PART 2
The python went after us, we were foolish to have followed Obidike. There's this saying that, if you are being chased by a snake, u don't need to run straight but run zigzag, to buy yourself sometime and by this, it will be hard for the snake to catch up with you.
I thought I was the only one that knew about this until I saw Obidike running same way as me. I was about telling the others to do same when the snake dragged Ikemefuna. We stopped, watching the snake as he swallowed him. Obidike dragged us to leave as there was no time. We couldn't do anything to safe Ikemefuna. If only we hadn't embarked on this journey.
Finally we got to the foot of the mountain and continued running, running past the tall trees,at the foot of the mountain,we heard loud sounds and footsteps,but nobody was onsight. Once again,fear gripped us and we ran towards the forest,where we came from.
The stones,the trees and even the winds began laughing. The laughter grew louder the more we ran.It was as though there was no exit,as we continued running non-stop round the forest.
I was getting tired,so were the others. Obidike and Jude had to support me.We stopped running to catch our breath,and that was when a little boy walked past us. Unknowing to us,the little boy was a spirit child. Amidst all these,we forgot the forest was that of spirit beings.
Obinna quickly called the attention of the boy asking him for the exit road .We had already forgotten the road we came from,even Obidike had no idea. He pointed a straight road by our left and was about going when Obinna begged to have the fruit in his hand. He didn't hesitate, giving it to Obinna.
We continued our journey and then, Obinna began complaining of stomach ache. We hadn't gone far when the pain worsen. We saw him vomiting a snake egg. It happened so quickly as if we were watching a Nollywood movie. I had thought these things only happen in movies but me experiencing it real life was so much for me to take in. We left Obinna there cause he was already a living corpse.
I, Obidike and Jude were the only ones left. We ran and ran for what seemed like hours and all we could hear was
“ come my child, ha ha ha ha ha”
Then an old woman in a white garment appeared in front of us. Dancing the spirit dance “surugede”
We stopped abruptly, going down on our knees.
Surugede is the dance of spirit beings,more like a deity,and this dance is watched by the Ezemuo and his heir once in a year during the Amori festival. It forbids those who are not direct descendants of the priestly linage and the royal family from watching it,and this is when the heir of the Ezemuo memorises the dance steps to communicate with the deities.
The old woman stopped dancing and asked us the reason for our presence in the forest.
" You people are not afraid. The boldness!
you have ventured into the land of no return,now follow me.....ha ha ha ha" the old woman continued laughing , ignoring our pleas.
Rivulets of tears ran down my cheeks as I regretted embarking on this adventure, begging the spirit being.
The old woman decided to have mercy on us on the condition that she would take one person among us.
It was a hard decision,but then Obidike concluded that he'd go with the old woman.
"let me go,for I am the cause of all this.Please tell my mother what happened and ask her to forgive me. If only I made my mother happy,if only I wasnt a stubborn child,all these wouldn't have happened" Obidike said, while crying.
"leave now,nowwww and don't look back" the old woman said to I and Jude.
We cried together as we hugged him,then he was taken away.
We ran for dear life,with our feets touching the back of our head. I stumbled on a stone and a loud thud followed. Then all sounds stopped, I thought I was dead. Jude helped me up and immediately we saw the exit.
