THE EVIL FOREST

EPISODE 5

The mind of getting Abednego has possessed her and she was ready to pay the price. Their aim was to get that magic powers, the powers that can can transform them into invisible being, get into the king's court and kill him. Yes, that's all they wanted, that's all they were after. She traced down Matendechere's house which was obscured by the blazing moonlight.

She was so tired, being determined and never giving back she knew that finally the reign of their cruel king Imboko will finally be brought down. The thoughts of her only son, Kipili pushed her into determination. She wasn't scared of any evil spirit in that forest of Igodo, she wasn't scared anymore. She was willing to go far far until the land has been brought to peace, just like her husband Abednego.

She has heard stories of Matendechere helping people, she has heard about it from one of his aged uncle. She is the only sorcerer who understands the language of demons, she has concoction that can transform any human being into invisible. Once they get the concoction they will be able to enter into the king's court without being seen. Being rest assured, she gained guts not to reel back. She sported a house from a distance and walked carefully towards it. It was a big house looking old, so that you can't think of or imagine. The forest hadn’t changed much; it was still secluded and still dark, surrounded by all kinds of creeping animals it was strange.

Nina entered in the house. Here came Matendechere, she did remember who Nina was, though, and she definitely knew that she has risked coming into the evil forest to search for her husband Abednego.

As she was totally shaking out of fear, the woman came to her, she recognized her using her magic powers and told her that she shouldn’t have come in the evil forest, and strongly suggested that Nina should turn around and leave right then and there. She grabbed Nina by the hand forcefully to express her urgency. There was a scar on her arm, just like the one that was inflicted on Nina as she traced her way. It was the exact mark and on the same spot, just like Nina's. Nina was admittedly a little freaked out, but not enough to take her advice.

That whole town is a little kooky, and at the time she thought she was being shunned for her coming in the forest to look for Abednego, but there was a fearful in her tone that has sat with Nina all time she hesitated.

Nina was adamant, she can't go back to nowhere, she just can't go back again in the forest, she will stick here.

Finally she was taken into a far house from the one Matendechere was. The house had remained untouched for 8 years, the owners were murdered and munched while they were sleeping. Nothing about them could be traced, even the bones were nowhere to be seen.

Nina was exhausted by nightfall, and, feeling that it was awkward to sleep in search an old bedroom full of dust, she opted for an old one on the first floor which looked somehow clean. Because the room was small, the bed was flush against the wall, partially covering the only window in its length. A dresser and vanity were against the parallel wall. She remember collapsing into that bed that night, her body aching from long search, cold nights and encountering frightening creatures.

Nina was not sure what initially woke her up that night. She could not recall a noise that pulled her from slumber, but she was overwhelmed by a feeling that she was not alone. Moonlight through the window cast shadows, but after a quick scan she knew the room was devoid of life save for her.

And then she saw it. In the vanity mirror. A reflection of the window. And looking in through the window was a creature that should not exist. That cannot be from this world. Too horrible for words. Just know, that this thing was evil. Even in the pale light, she could see the vile intentions in its inky eyes and snarling, fangled mouth. It looked excited. And hungry. Its grey hands pressed against the glass, each elongated, alien finger leaving a film residue behind as it dragged its claw-like nails down the window.

Nina's back was turned to it, her feet only a few inches away from its face – separated by a thin plane of glass. She watched it feverishly watch her through the mirror. Unable to tell if it was aware that she knew it was there, she nonetheless felt like it was waiting for her to move. She, however, was frozen with fear. Honestly, if something by the grace of God hadn’t stirred her from her sleep, the sound of its screeching nails would have woken her. She was able to quell a surprised reaction and remained still.

Maybe it was minutes, maybe it was hours, but the thing finally left.

She would be lying to you if she told you that was the first time she ever saw it, though. Matendechere was so sorry for her.

There are three creeks that run parallel in the woods that surround the Matendechere's a few miles apart from one another. Of all the rules given to Nina by Matendechere of Creeks, the most important one was that she was not allowed to pass the second creek and she was strongly urged not to venture too far past the first one. Matendechere told her there were old foundations and wells that made it dangerous for her to go there, she was to be still and wait until Abednego comes.

Matendechere told her that several people who came here looking for magic powers had gone missing in the woods, but it was apparent that of all those people who came never crossed the second creek either. A few people who had risked getting close to the second creek claimed they had seen ghosts amongst the trees, and that lore alone was enough to convince her to stay close until Abednego comes.

"Until he comes," Nina yelled at the woman.

"What if something terrible has happened to him?" She asked Matendechere.

Matendechere looked at her in the face and could tell that indeed she was a worried woman. She assured her that her husband Abednego is alright, she could trace him using her magic.

"I know your husband will get the ogrism tail and soon all shall be well," Matendechere assured Nina.

Nina not willing to believe her went into the woods like a stupid hardness to smoke them. Andy got the crazy idea that she needed to rebel even more and explore the woods past the second creek. Though she was scared, for it had been so ingrained in her to never do it, but never willing to give up decided to go incognito.

Nina crossed the ancient looking bridge over the second creek first, determined to trace her husband Abednego. All she fail to understand is that Abednego had been given defensive weapons. So his life was not that way risky as her. She wasn't protected in anyway, besides, Matendechere had warned her to stick there till Abednego comes back.

She picked a stone, threw it some miles away testing her strength and started walking up the path towards glade into the forest.

The woman came out of the house and begged Nina to come back, she tried as much as she could, but Nina just throw her head back in frustration when she was still calling back at her.

That’s when she saw it. The grey, gargoyles-like creature. It was perched in a tree, not too far away from where Nina was standing. It looked like a vulture eyeing its prey. Nina had barely started to scream when it leapt from the tree and tackled her to the ground, thank God she was too fast, she jumped in the air with a supersonic speed, dodged it and ran as fast as she could back in the house.

In the house, she don’t know how long she sat there in shock, but the stars were out when the old woman Matendechere heard her screeming. Actually Matendechere seemed more shocked that Nina that she had crossed the creek than by descriptions of the creature. At some point it seemed everything was a blur and she couldn’t discern one emotion and memory from another.

She was freaked, at some point she could see that hideous face in the window like it had claimed her nearly an hour before and had been waiting for her ever since. She was relieved when it left, but fearful for she did not know where it had gone. She remained frozen the rest of the night.

Early the next morning, a knock came from the front door. She hesitated, gripped again by fear, but it was Matendechere.

Matendechere walked in limping, she looked on the walls of the house, they were covered by cobwebs. She grinned and coughed a dry cough

then again looked at the wall as if inspecting something. A nostalgic acceptance was halted by her urgency to discuss something with Nina.

She knew what it was before she even dusted an old broken coach and suspending herself on it. Nina wasn’t prepared for what she was about to tell her. She let a sigh of relief, waited patiently her ears looking like something flickering.

"I hope she won't send me out," she prayed.

"You are weary," Matendechere told Nina.

"Rest a while here, it’s perfectly fine. Take a load off your feet and get something to eat; you look like you could use a good meal. You are a wanderer, far from home, am I right? How did I know? Well, everyone who comes through here is like you. Why else would you come to a place like this, except if you were on the road, lost, seeking… something. But what is it you seek?

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.

[9/24, 03:25] Jesus Is Lord.: CHAPTER 14

The sound of untold things smashing broke her minds, the sounds of glass shattering, the ferocity of eerie screams, and the fading wail of unknown people cries.Nina stared at the woman with blank cold eyes, so cold, and slowly numbing the pain, waiting for the signs of a new day to scatter the stars back to the planets from whence they came. She couldn’t believe how the unbelievable it is, so unclear to her, indeed she was brought up by unknown neighbour's who were later killed ruthlessly by king Imboko.

Though, as years went by before she got married to Abednego she knew vividly that one day she will meet her parents.

"Abednego will be mesmerized," she wondered. She felt something slide out her eye, pushing away crusted blood, as she thought, she would have liked to have gazed at the woman again. A clumsy breath escaped her lungs, bits of her foggy soul escaping along with it, and she couldn’t hold back a whimper as she inhaled painfully, tasting her own blood, and shivering uncontrollably. her teeth shattered, taking little sharp bites at her tongue, and a sound started from within her chest and travelled to her mouth, whistling out like an old funeral tune. She was getting tired, her eyelids drooping without her permission. She thought, she would have liked to have watched the stars outside with her.

“Nina?”

The vague circumstances were speaking to me.

It sounded like her. Excruciating pain exploded in her side and she gasped as her eyes popped open coming face to face with rough skin over a knee and sprinkles of dry blood over the floor. Her eyes closed once again.

“What, all those years."

It is her voice in her ear, and she said her name again, but only garbled wheezing came forth. It feels like she is aging in decades with every shaky breath she took, and a heaviness started to settle onto her chest, causing her to quiver in both anxiety and fear.

“Ugh…” she tried to speak but a groan was all she could manage. Everything seemed to hurt worse than before. What is this? Why can’t I stop crying? Can she see me crying? Matendechere, please, don't say so. It hurts so much.

“Don’t worry," the woman seemed to be reading her mind.

She felt the warmth of human skin on her face, giving her a brief reprieve from all of the hurt, but it was gone like dew in the sun. She didn’t want it to leave. She wishes she could open her eyes. She wished she hadn’t been so full of habit, searching into the woods before dawn, and just had stayed as she was warned, and with her. She wish…oh no. She just filled with wishes today. She tried to laugh but her chest caved in, and something wet and serious dribbled from her lips. A little sleep. She just need a little sleep to forget the pain for a moment. Just a little…

A quick frigid numbness enveloped her body, shaking her from a dreamers sleep. She timidly open her eyes only to encounter a blackness so unnatural that it gripped her in terror and she shut her eyes once again, this time not wanting them to open. She couldn’t move, her body was heavy like stone, and she shivered as she could feel the blackness wrapping around her. It was making small sound. What are those sounds?

It doesn’t sound like Abednego.

No.

That isn’t Abednego.

Oh gosh! that’s not Abednego God! What is that?

She could breathe easier now, but the heaviness was still there, and the pain. The pain wouldn’t leave. Those sounds. Oh God those sounds were getting closer. Abednego, Please Abednego, where are you?

"Nina!"

She stopped breathing and she could feel a force trying to pry her eyes open, but she didn’t want them to. Don’t. Stop, please. Please. The darkness in her eyes was safe, but if she opened them now, it wouldn’t leave. Those sounds. That voice that her name slithered out from, would be there, waiting for her in greedy glee.

"Nina my dear. Open your eyes. Let us see you.”

The force was becoming stronger; the chill invading her bones cracking them and spreading twinge of pain throughout her body, and her eyelids were being controlled by something that smelled of some rotten eggs that her mind couldn’t put a word too. Like something dead, and kicking.

"We want you to see us.”

Scream. She wanted to scream, but if she open her mouth it would get inside. It would crawl in like ants and stick to her bones, her heart, her veins, clogging her up with black spikes, their appendages prick her like needles as they rushed inside, and their mouths eating and starving, eating and starving, and never stopping.

Her eyelids slowly widened, a blizzard breeze crashing into them, blowing away all of the moisture and tears.

“Nina my dear,” her eyes opened wide,

“we can see you.”

“Nina!”

She screamed as her eyes opened and she struggled as hands, it’s hands pushed her down.

“Off! Off! Off!” her voice was croak, throat on fire and chest squeezing for air, and then in her line of sight, warm hands grabbed her face, and Matendechere's eyes came into view, she was still there looking into her eyes frantically.

Matendechere?

"Nina," she said, a relieved smile coming onto her worn face. She looked like she will vanish, vanish into the unknown world.

"So sad," she said but her voice sounded inhuman, and she looked around waiting to see it lurking in the crevices of the small room, but there was nothing but white dusty walls and a woman, a believed sorcerer, gazing down at her in relief.

“Mom?”

"Baby,” my mom stroked her arm that she realized was in a dilemma and she looked at Matendechere, her eyes bright and wet.

"I saw it.” she whispered and she furrowed her brows.

“What? Saw what Nina?" She was warned, never dare go outside, it is still there, it will eat you, don't go out into the woods.

She didn’t feel her stroke her face as his words processed in her head. The pain was there, hazy, but there, and so was the sense of reality; the smell of dead rotting creature, the sound of an erratic heart beating uncoordinated, the darkness, and their cold breeze. Tears escaped from her eyes and she gripped the woman, she got hold of her.

“I’m alive, hope you will spare me," she said and she nodded along with her, and she could feel reality taking a firm grip in her head.

"It cannot see you.”

She snapped her head to the side.

“But you can see it.”

The concoction was now working on her, no fear of going into the woods.

Abednego rolled through the forest before midnight and made his way to the outskirts. Abednego's assignment is to get food for the ogrism held in the cage before it is too late. The kind of food Abednego is supposed to take to the ogrism in the cage is a certain creature, though he will have to use the magic calabash given to him by Matendechere the sorcerer. It is found in the cave; thus its diet is human brain.

It is in form of a crawling man, it is a being, also it has some feminine appearance, who looks like a man with extremely long, big arms and big toes. It is believed it can smell a smell of human being from as far as ten kilometres away. It feeds on fresh human brain and drinks blood most of the time. That is a meal that Abednego is supposed to go and feed it to the ogrism.

The figure appears to have five to nine long, black tentacles that protrude from its back.