Aláàfin: Irúnmölé

Chapter 24

                             ADEDAYO
                       ****************
         Upon entering it, a flock of white doves fly past us to perch on top of the fence which explains the feathers on that cat's claws. If not that white sand and roofing  don't exist as far as the eyes and craft of the Yorubas can cover,it would definitely be used in this place. The Olu Awo's dwelling has every laced surface coloured white from the walls of the large round hut with a thatched roof at the centre, the white flowers grown at it's edges, to the markings of Obatala symbols & masks engraved on the clay walls of the large hut.
       We see the Olu Awo gracefully attending to an enclosed tomato garden. He seems to be dropping snails into the garden from the outside of it's enclosure which is manned by planks, acting like he wasn't just rained insults and not just by anyone but ÌYÁLỌ́JÀ whose cussing is far above that of the average Yoruba woman. And that alone is a huge feat. We all greet him as he responds with a hand gesture and then goes back to his previous activity.
          With us staying still for minutes without him interacting , I then say to him.
         " My uncle sent me here but since you are preoccupied. I could take my leave and have you come tend to me while I frolick with the peacocks at the palace, yes?"
               The Olu Awo then looks at me with a mischievous smile and then at Oriyomi as he appears to be conveying his response to him. Oriyomi looking surprised at the Olu Awo for a second, then turns to me and says.
         " He says he's actually the one who asked that you come but you could PLEASEE wait on him as he handles his snails."
             The Olu Awo pokes Oriyomi with his white staff that was rested on the planks of the snails' garden as Oriyomi flails from the staff's touch saying.
        " I am not saying that to the prince Baba."
              " What did he say?"
                " Nothing sir.".  Oriyomi says fidgeting as the Olu Awo throws another mischievous smile at me while turning back to his snail garden. Dada sees a snail on a leaf above the planks, about to fall and then tries to take it off the leaf but he's stopped by the Olu Awo who smacks his hand with his staff. With Dada looking at him like he's about to cleaver his face, the Olu Awo wags his staff at Dada entailing that what he tried to do shouldn't happen again. Oriyomi then says to Dada with an apologizing tone.
          " Haaaa Sorry, Baba is very clingy when it comes to his snails. He doesn't like other people touching them especially people that share his Ashe."
         Amused by what the Olu Awo did, I as Oriyomi.
        " What's wrong with people that share his Ashe?"
      " Snail meat is highly revered by them due to the nature of their Orishá, so he probably thought I wanted to steal his snail."
      Dada replies instead as he nurses his arm while looking menacingly at the Olu Awo who casually goes inside the large hut with him insisting that we follow him with hand gestures.
     We all then follow him into the hut. The walls inside of the hits are dorned with either white paint or white robes that have cowries, horns and shells attached to it. The room has raffia mats spread on the ground, an altar at the centre of the room with a calabash containing a cowry on top of it, laced by white clothing, white flowers and manned from behind by two large staffs at each side with charms attached to them both. There's an opening to another room at the far end with a brown pot containing incense and various calabashes containing concoction and powder scattered at the edges of the room. I then sit on one of the mats with Dada standing next to me and Oriyomi moving towards the Olu awo who picks up a covered calabash. He then opens it and gives it to Oriyomi who brings it to me. Taking it, a terrible stench fills up my nostrils as I nearly spill the agbo in the calabash.
          " Since this is why I am here, couldn't you have someone send it to me?"
     After the torture Iya Laaroye inflicted on me today, no way I am taking this evil substance. Hearing my question, the Olu Awo gazes at me with a chastising look and then looks at Oriyomi to convey his message to me.
        " Baba says the last time he gave you agbo, you didn't take it. So he had to ensure you take this one." Says Oriyomi with Baba poking me as he gestures that I drink the agbo immediately. Remembering how he smacked Dada earlier, I immediately drink the agbo.
            Upon drinking it, the taste fills my mouth with so much vile to the extent my digestive reflexes work at pushing it back out but the Olu Awo immediately notices it and grabs me by the neck as he pushes the liquid back into my mouth. After making sure I drink it all, he leaves me with a satisfied look as I wish him the worst of luck in my mind for force feeding me that demonic drink.
          " He says that it would purify you of the bad energy that comes with the Red Sand ritual."
         " What??!!, But I have already taken treatment for that. Why didn't you just tell me why you were feeding me that thing before forcing it down my throat." I shout , feeling annoyed.
          After looking at Baba to take his message, Oriyomi asks.
                       " You have?"
                " Yes, Iya Laaroye made it."
         The Olu Awo smiles mischievously, then looks at Oriyomi who says
        " Well if it's here then you are pretty much sorted. But that won't be the only agbo you take today my prince."
             Behind him, Dada scoffs as I look at the old man mix up another agbo with the most irritated look my face can portray.
      
      Composing myself, I then say to the Olu Awo.
           " So I came all the way here to drink agbo?"
" He says that you are going to Irúnmölé my prince. You shouldn't try refusing whatever he gives you. As entertaining as your skirmishing is to HIM, he says he's giving them to you entirely for your benefit." Replies Oriyomi.
                   Dada clears his voice and says to me.
        " I also agree my prince. I have never been there but from the stories I have heard of hunters that just dare to near it's borders. That place seems very deadly especially to someone without an assigned Ashe. You should accept every possible fortification especially those given by the Olu Awo."
            With that said, the Olu Awo then offers me the agbo ge was making to be drunk. With me sipping it, he gestures at Oriyomi to bring him something from a corner in the room as he then adds a powder like substance to the incense pot in the room.
           " My uncle says you have been to Irúnmölé. How was it? Oriyomi says the very speaking of it makes you QUIVER."
         
Suddenly, the air grows intense around me as Oriyomi yells in fear at the Olu Awo, telling him not to do something. I look at the Olu Awo's face to see his eyes all white with magic and then everything turns black.