SOMALINZE: THE GREAT RIVERS

*MOVING SHADOWS 4

Somma walked slowly up the stairs, she was emotional, and she didn't know why. 'Knock knock' somma thumped on jeff's room door. "Come in..." He said. "Hi jeff... Uh... " somma started walking up to his bed where he lay. "... I'm sorry I didn't come downstairs when I heard you screaming, even though you were playing... It might have been serious and I'm sorry. " somma ended as she sat on the bed. Jeff sat up on his bed.

He bent to the left side and got something from the underside of the bed. He turned back and looked at somma on the right. "That's the thing somma, I wasn't playing. I know i do stupid things a lot and say stupid stuff. But this is real. I promise. You know there are wierd things that occurs randomly. Like when you dreamt daddy would die in a car accident if he took the shortcut."

"Well, he still took the shortcut... " somma said bleakly. "Yes he did... " Jeff continued "but remember dad said, it was the detailed narration if your dream that saved his life. Knowing the time, place and events. You've got to believe me. I know what I saw. i didn't imagine it... "

"jeff... I'm sure dad said that to make me feel better about myself, "Somma interrupted turning her head and back. "I didn't! " jeff shouted. "Just... Just... Believe me please." Somma lowered her head and raised it back up, she wasn't acting this way because she doubted him.  she was thinking. '...But Jeff is Jeff, there's no way jeff would admit his stupidity if he wasn't scared' she thought. For a moment she feared the possibility that he might be telling the truth.

she sighed and scoffed. "I can't believe I'm about to do this... " she muttered silently and then sighed. "... But, tell me what happened. The truth okay? "

***
Somma walked down the hallway to her room. Jeff was pretty scared and it didn't seem Like he was lying. But all that is just childish fear. 'A shadow, please'. She thought. Sounds like comic stuffs. Jeff had already fallen asleep. Somma had taken away his fear. She pulled him to herself and said "I promise Jeff. Nothing is out there. Even if it is, I'll protect you. No creature, beast or demon can touch you while I'm here, while mum and dad are here. I swear it. Your fears are mine as well and I'll vanquish them for both of us. "

But something else bugged her. A fear. This wasn't the first time she didn't care enough to help her little brother, when he cried out. The first time he was stung by a scorpion. The second time he fell into a well. And now... What all these had in common was. James.

The first time, he had snuck into her bedroom through her window. And they were so engrossed in the conversation she didn't care for the faint cries outside. The second time, in her tent she was video chatting. She didn't bother to look after Jeff. And thought he was playing a prank when he screamed. To be fair Jeff has 'cried wolf' millions of times. This time around, they were texting. She sat on her bed thinking what could have happened to Jeff because of her silliness she felt she had to choose. And obviously there's was only one choice. She sat there for a while pondering on what Jeff had said.

she rose quickly a few seconds later. rushing to her desk. Jeff had said something about the war. He kept calling 'genche', or 'uchiaku' or something. She stopped, holding her project board. She slowly walked back to her bed with it and sat down. Yesterday morning, she had been trying to come up with a new club name. So during lessons. She had been scribbling different options.
Only problem was, only two names we're written in one phrase over and over again. scribbled boldly around the white board was 'BATTLE OF GENDRI AND UCHEKU'.
It was a lot to take in. Especially as she didn't know what it meant. She thought hard. Soon she was asleep.

*

Hundreds of miles away. Away from somma's fleeing thoughts. In the rainforest and hills of the south. A great battle was being fought.
the grounds were burning. Hundreds of soldiers lay dead, but the war wasn't over, it was just beginning. Huge blazing spears tore through the air. Elephants marched and trampled on living bodies. Arrows flew like birds in the sky. This was the great battle between the children of Gendri and the children of ucheku.
The battle to end the last sons and daughters of Nri