Survival Of The Cursed

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 13᯾ 𝕻𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖗 𝖔𝖋 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕿𝖜𝖎𝖓 𝕰𝖌𝖌𝖘

“I never believed that the fire of Ninki Nanka could burn up towns and cities. Instead, it did. The fire spread and consumed the entire village. Warriors and soldiers tried to kill the creature but, after it’s death, it.... Disappeared.” Sanmi sniffled while narrating his part. “And people lost. Hatred and infertility filled the land. The gods had laid a curse. The beast consumed all it approached.”

“Lies! This is nonsense! Rumour and stupid superstitions! How do animals have power over the sky, weather, and the human trafficking and trade that has been taking place on our lands for centuries?” King Otun hissed at the interpreter.

“These superstitions claimed my own wife and child!” Sammi fired at the king.

He swallowed his word immediately while his eyes fell to the gaze of others, giving him a stern look.

“And I know that, we would need to leave this island in order to escape the basilisk’s attack.”

“Definitely.” Atata replied in ancient Yoruba. Then he turned to Banjoko.

“Yes, definitely.” He replied back. “Yet, all would die.”

“All would die.” Sanmi translated. A single tear rolled from his eyes as he muttered the words with great difficulty.

A loud thunder rumbled in the sky like a lion’s roar. They all looked around, startled by what might be happening.

“Help!” someone screamed at the top of his voice. It was a man. Abruptly, the voice grew into voices, then thickened, as it grew louder. “Somebody help me!”

With this, they knew who it was. It was the men who has passed the secret passage out and had wanted to sail away with the last boat. Banjoko and the other four dwarfs trailed him to the throne of the king near the window. He claimed and checked to see for himself.

“Help! No... Help me!” His terrible scream made the mythical beasts encircle him. They were another five set and Banjoko wondered where the five came out from. ‘Did they drop from the sky or what?’

He pondered over the thought and watched. Their sharp, poisonous fist scratched the four men down till they lost their stand and voices. The Ninki Nanka’s stepped on the men and burnt them till they finally gave in and died. Indeed, it was a terrible sight to witness.

The four prisoners died with no means of escape. Banjoko gazed at the egg in hand. He held it like a big gourd and stepped down on the chair at once.

Abruptly, Asa climbed to see. “I thought the five of them passed the backyard. How did they get to the front door?”

“I think the king might know. It’s about time you tell us about this secret passage of yours.” The man with brown broken teeth, who was the only one left among the prisoner from Benin republic, spoke up. King Otun gave him a weird look, while the chief, who was somewhat bolder, to an extent rolled his eyes at the man.

“Where is it?!” Asa threatened the naked man. He shivered with more fear as mucus drip from his nose split in two. Then, he replied... “It’s in the basement, in the walls, in the stairwell.”

Trembling sobs escaped his swollen lips."There’s somewhere else..."

“You should have just told us about this earlier on, but you wanted us to die going through the front door, right?” Asa blustered at the naked man, which made him quiver more than he closed his red, swollen eyes and screamed.

“It seems you some powerful poeple had cursed you guys, after all. Even worse, to the extent that your entire city got destroyed by a dragon spirit.” Asa told them with all sincerity.