EJIMA

CHAPTER 40

Uche picked the first arrow and sauntered towards the line. His lips parted when he saw the glee in his wife's eyes. He was taller than most men in the camp and the muscles that streaked his body made his skin glow. Looking at him, Ejima could not stop thinking about the smooth feel of pottery. His hair was long too, and had been braided into two delicate strands, with their dark color, contrasting the cowries that dangled on them. It was an unfamiliar look, that one was strange. Ejima never liked Uche wearing long hair or beads. But seeing them on him made her...

She swallowed. To be honest, he was beautiful. The braids brought out his masculine nature and attractiveness. It was hard to take her eyes away from the man that had won her heart. Seeing him created a bubble in her stomach, sending a frigid chill down her spine and making her shift on the seat. All their years and adventures together, it was obvious how fragile and fluffy life could be. This moment you have everything and like thin air, they are all gone as if they never existed. 

Ejima held the braid just above her ears and tugged them roughly. Nneamaka sat at the far end smiling all the way. She was contented, at least. Having lost her husband to war, one would have expected her to cuddle up and let life deal with her. The result was the opposite. The woman was happy, she seemed the perfect match for Uche. They both were a perfect match.

"This is for our family," Uche shouted before nocking the arrow on the bow. 

"Yes, dear. I love you," Nneamaka screamed in return and blew a lovely kiss in his direction.

Uche's lips broaden at her words, but he didn't turn. His eyes were locked on the target sitting some stone throw away. His shoulders were relaxed and his legs were spread apart from each other. It was as if the man was letting his expertise do the talking. With his years of training and fighting, hitting a target that was far off won't be a problem.

"Good," The commander of the King's guard nodded when Uche's arrow hit the target. "You are still sharp, mighty Uche. I can see you have not lost your touch."

"Not for anything," Uche said and shook hands with the Commander.

The admiration in the King's guard's face made Ejima's stomach rumble. The King's guard was supposed to be impartial and not show any sign of support for any party. That's how it has always been. But now, it makes no sense. Even if the King's guard was showing his delight, Ejima could not see how that would have influenced Uche's aim. He had hit the mark, admiration or no admiration.

Dusting her cloth, she stood from the seat. Her eyes were full at the moment and she had other business to attend to. Like the rest of the village, perhaps she would wait until the hunt was over, to hear who had triumphed.

"Hey, you?" Someone called. 

Ejima had to turn towards the direction of the man to make sure she was not the one he was referring to.

"Where do you think you are going?" The commander asked again.

The question lingered in the air for some time as Ejima tried to process them. Say something nasty. A voice yelled in her head, but she shunned it when she saw the choirs of eyes looking in her direction. She could see how wide their eyes were. They were all waiting for her to make a fool of herself or to drop down in tears.

"I am heading back home," Ejima said, standing upright and hoping her voice had not wavered. 

"But you didn't get a chance, did you?" The commander asked.

Ejima didn't reply, instead, she searched her goatskin bag, and showed him the broken bow.

"Oh, I see now." The commander nodded and took the pieces. He bit off the edge of the stick and chewed them "Well," he spat, "That explains it. This stick is an old one. Seems you were given a different stick from the others."

Ejima's eyes widened. She always knew that there was something wrong with the stick, but since there was no one there to complain to, she had kept to herself. Plus, something had told her that someone might have changed her own stick and had replaced them with these old ones. She was not so sure though.

"Take mine," The Commander pointed towards the far end of the camp, where his bow sat, "Everyone in this camp deserves a chance."

Ejima's stomach lifted. She wanted to laugh but swallowed instead. It's been long since someone showed her an iota of kindness. And now, she doesn't know what to say or do. It felt so good. For the passing moment, she just wanted to hold the commander and kiss him on the cheek.

"It's useless, she can't even use the arrow," Uche said as he walked up to them. "I have taught her many times when she was still my wife. It's useless."

The camp burst with hot laughter at his words. The embarrassment made Ejima want to cuddle up like a ball and cry her heart out. Any other day, she would have been happy to hear her husband's voice. But today, she just couldn't bring her feet to stand. The weight of the world was beginning to rest on her shoulders. That heavyweight of sadness.

"I beg your pardon," The commander said, "Is it true?"

Ejima lowered her head and nodded. More laughter echoed through the camp. Even somewhere, she heard someone saying, 'the witch is good for nothing.

"But everyone deserves a chance," The commander's words brought calmness to the camp, "If you can't use the bow, then there must be something you can use. What do you do when hunted by your worst fear?"

Ejima's lips parted as her hands touched the sling on her waist.

"Fear is the absence of courage. But courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is a weapon that turns the hunted into a hunter." Ejima smiled triumphantly at Uche. He had taught her those words.

"The warrior's creed," The commander nodded, "I presume your preferred weapon is that sling?"

"Yes, sir," Ejima said. She had locked gaze with Uche and the smirk that lined his eyes was obvious. But there was nothing he could do now. 

"You have only one chance," The Commander was saying but Ejima shook her head in protest.

"I will hit that target five times, and if I miss any, let me be disqualified."

The murmurs that roused through the crowd was one Ejima had not heard in a long time. For the first time, the people did not rebuke her or drop any destructive comments. If she was not mistaken, she thought she saw admiration in some of their faces. 

Don't be so full of yourself. A voice said in her head as she picked the first stone and took her aim. To her, the target was too close, so she left the line and took some steps away from the target. Closing her eyes and feeling the wind that steered into the camp, the familiar sensation began to linger in her body. The sling in her hands was almost weightless, save for the stone that bears the weight. She was a master slinger, second only to her ex-husband, Uche. Even as she kept on releasing the stones, the grace and peace were just so overwhelming. The pain of losing everything made her keep shooting and shooting until she ran out of stones.

She was breathing heavily by the time she finished and when she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see a round hole in the center of the bull eye's mark of the target. The camp was silent too, it was as if her performance was too good to be true.

"Twenty-six stones, hitting one spot" The commander clapped as he walked towards her, "You are the best."

"That was good," A woman smiled and rested her hands on Ejima's shoulders.

"I have never seen anything like it," Another woman said.

"Great shooting," A man said this time.

And so it went, on and on and on. These people that have been laughing at her initially, were now cheering her name, shaking her hands, and patting her shoulders, as if they have been friends all their lives.