Rose was trapped in the spirit world.
She could hear what was happening around her, but couldn’t move nor say anything.
She struggled to return to life but couldn’t.
“Oh Lord, am I dead? What is wrong with me? Why can’t I enter my body?”
She asked looking at her body lying motionless on the ground, watching the sachet water boy trying to resuscitate her.
She remained confused, watching.
Just then, her grandmother came to her, but there was a bridge between them.
They could only talk to each other but couldn’t touch.
Rose tried to touch her, and tell her what was happening, but she couldn’t.
“No my daughter, you can’t cross yet, your spirit has been trapped.”
“Trapped? I don’t understand.”
“Do you have grace? Only grace can save you now. Apart from that, you will be stuck in between life and death, and that is a very herculean punishment. I have to go now, Rose. I shouldn’t be here at this time” She said, leaving.
Rose looked on, watching her floating.
Just then, he saw Nduka and Mekus running towards her.
She was happy that Nduka was worried at her present state, but felt disappointed when she heard their discussions.
“Nduka, you deceived me? You made me believe that we were praying. You tricked me with prayers. I should have known. Can you imagine? I technically agreed to be used for rituals? Haa….” Rose burst in anger as she furiously approached Nduka to hit him, but she ended up hitting the air
“Don’t touch my body you evil man” She shouted at Nduka as he tried lifting her up, but all her efforts of trying to stop them proved abortive, because she could neither be seen nor heard.
She then followed them as they left the uncompleted building.
“Nduka, you will never get away with this. You tried to use me for rituals, my God will never forgive you, he will surely punish you for trying to destroy me.” Rose cursed Nduka as they conveyed her body back to Mekus apartment.
After laying her body on the bed, they left immediately to Oshimiri’s house.
Rose stood beside her body, watching herself, crying.
And then looked up to heaven and said: “Lord, where is your grace? I need your grace right now. Why have you forsaken me? Is it because of my one single mistake? Yes, I agreed that I left your ways and delved into the ways of the world, but don’t forget that I didn’t do it intentionally, I was only seeking for a solution to save my parents. It wasn’t my sole desire to engage into prostitution.
All my childhood, I have always served you, I dedicated most of my time to your affairs. Are you going to ignore me for this single mistake?
I deviated from the path my parents set for me and fell into the traps of ritualists.
Can you give me a second chance, Lord? I am ready to serve you for eternity just like I have always did? Can you hear me, Lord? I said that I am sorry.” Rose prayed, crying with a broken heart.
Nduka had assured Oshimiri that he was willing to do anything he asked him go do.
“Nduka, do you still want to be rich?” Oshimiri asked
And confused Nduka looked at his friend, Mekus, wondering if it’s still possible.
“I thought Oshimiri does not give second chances, according to Mekus. He said that death is the next thing for me?” He thought
“Nduka, are you not the one I’m asking?”
“Erm.. the great Oshimiri, I thought there is no other solution again, expect death?” Nduka asked and the question irked Oshimiri.
“How many times have I warned you not to ask questions here?” Oshimiri asked in sheer anger.
“I have seen you are not ready for anything, prepare yourself for death. Your end comes at midnight.” Oshimiri said, walking away from them.
“The great Oshimiri, please forgive him, you know the situation he is in now, he is not in his right senses. Anybody in his condition will be confused too. I have always told him that death is the next thing, but I never knew there is still another way out. You know you are the great Oshimiri, so we forgot that, you know everything. Please, your mercy we ask off” Mekus knelt pleading, as Nduka knelt beside him, pleading as well.
“Mekus, I don’t know why you have such solid confidence in this your friend, but can’t you see, he is destined to be poor for life. Riches are not for everybody. If everybody becomes rich, who will then serve the rich? Nobody. The universe was not created this way. The rich and poor coexist for the smooth running of worldly affairs. So as for your friend, his time on earth is about coming to an end, he should accept his fate” Oshimiri said
“No Oshimiri! My end has not yet come. I have many years to live. I have my family, especially my mother to take care of. I have promised to buy heaven and earth for her, and I intend to keep that promise. So I am ready to do anything just to remain alive and see that I fulfill that promised. If anything happens to me, she will die of heart attack. I am the only support she has, my father is the most worthless thing to happen to her, I still regret having a man like him as a father. Oshimiri, please, I am determined to do anything to remain alive, I am ready to do anything to be rich. Just tell me, please give me the task, and you will see me perfect it with great amount of skills.” Nduka said, in a bold deep voice, revealing his great enthusiasm.
And Oshimiri sensing his determination decided to have a change of heart.
He then went back to his seat and asked them to sit down.
He didn’t minced words, he went straight to the point and told Nduka what he needed to do.
“Nduka, you will have to alter all existing protocols, the natural laws will be tempered with, you will have to take a great risk, and continue with your rituals. This time, you will make sure she doesn’t escape from tour grip.” Oshimiri said, as Nduka and Mekus starred at him with sheer uncertainties written all over their faces. They continued listening attentively to understand what he was trying to say.
And Oahimiru continued:
“That young lady is trapped in between two worlds. Her salvation will come once you join the world of the dead.
Once it clocks 12 midnight, you will die and her spirit will be freed.
That is one thing with the rituals, its either you destroy your victim or you end up being the victim.
So before midnight, you will penetrate the realm and drag her out, and with that, you two will be saved, and continue with the rituals, but that will be only, if she has not yet acquired the knowledge of your true intentions.
So that is all you have to do, but can you do it? If you can do this, then your second chance can be assured, i will then prepare you afresh to start all over again. Nduka, I won’t lie to you, this is very risky. You might end up getting trapped. So I am still asking, can you do it?”
Nduka began sweating profusely. He then said in his heart: “I am scared of spirits, why giving me this kind of task? Anyway, I have to get rid of my fears. I don’t have any reason to be scared. I will go in there and drag that stupid girl out. I must do this. Its better trying than dying” He then spoke up in a bold voice: “Yes, the great Oshimiri, I can do it”
And Oshimiri nodded.
“Alright then, let’s get to the place you kept the girl and begin the preparation”
49 minutes later, they left to Mekus house.
On reaching there, Oshimiri felt her spirit wandering the house.
“Nduka, the girl is very angry. She has known everything. Even if we bring her back to life, she won’t continue with the rituals”
“What? But Oshimiri, hope her returning to life has something to do with me being alive?”
And Mekus nodded and said: “you will be alive but won’t be rich again, you will remain poor as ever”
“But must it be with her? Won’t I get another girl?” Nduka asked
“No, you must continue with her.” Oshimiri answered.
“That’s very simple, let’s bring her back first and then we kill her. Because if we allow her to go free, she will expose us. As for me becoming rich again, that will be a topic for another day. My life is more important right now”
“I know that already, Nduka. And good you are returning to your senses now” Oshimiri replied
When Rose saw them, she returned to where her body was kept, she tried forcing herself, to know if she can enter her body, but she couldn’t. She feared that they would do something to her, and she will be trapped forever.
She then called out to God again, asking him to rescue her.
“Nduka you will only have 10 minutes to so this. The place you are about entering is not for the living, when you get there, look for the girl and drag her out. Remember, once its 12 midnight, the gate will be closed forever and you won’t return again.” Oshimiri instructed
Nduka then checked the time, and it was 10:59pm
“Oshimiri, please don’t be mad with me, but I have a question to ask” Nduka requested
“Go on”
“Will 10 minutes be enough, won’t finding her be difficult? I mean, there will be plenty of people there?” Nduka asked
“No, it won’t be difficult, she has not yet fully joined the spirit world. She is still trapped in between. Don’t worry, I will send you to the exact place she is, then you will be the one to bring her back. Did you get that?”
And Nduka nodded.
“Now lie beside her” Oshimiri commanded
And Nduka laid beside Rose, as Oshimiri began preparing him. Chanting incantations, rubbing different substances on his hands, legs, chest and forehead.
Rose was troubled, fearing for what will happen next, asking for help.
At a point, she lost all hope.
And just then, her late grandmother appeared to her, shaking her head.
“Granma, please do something, can’t you help your granddaughter? They are planning to do something to my body, I need to return to my body, I need to, please help me”
“My daughter, I wish I could, but I can’t.” She replied
There was a bridge between them. Her grandmother can’t cross over to push her back to life.
And then Oshimiri began laughing in his heart…as prepared Nduka.
To be continued
What do you think made Oshimiri to laugh?
Who can answer this correctly…?
