Lineage

Funmi Dada Part 11

The night before their departure, while everyone was asleep, Bankole heard someone call his name. At first, he wasn't sure who it was, but it did sound familiar. Then he heard it again, it sounded like it was coming from outside. He looked out of the window it was Tinuke. She was smiling and waving at him, beckoning on him to come outside. It never occurred to Bankole that he was seeing. He went outside to meet her, out of the protective barrier. She held his hands. They walked together and sat on a side bench. She was still holding his hand;

"I have missed you Bankole, I am sorry about all that happened to you" she told him.

Bankole was thrilled to see Tinuke because he did like her.

"Tinuke I did not steal your money," he replied, "I don't know how it got into my bag."

"Don't worry about that Bankole, it was long ago and I know you did not take my money."

It worried Bankole that Tinuke would always think he stole her money and might not like him anymore. He was glad to know that she knew he didn't take it. She brought out a piece of food, divided it into two, and gave him one piece to eat. 

"Eat this Bankole and let's play how we used to play before. I have missed you so much, we used to have so much fun, remember."

"Thanks, Tinuke, I don't want it," he told her politely.

She persisted, "But if you eat this, you would see again and fly."

Her response struck a chord. He remembered the promise of sight made by the man who came into his room.

"No thanks, I do not want it," he told her firmly.

He was asleep again. Then he heard his mother's voice calling him.

"Mama, are you calling me?"

"Bankole! Bankole, please come outside."

His mother was across the street. When he got to her, she hugged him.

"My son, you are a special boy and you would grow up to be a great man."

She put something in his hand.

"Take, swallow it. It is power. No one will ever be able to hurt you or take away your greatness."

He was a bit confused because his mother and Iya had warned him times without number not to eat anything given to him. If it's in a dream, the person could take their form or appear as an angel. If he was awake, no matter how hungry he felt, he must take nothing from anyone except from the two of them.

"Trust me, it has power and would give our extra abilities that you can use to protect Iya and me."

Bankole looked at what she gave to him; he could not make out what it was. He got up and threw it to the cloak and it bounced off it,. Bankole knew it was flesh. He was about to run back into the house when his mother grabbed him, but it wasn't his mother anymore. He let out a big scream,

"MAMA!!!!"

Funmi woke up immediately. She saw her son fast asleep, but she knew something was wrong. She woke Iya up. The two of them settled in and entered the astral plane. She called her son when they heard no response, they knew he could not be within the barrier. They saw Bankole held down by two creatures outside the barrier. Suddenly a flashback, she has seen these before, her nightmare as a child. She remembered those green eyes and black scales covering its skinny frame and the sagging long breast. One of the creatures was holding down Bankole with its long thin hands. The terror of her childhood memory caused her to freeze for a moment before the feeling of helplessness took over.

"Don't be afraid, look closely and you will see their human form," Iya whispered, taking a hold of her hand.

Funmi took a few steps closer, studying the figures she immediately saw it her grandmother, and Aunty Tolu was right beside her. They were trying to force him to eat something. She was right; she had seen her on the day of the mob attack. 

"Let my son go right now!" Funmi yelled. 

The authority in her voice and the brightness of her light distracted them and the old woman stood up, holding on to Bankole, grinning from ear to ear. 

"I see you got back your Light. Your mother took you away and now your son belongs to us. Our lineage as Aje must continue, your mother almost destroyed it but now with your son..."

"I said you should let go of my son," Funmi yelled at her.

She jumped on her and tried to pull her son out of her grip. Tolu joined in to help her mother. They were two of them, Funmi didn't stand a chance. For a woman over ninety years of age, her grandmother sure has a firm grip. Tolu on the other hand was trying to pull Funmi off her mother. 

Iya screamed, "Use your Light, Light shines in darkness, Light destroys darkness."

Tolu left Funmi and charged towards Iya, knocked her down, and squeezed on her hurting arm. Iya was in tremendous pain.

"Traitor! You betrayed your kind. You had the privilege to be someone powerful, and you chose the life of making more traitors, you will surely die!"

"I will not die, I am of the Light, I dwell in the Light and darkness has nothing me, get off me."

Iya pushed Tolu off her, Tolu held onto her hurting hand, squeezing it even more. The more she squeezed it, the faster the poison spread in her body and the weaker Iya became. There was no more time to waste, Funmi brightened her Light, and they saw its glory and marveled. Funmi struck her grandmother's heart with her hand. She screamed in pain and let go of Bankole. Tolu hearing her mother's scream ran to her aid. Funmi grabbed her son and rushed over to see how Iya was doing. 

While she was examining Iya, she took her eyes off Tolu who snatched Bankole, and forced a piece of flesh down his throat. It was his gagging that Funmi heard and just as Tolu was about to fly away with Bankole but Funmi being stronger was faster on her feet, caught her by one of her legs, squeezed it tight with the might of her Light just as she did with her grandmother and then pulled Tolu hard to the ground. She took her son away from her. She had wanted to pierce her heart as well, but she let her go.

"I might be your family by blood, but this lineage has nothing to do with your own. You are free to make all your children and grandchildren Aje, but if you and your people ever come near any of mine, I will kill that person. I will raise children to be like me and we would forever fight against your kind should our paths cross. If any of your children should come to me for help, I will deliver them out of your wicked clutches. Now get out of my sight I don't want to ever see any of you again," Funmi warned them fiercely.

Tolu picked up her mother and flew away.

"Are you okay?  Bankole? Funmi asked. 

"She gave me flesh, it's inside me," he cried. "I am so sorry mama." 

"Hush! It is not your fault. I have to get it out. All of it. It occurred to me before we went to bed. I was going to discuss it with Iya before trying it out. There is no need to delay. Just trust me. I believe this would work." 

Turning to Iya, "Let's go back inside. I am going to uproot this darkness in my son," she told Iya.

Bankole could not pass through the barrier. The flesh had begun its work on him, his human form was gradually changing. A part of his face was being covered with black scales the rest of his body an ashy appearance covered with rashes. His eyes had turned green. Funmi could see black scales growing out of his skin. 

"Iya go in, I will be right back."

Funmi engulfed Bankole in her Light and took him as fast as she could into the heavenlies. She told him to bring out his light. He closed his eyes, inserted his hand into his chest and brought it out. There it was, Light and darkness of the flesh. Funmi pulled out the flesh. Once it was separated from his Light, it burnt up in Funmi's hand. Bankole absorbed his Light again, no more darkness. Bankole absorbed his Light again. She and her son were hugging and jubilating over their victory and for a moment forgot about Iya. Funmi noticed how faint Iya's Lighthouse was. Hold on, Iya, just hold on a bit longer, she thought to herself. It was time to descend.