Chapter 5

How in the god's name will I get another To make a potion for my Ima?

Getting herbs are difficult in this season of the moon falling like pulling the teeth of an Aguiyi.

Wait until I lay my hands on those insolent brats who thought it funny to chew my Ude.

Had I known this will happen, I would have mixed the potion yesterday when I still had the chance to do so.

Fosy and Chika should better hide for like thirty complete moon cycles, by then I would have forgotten the stunts they pulled off on me.

Destroying my room is far easier to forget about, chewing is the last straw that hits the camel's back" hope that's how to say the expression?*

The bubbling of the potion on fire made me startle.

I was too lost in thought I forgot all about my surroundings, the boiling potion made me aware of my location.

Hurrying to the table, I open the pot with a Ngaji *it's a wooden handler made from the Ikika tree, it's made to help with pot opening to avoid getting a burn on your fingers.

I can recall the first time I got a burn on my fingers, that was when dad carved the Ngaji to avoid another incident×, the once dark-looking water now looks as crystal as the Iyi water.

Smiling, I scoop some into a little Iko *it's around an earthen bowl used for drinking water·.

Tasting the said potion brings a smile to my face, “Ah-ha, this is superb.” I smile.

“Nneka will drink this”.

Her mom complained to me* from a mile that* she told me how difficult it is for her child to swallow the bitter medicine.

Now I've added a little Uto *a sweet fruit that makes anything bittersweet* to make it sweet, and right now, the potion is as sweet as The bit without its medicinal properties.

Getting another covered Iko from the place I store my utensils, I scoop enough of the potion into it, preparing it for tomorrow.

I will take it with me when I go around for my daily check-up on my patients *patients that don't want me to see them tend to stay in their houses to avoid contacting whatever they think I have.*

It's funny how they avoid me like a plague but still take the medicine I give.

They haven't thought about what I might be giving them.

If they keep their distance from me to avoid being in contact with the rumored witch, why then do they take the medications I prepare for them?

I might as well add more witchery into the potion I make for them.

A little cut on my finger and a drop of the potion will make them as a witch as I.

It will be hilarious if everyone in the village turns into white-haired witches like they call me.

The wolves will have a run for their money when they encounter us, white witches.

Witches vs. werewolves.

“That will be one hilarious sight to behold” I muss to myself.

Having thoughts about everyone being witches like they accused me to be is so hilarious to the extent it made me momentarily forget all about Fosy and Chika.

That reminds me, I need to go into the Ajali forest to get some herbs for Deeda Osondu and Mrs. Amadi.

Their sickness is too far gone for my normal medications.

It took them three full moons to enlist my help, have they wasted any more time, they won't be in the land of the living today.

Mrs. Amadi was adamant about not getting help from the witch, Ekwensu's daughter, and other names I'd rather not mention.

She said she rather died than enlist the help of the daughter of a deity, a girl who according to her shouldn't be alive.

On the verge of her death, the woman repented of her words and asked * they can never beg the witch, they ask her* I to heal her, which am in the process of doing.

Chuckling at the turn of events; I take my basket of goodies * that's where I put all my good potions.*

I've not had a reason to mingle with evil potions except when Ikenga asked me to make one for him.

It was an evil poison; one that kills slowly from the inside.

A single dose of it every day will kill them in-taker three moons from the day he or she started taking it.

A full Iko of the poison kills the person one Izu Uka after the intake of the poison.

The poison Gbom is the deadliest of all poisons the forest can produce.

Its effect on a person is drastic since the person won't know what hits them until it has taken full control of the person.

Ikenga asked me to make the poison for him for Nkiru; she was his Obi *a person he was promised to in marriage when they were just little kids on their first moon. Their Imas joined the union between them* before she grew up and found true love.

Ikenga devastated that his Obi doesn't want him, asks me to prepare the poison for him.

When I refused to claim am a good witch *I guess I will call myself that since the entire villagers call me a witch. Why not adapt well to the witch?*, he threatened to murder her and lay the charges on me.

He threatened me with that since he knew who the villagers will side with.

They will take what their kinsman said as the truth while accusing me of a crime I didn't commit.

Hands tied *it's an expression I made use of to emphasize how helpless I was in the situation.

Should I refuse to prepare the poison, I will be either chased out of the only home I've ever known, or worse still, I will be burned. Or I prepare the pois on for him.