Ini

𝕮𝖍𝖖𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕰𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓

Baba Ade could hear the retreating footsteps of both Ayo and Inioluwa. He pondered on the reason that made them come to him. Maybe they needed help, he thought, but help was almost impossible in the case.

He also thought back on what Inioluwa had said.

Fear was the word that hit straight to home. He used to be fearless, bold and daring whenever it came to things of the spiritual, although, it was his fearlessness that put lives in danger. But now, he had a son to worry about. He didn't want to lose this one, like he had lost Ade.

Ade was the one who was next in line to become Olori Alufa, but death came too early for him. Ade was only ten, and Ope was eight, when it happened. Baba Ade had tried to whip up a portion for a woman who wanted to kill her stubborn uncle. At that time, as long as you had enough money, Baba Ade didn't care about what was seemingly wrong or what was right.

He had finally finished boiling it in a small pot, and was satisfied with it. He knew that he would charge extra money when he'd meet the woman. He was too overjoyed, too happy that he failed to warn his children about opening the pot.

But it was too late, because several hours later, he had found his first born son, lying next to the small pot, too pale to be saved and he knew that he had to cut off every risky or dangerous acts.

As he walked down memory lane, his vision blurred with tears. He hastily wiped his eyes, as his son got into the shrine. Ope stood in front of his father, as he thought of the best way to pass across the message he had at heart. His father looked up at him, and he cleared his throat before speaking.

"Baami, why didn't you try to at least help? Why would you say that to her?"

Baba Ade didn't have any words to defend himself. He was harsh, and he knew it. But he wasn't going to risk it all to save one girl. He wanted to make things right, yes, but he wasn't willing to die for it.

Baba Ade wanted to shun off the matter, when his eyes shot up wide and he watched something play in his head. The vision was real, very frightening and he knew that it was Orisa Ife's message to him.

"It's today," he said, "she's taking her today."

***

"Wait!" Ayo called out to Inioluwa who was a few metres away from where he was. But this wasn't the first time that he had called out to her to wait for him. It was fifteen minutes since they had left Baba Ade's shrine and yet, Inioluwa was refusing to speak to him or wait a bit for him to catch up with her.

Although, this time, Ayo finally caught up with her. He pulled her back by the elbow, and made sure that she looked him in the eye. He could tell that she was mad, her creased forehead was sure to tell the tale.

"What's up with you?" He asked, the words coming out like whispers as he was out of breath. He had to run to meet with her. She shrugged off his hand, and crossed both hands over her chest, as she looked elsewhere.

"Why so much anger?" Ayo breathed out, and that caught Inioluwa's attention. She returned her gaze to Ayo, as she was looking for the right words to actually express how she felt.

Finally getting the words, she said, "I'm angry because all of this is happening. I'm angry at Baba Ade, at my mum, at Orisa Ife, at everything around me. Nothing is working, and I'm scared." She had fully expressed, and Ayo's confused stare softened into a sad one.

"But I thought you were not afraid." He put out, acknowledging her last confident behavior. It was her that even made him more brave to bear the situation, and now, that she was scared, he knew that he had to be more brave for both of them.