DREAM WAKE --- {COMPLETED} ☑️

TREACHERY!

Chapter 13

EYARE'S MOTHER -- QUEEN MOTHER.

It was time to find out what she was hiding.

I motioned for Osagiede to follow me. She came down from the car hesitantly, looking around her. I walked to the door of the cottage and knocked, but there was no answer. After knocking a few more times, I still didn't get a response.

I spied an outhouse not far from the cottage, so l told Osagiede to follow me. As we got close, I clapped my hands and a young girl came out. I told her I was looking for the edede (old woman), and she motioned for us to follow her.

Once inside, my eyes widened to adjust to the dimness. We were told to sit on a long bench near the door and the girl bowed and left through another door leading inside.

As my eyes continued adjusting to the dimness, I noticed there were calabashes cluttering the floor and various herbs lying around. I didn't have to wait for long, as the girl came out holding the arm of the old woman.

She was bent over at the waist and held a crude long cane for support. A white wrapper was tied around her chest and a white gele (head wrap) was wrapped around her head. White beads adorned her neck and there were white chalk marks on her forehead, around her eyes, the side of her face and also her bare shoulders. A straw muffler was tied round her mouth.

She hobbled forward, her hands shaking with the exertion of leaning on the cane. The girl guided her to a low stool directly in front of us and left through the same way she came.

I greeted her in the local dialect, stooping with one knee on the floor. She didn't respond, then suddenly, she began cackling.

She cackled and cackled, until she began coughing. I rushed to her side with the intention of gently patting her back, but she held up one hand and I retreated to my seat.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Osagiede frowning at me.

Soon, I will know the truth, young lady.

The wise old woman cleared her throat then began speaking. "So you have come." It was more of a statement than a question. "I've been expecting you."

Her voice sounded like gravel falling on marble floor. She spoke slowly, almost painfully.

The young girl came out again, gently raised the straw muffler from around the old woman's mouth, and put a pipe in between her lips. She lit it with the matches in her hand.

The old woman smokes?

She inhaled the smoke deeply into her lungs and started coughing. She hit her chest repeatedly and I became scared she would injure herself. When the coughing petered off, she settled into a comfortable silence, occasionally intercepted with more coughing and spluttering.

The young girl hovered around in the background, maybe waiting for some instruction from the old woman.

"Why are you here?" She suddenly asked, startling me out of my reverie.

"Wise one!" I started, "I've brought my daughter-in-law here to visit you." I didn't know what else to say. I hoped she would take the lead and say something about Osagiede's secrets. I felt her squirming beside me.

The wide woman motioned for Osagiede to come forward and I turned to her. She shook her head and I whispered to her to get up and go meet the old woman. She did so grudgingly, moving hesitantly amd stopping every few seconds to look back at me. When she got in front of the woman, she stood a short distance away from her.