Blood Bound

Chapter One

Song for the chapter: No wahala by 1da Banton ft Kizz Daniel and Tiwa Savage.

Gina's POV

The environment was noisy, as people walked about their business, cars hooting while keke drivers (tricycle) shouted and cussed at each other as they tried to out run each other. A police woman stood directing vehicles and humans alike, waving her arms about as if she was a music conductor on a concert. She was the human version of a traffic light.

I drag my suitcase as I exited Milverton park where luxurious buses were packed and where I had been dropped off. Moving towards Aba main park I crossed the busy road but not without exchanging curses with some agbero who had nothing to do but harass anyone he laid eyes on.

"Bia keke, stop" I yelled at a keke driver who stopped.

"Where to?" A pot bellied middle aged man asked.

"Ogbor-Hill" I said.

"Eight hundred naira" The driver said with a bored expression as if he was merely tolerating me.

"No way" I exclaimed "it's too much, it's not like I'm not chartering the keke, I'll be with other passengers which is why I'm paying hundred naira" I argued.

"You're not serious" Keke man sighed, muttering a string of cusses then drove off.

"Thief, i***t" I cussed out on him in anger then turned toward a part of the park where about eight tricycles were packed and a man was yelling on top of his voice..

" Ogbor-Hill! Ogbor-Hill!

"How much" I asked a bearded man who wore a faded pink shirt with an insignia that said kitchen glory.

"Hundred naira" he answered.

***

My head was pounding, I was sweating and on top of that I was thirsty. Pulling out a water bottle I gulped up it's contents. It was my fifteenth the past hour yet I was still thirsty.

I took another one from my backpack, uncorked it then placed it on my mouth, in less than ten seconds I had drained the bottle.

"Young girls this days don't know when they are possessed by Mami water spirit" a fat woman who sat next to me quipped

I frowned not understanding what mermaids had to do with whatever she was talking about, I believed the last thing she had been discussing was Nigerian politics and the upcoming presidential elections, with the other female passenger who was slim and dressed in an unflattering green dress and had her hair wrapped up in a scarf.

"Abi ohh, the way they carry nyash up and down sef, e dey vess me" Skinny clown added.

"which is why I always have anointing oil with me" Fat woman announced "especially those Aspoly girls"

Both women eyed me up and down getting back to their gossip. A guy in the front snorts as could barely control his laughter

What the hell, I was the centre of their gossip.

These women were calling me a mermaid, they knew nothing about me yet they were judgemental. I was gonna give them a piece of my mind.

Or maybe not.

My mom had always told me that silence was the best answer for a fool, or rather in this case two fools, so I made up my mind I wasn't going to say a thing.

" And I heard the most wicked Mami water are the silent ones" Skinny clown said quite loudly.

I decided I'd had enough.

"What is your problem madam" I hissed "you no fit mind your business"

"Blood of Jesus! " Fat woman went into prayer mode "I cast and bind every marine spirit in this vehicle"

" Amen" Skinny joined in "Yah, sherie ma ma ma, holy" she burst out in tongues.

I started replaying, but a sudden cough stopped me, my throat was as if it was on fire, I gasped out loud, holding my throat with one hand while searching through my backpack for another bottle.

"Holy ghost fire!" Both women shouted the same time as the saw my reaction to their prayer. ( Or rather my reaction to my thirst for I had been having the same reaction since I left Lagos for Aba, only that it got worst)

"Shut up you two gossips" the driver barked shutting both women up temporary.

I sighed in relief from both from having my thirst quenched for some time and from hearing the irritating chatters of both women...

Seemed I spoke to soon because as soon as the keke was stopped by two policemen who asked the driver for his papers the prayers started again only this time the victims were the policemen whom the women prayed for their ultimate demise.

At least I wasn't the recipient of the attention.. I now had something else to focus on, my unquenchable test.

***

Translations:

Agbero: thug.

Bia : hey, come

Abi ohh, the way they carry nyash up and down sef, e dey vess me: means I agree, I get angry with the way the walk and shake their butts like they are high and mighty.

Keke: this is a tricycle popular in Nigeria and India.

***