Acts of the gods (The Sorceress)

CHAPTER 1 It was a misty morning, there is a little drop of rainfall, Ijenu is in deep pain as she pushes and let out a loud cry, tears dropping from her eyes, the midwives look at her with mixed emotion, one of the Midwives said to her Push Ijenu, push, gather strength and push… She pushes with her strength as she yells loudly, meanwhile her husband Mkpala sit before a small shrine offering prayer to the gods. Ijenu's voice is heard yelling loudly, Mkpala twitch his face in pain, Ugwa place a hand on his shoulder consolably, after a while nightfall down on them midwife walk in carrying a small local lamp, she hold a green leaves in her hand… Midwife said to her with emotion in her voice Ijenu, you must try and summon your inner strength and push, the child need to see the earth before the portal of life closes back, another midwife said as well, she is right, you are already trying, but you have to try a little more harder, tears drop from Ijenu’s eyes, she has been in labor since early hour of the day and now, night has come on them and the child is yet to be born, Ijenu weakly raise her head… I cannot do this anymore; my bones are weak for my chi (life) has left me… Midwife caution her immediately… Speak no more false words; your chi cannot leave you when there is still breath in your nostril, the child is you and you are her, she can only refuse to see the earth when you stop believing that osebuluwa (The creator) gave the child to you to put a smile on your face and that of your husband Mkpala. Mkpala still offer prayers and sacrifice to the deity, as he prays with a white c**k… gods of my fathers, I pray you to grant my wife Ijenu a safe passage to give birth to the life that is in, she is all that I have and the gift that you gave me… he kills it and sprinkle the blood on the shrine as he murmur words, Ugwa is seen sleeping by the corner of the huts, back to the hut we as midwife gives Ijenu a cup of portion to drink… Drink this; it will aid to strengthen you… They feed it to her and lay her down again. try now and push, your husband is making intercession to ani the great deity of the earth, for her to be merciful on you, so push (She push with all her strength as she yell loudly them as a cry of a baby is heard, Ugwa stand up with a smile while Mkpala turn and look at the hut as the midwives as they comes out of the hut with their faces cast down in sorrow, the men shock and look at them CHAPTER 2 Abam-ike is a land that has experience series of witchcrafts in the past and as that they vowed to kill any witch, sorcerer or sorceress, anything that represent magic ends with immediate death, now Ijenu’s child is born without a single hair on her head… Ijenu shed tears uncontrollably as we see Mkpala and Ugwa as they storms out of the hut angrily… No, never, that will not happen, the child is what ani gave and I must embrace her as she is. Ugwa said the child is a curse… My child is not a curse, the child is innocent Mkpala defended… Sorry but that is the truth, the child is a curse, no child has ever been born without a single hair on her head and yet, Ugwa said… Mkpala (Cut in) yet she is a gift from osebuluwa, a gift is a gift and cannot be return… Do not drag the gods into this, the gods are good, they do not give an evil gifts, that child must not live, please my brother, do it for yourself and that of your wife Ijenu, that bare headedness on her head and the time of the birth only means that she is a witch and you know that witchcraft is not allowed in this our Abam-Ike kingdom... think of it my brother, what will happen when the people hears about it, that your wife put birth to a child that has no hair, do you prefer to lose both your wife and that of the child or should you only lose the child and hope on the gods to bless your household with a seed that will live for you, Ugwa cautioned (Mkpala turn and look at Ijenu) Ijenu in tears look at Mkpala, My husband, your brother Ugwa is right, my heart bleed but tears has dried up from my eyes, I fear for my life and that of the seed, please you must take her and kill her… Mkpala angrily turn to her… Do you realize what you are saying, that I should kill the first seed that open your womb, my first child that will never happen. I do not like it just as you, but this is something that must be done, except you prefer to see my dust gathered when the people... (Ijenu stop short and stand up as we see a tail of light coming towards the hut from afar) here they come, my husband here they come (Great fear grip her as tears drop from Mkpala's eyes, he turn and enter the hut as we see Ikedi an elderly man with four warriors of the land as they walk in and stand looking at them angrily, while Ijenu remain calm as tears flow from her eyes. The earthworm can never find solace in the hut of a mother hen... where is the cursed child of yours, Ikedi said… She is not here; Mkpala my husband has taken her to sacrifice her at the river at Isido, river of the gods, Ijenu answered Ikedi said, I do not believe you, Okute, search the entire compound, she might be lying (They warriors walk out and search the whole place and return back) There is no sigh of Mkpala or that of the child Okute said. Ikedi (To Ijenu) You and your husband Mkpala better be right, because if we find out that you two spare the life of that witch, your blood and that of Mkpala will not be enough to appease the land (They turn and walk out)