Chapter 9

Day two

1.

Chinua

Darkness enveloped him, a thick, blank nothingness. He sensed the humidity in the air, and a cool breeze momentarily soothed his worries. But this comfort was quickly overshadowed by panic. Desperation gripped him as he searched for clues in the unyielding darkness. Disoriented and uncertain of his location, he struggled to find his bearings.

Then he heard it—a silvery melody, a voice so alluring that it seemed to sink his emotions into the depths. The song reverberated through his very soul, and his eyes grew heavy with tears. Sadness crept over him, and a tingling sensation enveloped his body, as if death had claimed a piece of his soul. Joy drained away, and tears flowed like a waterfall.

Chinua stumbled, shaking, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions. As he fell to the ground, he tried to summon the strength to stand, struggling to keep his shaky legs in place. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he saw a ghostly figure flicker into view.

Through the darkness, a light glowed, and he followed a path toward it. On either side of the path, Harmattan lilies lined the way, their petals shifting through colors—from pristine white to a mournful grey-green, and finally to a withered brown—before the cycle started anew, reflecting the passage of time.

Reaching the end of the path, he beheld a luminescent being covered in a cloud of darkness. Her silvery hair cascaded like a waterfall from her head to her waist, and her dark skin shimmered like the night itself. A silver crescent moon adorned her forehead, and Uli patterns decorated her body, sparkling like stars in the night sky.

“Onye, who are you?” the luminescent being inquired. She sat on a boulder overlooking a flowing river. When the waters mirrored his reflection, Chinua saw himself as a toddler with tears and mucus running down his face. Her words called to him, prompting him to draw closer to the shimmering figure.

As he approached, the biting cold seeped into his bones. Yet, as if driven by an unknown force, he continued moving toward her. Chinua could see her enchanting eyes, a bluish hue reminiscent of a stormy ocean.

She remained still as he met her gaze, but when she moved, she glided gracefully, like the wind.

“Do you like stories, crying child?” The being’s shrill voice was accompanied by a wry smile.

“Is her passing what saddens you, crying one?” Her grin widened.

Chinua quickly avoided her gaze and fell silent, but the being seemed to see through him like glass. “I never got to say goodbye,” he croaked.

“Death is merely a passageway,” the being replied curtly.

“Are you here to help me or just rub salt in the wound?” Chinua asked desperately.

“Hold your tongue, child! Do not forget your place.” The being’s forehead crinkled in irritation. She was displeased by Chinua’s perceived insignificance.

“What exactly are you? What am I doing here?” Chinua demanded, his voice trembling.

The being responded with indifferent silence. “You’ve lost something, haven’t you, child?”

“What is that?” Chinua asked, quite perplexed.

“Purpose…”