OGRISM TAIL.

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 13

My name? My name doesn’t matter. I’m just a simple old woman who enjoys giving forest adventures such as yourself some comfort. But if you insist, you may call me Matendechere.

And while you rest, I know, you don't have to tell me your name, let me warm you, outside there is a risk, something is watching over you.The matter is nothing but a truth. The oldest, saddest, sweetest truth ever heard on this earth. It works into your head, takes your desires, your hopes, whatever you most long for, and uses them to draw you in. It promises redemption to the guilty conscience, love to the lonely heart… and knowledge to the hungry mind.

The minds of mortals are wonderful things. They are powerful enough to take this tune and thoroughly convince themselves they are hearing words, and that those words happen to fulfil even those desires they cannot admit to themselves. And yet, at the same time, they are feeble enough to be sucked in by their wants, to lose sight of all else, including their own impending destruction. But can you really blame them? Can you really blame yourself?

No, I still can’t tell you how I know; all in good time. But I have so many other matters to tell. Just keep walking with me. Follow me, and I will fill your head with such unbelievable happenings, your thirst for truth, for knowledge, will finally be satisfied. Just a little farther. So come along, lost girl, just one… more… step…," she sounded hysterical.

Matendechere began telling her silently that the thing that lives in the woods has been there for a really long time, that it has been there far before the original settlement of the outside inhabitants. That nobody knows exactly where it came from, or much else about it, only that it was responsible for the vicious deaths of many of the villagers who tried to come into the forest. It likes young blood, Matendechere told Nina. Nobody could figure out a way to kill it either.

But the thing was conniving, and sentient, and realized that if the people left, its food would too. On the other hand, all the village people feared that wherever they went, the creature would follow. So a deal had been made in blood. Anything that moved between the forest and the place I warned you not to go, the creek created belonged to the creature, and in turn, the creature would never harm anything that didn’t cross that boundary. Matendechere told her she belonged to the creature because she had crossed the bridge, and other people of different calibre had been killed because they betrayed the pact.

"You see, Nina, it’s a curse. I know it’s hard to believe."

It didn’t take Nina long to make the decision to leave the house again. Nina didn’t know definitively what geographically bound the creature, but had done enough research to estimate that it only travelled within the confines of forest side and nearby bushes. She had also discovered similar tales of creatures around the world. But Matendechere reminded her and told her,

'These things are all over the place, and, I’m sorry, Nina. This is not important now. Check the place within, put your ears on the ground, try to listen carefully, study the area, the forest will tell you more than you need to know. Don’t delve too deep, though. It was the obsession with it that costed many their life."

Nina turned around one last time looked at the old woman and shared a moment of silent solitude with her before she figured out what was in her mind. She was told by the concerned woman Matendechere that she will however help her, that she will do some protective concoction. The concoction will help her to overcome all obstacles in the forest.

This, finally, it was a good thing to Nina. Now she knew that the concoction will help her, and she will go out into the forest and search for Abednego wherever he maybe.

"One more thing," the old woman told Nina.

"You might be sickened now, Nina," Matendechere told her.

Nina asked her why she lives in the forest alone. She told her everything she needed to know.

"Can’t tell you how I know, that would spoil the surprise! I can tell you that what I say is true. You’ll just have to trust me for now. I’ll explain later. My, my, you are a curious one. That’s why you came here, though? Why you came to this place, this dismal corner of the world? To learn, to seek knowledge? To see the things that stare at you from the darkness, to know what goes bump in the night? Well, I can tell you. But you’ll have to listen to me first. Just come along, and I will give you the knowledge you seek

"You see, the thing you see outside there, you will realize that there's something that I had to substitute in my life, considering the certain offer thoughtfully, I simply intended to just never have children. I resolved to give up becoming a mother. I thought I had tricked it." She disclosed her secret to Nina.

"The creature took my hand," she showed her the hand.

"cutting its claw deep into my forearm creating a brand that would bond me for life. Then, it simply let me go. Most people including my own family members have been wondering why I live in this evil forest alone. No one understands why, but I made a deal." She told Nina.

"That evil thing," she went on telling her.

"I had become resigned to the fact that I had to abandon the opportunity of motherhood, but could never bring myself to permanently and herbal destroy the chance of pregnancy. I just couldn’t do it, Nina. I was careful, even after we married. Yes, we married, I am married to it. But, several years later, I became pregnant with you. And your twin brother, you will know his name when your husband kills Imboko. I know that’s a shock. I’m not proud of what I did, Nina, and I regret never telling you about your brother.

I knew, though, that the creature would take me, as it did my parents, your grandparents, if I betrayed our deal. The scar on my arm burned long before I gave birth to you. I took that baby, Nina, that infant, only a few days old. I took her back to Namamali village and left her on the other side of the bridge on the second creek. I am unworthy of forgiveness, and to this day, the memory induces nausea and unbearable heartbreak. It was an evil thing for me to do, but it let me watch you grow up into the woman you are. I’ve given you every ounce of goodness I could. And that’s why I’m dying, Nina, I knew you will come one day.

The scar on my arm has been on fire, reminding me of my dues. I can’t pay them this time. I can’t do that to you, oh, sweet Nina, I have lived my life, and only hope that I can be reunited with your father and your brother on the other side. I fear that my actions have provided for more insidious consequences, however.

I will repeat my initial warning, Nina. Do not go into the evil forest, come out, only evil waits there. I can’t bear to imagine if the creature is able to reach your husband Abednego. Our sweet, sweet Nina with poor, poor Abednego.

I love you, Nina, with my whole heart.

I am so sorry, but I do not deserve your forgiveness. Your peace will only come after avenging for the spirits which are restless in this forest. Nina, you have powers now, your husband Abednego has powers too. You are invisible, able to destroy the kingship of Imboko and bring the entire land of Namamali, as well as Igodo forest to eternal peace. Now, you are free to go and trace your husband, but remember, I warned you.

This came as a shock to Nina, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

She could distinguish disturbed and disgusted emotions amongst a primal fear and sadness. She couldn’t categorize and understand her thoughts.

She was unable to tell if these emotions were targeted towards her mother or herself. His mother had made some awful and anguish decisions. It was unbelievable, something she couldn't fathom. Suddenly, her mother’s old and dusty house seemed a little darker. Dazed, she tried desperately to grasp the connotations of his mother’s words.