The Choose One

chapter 6: River Arikunshia'nu

At the dawn of the morning, when the sun had begun to rise in the human realm, the three other vírgins were spotted from a distance lying by the bank of the Arikunshia'nu River.

Arikunshia'nu was believed to be the most dàngeróus of all the Rivers that cut through our village borders.

It's believed that water has no color, but the Arikunshia'nu River is pale in color. That was because a long time ago, it was foul-mouthed (cúrséd) by one of our ancestors.

From a bygone generation, history has it that the Arikunshia'nu River was the best in the village. The go arena for all the villagers both old and young.

On a hill, not too far away from the Arikunshia'nu River was established a little market where all the compatriots and visitors who came to tour the famous river could have something to buy. To keep the river busy and fun. The elders employed a means of entertainment where they organized musicians to come and display the beauty of their art offering the most delightful rendition of their melody. The maidens will be dancing as the musicians play and sing.

The Arikunshia'nu brought the people together. Week in, week out people gathered around the Arikunshia'nu River to cool off, to enjoy the beauty of nature and the power of togetherness.

Everything transited in glamorous harmony until the day came when three young boys went missing in the village. After many days of searching, their bodies were found spread by the river's bank.

That was the day that the Arikunshia'nu river was cursed by Makanduzumaa'a one of the prominent most influential so'rcerer that ever lived in our village.

The so'rcerer's words don't fall to the ground. Before he díed and joined the ancestors, he made an irreversible declaration against the Arikunshia'nu River...

" No one in any dispensation shall desire anything from you, no eye shall behold any good in you. You shall remain but you shall be useless. No living creature shall abide in you. You shall be a dwelling for devils. Your water shall be 'haku'mbanuso' and kanusumenu (your water shall be bitter to the tongue of mankind and poison to the animal of the wild)

Your banks shall be filled with misfortune.

Never shall the ancestors delight in you. For you shall become an object of scorn among the rivers of the land.

Never again shall you be a portal to the ancestral realm.

for men shall detest you, the animals shall desert you and the ancestors shall reject you.

They shall detest your course and never delight in traveling on the wheels of your waves ever again."

Those were the words of Makanduzumaa'a the so'rcerer and everything has occurred as he had declared. From one generation to the next, never has it been heard that any fisherman or Hunter goes anywhere close to the Arikunshia'nu River to seek a living creature.

Everything that goes close to the bank of that river díes immediately and disappears to a land of no return.

Time will fail me to talk about the numerous mysterious things that occurred by the bank of the Arikunshia'nu river after it was cúrsed

It was believed that the village wítches assembled every weekend for a covenant renewal meeting on a hilltop beside the river where the market used to be.

No normal human goes anywhere close to the river except people who have an affiliation with the dark World. They go there to draw powers. And they don't go so close to the river. They maintain some miles away. Because even their lives were at risk if they went anywhere close to the river's pinnacle.

............

Because of that, the long-expected return of the three vírgins which should have been a thing of joy, became a thing of concern.

It raised a lot of questions.

Questions were asked but no one provided answers.

The Vírgíns lay by the river bank as though they were lifeless. Half-necked they were beheld from a distance, but no one dare went close to seek the reason behind the mystery of their return through the

Arikunshia'nu River which had been an abandoned portals for the ancestors.

"Why would the ancestors return the girls through the desolate River?" Was the only question on the lips of every villager.

Like the wind, the news of the return of the vírgins went around the village.

It was unthinkable that the ancestors would use the river as a portal to transport the vírgins back.

People came to see for themselves, but no one ever went close for fear of what might happen to anyone who goes close to the river.

The vírgings lay by the bank of the river for over 6 hours.

From a distance, the people watched as they got up from the shores of the river and the ladies that appeared to be almost nàkéd suddenly had a well braided beautifully weaved golden glowing apparels on them.

"This is quite unusual."

The villagers mumbled in amazement.

My dad who heard about the return of the vírgins came running hoping to welcome me back, but unfortunately, I wasn't among them.

They stood from the ground and walked straight in the direction where the villagers were gathered.

The mystery of their appearance and the location from which they appeared made an unholy féar envelop the villagers.

To amplify the fear that has caressed the hearts of the villagers, the ladies came and walked past the midst of the villagers quietly without saying a word.

"What about Limah, my only daughter? Where is she? What happened to her? Why is she not back?

My Dad asked inquisitively. But they walked passed him quietly and arrogantly without a response.

Tears rolled down my father's face.