“A necessary sacrifice!” Kolade roared and stepped in front of the witch. That was the last thing he said before Aiden ripped off his head from his body and pushed him away. Aiden still looked the same, save for his silver locks.
The witch laughed loudly, and Aiden gave her no time for anything else. He lunged at her, but she was ready, and with one wave of her staff, she pushed Aiden away from her. The axe fell out of his hand when he hit the ground and into the midst of the bodies.
“Aiden!” I shouted half running, half crawling toward him.
“Stay back!” he shouted at me.
Femi, seeing a window of opportunity reloaded his gun and shot at her, but none had any effect on her. She sent Femi soaring through the trees. The loud thump made by his falling body would forever be etched into my memory. It sounded so ghastly I feared he might be dead.
Aiden made a move to reach for the axe, but the witch came up behind him and dragged him toward the lake by the hem of his shirt.
“Meje beast,” she spat.
Aiden was defenceless against her. “I will reveal what you truly are.”
She pushed him away from her. I needed to get to the axe but saw no way to reach it without being killed.
All my plans ceased when I heard Aiden screaming. My body went numb. I needed to help him. He was on his knees, holding his head. His hair grew longer as his clothes ripped from his body. Soon his entire body was covered in fur, and then the transformation was complete. His shouting had died down to growling. I watched the creature before me without blinking. Standing where Aiden had been a moment ago was a four-foot creature with yellow eyes, a black fur and a long silver mane. The witch who had been laughing during Aiden’s transformation came closer to him and stroked his hair.
“You will do my bidding until I see it fit to kill you.”
I found the strength to take a foot forward towards the axe.
“Kill her,” she commanded.
I remained transfixed as the creature leapt in my direction and circled me as it would a prey. It charged at me and stopped as I fell to the ground, completely paralysed by fear.
“Aiden,” I called as I came eye to eye with the creature. It made a snarling noise in response as it took some steps forward and a few backwards. It seemed to struggle with the task it had been assigned to it.
"Kill her!" The witch screamed again.
“Aiden, it’s me," I spoke to the creature. "Do not do what she says.”
The creature’s eyes dimmed. It turned its attention toward the witch who was now fuming.
“I should know better than to expect results from Meje filth.”
The creature dashed in the witch’s direction. She waved her staff at him, but it had no effect. Stunned by this fact but unshaken, she stood her ground as the creature went for her throat. The witch’s incantation became louder, which made the beast wriggle around on the ground wailing loudly.
“Die!” she shouted.
I was not going to let that happen.
There was a chance, and I took it. I picked up the axe, and with all the strength I could muster swung it at her back. There was an impact, but it came at a heavy cost. Her staff had gone through my stomach and out the back. She screeched like a banshee as she melted. Her wand disappeared into thin air.
I smiled as I coughed up blood.
Aiden’s hands were there to catch me as I fell. I looked down on the gaping hole in my stomach, and then I saw his beautiful face as he placed his bleeding hand over my mouth.
“Drink up. I won’t have you dying on me. Not now.” I placed my bloodied hands on his face.
“Simi, I think I have to go now,” he said. Part of him was already fading away.
“Aiden,” I blurted out with effort. I wanted to tell him to stay, that it was going to be alright and we could finally be together.
“I love you,” he said before completely disappearing. I had no strength to scream or move. I remained on the wet ground staring up into the starry night as I sobbed uncontrollably. It was the only thing I could do.
Chapter 16
A week passed, and I was still in my pyjamas. Nothing had changed. Aiden was gone, and I did not know what else to do. Nadia had come over and said something about how the word asshole was not written on the face of any man. My sister had chimed in too with stories of good men and said Aiden may not be the one after all. Femi had made up an excuse for my depression since I gave no explanation as to why I shut myself to the outside world; Aiden had broken up with me and left the country.
It was a depressing thought because no one would ever know how he saved my life, losing his in the process.
“You have to eat something,” Femi said, and I sensed more tears coming. There was no way to stop it. “You don’t have to kill yourself because he's gone.”
He turned my face toward him and was met with a vacant stare.
“Why, Simi? He’s gone! What other proof do you need?”
“He’s not gone,” I whimpered.
“Look,” he said, lifting his shirt to reveal his upper body. There was no scar. No one would have known one was there a week ago and such a conspicuous one at that.
“But...” I tried to speak.
“But nothing Simi.”
“You wanted this. You wanted him gone!”
“I admit I did, but I did not want him to die. I can’t bear to see you do this to yourself.”
“You planned it all.”
“You have to accept he’s gone for good.”
“I hate you.”
He looked shocked, but that look quickly faded away.
“I don’t care. You have to live your life.”
“Leave. Get out,” I told him without raising my voice.
He hesitated before getting up from the only chair in my bedroom.
“I’ll be back to check up on you.” He sighed and walked out, dragging his feet behind him.
I wanted to be alone for as long as I could. Any contact with the outside world would only remind me of my pain. That night I dreamt of Aiden. He was smiling at me from a distance. When I awoke, I remembered his face as clear as day. For a moment, I thought he was still alive. It was the first time he had appeared in my dreams ever since he was taken away from me so cruelly.
I took a long bath scrubbing myself thoroughly and all the time wondering where I got the strength. I put on some clean clothes and headed out to Aiden’s mansion. I was let in by Henry, who gave me a polite greeting.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“I’m fine.”
“Miss Simi,” he started, “Master Aiden left me a series of instructions about a week ago. He told me if anything happened to him, I should carry out those instructions. He has not been back since then, and I'm beginning to doubt he’ll ever come back.”
I bit my lower lip to hold back the influx of tears. It was difficult not to cry.
“Should I go ahead carrying out his instructions?” He waited for a reply. “Yes, you can,” I replied. “I’m just going to hang around for a while if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t,” he said and briskly walked away.
I lingered at the base of the staircase and became alarmed when I heard something shatter. There was silence and then more shattering. "Henry," I muttered in pity.
I slowly made my way up the stairs and found myself in Aiden’s room. It smelled like him. I sat on the edge of the bed and gathered the blankets into my arms and inhaled deeply. Every ounce of my defeated being screamed for the pain I felt to go away, but it did not. I had brought myself here to be tortured by memories. I stared at nothing in particular and swallowed.
“Why did you have to do that?” I asked, staring at the painting on the wall. “You should not have given your life for mine. Now you’re gone, and I’m confused. I don't know what to do with my life.” I laughed bitterly. “I miss you so much. With every waking second, I miss you. What I would give to have you kiss me just one more time.” I sobbed. “
I’m slowly falling to pieces, and the pain doesn’t seem to end. Why won’t it end?”
When no answer was forthcoming, I answered myself. “Maybe it’s because I keep expecting you to show up to rescue me. And right now I need some rescuing. This empty feeling is not going anywhere soon. My heart cannot go on like this. Nothing makes sense without you, so... so...please help me. I have no idea what to do. The day I lost you, I lost myself. I’m so lost.”
There was another shattering sound.
“And the saddest part is that you left without knowing, without hearing me say those words you wanted to hear me say. I was trapped in something I could not understand, but I see clearly now. I love you more than I could possibly have imagined.”
“Well, I’ve heard it now.”
I stood up hastily with a hand on my rapidly beating heart. Maybe I had gone insane and finally conjured Aiden out of my head due to my loneliness. Because there he was, leaning against the door.
“Are you really here?”
“Yes.”
Something was different about him, but I could not quite place it.
“Is this a dream?”
“No.” He drew nearer.
“But you disappeared. I saw you disappear. How is this possible? You were gone.”
He smiled.
I stretched out my hand, and he drew closer. I half expected my hands to pass through him, but he held on to them. He pulled me and put his arms around me. A surge of current ran through me when I felt his arms. He was real. More tears came pouring down, and more sobbing followed.
“Shhhh...” he consoled me.
“What happened?” I asked in between sobs.
“Eshu was not after my soul per se, he was after the creature's or whatever made me what I was. Since I harboured the creature, it had to be taken from me. He said it was a useful addition to his special army.”
“Then why aren’t you dead?”
“I am puzzled by it too. Although he told me he could not be a wastrel who uses a dog to stalk fish.”
I chuckled in between my tears. It was all too good to be true. I held on tighter, not wanting to let go.
“So, it’s over?” I asked.
“More or less. I’m here now.”
I looked up at him. “I thought I would never see you again.”
“I thought so, too, but here we are.”
He leaned in closer and kissed me deeply. That erased every last doubt I had. It was really Aiden because no one else could mess with my head with such a simple action.
“Don’t ever leave again.”
“I promise.”
I buried my head in his chest and continued to sob. He let me until I was satisfied. I felt lighter as if a heavy load had been lifted off me, and I was once again complete.
ABOUT ERHU
Erhu Kome Yellow is an Urhobo author of fantastical stories where gods, mythological creatures and magic come together.
She has been shortlisted for the Syncity Anthology prize, the Quramo Writers’ Prize and featured in Blaud Magazine. Dawsk is her first book, and is currently the Creative Freelance Writers Book of the year.
CONNECT WITH ERHU
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Erhukomeyellow/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/erhuwrites
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OTHER BOOKS BY LOVE AFRICA PRESS
Queer and Sexy Collection Volume 1 by Eniitan
Ere’s Secret and 223 Bonny Street by Firi Kamson
His Captive Princess by Kiru Taye
Love at First Sound by Amaka Azie
Unravelling His Mark by Zee Monodee
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Dawsk Page 17