EJIMA

CHAPTER 16

The heat of the sun was already soft on her skin by the time she caught sight of the basket again. Perhaps the sun was going to bed, she couldn’t tell for sure. Her hands were burning and every muscle seemed to have turned into water. Fatigue was setting in and she knew it. She also knew that if she ceased using her hands as an oar, she would lose sight of the basket which was floating now at the edge of the river. 

Confident that the current of the river would not carry the basket away, she stopped beating the waters and immersed her head into the river. Every part of her body seemed to relax as the warm hands of the water massaged the weariness in her muscles. She even gulped some amount and was glad when the natural freshness strolled through her throat and blessed her thirst.

With the help of the rafter, she pushed herself back to the surface, sucking the warm evening air that hung on every corner of the water body. The tenderness of the river reminded her of her husband. They had always bathed together and the only thing that they didn’t share in common was childbirth. He had taught her how to swim and how to build simple fish hooks from cut stones. It was ten years ago. Ten years of love and fondness.

Ejima hissed at the thought. Her husband was living happily with her best friend. And here she was, following after some babies whom the society had…

The basket…Oh no… Ejima’s stomach tightened. Her brow folded inwards as her white eyes searched the shoreline. 

There were trees everywhere and the voices of the birds continued to adore the earth with its melody, as they sang other creatures to rest. Everything was ordinary. The only extraordinary thing was that the basket which she had been chasing for hours, had disappeared into thin air, leaving nothing and nowhere to testify its erstwhile existence. 

How could I be so stupid? Ejima cursed as she beat the waters, pushing her rafter to the edge of the river, where the basket had been. She did not stop beating the water until her legs touched the sands. She dragged her rafter out of the waters and tried with failed attempts to find a clue that could explain the disappearance of the basket. That was when her eyes fell upon the footprints that were buried in the sand. It was faint to pass undetected but clear enough for her to make out the details. The prints look like humans, but it has a missing toe on each side.

Something crept through Ejima’s stomach, making the hair on her skin stand. She had heard tales of creatures with missing toes back in the village. Her uncle had told her scary stories of how these creatures offended the gods and were destroyed from the surface of the earth. Every story she had heard always painted the missing toe creatures like some mystical beings that do not exist. They were said to be barbarians who fed on anything that had meat.

Go back now that you have the chance. 

A voice warned in her head but Ejima dismissed it. She unbuckled her sling from her waist and picked out three stones from her pouch. She made sure her knife was perfectly strapped on her arm before taking the lonely path.

One step at a time. She was precise and kept her eyes sharp, with fingers ready to shoot anything that moves. If she was going to die today, she wanted to take something or someone with her. This was her life now, she was living for herself. After all, she was dead to the village. What difference does it make if she dies in the hands of the missing toe creatures? No one cares. Nobody would miss her.

The forest grew thicker as she continued. But for the grasses and the trees, nothing stood for miles. She knew the forest and when the track on the sand disappeared, she didn’t have trouble staying on course. She just knew what and where to look. Her husband had taught her how to track anything, using the thinnest detail.

And this would be a plus to the village. If the missing toe creature were back, then she needed to warn the people of Ame. They needed to prepare themselves for battle.

Ejima went on deeper into the forest and when she thought that it would not stop, she heard voices. It was faint and oddly familiar. She has heard it once or twice in the shrine, back in the village.

Her heart sank into her stomach. Could it possibly be that she was in the house of the gods? Or were the missing toe creatures the voices that had been calling on to her for the past three moons?

She stopped behind a tree and opened the curtain of leaves that obstructed her view.

Amadiaoha!!! 

She wanted to scream, but her hands were quick enough to hold back the yell. She took a deep breath, trying to recover from the shock. Was this some kind of dream? 

She wiped her eyes. Her heart was racing and the voice in her head continued to warn her to return to the village, but a small part of her was not ready to give in just yet. Summoning the courage again, she pushed the leaf aside, hoping to get a good glimpse of everything that was happening.

Huts of different styles and sizes lined every corner of the clearing. Its red body contrasted the brown thatched roof that hung on it to serve as a shield. There was no marking on the building to give out the tribe or the clan that resides here. The knowledge made Ejima swallow. Just like the stories had said, the missing toe creatures always live in isolation and distinguish themselves from humans by not placing markings on their building or skin. Children also roamed around the place, their voices echoing loud with the evening air.

Ejima leaned her back on the tree. She closed her eyes and opened them again as if that would make her wake up from the dream. Those children… there was something about them. Something strange. 

She glances back at the village. There was not an adult in sight, just the children and their screams.

But what are they? 

Ejima leaned away from the tree but paired when something cold rested on her nape. Out of reflex, she tried to yank off the cold object but yelped when the sharp edge cut through her skin.

“In the name of the god,” she exclaimed, but the object would not let her turn her head.

“Who are you?” A calm but hoarse voice said.

Ejima gulped, still careful to keep her head steady so that the sharp edge of what she assumed to be a spear would not pierce her neck. Blood was already dripping down from her index finger despite the pressure she was adding to it.

“I don’t want any trouble,” Ejima raised her hands in submission.

“Get up,” The voice commanded, still pressing the tip of the spear on her neck. 

“I came in peace,” Ejima said as she walked up to her feet.

“With a sling and a dagger?” The voice asked before a rough hand yanked the sling from her possession and unbuckled the dagger on her arm. “Move,”

“Please, where are we going?”

“You are in no position to ask questions,” The voice shouted and Ejima jumped from the pain that pricked her neck. It was a blessing in disguise though, because the little show of pain made it possible to see the owner of the voice.

It was a woman. Dark skin, with a fading scar running from the right side of her upper lips down to her jaw. Her eyes were coppery, contrasting the brown dreadlock that was tied into a ponytail. She was no fresher with the spear and held it masterfully as if she was one with it. 

“One funny move" the woman glared, "and you are a dead meat.".

Dead meat?

Ejima shivered. Despite the threat, she felt sweat and fear covering her body. Her eyes strolled down to the woman’s feet and the notion in her stomach elevated when she saw the missing toe…