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EXILE - Chapter Sixty-five
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Children clapped as they circled a glowing fire. They sang an Igbo song and when it ended, they laughed, jumped and stamped their feet on the ground. The parents of the children were clustered in one part of the village square, chatting in low voices.
A child spotted Ibekwe and ran to him.
"How are you?" Ibekwe asked the child.
"I am fine," the child responded with flickering eyes.
Ibekwe carried the child on his shoulders and was spinning the young boy in a playful manner when a short woman approached him. From the giggling coming from the child, Ibekwe knew the woman was the child's mother.
"The gods will bless you my child. I have been looking for my son everywhere," the short woman said.
"He is a good boy who likes to play," Ibekwe replied.
Ibekwe handed the child to the short woman and she dragged the young boy into her arms. Suddenly, Ibekwe felt an urge to ask the woman why children were playing close to the fire but he r
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Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Sixty-six
High in the sky, a thunder struck and the rains began to pour suddenly and violently, as though someone was persuading the rain from a powerful shrine. Ezeugo laid on the bamboo bed, listening to the sound of the rain droplets hitting the ground peevishly. His eyes moved to an old table, where a palm oil lamp rested. A cold breeze blew and the light vanished. Everywhere was dim.He lifted himself to a sitting position and moved his head in a way of reasoning. He stared at the plain darkness that engulfed the room and saw nothing. His wife, Ojiugo was beside him, breathing slowly and silently with each heart throb preparing the way for the other. Her hands were well rested in her chest, covering her large breasts that were yet to encounter the mouth of a child.Ezeugo had never talked about his childlessness and no one was there to bother him about it. The only people that could have irritated him with constant questions pertaining to the fertility of his wife wer
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Sixty-seven
Like a wavy spirit, morning came quickly but the rooster in Ezeugo's compound did not crow and its refusal to remind Ezeugo that daylight had come did not stop him from waking up early. He got up and found Ojiugo still asleep, eyes closed and staring into space. He went outside and grabbed pieces of bundled firewoods which he used to make a fire. A few minutes passed and the water he placed on the fire was heated. He put off the fire and took the hot water and went to bath. When he returned to the room, he found Ojiugo still sleeping. Her posture had not changed. She was facing the opposite side of the window, still staring into space.He wore his clothes and kissed her on the cheek before leaving the room. When he stopped at Okwudili's compound, he knocked at the door. Okwudili opened the door and they whispered after exchanging greetings. A while later, Okwudili came out and told him to lead the way."Where is the charm that Osisiakalaka gave you?" Okwudili asked.
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Sixty-eight
Osisiakalaka was standing barefooted in the verandah of his shrine when he began to feel dizzy. He drained half of the gourd of palm wine in one gulp, grimacing at whatever special flavour the woman in his shrine had filled it with. There was a deadening clunk of wood on wood, and the woman inside the shrine vibrated as the gourd fell from his grip and hit the table. A pulse ran through his skull. Osisiakalaka turned his head, eyes drawn to the palm wine, spattered on the floor. The woman inside his shrine brought a rag and asked for his permission to clean the spilled contents, he allowed her with a stretch of his hand.As he focused on the woman who crouched childlike on the floor, swinging her arms in rotational motion. There was a gentle sway about her, as if she moved to a rhythm only she could understand and feel. It was enthralling and spellbinding. She sang in hushed whispers as the Igbo words flowed gently from her lips. Osisiakalaka watched and raised his chest, eac
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Sixty-nine
An hour had passed when a pregnant Chinelo had left the shrine and Osisiakalaka had succumbed to her grief and commit an enormous crime against his moral code of conduct. Abortion. He dropped the palm oil lamp and opened the door slightly. The yellow light flickered, showing the faces of two matured men. He looked at the first man. The man's lined face crinkled into a smile."Great one! We greet you," the man chorused."You are welcome servants of the gods. You may come inside and sit down," he replied and waved the lamp on their faces as if he was trying to ascertain their identities.As the two men entered inside the shrine, Osisiakalaka peeped to see if anyone was hovering outside the verandah of the sacred place of the gods. Pleased with the fact that it was only the two men and him that were around the vicinity of the shrine , he shut the door."How are your wives? Are they well?" Osisiakalaka asked."Great one! They are well."The two
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Seventy
Anyone who knew Okoli well would know that his spirit has not been at ease for the past six days. Apart from discovering Nnadi cheating on his wife with Chinelo, he did an abnormally weird thing for the first time in his life. He beat Akwaudo.The pain of the beating that Okoli gave to Akwaudo was felt strongly by no one but himself. He did not care about the recent unannounced visits of his mother-in-law or brother-in-law rather he was more bothered about what he did. The fact that he turned his anger towards Akwaudo and beat the hell out of her. But could he be judged? In times of despair, a man of his time could be involved in anything as long as his name was preserved. Ezeugo shamed him and in return, he had to shame someone. Unfortunately it was Akwaudo who received the shame.Also, in their time, women running away from their husband's compound and seeking refuge in their parents home were common. They would sway their waist in a desolate manner, clutch their han
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Seventy-one
Akwaudo came in the morning when Okoli had gone to see Nnadi to deliberate on important issues concerning their families. The bruises she got from him had gradually subsided and were slowly transforming into dark spots. As she entered Okoli's compound, Ibekwe heard the sound of her exculpating voice and came out from the hut to hug her."How are you doing Ibekwe?" Akwaudo asked, squeezing his head on her breast."I am fine," Ibekwe said and asked. "Why did you leave us and run away?""I didn't run away. I went to see your grandparents," Akwaudo replied."Why didn't you take me along with you?""I forgot, maybe next time I will take you along with me. Cheer up Ibekwe and help me call your brother.""He is coming," Ibekwe said. "There he is.""Mother!" Ifeme said, running past Ibekwe. He hugged Akwaudo."How are you Ifeme?""I am fine."Ibekwe went inside and brought water for her to drink. Akwaudo drank.
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Seventy-two
"I am sorry," Ibekwe said."Why are you sorry?" Akwaudo asked.She flounced slowly down the stream and stopped when her feet touched the water. Then, she bent down, rolled her hands in the shape of a cup and forced some amount of water into her palms. Ibekwe was watching. She lifted her right hand upwards and moved her left hand to the back of her right hand. Ibekwe knew what was coming. She got up and ran towards him. Before Ibekwe could stop the impending danger, she threw the water on his face. It spluttered round his face and flowed to his chest. He fell down."You are happy with what you did?" Ibekwe asked with a large smile."I am. Just wait and see what I will do again."Ibekwe stood up and saw her run back to the stream. She was having fun with him. He waited and watched as she took some more water from the stream and splashed it on his face. She laughed loudly. He had never seen her laugh in a lively and energetic manner before.
Shading Black EXILE - Chapter Seventy-three
The town crier sounded the metal gong, summoning the indigenes of Umuise to an important meeting in the village square. Men, women and children came out from different directions and as always, the children carried low stools from behind while the adults led the way.Osinala was the oldest man in Umuise. Also, he was once the richest man in Umuise before the incident that occurred between his son and Okoli swallowed a huge portion of his wealth. As was tradition, the oldest man was allowed to address the crowd if a good orator was not moved to speak. As the people of Umuise clustered in the village square, whispering about the unfortunate death of a man who looked like a diviner in a stream owned by Umuise before being reduced to silence by the metal gong of the town crier, Osinala was allowed to address the crowd."People of Umuise! Great people of Umuise!" Osinala chanted."Yaa!" They chorused."Great and wonderful people of Umuise!""Yaa!"
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Shading Black About the Author
Chibuzor Victor Obih was born in the southern part of Nigeria. Delta State to be precise. His writing includes essays, poetry and short stories. He likes to play soccer, read, study and above all, write. He is currently a fourth year student of a renowned public university in Nigeria. The University of Port-Harcourt is where he is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. Shading Black is his first book and his first attempt to explore the beautiful world of a novelist. To stay connected with him and his works, you can follow him on Instagram using the account name: Chibuzor Victor Obih or follow him on Facebook using the account name: Author Chibuzor Victor Obih.
Shading Black Epilogue
The room was silent. The door swung open and James came inside, holding a book. Ibekwe stared at James and sighed. They looked at each other for a while before James sat down."I got some interesting information you might want to hear," James said."Tell me," Ibekwe said. He had been feeling guilty since the death of Ifeme."The same boy who killed Osisiakalaka confessed some of the diviner's sins to me. He gave some fascinating explanations about your history that still baffles me," James said, moving his fingers. "Is the name Isiewu familiar to you?" He asked."Not really. I have only heard my grandfather mention him once and that was when he told me to story of Umuolu's war."James reasoned with compressed lips. "Isiewu played a major role in destroying your family. According to Efulefu, the diviner slept with Agunwa, the daughter of a chief priest named Egwusinala. Does these names sounds familiar to you?""I think it does," Ibekwe said.
Shading Black NEW LIFE - Chapter One hundred and three
When James Streamer and his father arrived at Osisiakalaka's shrine with some of the people of Umuise who had converted to Christianity he was shocked to find a large crowd of men and women sitting tiredly in front of the shrine. He asked a young woman to explain what was going on in the shrine and she obeyed without hesitation."A great man has fallen in Umuise," she said with tears in her eyes."Who is the man that has attracted everyone in this village to Osisiakalaka's shrine?" James asked."The man is not here. He is far away from this village.""What do you mean by that?""His body is lying in the shrine but his spirit has departed," the woman replied slowly."What is the name of the man that has caused so much tears to flow in your eyes?"The young woman turned and pointed at the door of the shrine."Osisiakalaka," she said. "Maybe you will be able to tell us why your god has sent his messenger to kill the greatest
Shading Black NEW LIFE - Chapter One hundred and two
"What is happening to the family of Okoli? The news of death has become a common thing in Umuise." Chima said as the elders gathered in the village square.There were many men and women sprawled on the ground. None of them brought stools along with them. It was a day of mourning."What will the ancestors of Okoli say when they hear that his family lineage was wiped out within a week?" Chima asked but no one replied.The women sprayed ashes on their heads as if they were mourning the death of a chief priest. The children covered their bodies with sand as they wept and called Ifeme's name.After Chima sat down, the next elder who spoke was Ekwensi. He did not salute the crowd."Great people of Umuise, our gods have been offended. They have been desecrated and now they seek justice for the blood of Okoli. People of Umuise, we have sinned against our gods by sending a man that did not deserve death an
Shading Black NEW LIFE - Chapter One hundred and one
Ibekwe was thinking about Richard Streamer and what James had told him about his father as he approached Okoli's compound. He brushed the thoughts aside as he remembered that him and Ifeme were yet to bury Okoli. Now, that Ezeugo, Okwudili and Okoli were gone, it was the duty for the next of kin to inherit all their properties while ensuring they had normal burials. Ezeugo's body was almost rotten by now in his compound. Okwudili's body was wrapped with cloth and still left unburied. Okoli on the other hand was in the village square with his head uprooted from his neck. He was beheaded after being found guilty by Osisiakalaka.Ibekwe wondered how Ifeme would deal with the whole family situation as he passed a cherry tree. He had already decided to help him in the best way he could and James and his sister had also offered to help him too.He stopped when he reached Okoli's compound and took a deep breath.As he entered Okoli's hut, he looked through the du
Shading Black NEW LIFE - Chapter One hundred
Osisiakalaka came to Umuise as soon as he was able to leave Umudike. By his side were Efulefu and the young lad that was sent to deliver him the message of the elders. As he reached the village square, he drew two straight lines on the ground with a chalk and stepped on it. He gave the chalk to Efulefu who broke it and threw it in the direction of Okoli."May the gods be praised," Osisiakalaka yelled. "Let those who stand with evil fall. Let the men who invite the bringer of evil into their midst perish."As soon as Osisiakalaka was done, Okoli picked the chalk from the ground and started chewing slowly. In Umuise, it was a law for an accused person to chew the white chalk before spitting on the ground. It was a way of acknowledging the presence of the gods.Osisiakalaka ordered Efulefu to bring some sand after Okoli was done with chewing and spitting the white chalk. He took the sand from Efulefu and pou
Shading Black NEW LIFE - Chapter Ninety-nine
When the first palm wine entered Okoli's throat, it dawned on him that his death was near and there was nothing anyone could do about it including himself.Outside the window of his small hut, a full moon had risen, dazzling and vivid, blotting out all other celestial bodies. Okoli gazed at his two sons that he had condemned, lost in his thoughts of all that had happened in the village square.He knew that he didn't deserve the love and comfort that his sons were showing him and he felt bad for not appreciating their efforts even when they tried their best to be the perfect children that a parent could have.As Ibekwe and Ifeme left him for the white man's hut, Okoli thought of what was going to happen to him when Osisiakalaka finally decides his fate. Would he be killed? Would he be thrown into the forest? Would he be banished?Outside the window of his hut, a pair of stars were dancing, lifting their voices and slowly making it to fade away. Some moment
Shading Black NEW LIFE - Chapter Ninety-eight
Okwudili's body was brought to the village square a day after he was murdered in his compound by a masked man. By his side, was the lifeless body of Akwaudo. She was found dead in Okoli's compound the same night that Okwudili's life came to an end.Life means considerably more than just waking up in the morning and going through the motions of living in Umuise and for the first time in nearly a century, two people who were related to each other were brutally assassinated in the same night. A year after the death of a man whose passage into his ancestral abode was yet to be considered fair and devoid from foul play.It did not take up to a week after the shock of the two deaths had been accepted and managed before words started running from one end of the village to another, each bearing a tale with Okoli as the subject. It was difficult for any irrational man in their time to deny his involvements in the death of his wife and brother."Let us reason like one ent
Shading Black NEW LIFE - Chapter Ninety-seven
The sad day was friday for a man who feared he had lost his children even though he hadn't. Rain fell slowly and the town was calm as the water poured over the roofs. It was a lively evening and everywhere was dazzling as fathers who had returned from work came together to celebrate the last day of labour for the week by having special dinners in quality restaurants with their children but that was not the case of the man who had not been able to sleep well since the day he heard his son was gone— taken away from him and sailing without his permission to Africa.Richard Streamer sat at the Billy Landy bar, remembering the night he had told Kathleen he was going to Africa. It was almost two weeks now and he was still in England sharing a bottle of beer with some couple of friends, and each of them bragging about their personal achievements as they ordered more drinks.He took a rumpled letter from his pocket. He had planned to send the letter to his
