Whispering creek

Chapter 2: The Red Coat Alliance

‎​Consumed by a bitter, burning hatred, Ifunanya’s mother packed the few belongings they had left. She grabbed Ifunanya’s hand and walked away from the village of Umuoka, never once looking back. They walked through dense forests until they reached a distant, bustling riverside community.

‎​When they arrived, the landscape was entirely different. Pale-skinned white men in uniform had already taken over the community, setting up administrative courts and trading posts under the British colonial government. While the locals looked at the colonizers with fear, Ifunanya’s mother saw an army that could crush Umuoka into dust.

‎​She marched straight to the colonial headquarters and demanded an audience with the British District Officer.

‎​"My husband was murdered by the people of Umuoka," she told the officer through an interpreter, her eyes locking onto his. "If you give me your soldiers and your weapons, I will show you the hidden pathways into their village. I will help you bring Umuoka down to its knees and conquer it. In return, my daughter and I will serve your government forever."

‎​The District Officer smiled. The British had been looking for a way to penetrate the resistant territory of Umuoka for months. This grieving widow had just handed them the keys.

‎​Later that evening, the British officials assigned a small, concrete house within their quarters to Ifunanya and her mother. As they finally settled down, Ifunanya looked at her mother, who was staring blankly into the dark, her jaw clenched.

‎​Taking a deep breath, Ifunanya finally spoke up.

"Nne, I don't think this is a good idea. I have heard stories in the market about these white men. They chain our people, destroy our shrines, and take our land forever. Nne, if we bring them to Umuoka, they will destroy everyone—even the innocent children."

‎​For a long moment, the room was dead silent. Then, Ifunanya’s mother turned to her daughter, her eyes hollow.

‎​"And where were those innocent children when they dragged your father to the palace square?" her mother asked in a deadly whisper. "No, Ifunanya. My mind is made up. If the white men destroy the entire village to give me vengeance, then let it burn."

‎​Ifunanya felt a chill run down her spine. Looking at her mother, she realized the woman who raised her was gone. The villagers of Umuoka hadn't just killed her father—they had turned her mother into a monster.

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