Overthrown #ProjectNigeriaUC2017

Chapter 3

            I woke up feverish and my head ached badly. My body throbbed so painfully I could hardly move. I recalled that I had been shot by an arrow but I noticed it had been removed. A warm cloth covered the wound instead. I wandered who put the cloth there and where I was in the first place. I knew I was lying on a mat and tried to observe my immediate surroundings. The room was dimly lit and smelt of herbs. I was probably in the house of a native healer. When I was little, I had once fallen so ill I was taken to the house of a native healer to be treated. The scent of herbs that seemed to be forever stuck on the walls of the native healer's still remained in my memory. Maybe Wami had brought me here; it was the only explanation I could think of.

Someone burst in; it was a middle-aged woman. This was obviously the native healer for she carried a bundle of vegetable leaves and other herbs. As soon as she entered, her eyes went to me. To my utter bemusement, she grinned widely. Without a word however, she went to a corner and began setting up things as if in preparation to make a soup. When she was done, she came up to me and sat by my side. She was still beaming as if she had won a prize.

'Child, how are you feeling now?' she asked with concern in her voice.

'I feel pains,' I croaked.

'Sorry dear. Soon, your soup would be ready and you would feel so much better as soon as you take it. Let me check how far it has gone.'

She was about to get up when I asked her timidly, 'Where am I?'

Her eyes showed pity as she looked at me. 'Child, you are in Apaba.'

I stared at her confused. I had never heard of such a place and the name was very strange.

'The warriors brought you here,' she explained, 'They did not think that you would survive but they brought you here anyway since your heart was still beating.'

'What of Wami?' I quivered nervously. If the warriors had brought me here, it could only mean I was in their land, away from mine. I shuddered at the thought of what they could have done to Wami.

She looked at me; confusion written on her face then shook her head. 'I do not know who Wami is.'

'Wami is my brother,' I tried to explain; 'He was with me when I was shot. Did you not see any boy with the warriors?'

She gave me a pitying smile. 'Child, I did not notice any boy with the warriors that brought you here.'

'Then where is Wami?'

'Most young boys and girls, especially those who tried to escape, were captured as slaves. Perhaps your brother has been captured too.'

I closed my eyes. I wanted to cry. Not only would I never see my mother and Papa, I would never see Wami because he had probably been taken as a slave by the warriors. I imagined him fighting fruitlessly with the warriors, trying to escape, trying to stop them from carrying me away.

'Does it mean I am now a slave?' I asked even though I knew what the reply would be.

'Yes,' she replied stroking my hair, 'I am afraid you are but you will not serve immediately. You are still very weak after waking up from a one-week slumber.'

My eyes fluttered open in shock at this news. I had already spent one week in my enemy's territory.

'So I would make sure you are strong enough before you leave here.' She paused. 'You know, nobody knew you had survive; even I had doubted you would live. Nevertheless, I had this strong urge to take you in and treat you. I am still surprised you survived; you lost so much blood. I tell you child, this must be a miracle. I would advise you to thank the god you serve for saving you.'