GODS AT THE CENTRE ( EDITING)

CHAPTER XXII, ESOLA: WOUNDS HANDS CANNOT REACH

The knocking wouldn't  stop. She sighed,  turning around in bed. "Go and see who is knocking, di" She mumbled. She wouldn't open her eyes, yet. The sleep was too sweet.

The knocking didn't stop. "Di, go now" she drawed. The bed didn't stir, he still didn't get up. She sighed into her pillow and felt for him. "Di—"   She couldn't feel anything on the other side  of the bed and she remembered. That was true, Emmeso had been gone for weeks. When would she ever get used to sleeping alone? A bitter taste was on her tongue, disappointment.

The knocking was still going on. She hissed, determined to deal with the knocker.

"Who is that that wants to break my door? Who said I will not rest this morning?" The light streaming in through the window,  told her that morning had long passed but she was too cross to correct herself.

"Mistress, trouble, big trouble, please come!" That was Akena her servant. Her voice was choked with fright.

She shot out of bed, hastily tying her wrapper around her, securing it with a fold under her arm. With dread she unlocked the door. She had a terrible feeling something unpleasant was about to happen.

Akena eyes darted with unease. "Mistress, mistress!"

"What happened? Calm down! Calm down!"

"Trouble, trouble!"

"Yes, you have said it before," Esola sighed, "what's this trouble? Is your husband beating your step son again? Who's fighting?"

"No, no. This one is worse," a wail escaped her lips "All the gods deliver us, mistress, where do I start! Big trouble oh! Evil, evil!

Esola sighed. She wished this woman would  get straight to the point; her nerves and imaginations were terrorizing her with deadly anticipation.

"There's fighting happening in the City. Big one!"

"Who, where?" She shook Akena.

Akena wheezed like something being strangled. "Ah! Mistress, the children!"

The children, her children. What happened? Fright seized her even more violently than she seized Akena, shaking her. Something terrible had happened. It was in Akena's eyes. "What happened to my children! What happened?"

Akena wailed "They're gone!"

There was fighting in the city and her children were missing! She stared at Akena, not releasing her, unwilling to believe what she had heard.

Iyuca came at the point, calm and poised. But she didn't let that fool her. There was an agitation to the way his fingers moved.

"Iyuca, what happened to my children?" The calmness in her voice surprised her, it frightened Akena who shrinked away from her and it made Iyuca stand back a bit.

"Pull yourself together, my daughter."  "Ozians and Orians are fighting all over the city. Tasa went to the market. The market was attacked. She didn't return with the servant who went with her." Iyuca stopped. His anxiety was there to see.

Tasa!

"Aris went looking for her as soon he heard. I tried to stop him but it was too late."

Aris too!

She stormed passed them, heading downwards. Akena pursued. "Mistress, please easy, easy."

She pounded through the corridor, turning sharply into the living room.

Bibu sat on the floor, bored at his ayo.