BOUND TO HIM

THE BEGINNING OF BADLUCK AND BAD DREAMS

Nathaniel slept peaceful that night, then he had a terrible dream. He was running through a thin bridge, which was highly suspended. His breathing was fast and rapid, he was very terrified. When he turned to verify the reason for his race, he saw the ghost of Eritrea chasing him. Her hands were raised frantically in the air, she was screaming his name vehemently.

“ Nathaniel! “ Her voice was trenchant and echoed in several layer. He wanted to stop running, to go to her but he wasn't prompted to do so.

“ Remember our blood covenant! Remember our blood covenant! It will cause you great badluck! “

Just at the end of the bridge, he woke up drenched in sweat. Nathaniel was baffled by the strange dream, just when he had seen and had s*x with Eritrea he was reminded of their blood covenant in a dream? Nathaniel knew all too well of the importance of dreams as a communication device, he also knew that blood covenants carried some sort of power, but he didn't think that his was powerful. That was because it was so long ago, effects of the covenant did not surface for over 15 years and the sorcerer's tree was just some stupid myth. But he promised to investigate his occurrence to verify if it was only a dream. Just when he was about to alight his bed, he slipped on the rug and fell.

“ Great, is this the badluck already? “ He hissed and went into his bathroom to have his bath. Nathaniel switched on the shower only to discover that it had gone off after he had smeared soap all over his body and face!

“ f**k! “ His voice echoed the walls of his lonely hallway.

With soap hanging on some of his hair strand, he wielded a towel which he used in wiping off the soap. He went into the kitchen and fixed himself breakfast before leaving the house.

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

“ The shipment for the materials have arrived, the bus would be transported it to my private office. “ Ambrose welcomed Nathaniel inside his office with a playful kick of a ball. Nathaniel kicked the ball away,

“ No time for this Ambrose, what about the sketches. “

“ You know how I work, let me see the materials first. “

“ I have a plan. “ Nathaniel sat legs crossed.

Ambrose smiled clapping, “ Master of schemes, lets hear it. “

“ I made sure that my proceedings with you remained private, but we can never tell if there is a leak within the company. Gather all the designers, even the assistants tell them that I said that the company will be having a mid launch, we need sketches. “

“ I get where you're going with this, “

“ Any sketch that slightly resembles deserves thorough investigation. “

Ambrose was impressed, He made a drumroll on the table, “ Splendid. And to celebrate, “ Ambrose went for the drink set and brought out a chocolate flavored vodka, “ Let us drink. “

Nathaniel frowned and hissed, “ Its too soon to celebrate and its just 8:0 clock. “

“ Nonsense, you paid me to draw sketches not to play detective robocop, but here I am doing both. Now drink this. “ Ambrose forced a filled glass of alcohol in Nathaniel's hands.

Just then, Ambrose phone rang.

“ What the hell?! “ Ambrose screamed after a short while, “ You can't be serious! “ He shot Nathaniel a petrified glare. Nathaniel patiently waited for the call to be over before gesturing Ambrose to fill him.

“ You would not believe what just happened, the trailer carrying the materials ran over a hill and caught on fire, both passengers died instantly. “

Nathaniel shifted on his chair, his heart paused beating for a second. His brows furrowed as his lips trembled to ask,

“ What did you say? “

“ All our materials burnt to ashes, such terrible luck. “

At the mention of luck, Nathaniel remembered his dream. He was already satisfied that he was having bad luck and needed no more occurrences.

“ I need to be there now and give the police a statement. “ Ambrose rose and exited in a hurry.

Just when Nathaniel was deliberating about a possible curse of badluck affecting him, his phone rang. It was the security he put in place at his private residence.

“ Sir you house caught on fire today. “

Nathaniel didn't know when he sprung from his chair, “ Fire? “

“ I don't know why the alarm delayed, some valuables were burnt in the kitchen and store room area. Thankfully, I stepped in a difused the issue before more damage. “

Nathaniel began to think about what on earth he did to cause a fire in his house, it was then he recalled that he left the gas cooker on after making his breakfast. It was odd because he was known for been very thorough.

That was it, that was the final confirmation he needed to know that it was the dream manifesting. He grabbed his cell phone and called his father.

Robert's voice sounded intimidating as always. “ Yes? “

Nathaniel made sure not to sound too disturbed, even though he infact was. “ I hope you are still a believer of the supernatural? “

Robert's short pause signified that he was weighing the dimension of the discussion. “ I still am, that is why we have a family diviner. “

“ Great, arrange a meeting urgently, I need help. “

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

Less than an hour later Nathaniel was rushing into his family mansion, when he got in, he saw a woman seated on the bare floor. She had dry locks that stretched to her feet, black eye pencil was painted on her forehead and lips. Several cowries and handmade relics hung on her neck and wrists.

Nathaniel realised that his stepmother Rebecca was a part of the gathering, he really wished his father didn't invite her. Ever since Robert chased his mother and married Rebecca, she showed him the true definition of a wicked stepmother.

“ Our family diviner is temporarily unavailable, but he recommended her. Said that she is good. I didn't tell her anything, let us see if she is good as he said. “

“ My name is paloma, please sit down. “ Paloma said slow and calm, ignoring Robert as she felt he insulted her.

“ We may begin. To ensure you of my gifts, I will regale you of your ailment and a cure. “ She wore Nathaniel an archaic looking necklace, placed on a red candle, blew white powder on his face and began to roughly sketch on a paper.

“ Oh my word, I hear you had a bad dream about a woman you know? “ She began.

“ yes I did. “

“ she passed you a short message which came to pass and your day have been giving you bad luck. “

“ Yes it has. " Nathaniel was speedy with his replies.

Paloma immediately put off the candle and seized sketching.

“ I want to ask you a question and you must tell me the truth. Did you engage in a blood covenant with a young girl years ago? “

Nathaniel was shocked, the woman had figured the truth. He glanced at his father weary that he would be offended.

“ I did. “

“ Well then, it was powerful and the spirit carried it whole. There is nothing I or anyone can do to cancel the covenant made. “

“ So what does that mean? “ Nathaniel was worried.

“ There is only one way to stop the badluck or it can graduate to something more dangerous, “

Nathaniel recalled the brutal accident and the fire incident in his home, anything more dangerous could kill him.

“ I will do anything. “

“ The covenant agreement must be met, You must find the woman and marry her. “