Adventures with the diva

Episode 6

Killing the evil snake was the craziest thing we could think of. We’ve seen how powerful and impossible the snake is, so going after it is more like a suicide mission, not even with a bunch of girls.

I sat down and I began thinking of how to overcome the evil snake when I remember the little girl referring to the snake as she. I mentioned her closer and I asked her about the mystery behind the vicious snake. She took her time, then she began narrating the story to me.

“According to what is told from mouth to mouth. Her name is Kira. She is one of the oldest and the most powerful creatures in this forest. Many years ago, she was once the most beautiful creature in the forest. Every other creature admired her beauty and some wished to have her, but her mind was with humans. She was created in human form but she’s a spirit of the forest, just like me. Her hassle was pride. In the east of the forest lies the kingdom of the snakes. There was a very powerful snake with the ability to transform into a human. He transformed into a human and met with Kira. She fell in love with the snake, hoping it was a human. Love, they say, is blind. Love blinded her until she was destroyed. She lost her beauty and human form the day she slept with the snake. She turned into a snake, a snake with a horn. After she discovers the truth, she hates the human world and also the snake kingdom. Since she no longer has her beauty, she has turned evil.” She narrated.

” Then how do you suppose we killed her?” I asked.

” I don’t know. She’s two centuries older than me, she’s very powerful” she replied.

It seems all hope is gone, none of us have a clue about how to get rid of the snake.

I lay down beside a tree and began reminiscing about my childhood days. I remember how bold and confident I was then. I speak and even play occasionally with spirits and some harmless creatures. I remembered having a monster friend then. He used to advise me whenever I was in danger or a state of confusion. But I don’t have him anymore. When I lost my sight at age 10, I lost him too. I remember the song I used to sing whenever I needed his help. Something told me to sing the song, so I began singing it. I sang the song repeatedly for over 30 minutes, but nothing showed up and I began to lose hope. I was on the edge of losing hope completely when I heard a faint voice close to my ears. Immediately, I looked around but I didn’t see anything.

” Are you that blind not to have seen me since ?” the voice came more loudly.

Immediately, I recognized the voice, it was my little childhood monster friend.

” I can’t see you, show yourself!!!” I shouted.

”I am right in front of you, it seems you don’t have your vision fully back, you can only see me with your two eyes, not with one,” he said.

” I need your help, little friend, I’m in danger. Read through my thoughts and tell me what to do”, I said, with my eyes fixed in the air.

”I'm not so little anymore, I have grown big. Only if you can see me…reading through your mind is a fight against the impossible. She’s a powerful snake since you have no power to kill her. The only thing you can do is to delude her, outsmart her and trick her. Firstly, you need to know her weakness and, secondly, you need a plan.” He spoke.

” Roger that” I replied, just as I used to do when still a little.

” I know of a creature that can help you with something to use against her,” the little girl said. I shifted my attention to her, then I asked her about the creature.

”It’s a creature of light, she has a precious stone that can reflect evil. This stone can protect you, but you have to be smart” she said.

I felt relieved on hearing that from her.

” So where can we find her?” I asked.

” It's a day's journey from here, she lives under the mountain of light. She has a lot of gold and silver, if you get carried away with it, you may never return,” she said.

I took a deep breath, then I made up my mind to go alone to the creature of light. I know better than anyone that our survival depends on my return with the stone of light.

I packed some dry meat and headed to the mountain of light. I could see the tip of the mountain from afar, but within it were hundreds of miles of dangerous night creatures.

My first encounter on the journey was a talking lizard. The lizard was as giant as a crocodile. It looks less evil, so I spoke to him.

” Can you show me the quickest route to the mountain of light?” I asked.

”Take the path on your left, but I must warn you, it's a dangerous path,” he said, then he went his way.

I thanked him, then I took the path. After walking for some minutes, I began to hear some strange footsteps, then followed by a howl. I sense the presence of evil, so I fasten my pace. I looked ahead only to see a bloodthirsty creature. His whole body was covered with blood and his teeth were like those of a wolf.

” This isn’t good” I muttered to myself. I tried to hide but it seems he caught sight of me even before I did. He advanced toward me like a wild deer. I waited not, I didn’t wait a second before I picked a race, he was covering up and I knew it was a matter of time before he caught up with me. I saw a lake ahead, and without having a second thought, I jumped in. I expected him to jump in with me, but to my surprise, he didn’t. I guess he’s afraid of water. I splashed some of the water at him and I watched as he wailed in pain. I splashed more at him and his skin began peeling. I sense the lake is like acid on him. I splashed more water on him and right in front of me his flesh burned down and he died an awful death.

“Gottach!!!” I exclaimed loudly. I filled my two bottles with the lake water, then I drank my fill. The lake water served as my weapon against the evil creatures. No creature can stand a drop of it. Whenever I am attacked by any evil creature, I use the water to defend myself.

And finally, I got to the mountain of light. It's a very beautiful place to be. every stone and rock present was shining brightly. I remember the warning given to me, so it took my mind away from the treasures.

” Anybody home?” I asked foolishly.

” Why did you come to the mountain of light ?” Says a female voice within the rock.

” I seek the stone of light,” I said confidently.

”You’ve passed the first test, the treasure test. For you to have the stone of light, you must pass the second test and if you fail, you will forever be my servant. Are you ready for it?” she said.

Fear engulfed me. I knew the importance of the stone, but the conditions attached seemed very difficult. After a while, I made up my mind to go for the second test. Luck goes with the brave.

”I am ready,” I said bravely.

”You’ve passed the second test, it's a test of the mind. You can only fail by giving up, but you didn’t, so you passed, you can have the stone of light ” she said, then the stone appeared right in my hand. I thanked her, then I found my way out.

I got back to the others after two days, and they were all surprised to see me. Most of them thought I would never return except for Tina and Vincent, who believed me strongly.

” I knew you would return,” Tina said.

”Me too, ” Vincent added.

“Thanks for believing in me, now let's get out of this evil forest” I said.

”Oh little monster, where are you? I need your help ” I cried loudly into the air.

” I have told you, I am not little anymore, it’s not your fault, you are as blind as a human ” he answered.

A smile appeared on my face when I heard his voice. I knew he was not far away, but my inability to see him made me call on him. I was about to say something when he quickly cut in.

” I know what you are thinking, there’s no need to say anything, just listen to me. The stone of light you have can only protect one person, and you are five in number. To survive, you must not stick together, you need to spread out. Like some meters away from each other, you need to be brave and strong. The lake water you brought cannot kill the snake but it can slow her down. When the snake sees the stone of light, she won’t be near the person with it, she will go for another person without the stone. During this period, the person with the stone will quickly run to the forest exit and throw the stone back to whoever might be the snake's target… I must warn you, any mistake and you are gone. I wish you all luck ” he said, then he vanished.

I explained it to the rest and we all drew up a plan. I have two bottles of lake water and I think that will be enough to slow her down for a while. I will go in first with the stone of light, while others will hide behind trees and bushes. I would attack the snake with the rainwater and run quickly to the exit, then I would throw the stone back to Vincent. He would do the same if we were all out of the forest. We agreed to this plan and we headed to the forest exit. It took us three days to reach the exit. We encountered a lot of evil creatures, but the stone of light protected us all.

At the forest exit, everywhere seems calm, but I know she must be somewhere around waiting for us. I advance slowly while the rest hide behind trees. Not so long ago, she came out of her evil grace. She makes a long hiss that scares every bird present away. I stopped on my track and listened carefully to the hissing, it was just not a hiss, she was saying something but it sounded more like a hiss. After straining my ear carefully, I was able to process the hissing into words.

” no one leaves the forest alive!!!” That was actually what she said.

Fear engulfed me, but somehow unknown courage and boldness were bestowed on me. I hide the stone of light and the lake water inside my back pocket. Then I shouted at her.

” Hey you motherfucker !!!, come get me and see if I won’t break one of your teeth with my fist!!! ” I shouted. This angered her and she advanced towards me at an unimaginable speed. I stood my ground calculating her moves. When she was about 3 feet away, I took out the light stone. On seeing the stone, she applied a break. It seemed it didn’t work effectively as she slid, rushing at me, I made a deadly fist and I repelled her with it. She collided back on the floor and she wailed in pain. Immediately, I attacked her with the lake water. She wailed more loudly in pain. During this period I observed that one of her long evil teeth was missing.

” I told ya” I muttered.

I threw the stone to Vincent and raced with all the speed I had to the forest exit. She came after me, but the lake water slowed her down, and before she could reach me, I was already out.

” f--k you!!! ” I said after leaving the forest.

Vincent followed my moves and he was out too. He threw the stone back to one of these ladies and she did the same. This goes on until it reaches the last person, who happens to be Tina. The stone was thrown at her but it got blocked by a tree and the stone fell into a deep hole that was not far away from her. On seeing this, my heart skipped a beat, fear floored me completely down. I knew that without the stone she wouldn’t be able to make it to the exit. She tried running but the snake caught up with her. I wanted to help but Vincent and the rest held me down. We watched as she struggled with the snake. After a while, she lost her but she was able to say something before the snake swallowed her up.

”I am sorry Davis, I died with this snake,” she said, and the snake swallowed her up. It was a horrible sight to look at, but I caught a glimpse of Tina holding a bottle of lake water along with her. Not too long, the snake began rolling badly on the floor. She vomited Tina, but only she came out. A minute later, the snake died too.

I ran to Tina hoping to find her alive. I found her still breathing, but it was certain she was going to die. She mentioned me closer and whispered closely to me.

” Davis, the parcel I gave to you…please find him and deliver it to him, and one more thing, tell him that… I love him…forever.” She said, then she gave up the ghost. I wept bitterly because I never thought I would lose her.

”She’s dead, but she died like a man,” Vincent said.

”I am not leaving her corpse behind, she deserves to be buried,” I said.

******* ********* *********** ******

A week later, I was able to deliver her message. I gave him the parcel and also her last word. I couldn’t help but join him in crying. He wept bitterly if only tears could bring her back from the dead.

I got home and narrated my experience to my parents, but I got the greatest shock then. They were happy that I made it, but they got bad news awaiting for me.

My father was the first to talk, but my mother later cut in.

” This gift of eyes was passed from me to you. Only your father knows about this. I never tell anyone. The reason why I called you to come home was that… I’ve been seeing your dead around… An omen that you will die” she said.

To be continued….