EJIMA

CHAPTER 32

The footfalls echoed through the nights again as they had done the day before. It was guesswork, for the darkness that enveloped her made it difficult to keep track of time. There was not even a cock nearby to announce the birth of a new day or the maturity of an aging one. Her captors must have done so on purpose. Possibly to keep her on the bridge of incognizance while they waited patiently on the other side of knowledge, hoping she would lose her senses and snap to insanity. 

Not knowing. She hated not knowing things. The fact that her captors had hung her on the fence and had rid every knowledge of the outside world from her, was more painful than death itself. Nobody had visited let alone tortured her. Yes, they had allowed her thoughts to do so for them. The only time she gets a glimpse of the world outside was whenever footfalls like this one, begin to echo over some distance away. It was often seconded by the sound of a plate, which always slid on the floor as if they had been passed from a narrow slit. That was how they fed her. They usually drop the plate and let her scamper the stony floor in the dark, searching blindly like a leper whose world has rescinded him to the charities of death.

Biting down the anger and sorrow, Ejima braced herself, using her ears to trace the owner of the footfalls. She wouldn’t want what had happened the first time they had abandoned her here to repeat itself. She had been too engrossed with agony that day, to notice the footfall and the plate. The cane of hunger after that day had taught her a bitter lesson which she would not forget in a hurry.

The footfall stopped as usual, and even though Ejima could not see through the thick wall of darkness, she could tell that the owner was at the right side of her prison. The sliding sound of the plate came as anticipated, and as Ejima traced the stone towards the direction, she suddenly paused in her wake when she realized that the person who had dropped the plate had not walked away.

Strange. A voice in her head said, but the rumbling of her stomach propelled her forward. Whatever be the reason behind the oddity, she was not willing to think about it with an empty stomach.

“I’m really intrigued by your spirit,” Came a crispy but solemn voice.

This time, Ejima stopped and for the passing moment, the hair on her skin stood. Even though it was eccentric, she was glad that she could still feel fear. And the voice of another human being? Ah, it sounded like a mellifluous bell on her yearning soul.

“We expected you to die of starvation and guilt perhaps. But you’ve survived longer than we thought.” 

Ejima licked her lips and did not respond. Not that she didn’t know what to say, but she was afraid her voice would fail her. She was scared that peradventure, she might have lost her voice somewhere in the dark, for she had not spoken since the day they brought her here.

Just ahead, somewhere in the dark, a small light began to appear. It was so dull at first that Ejima had mistaken it for hallucinations. But the yellow light continued to grow, giving the cells of her eyes enough time to adjust without causing any stinging sensation.

“We are sorry for all the distress,” 

The voice that spoke this time was more feminine and anything but crispy. It sounded familiar too and strong.

“That’s why we have decided to free you,” 

The light had grown brighter now and Ejima was able to place the faces of the people who held the lantern. At least three men wore hard stony looks, but there was no hair on their faces. Each held a wolf hide, hanging on their shoulders. Cowries of different colors lined their hair too, in a fashion that singled them out as people from the same tribe. The woman—Ejima could recognize her now—had drawn a spiral design with the local pencil (Uri), on both sides of her cheeks. And while she looked younger and stronger than the first time they had met, she still had crinkles of different sizes and sharps, swerving like a spider web on the skin which glowed with the yellow light.

“We are sorry for doubting you.” The woman walked closer, “But it was necessary. Just a way to be sure you are not a spy, or some person seeking the lives of these children.”

Ejima watched the four people again. It was difficult to find a perfect word to describe the looks that each of them shot in her direction. How could they doubt her? She was the one that had placed those babies in the river at first. How could they doubt her? 

“If I am free to go, then I think I should be on my way,” 

The words came out freely and for the fleeting moment, Ejima was both surprised and happy to hear her own voice.

“You are free to go, Ejima.” 

The small smile that appeared on the old woman’s cheeks, made the depression on her skin increase. Perhaps it was the light, or was the woman sweating? Why was her face glowing like that?

“But,” The woman said, and shifted the torch to her right hand, “don’t you want to see the children you have saved for the past thirty years. None of this would have been possible if you hadn't saved those babies from the forest. Maybe you can decide if you want to go afterward. You are still free of course and can leave now if you want.”

"I really want to get out of here. To hell with you and your babies of fallacy." Ejima bit her tongue, forcing the anger that was beginning to well inside her. I just want to go. This life is so boring and messed up. I just want somewhere, anywhere with peace and purpose.

She wiped her eyes, trying to keep her thoughts from diving into the events of the past years. Her legs were weak, and walking in itself would take the remaining energy in her body. But what other choice does she have? They had offered her freedom, and she was going to take it.

“I want to go,” she hissed.

“Very well,”

The look on the woman’s face seemed too narrow. Whatever be the cause, Ejima was sure the woman didn’t like her decision. She did not stop Ejima though, instead, she handed her the torchlight and pointed to the distance ahead.

“It would lead you to the waters. There is also a boat and supplies to aid you in your journey.”

Ejima nodded, not knowing if she should trust any words the woman had said. Her feet wobbled for some time as she walked in the direction. But they became steady when the air of freedom began to drift on her face. Was this a dream?

“Mind you,” The woman said, “You are not welcome here anymore. If you leave this island. Don’t ever come back.”

“Over my dead body,” Ejima muttered and continued into the darkness. She suddenly paused when a thought dropped in her mind.

“What about the babies? I mean,” She shrugged, “the unborn children. What will be their fate? Hope you will pick them up if I drop any in the waters again?"

“Children are a gift from the creator and the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior so are children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them? The children are welcome. Those twin babies are innocent and I have sworn to protect them. So yes, Ejima. You might be banned from returning to the Island, but the children are very much welcomed. They will always have a place on this island”

“That’s fair enough,” Ejima nodded and walked away, still feeling the wave of freedom, bashing on her yearning soul.