To Be A Queen✔️

Chapter 25

Unknown POV

FLASHBACK

"Make sure you come back before nightfall!" "Yes mama!" I yelled. I was already half way across the compound by then as my little legs carried me to the playground. I was late.

Luckily they were still selecting who will be 'it' in the game of tag. Since I was late I became 'it'. I didn't mind thou. I turned around and closed my eyes as I counted to ten.

Most children only know how to count to their current age. I had seen seven harvests but I knew how to count to ten. I was respected by my peers for it.

I opened my eyes when I was done counting only to see a beautiful girl my age. Her hair was made stylishly. She wore a very beautiful wrapper and a bead to match with a pair of beautiful sandals. I frowned, Mama never mentioned that a festival was going on so why was she dressed like she was going to one?

I titled my head as I watched her. She looked like she was confused and... afraid. I watched her closely as I noticed that I have never seen her before yet she was my age. Mama had said that some spirits tend to wonder far from the Akai lands. Is she one of them?

We stared at each other. The fact that she was not talking frightened me. Mama had said most spirits don't talk. The other children started coming out of their hiding places when I didn't come to find them. "Ima who is she?" One of the children asked. I just shrugged still looking at her suspiciously.

"What is your name?" Etim one of the older children asked. "Ekemini" she whispered twisting her clothes. "Do you want to play?" He asked again. She nodded hesitantly. "Come lets go and hide, Ima is 'it'" he said reaching out to touch her. I frowned "she came now so let her chase" I said getting angry. We don't even know her.

Etim thought about it and nodded "do you know how to play tag" he asked, she shook her head no. My frown deepened. Who doesn't know how to play tag? Etim gently explained it to her. Her eyes lit up after he finished explaining "I can count to 30" she said smiling widely. Everyone gasped. "It's not possible only grown up people can!" I blurted and they all agreed with me. She looked confused "I can" she said firmly. "Count to ten" I told her she did it within seconds.

I was only the one among my peers that can count to ten but she can count more than that. Some of us don't even know how to pronounce 12.

She played with us that day and everyone seemed so entranced by her.

I went home feeling angry. Mama had noticed when she was putting me to bed that night. When she asked I told her everything. She just smiled and asked why I was even angry. I frowned why would I be happy? I thought. "Why don't you get to know her first so that you can learn from her how to count to 30?"
She had said. I didn't like the idea.

From then on she played with us, but she was always late. So she was always doing the chasing. I believed she was coming late on purpose so that she would show off her counting skills.

What annoyed me most is how she was always set on finding me first. She would bribe the others to tell her were I was so that they won't be the one to chase. They would gladly point to were I was hiding. No one wants to do the chasing after all. I gradually started enjoying her company but I wouldn't tell her of course.

We were playing as usual one day, then we heard it

"Ekemini!! Who told you to leave your room?!!!" someone shrieked. We all stopped playing Ekemini was shaking. "Look at you, you look like a wild animal!!" She screeched