on the ground,he wrapped his wrapper round it,
knowing it was over,as he put his ear over Babas left
breast hoping to hear any heart beat but heard none
.His agony arose when he thought of how close he was
in taking Baba home only Baba hadn’t been waiting for
Him to take him to paradise but little did Archibong
know that he had just been hanging in there to see his
beloved son once again.The villagers who were at the
house preparing for Archibong's departure shouted when
they saw him approaching with his father’s corpse in
his arms.Inyang was inside,packing up his things when
he heard the shouts ,when he came to the house earlier
he had not seen Archibong so he’d decided to get
ready. He couldn't wait to leave,maybe if he was back
with Mmayen and Papa he would feel better,he
thought;but now he heard shouts and screams he knew
Archibong was back.Stepping out of the hut, he was
shocked at what he saw,the people that were once
rejoicing were wailing,the cheerful lady that
recognized Archibong was on the floor;she got up and
ran to him,he held her and gave her his shoulder. As
he consoled her he waited anxiously to know what
exactly was wrong.There was a little crowd gathering
infront ,he knew that was the centre of attention .
Gently letting go of her, he weaved his way through
the crowd,they felt his presence and made way for
him;finally he saw Archibong in the middle of the
crowd ,on the ground with Baba in his arms.Archibong
looked deeply into Inyangs eyes.Inyang went down to
him. Looking at Baba he couldn't believe the man he
just saw was the man lying dead,he shook his head in
dismay; looked away,thoughts of his last encounter
with Baba conceived a new born problem ,his
conscience.He felt like running away,his teardrops
splashed on the ground,he never thought the journey
would turn so sour. The surrounding crowd left them to
be alone,Archibong saw the things he had packed ready
to leave sitting outside Baba's hut,"help me please,"
Archibong spoke to Inyang in a very low tone,they both
carried the corpse of Baba into his room.Walking
quietly out of the room Inyang got to the door,and was
about to leave, but then after he took another glance
at Archibong he didn’t know what to do next.
He went back in and took Archibong out of the
hut,standing outside with hands on the wall he
asked,"where do we go from here."
Archibong looked to the skies for an answer,he knew
that by right he would be the new clan head but he
still had alot on his hands,he had to fulfill Baba's
promise.He looked at Inyang with his hand on his
shoulder,"wait here,get ready i will be back soon."
As he walked away,Inyang stared after him
wondering what he was up to.Archibong whispered
something to one of the elderly and in no time the man
was smacking his drum,the cry of the drum brought
everybody to the square were Archibong stood.Normally
the people would come running but this time they
walked without a rush with their hands folded and
heads to the ground.Archibong knew this was the time
to break one of the traditions,there was nothing he
could do,in his right hand was the elephant tooth,it
had been passed down from clanhead to clanhead.His
speech was inspirational,the people nodded to
everything he said,although the man standing behind
him was the one he chose to stand in his place they
knew he was going to soon come back to take up his
rightful place.The natives sang a sorrowful song as
Archibong and Inyang went into the boat,it was all
happening too fast for Archibong,he could still hear
the drummings even as they began to paddle once again
leaving the premises.All of Baba’s belongings would be
put together that day and kept in a secret place,the
place his spirit would dwell;so that when ever they
were in crisis they would turn to him again summoning
his spirit to direct on what to do.The interim leader
turned to the people and gave them, the first
instructions that would mean the beginning of a new
era.The lady that recognized Archibong stood there by
the stream still waving to Archibong.This time Inyang
was the one who did the paddling,he understood how
Archibong felt he knew he hadn't the strength to do
anything vigorous.Inyang kept sighing to himself as he
thought of how fruitless the journey had
been.Archibong hadn't looked up ever since they left
the settlement ,he dipped his hands into the stream
and took them out ,"before Baba died he told me two
things;he said you knew the truth,how come ,what
truth?"
Wiping his face with the stream water.Inyang was
taken aback,he didn’t know what to make of the
question,he only hoped that Archibong wasn’t thinking
he had anything to do with his fathers sudden death
“or did I ?”
Inyang asked himself was this why he felt a little
guilty.Finally he knew he had nothing to loose,after
all he had nothing to show for his travails,all his
dreams were crashing down on him.He took a deep breath
and tossed everything to the wind. Putting down the
paddle, he replied"Archibong, 'the poison we eat
unknowingly harms us not but the sweet fruit is the
back stabber',why create hell at home and place
paradise at the treacherous mountain top;the dog that
looks for his home after he left it for where he
believed was the bone treasure is truly lost,my
friend,what is here is what is here."
Archibong raised his head,"I never knew you
were so swift with parables,I’m still waiting."
Inyang folded his hands and decideed to go
straight to the point."My friend how would you feel if
i told you that those,your chiefs and the rest of them
that you claim were dwelling in peace and happiness
were actually suffering.Their backs and necks spoke in
tongues that only whips could understand,their eye's
knew no tears and there were like the empty gourd ,
empty.Your eye's are red,do you hate the words i
speak, this is just the beginning, if i told you that
your people were deceived by men and taken away as
slaves to be tortured,how would such a paradise appeal
to you;the white men came with their big boats and
because your people had never seen the white skinned
man you assumed they were gods,the gods that protected
you,but there were only men like you and i with the
minds of diamonds and the hearts of stones ,they
fooled your people and took them away,away to your so
called paradise to suffer;while your chiefs and the
righteous ones had chains on their hands ,those of you
that were behind put the chains on you heads,with your
own hands.
And now you want me to take you to paradise
the land with tall houses," Inyang spoke with rage,he
threw all caution to the wind and spat it out like the
chaffs of the early morning chewing
stick,"impossible,there is no such paradise,the only
paradise i know is here."
They drifted out to the open waters.Archibong
listened to Inyang with a rope tied to his anger,he
had never felt so insulted,he felt so betrayed he
never thought it would come to this,he didn't think
Inyang would turn his back on him,how could something
like this happen to him twice,the last one wasn't even
this bad,he had really put down his guard but now he
looked at Inyang,there was only one thing on his mind.
"Angry"?Inyang asked,"me too I'm angry,when your
people allowed yourselves to be fooled ,fooled by your
own kind,how do you expect me to feel? If you don't
want to hear the truth then plug your ears
with leaves."
Archibong couldn't take it any more,he
launched himself forwards,"you traitor," he
yelled.Inyang saw him coming and readied himself,the
fight had begun. Inyang flexed his strong arms and
turned Archibong around on the hard wood.Archibong
was stunned, he took another look at the city boy that
he underrated ,he could feel his elbows hurt
,unconsciously,his fist clutched.Archibong’s hands
were on Inyang’s neck and so was Inyang’s as they
struggled rocking the boat without a care until they
threw each other into the cold river water.As soon as
they plunged into the water Inyang could feel the pain
as the water ran up his nostrils,he swam but Archibong
was a fish, he’d disappeared into the water and
remained there.Inyang looked around hoping to see
Archibong he didn’t know if he could swim ,in the
midst of it all he still worried much for
Archibong.Archibong was under the water still
plotting;suddenly Inyang felt fingers on both of his
ankles, Archibong was dragging him from under,Inyang
gobbled some water as he went underneath;he met
Archibong and the struggle continued;Archibong held
him tight not letting him go up for air.Inyang tried
to break loose but couldn't.Finally Archibong too was
out of breath.By the time they emerged at the surface
of the water gasping for air, their boat was out of
sight.The waves were not as turbulent as it was on
their way to the island but somehow the mild waves had
separated them from their boat.Looking backwards
Archibong saw the boat floating away,he turned round
and started swimming towards it with his last
strength,Inyang also saw the boat and started swimming
to it.They swam in the direction of the waves,it made
it a little easier for them,Archibong powered on ,the
boat seemed farther and farther away as he went close
to it,then finally he got a grip of it.He roared as he
managed to pull himself into the boat.He laid there
without any energy to move,Inyang was still about
thirty meters away.He struggled on ,trying to get to
the boat but when he felt his thigh muscle snap he
had no choice but to yell for help.
"Archibong,Archibong!!Help ,help," he could barely
talk aloud he held his hands up waving them in the
air.Archibong heard him,he turned round in his
direction,when he saw Inyang he sighed,"stupid
boy,look who’s begging now," he hailed himself as the
victor.He quickly turned the boat around and started
paddling, struggling against the tides to get to
Inyang.Inyang couldn't swim any further ,he fought to
stay afloat as Archibong came to his rescue.
"Heh!"
Archibong shouted,stretching out his arms with the
paddle,he had gotten quite close to Inyang but had no
strength to go any further,"grab this,hold on to it
while i pull you," Inyang held it with one hand,
"come on,grab it with both hands city boy,"
smiling.Archibong,managed to pull the exhausted Inyang
to the boat and then dragged him into it.Inyang
couldn't move a finger,he laid in the boat panting
trying to get himself back.By the time he awoke from
his slumber,they were in calm waters,Archibong was
still paddling.Inyang got up and could see the sides
of the river,the green trees that flanked,the smell
of land was in the air,he turned round and looked at
Archibong,not knowing how to thank him.Inyang felt
really sad about what had happened and all the things
he had said ,he knew there was a way he would have
told him,a more respectful way,he turned to Archibong
and stretched his right hand out,
"i'm sorry,"with a pitiful but crafty look," but
it's the truth i know you will refuse to believe me
but well.....you didn't have to call me a traitor,i
never said i wasn't going to carry you along,it's just
that the world out there really isn't what you think
it is,so why waste your time but heh,I’m sorry."
Archibong looked at him with an expressionless
face but soon after he smiled and slapped Inyang’s
palms. Inyang tried to explain but he felt nothing he
or did would convince Archibong that the world he
sought didn’t exist.To Archibong everything was
perfect ,the time was right,to him it wasn't just a
mere coincidence that he met Inyang who would lead him
out,it wasn't a coincidence that he whom his people
believed was the chosen one was going to travel the
treacherous waters to another land and bring to
reality part of their dream .
"Archibong I have satisfied my conscience but
if you still want to come with me you can but i hope
when you get there you don't blame me at least you
won’t say you weren’t warned,my conscience can now
sleep."
Archibong had a big frown on,he put down the
paddle and put his hands under a section of the boat
and brought something out,he stared at Inyang for a
couple of seconds then tossed it to him.Inyang caught
it and when he looked at it he had a big grin,
"how did you get this," he asked excitingly
not knowing what the lumps of charcoal were
for,probably used to inscribe the symbols on rocks he
thought."Baba said i should make sure i gave it to
you,this is what you desired ,i hope your hands have
finally felt that which will bring the fulfillment
your heart yearned for,this is no bribe,you see you
are from somewhere else,you are from where i desire
that is why to you paradise must be somewhere else
probably here like you said .
I 'm still coming with you because until a man
taste the fly drink, his imaginations will keep him
in the uneasy, so i will eat of the fruit that
appealed to my eyes even though i know not of it's
taste or harm. Understand that where i come from we
are submissive to our surroundings, to nature, to our
belief's, that makes us a little vulnerable;here, the
leader who was great was the best follower,here it is
the man who knew nothing about love that understood it
better rather than he who had alot,that is why we
accept to follow because only then can we lead.If we
were led by men as you claim then so be it ,if they
came coincidentally at the same time then how then is
that not destiny,why would i see you in the midst of
the masqueraders if we weren't supposed to be here?"
Archibong sat there with his arms folded.As
they turned into the creek, their heart's were filled
with joy,they had a new strength ,they paddled faster
and faster until they came to the place they made
their first tearing of the stream water with their
paddles, they halted.
On to solid ground they stood,"i don't know how
to thank you Archibong."
Archibong smiled,"yes you do."
"Oh, that's true i do ,so when are we going to do
the do"?Inyang asked."Well,that really depends on
you,you tell me ."
"Okay lets make it a day after Udua di Yang (the
local monthly market),how about that?"
"Perfect ,"Achibong replied,"so i will wait for
you here once again,lets make it the same time we met
here yesterday." Inyang nodded his head,"okay,but
Archibong,tell me something where do you live?"
"Haha,I'm a fisherman so i stay along the
riverbank on the other side,but most days i sleep in
the river overnight so i can catch some fish ,i try to
stay away from the locals , you know i'm really not
from here."
Inyang understood his predicament,nodding his
head.
"Anyway,lets make it on that day ,okay,i hope to see
you then."
Inyang was about to walk away but stopped and
when he turned around he saw Achibong still standing
there staring at him.
"Don't say it Archibong ,i know what you’re about
to say.I promise ,i will be there,I won’t let you
down."
They came back together, shook hands, hugged and
finally departed hoping to meet the next
fortnight.Inyang made his way to the path that would
lead him up the hill to his hut.With the new signs and
inscriptions in his hands,he bounced onwards,his heart
told him to go straight ahead instead of turning left
to his hut,it was just a day but it felt like a
century he couldn't wait to see Mmayen ,to hold her
and taste her smile again. He looked above his
shoulder , wishing she could just appear floating
under the evening sun,he would embrace her holding her
never to let go,his day would truly be made.He was so
excited yet anxious to see everybody,he hoped
everything was okay,he hurried back home.Standing
infront of the hut he still saw the palmfrond sitting
exactly where it was,he bent down and picked it up;
flung it as he stepped into the hut,somehow he had
missed home ,he was so happy to be back.Stepping into
his hut his eye's immediately grew bigger,he quickly
halted, and when he came back to his senses he jumped
out of the hut.The man that hid in the bushes came out
laughing,laughing at the top of his voice,when Inyang
saw Ini he, didn't know what to do or say,he wondered
what the connection between a huge snake and a
laughing Ini was.Inyang stood hands akimbo and
watched Ini run inside the hut.When he came out he
brought the skin of the snake he had killed the day
before.
"What is this all about?"
Asked Inyang curiously.Ini started demonstrating to
Inyang how he killed the snake,wrapping the skin round
his neck,Inyang could see how excited Ini was,he
probably had waited all the while for him to come back
so that he could demonstrate to Inyang exactly how
he’d killed the mighty snake.He got up and showed to
Inyang the hole his teeth made on the snakes skin,he
had a big grin on as he showed that to Inyang.Inyang
wasn't really impressed,he was too relieved to know
that what he had seen in his room wasn't what he
thought it was,but then again he had to make Ini feel
really proud ,like he had acheived something which in
the pure African sense he did.
Inyang hailed him for such a brave act ,beating
his chest and jumping up as he saw the teeth holes,Ini
was in ecstasy,he had never felt so proud of
himself.Inyang was wise enough to know how to apply
the brakes ,he was still very eager to see Mmayen and
wouldn't want to spend any more time with Ini.He
tucked the precious inscriptions on the rafia mat down
his travelling bag ,he thought of other ways he could
keep it safe but then, he had no time to
waste . He stepped outside to start heading to
Mmayen's but behold was an old friend.
"Bubu!!Where have you been ,long time no see,come
here," the dog lies on its back ,ready to play,hoping
that Inyang would rub it's chest.Inyang played with it
for a while and later convinced it with some already
prepared fish to follow him to Mmayen's . Papa sat
outside with Mmayen,nobody seemed to be in the mood
for talking,she hadn't prepared anything for
dinner,they both had so many other things in
mind.Mmayen went to the back and brought the last
pieces of fire wood that was and made the dying fire
alive,she stuck the thin sticks from the broom into
the fire as her mind drifted away.The gourd of palm
wine in Papa's hand slipped and fell to the ground,he
cared less,he had gone drinking with some friends,he
had to ,that was the only way he could get closer to
those who could help,that was the only way he could
get all the necessary information he needed.
But on this day,all he got wasn't encouraging
enough,he tried to kill his frustration with more
alcohol.When he got back in such a state it only made
Mmayen more depressed,he wouldn't speak to her,no
words of encouragement he was too high to,she sat
there hopeless, sometimes she too picked on the
remaining alcohol and fed on it but once her mind
played tricks on her ,she looked up and saw a full
moon which didn't mean anything to her then but the
next day when she recalled what she had seen the
previous night she was filled with fear,how did the
disaster strike so soon,when she told Papa about it he
ran helter skelter trying to see how things could be
set straight but when he found out there was nothing
he could do ,he and Mmayen sat out side to make sure
what she saw was real. They breathed a sigh of relief
when they found it was only the standing smile of the
moon that was in the night sky.This night she waited
once again to see what was in the sky.Inyang made a
quiet entrance,she didn't even hear him, until when
she turned to go inside that she saw him standing
there behind her.Her heart stopped momentarily,she
froze not knowing what to do,she was happy she didn't
scream that would have woken the dozing oldman.Bubu
was running round the place ,Inyang gave Mmayen a sign
to meet him outside.Under the wings of the dark they
embraced each other, it was a long wait for both of
them and now they where reunited.
Mmayen kept dithering until she summoned up some
courage to speak,placing her fore head on Inyang's
chest she spoke in a low tone,"I thought you had ran
away from here,what are you doing here now?"
She wet his shirt with her moist eyes , "i thought
you had left me,left me to stay here and rot without
you."
"Wish I had the guts,maybe that’s exactly what I
should do."
As she spoke to him she kept looking backwards
she hoped Papa wouldn't suddenly wake up,"Mmayen,it's
too risky,i don't want you in any trouble,okay,can we
see tomorrow morning instead ,then we would really
have enough time together,what do you think?"
She looked up and down,"well i thought we could
spend some time here , you know,Papa isn't going to
wake up now, he is fast asleep."
There was a cough coming from behind,it was
obviously Papa,she turned round ,and saw Papa on the
floor he had fallen off from his seat,"huh,Inyang,i
have to go,Papa is on the floor i've got to help him
up,i will see you tomorrow,you are right,"there was
some degree of urgency in her tone.
"Sure you don't want me to help you out?"
He asked, concerned.
"Hmpph,i don't think Papa would want that."
Inyang understood what she was talking about and
didn't insist,he watched her walk off,she was such a
different person,now she was so emotional the next
minute she was back to the solid ground,carrying on
like she hadn't a care.Inyang was a bit disappointed
he wanted to meet with Papa ,to tell him about all
his findings,hoping to finally impress the man.Papa
had his own plans too,he watched Mmayen talk but
refused to move,he was happy it was all working.He saw
the love in her eyes whenever he called on Inyang’s
name,he laughed.He allowed them carry along like he
didn’t know what was going on,he was glad she was
there to hinder from doing his research.He made sure
he left enough room for them to be together.
Inyang was ready to head back home,"Bubu,lets go,
guess we have other things to do,don't we,boy?"
Inyang and Bubu walked back home.Inyang was tired
the journey was so hectic and it had started telling
on him,he was feeling very sleepy.He managed to carry
his heavy eyelids back to the farm house.He had
succeeded to get the signs he wanted ;Inyang fell on
his bed and slept off.The cocks and chickens were
scratching the ground,in the sky was the kite ready to
swoop down on them.The other birds were flying from
tree to tree,trying to succeed in the bustling world
that the morning sun had brought.Bubu had waited for
break fast but it never came it decided to go out and
get it by itself.
Inyang remained in bed ,he had never stayed in
so late,it must have been the stress of the whole
research she thought as she plucked more of the
mushrooms that grew out at the foot of the mango tree
behind the hut.
She didn't want to disturb him when she arrived she
stood infront of him and just watched him sleep ,she
told him to herself ,"i love you ," as she covered him
properly with his sleeping wrapper.Sitting infront of
the pot she stirred ,she had gotten all the
ingredients from her surroundings,she realized she
hadn't cooked for Inyang since he came ,she couldn't
start going to the market so she decided to look
around and now the mushroom soup was almost ready .

She put a drop of the soup on her palm and took
a lick,she looked up and smiled,truly,a delicious meal
only comes from a heart filled with love . The whiff
of the sweet smelling soup woke him up.Wiping the
sleep off his eyes he stretched and yawned.He walked
towards his bag and dipped his hands into the bag,the
rafia mat was still there,his mind smiled as he felt
it.He took out his hand and walked outside ,following
the unusual smell.When he got out to the bright out
door he saw her sitting there by the pot stirring and
smiling at him,it was like the most natural moment,she
looked like the one he wanted to spend the rest of his
life with.She sat there like the true African woman
that she was,preparing breakfast for her spouse.Inyang
walked to her and hugged her while she remained
seated,he rubbed her back and whispered some sensual
words to the tip of her ears,she giggled.She took a
scoop of the soup with her right hand and with her
left hand gently on his neck she let him have a taste
of what she had in store for him.
"Mmmm,"Inyang remarked .She used her thumb to
take off the little spill on his lips and licked it
while she looked deeply into his eye's.
"Why don't you rush and go and have a bath while
this is getting ready,huh?"
"And make sure you come back on time,okay?"
Inyang smiled and nodded his head then he started
getting ready to get to the stream.After some steps
away from the hut he turned round and met her eye's
looking straight at him;she closed them immediately
and waved him off, "c'mon,get yourself to the
stream,will you."
At the stream,Inyang looked around to see
Archibong,there was a man that looked like him but
when he got closer he realized he wasn't the
one.Inyang had noticed that most of the bushes
surrounding the path to the stream had been burnt,the
burning season had commenced ,he could see the
vultures and kites in the sky circling an area that
was presently burning hoping to catch any animal that
tried to escape the wrath of the fire.Walking back to
the hut where Mmayen was,he couldn't help but think
about his future with her,he had succesfully gotten
what he came for but still he didn’t totally
accomplished.He got up from the tree trunk he sat
on,and continued his walk back home,he was afraid of
his thoughts,somehow he knew it wasn't going to
work,it would be an insult to Papa if he tried to
make such an attempt,besides he wasn't sure she was
ready to cross that bridge.
Well,he consoled himself he still had sometime
to spend with her this was like the beginning of his
break












he still had till a fortnight
before he would be out of the village with or without
her.Inyang was yet to find out how true his mother was
about what the cooking skills of a woman should be
like.Every now and then flashes of him walking out on
Archibong's father crossed his mind,he felt terrible.
Walking up the hill,he tried to forget about
the tragedy of Baba’s death by thinking deeper into
his future with Mmayen,he wished he could just be with
her always,especially back in Lagos where he lived
with his mother.His mother had often made jokes about
him getting married,she had never seen her son in the
company of a girl,she had always hoped he would grow
to be a happy gentleman,not as authoritative as his
father who was exactly how the typical African man
was,proud.Inyang knew his mother would love Mmayen,she
had always been stressing on him getting married to a
girl from where he hailed,to her the south eastern
women where excellent cooks .Mmayen carried the pot
off the fire and placed it on the ground,standing
infront of the fire with a little bowl of water,she
allowed the water run down her hand and fall to the
fire,she closed her eye's as she inhaled the rising
smoke that leapt when the water landed on the red hot
coal ,she loved the shhhh sound that came from the
quenching fire.She went inside and brought out a
stool, set everything up and waited for Inyang's
anticipated arrival.Inyang grinned as he saw what was
infront of him.She was happy to see him back from the
stream on time.He walked up to her and held her
hand.With Mmayen standing there next to him he knew
this was the closest he had gotten to total bliss.
"Sit,you have had a hectic day, you have been in
the farm for too long beloved ,you need some rest,you
work too hard."
Mmayen spoke with a cheeky smile.Inyang was about
to ask,' what farm', when he understood exactly the
scenario she was trying to portray.He sat like a king
while she watched his every move trying to find out if
he was truly enjoying the meal.After he had finished
she watched him carefully,if he got up immediately
then he didn't really enjoy the meal or wasn't
satisfied.As she took away the empty bowl of food she
used the corner of her eyes to spy at him.As she came
back she saw him stretch on his seat with his legs
well spread,she smiled inside .
She scooped a bowl of water from the pot of water
that sat beside the firewood,"come on,stand up if you
don’t wash your hands before the become cold and
dry,then they will really be sticky," she spoke to him
while she rubbed on his shoulder gently.From the look
on Inyang's face she could tell that he was full,so
full he could hardly move.
She squatted next to him and held his hands
affectionately and washed them,"you liked it ,didn't
you?" She asked,still washing his hands but looking
upwards at him.Inyang didn't utter a word ,he just
smiled.Still next to him she looked round for a cloth
she could use to wipe his hands,she saw one hanging on
one of the branches of the pear tree that stood close
by but it was still too far,she wanted to remain where
she was.
She loosened part of the wrapper she used
round her waist exposing her brown thighs and used it
to wipe his hands dry.She saw his eye's pop,she smiled
a mischevious smile then tied the wrapper back on.She
walked him back into his hut were he laid down to
rest,she sat infront of the hut facing inside the
hut.
"Why are you sitting out there ,come in."
"Sorry I can’t because i'm not allowed to ,we are
not bound are we?"
"Mmayen,i'm surprise to hear that now , what
happened to all the days you used to come in here and
sit next to me weren't you inside here then."
"Hmph,ofcourse i was because then my conscience
allowed me to,i knew i had no intentions of doing
anything and because of that i felt no risk,but
now.............."
Just then she heard foot steps.It was an unknown
face,a woman.Mmayen fell silent,Inyang knew somebody
was coming.The woman was dressed very shabby,walking
round with a drum.He felt there was something wrong,he
stood up immediately,"what's that?"
Mmayen kept looking at the woman.
"Mercy,mercy,spare my dying child,mercy,mercy,spare
him."
She repeated with a cracking and disappearing
voice.Mmayen and Inyang could tell she had been
walking and shouting the message for sometime,her
voice was hoarse,her feet was caked with dried red
mud.The woman paid no attention to them she just
smacked the drum and delivered her plea.Inyang watched
in amazement until the woman disappeared down the
hill.Inyang looked at Mmayen,"what was that all
about?"
"Witches,village witches,they have held her son
captive."
"Come on ,Mmayen you really don't believe that do
you?"
"Is there anything you believe,don't you know that
there are so many people around us that travel to
several places at night and even in the day time,this
is not your world things here its different and
anytime the cock doesn't crow there is a reason,maybe
somebody's hand is tossing the gravels to the ground
trying to fulfill the wishes of the person that
presented him with the female goat."
"What are you talking about"? "What i'm talking
about?"
"Would you believe me if i told you that there are
some people here in this village that have their souls
locked down in animals?"
Inyang looked at her shaking his head in
disbelief.
"You see,but there are so many instances where the
hunter shoots an animal and kills somebody back in the
village,there are even times when somebody is ill and
there is a serious search for his soul in the
forest,because sometimes the illness may not be in him
but in the animal his soul dwelled in, so they have to
find the animal and treat it of what ever it's ailment
is only then can the man be well if not as soon as the
animal dies he also will embrace death
inevitably.Sometimes from ones character it can be
known what animal his soul dwelled in,like the
tortoise is a very slow but clever animal and that
sort of person probably would be the quiet type always
underated but when the time comes he could win the
race."
"But Mmayen you mean you believe in all this
that you are telling me or -",
"I don't believe anything but i know the world is so
deep,so deep most times it leaves me scratching the
temple not knowing what to make of it." She got up and
stretched,"Inyang i have to start going back home,i
just remembered that Papa and i have somewhere to
go,he will be wondering why i have taken so long ."
"It has been long since i saw Papa ,i have to come
and see him this evening if i waste more time he might
start getting worried.Guess i will still see you
tonight but where is it that you and Papa are going
to."
He asked.She was a bit jittery after Inyang popped
the question.
"Ahmm,no where,we are supposed to go the plantain
market and i can't go there alone,you know."
Inyang raised his eyebrows but didn't ask any
further questions.
"Okay,but take care of yourself,hope to see you
later in the day."
Sometimes Mmayen just had a way of making Inyang
feel so far away from her,she still had so much she
was hiding from him and he knew it.He hated it when
they dispersed on a low note,he was piqued because she
refused to let him into her where about;just when he
felt they were close enough to tell each other tales
from the heart she made him feel like a complete
stranger.He kicked the ground as he walked back after
he gave her some leg to the path.When he felt sad and
down he sourced for a way to keep him afloat.He sat
outside and looked deeply into the picture in his
hand,for the first time in his life he missed Mama
(his mother)so so much.
He wondered what she was doing then,he had lost
count of the days,he didn't even know what day it
was;he hoped everything was alright with her,she had
been complaining about back pains but she still had to
carry her load to the market to sell he tried to tell
her to quit the job and look for some other way of
making some money but she refused; To her it was the
lazy way ,"a woman must be able to tie her child on
her back so that she could use her hands to work," she
often told him. Any woman that puts down her child
when farming isn't fit to be a woman.Times had
changed and left her behind,she didn't believe in
telephones or machines that made work easier;just in
her middle forties but she looked like she was in her
late sixties.
The doctor once told Inyang she was stressing
herself too much which would lead her to an early
grave this made him weep.Sitting down he gazed into
the picture and discovered how beautiful she was just
about ten years ago,but now she lacked joy and
happiness,she always had a frown,she hardly smiled and
that took away her beauty.
Inyang had vowed to make life easier for her as
soon as he acheived his goal,he only hoped she would
still be there for him,he wanted to take her away from
all the hard life into a much easier one - into
paradise.He hoped that what happened to Archibong
wasn't also his cup.He hoped things would some how
work out for Archibong,the least he could do was to
keep his promise.That evening he bounced over to see
Papa.Walking towards the house he saw Papa and Mmayen
infront of the house.It seemed to him that she had
just finished serving him with dinner.He swung his way
, ignoring her and walking straight to Papa who was
looking , keeping a close eye on them.Papa was a bit
disappointed the way he walked passed ,as soon as he
saw the lover boy, he thought he would see those
signs,maybe a wink or a hidden smile,but he watched
Inyang breezed pass.He assumed that by now he would be
completely in love with her and probably lost the
zeal to go on with his research.
Even Mmayen was surprised the way he walked passed.
"My son,how are you doing,how’s the going,hope
much luck this time it really hasn’t been easy for
you."
Inyang smiled within,"well,Papa I must admit that
life here is really something else,I have never had
such an experience and if one is not careful he/she
might just loose focus."
"Yes,yes my son,I know exactly what you are
talking about," nodding his head and pulling his
moustache gently.
"Take life easy my son,you and I have to sit down
and put aside this research conversation and just ,you
know get to know each other better?"
He raised his hand and pulled out a bottle of local
gin from the old bag that was hanging on the bundle of
fire wood.Mmayen came with two gourds like Papa
asked.Papa watched them closely as she bent over to
drop the gourds on the stool.
He took away his face but was still looking with
the corner of his eye.She handed over the gourd to
Inyang and as she did they spent a second together,his
finger slept on hers,she looked into his eyes as his
did and as they remained glued Papa’s eyes made sure
he didn’t miss a thing.
Now Papa was sure he wasn’t assuming there was
truly something going on,his loud laughter couldn’t be
heard by anyone but him.
"Why would a young man just come from no where and
think he can make a fool of me,no way,when his tender
heart talks to him when the time is right he will know
who to run to;and I will openly receive him," Papa
thought to himself.
"So how’s life?"
Inyang asked."Ah,sorry what did you just say,I,I was
thinking ,you know we oldmen think a lot."
"Never mind,this calls for a little celebration
don’t you think so?"
"What do you mean,celebration?" Inyang dipped his
hand into his pocket and brought out the raffia mat
that contained the signs and symbols that hadn’t been
seen by no other reseacher ," this ," he held it up,"
calls for a celebration,I brought it for you to take a
look at it,I wanted you to be the first to see it."
Papa took it from him agog with curiousity,
staring at it.His eyes were filled with agony,the
agony of defeat.He looked at the inscriptions on the
mat aghast.He painted the front of the house and
planted the beautiful flowers but somehow Inyang could
see through the grim smile he had on.Papa had no
choice but to sit there and listen to all what Inyang
had to say about his trip,with a smile." Sure you are
not having too much of that,"Inyang asked.
"Oh no,Its quite intriguing."
"After all my years of suffering this is what I
get,what wrath is on me,this bitter I drink shouldn’t
be," Papa looks into the dark sky as he walks back
home after walking Inyang.That night he stood outside
watching the rising smoke of the burning books that he
had served to the fire,the fire that fiend for a
better meal,the firewood it ate definitely lacked the
excitement the old books and manuscripts that the Prof
had before it.That night it wasn’t only Papa that
forced himself to sleep.
Inyang pondered upon Papa’s reaction,he could tell
that somehow Papa wasn’t completely happy with his
success.
"I thought he would be a little more excited,but
ofcourse such an accomplished man wouldn’t",Inyang
told himself,and that was how he left it.