ZEATH

chapter 3

James before came as odd to me, and even while I tried to enjoy the party, I couldn't stop my mind from recalling the garden incident...

After the party, Alisha drove me to the house. She too noticed the strange behaviour of her boyfriend, and decided to ask me about it.

I wouldn't want to keep anything from my friend, I had to tell her everything that transpired at the garden.

Alisha thought of it with a suspious look on her counterance, and then waved me as I stepped down from her car..

We got inside the house, and my parents was fast asleep. I just went upstairs to my bedroom and retired for the day.

The next morning, dad woke me up as early as five in the morning, for an important meeting at the towns Square. I didn't want to go, but he insisted that, it was necessary to attend for the sake of our well-being..

My parents and I arrived at the towns Square and literally everyone in town was present. Funny to say this, but no one wishes to die..

I sat with the teenagers in town, while my parents took their seat with the other parents.

Luckily for me, Alisha arrived at the chair beside me was unoccupied at the moment.

Her parents goes to seat with mine, and they immediately striked a conversation..

" What's the meeting about?'.

Alisha asked me..

" I don't know ". I shook my head and replied.

" Hmm!". She touched her chin and then we both turned to our leader, elder Aston..

Aston is one of the oldest people that has ever lived, he and some other's have tried their best to protect the peace in the community.

But, their goodwill seems to be getting scattered..

" Good morning, everybody!"

He stepped on the podium and two of his sons followed him behind. Saleem and Joshua.

Both are his pride and joy. .

" We have heard about the recent disturbance in town ".

He's voice echoed around the hall..

Everyone in their seats, nodded their heads.

" Good! Because, we have brought to you.... More life threatening news".

He continued with his speech.

Alisha and I looked at each other..

We were worried, but I still had my mind fastened on James and the secret he must be hiding..

" What is the problem, sir!".

Mr Armstrong, Nora's dad raised his hands and asked.

Everybody turned back to elder Aston for a reply.

" We have located the problem, and we believe that someone here, has angered the gods".

Aston said.

" No plague has been fallen us, but this sends a threat to us... We have an evil man, lady or child amongst us".

He continued, driving the entire conversation into a standstill..

But, come to think of it; what brought about the immortality everyone wishes to continue having and not want to forfeit?..

After the meeting, I and Alisha was asked to head to school, after being put on strict do and don'ts..

On our way, my scar from the garden incident was still very must evident. Even when I tired to take my mind off from it , it keeps getting in my way.

I assumed we were heading to school, but Alisha stopped her car outside the Barkley caves...

" Why are we here?".

I faced her..

" We are here to find the truth".

She opened the car door and stopped out.

I followed her and we both stopped outside the cave, unwilling to take another step inside.

" What's wrong?*. I asked her again.

And she replied, " I feel James has done something to the town ".

" Really? What exactly has he done, and what's so special about this cave?".

I raised a question.

" What, don't you know the legend?".

She asked me ..

" What legend?". I raised another question. .

" Wow! The story about Anna and her family?". She replied.

I have been well informed about the history of the town, but never have I been told or read about the history of Anna and her family.

" Who's she?". I asked again .

" The reason why we enjoy immortality ".

She said.

" Anna and her family were servants to a wealthy households, but despite walking for them... They were still treated like mainly servants "

Alisha continued the story.

" Anna, didn't want her children to continued living such miserable lives after her death.... She goes in search of a way out.... There, she approached this particular cave and meets a witch, who offered her wealth, power, affluence and immortality".

" So! What happened next?".

I sat on a huge boulder and faced her..

" Anna was desperate to live a good life, she chose to sacrifice her life for the sake of her family..... Anna died, but her blood was the passageway to an immense wealth, power and also immortality ".

She leaned forward, pointing directly to the cave.

" In there her body lies, and if anyone tends to break the covenant that has been in sync all these years, they unleash a plague that can wipe out the entire town ".

" Oh! You mean dying?".

I asked again.

" Yes! But we don't call it death.... It's called zeath ".

She said and then gestured her head towards the cave...

" What are we going to find in there?".

I asked her..

" What? The truth, obviously!".

She nodded her head again, smiled and walked into the cave..

So, whatever we are enjoying is all thanks to Anna? And she's also the reason behind the plague happening in the town.

Alisha turned on her flashlight, and we stepped inside the cave together.

At the beginning, I was skeptical about going in there with her, what if we encounter something horrible and there's no one there to save us.

We got to the center of the cave, and there was already an alter, with tons of bones scattered on the floor..

Was Anna the only person that willingly sacrificed her life, or were others being sacrificed...

Alisha stepped closer to the alter, and she casually touched the flattened boulder before us. Just then, we heard voices coming from the entrance, in a state of panic, Alisha and I hid behind the alter.

The voices came closer, and we both recognised Aston's voice. Why was he here!

" Sir! So, what's the plan?".

A man asked him.

Alisha and I was still hiding ourselves as we listened to their conversation.

" The plan?". He chuckled nervously..

"We have to do what our ancestors did"

He replied.

" Who do you mean?".

The same man asked again.

And he replied and said.

" We would need a sacrifice to appease the gods, something must've defiled this place"

He treated everything there like a sanctuary.

" A sacrifice, who's going to volunteer themselves?". He asked again.

Aston thought and then replied.

" I have a plan ... Everyone wishes to leave forever, I can as well device a plan that can compell someone into giving up their lives "

Alisha and I stared in shock

We were horrified by what, we had just found out. Who tells a lie, and murders innocent people, just to continue living in immortality ..

Aa soon as Aston left, Alisha and I got to the car, and she drives away as fast as possible..

I got home, and disclosed everything to my parents, Alisha should be doing the same thing.

And instead of believing me, they blindly sided with Aston, believing that he had a way to cure the town from falling into impending doom.

They sent me to my bedroom and asked me to get dressed for the second towns meeting tomorrow morning. No one now wishes to go about their day any longer, everyone wants to desperately find a solution to the problem at hand.

The next Day, Dad woke me as early as possible and without complaining or murmuring, I followed them to the town hall for another meeting , and hopefully they find a solution to their immortality problems.

Aston arrived with his son, and everyone looked at him, like he was a hero.

" Good morning, everyone"

He smiled to the entire towns people, talking through a loud microphone.

" Sir, what is the way forward?".

Someone from the ground raised their hands and asked him.

Alisha and I ogled at each other, worried about the safety of the entire team entire townspeople .

" We have a solution to our problems".

He spoke again though the microphone.

Everyone's counterance changed and I could tell by the way their expression metamorphosed.

" What is the solution?"

Nora's dad, Mr Armstrong stood up and asked.

Aston takes in and out deep breaths, then replied.

" We have to sacrifice someone to the god's ".

When everyone heard his solution, they were all taken aback by his words. Who would in his or her right mind, wishes to sacrifice another person at the alter.

" A sacrifice, but who'd volunteer?".

Mr Armstrong asked again.

This stopped the people from talking amongst themselves, they do wanted to know who their saviour might be ...

" I don't know, but you can volunteer?".

Aston turned the question back on him,

And instead of declining, he returned the same question to his two son's..

But Aston blatantly refused to sacrifice his own sons, for the well-being of the community.

Everyone all got up their chairs, and soon enough panic sets in.

I casually sat next to my friend and we watched everything unravel, their opponented views and yet, no one dared to stand up and take on the responsibility.

While seated on my chair, I saw my dad whispering to mom's ears. At first, I didn't want to overthink their sudden ear whispering, and just as it was starting to feel like, no one was willing to sacrifice their lives, my dad stopped up his chair and approached the podium with boldness..

What was he going to say? I thought to myself, and it was at that moment, he seized the microphone from Aston's hand, and before the entire towns people, he volunteered to get sacrificed for the betterment of the town...

Lunacy! I angryily slammed my hand on the arm of my chair. Mom just sat there and supported her husband being sacrificed for the craziest thing , and doesn't dare to stop him.

Since she wasn't going to, I stood up from my chair and yelled...

" No! I won't let that happen" .

Aston and the others stood and looked at me..

" Who are you?"

Aston turned and asked me..

" Who am I?"

"My name is Abigail and you're about to sacrifice my dad".

I introduced myself to everyone..

" Wow! But, he volunteered... And it's going to help you". He said, making it act like, dad's sacrifice was going to be beneficial to me and only me.

Yes! I understand the fact that, everyone wants to be immortal, and the idea of dying can and will always be scary, what happens if the sacrifice doesn't work, my dad would've just died for nothing..

No I cannot let their happen.