Uchay Writes

This story is inspired by Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend you do. This story is based in Nigeria, and so I have put definitions for the words you may not understand.

Definitions

Igwe– chief/king

Tufiakwa– Igbo for God forbid

Chai– An exclamatory

Ebe onye dara ka chi ya kwaturu ya (an Igbo proverb)- Where one falls is where God brought him down

Oga– Sir

Biko– please

Torn by Jealousy
Okechukwu, the eldest son of the late Igwe of Ire Village will soon become the next Igwe in four days. He was the strongest, the bravest and all the girls fell at their knees. However, his younger brother, Nnamdi, was the quiet child, very smart and he and his brother were inseparable. Nnamdi always looked up to his brother, his leadership and the way he could control any situation was an admirable trait that not only him but the people praised.

“Take this money! I want you to take him, make him suffer…make sure he never comes back!”The village was asleep, the stars shining above the thatched roof tops, their forefathers blessing the souls of Ire Village. In the palace, Okechukwu laid in his bed thinking of what he will become in the next three days. I Okechukwu, will become the next Igwe of Ire Village, the greatest village in Nigeria.

Suddenly, there was a loud thud. Okechukwu shot up like a lightning bolt and unrecognisable fear crept up his spine. Who could that be at this time of the night? He slowly climbed out of bed, waiting for what will come next.

“What is this now? Who is making this noise?” he muttered. Shadowy footsteps came closer towards the door. Closer and closer and…BANG! The door swung open, hitting the glossy, white painted door with such force, leaving huge cracks and an ugly dent.

Okechukwu’s eyes widened as the two men in balaclavas and pistols walked into the room. The men grabbed Okechukwu by the arms, and one pulled a syringe from his back pocket and injected the clear fluid into Okechukwu’s neck.

“Guards! Guards!” Okechukwu shouted, but no one came to his rescue. He started to kick and punch, but the men were just too fast and quickly put him into a headlock, almost choking him. “This will hurt just a bit.” One of the men said darkly. The masked man injected the clear fluid into Okechukwu’s shoulder. It instantly took effect and eventually Okechukwu stopped struggling; his eyelids slowly drifted down as the two men dragged him out the door like a lion with its prey.

As Okechukwu’s eyes opened, he found himself in a dim lit room, hands tied behind his back on a chair. “Well, well, well, look who’s awake.” A voice from the unknown said. Just when Okechukwu was about to open his mouth, a familiar face emerged from the darkness, “Tufiakwa! I cannot believe this, are you not Okwudibonye, my father’s close friend! Chai!” exclaimed Okechukwu in shock.

“Indeed I am,” he chuckled, ‘I also had help too.” As if timed, Onyi, Okechukwu’s best friend walked out with a whip and taser in his hand, a smile plastered on his face. Okechukwu’s eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost, “Oh my goodness! Onyi!  How could you do this?” he gasped. “Shut up! I don’t have time to answer your stupid questions. The more you talk, the more pain you will feel.” threatened Onyi.

Without warning, a crack of a whip made contact with Okechukwu’s bare back. He screamed as he felt a stab of pain shoot through him. “Didn’t I tell you to shut up?” yelled Onyi, and another crack of the whip, made contact with Okechukwu’s back. Before Okechukwu could make a sound, Onyi shot the taser at Okechukwu’s leg. He shook violently as the electrical currents ran through his body. Onyi laughed heartily as Okechukwu twitched uncontrollably.

When he stopped, Okechukwu had tears in his eyes when he said, “W-why would you do this to me? You betrayed me and my father!” Onyi smirked at the words and responded “You don’t even know the half of it.”

Onyi and Okwudibonye soon left Okechukwu alone in the room.
“I cannot let this happen’, Okechukwu said, ‘I have to find a way to get out of here.” He desperately struggled to free himself from the rope; it seemed to be getting tighter and tighter each time. After a few hours, the rope became loose enough to free his hands. As he got up, he immediately fell to the ground and pain shot through legs. He tried continuously to get up and failed. It cannot end here, he thought, I must get back to the palace! With one final push, Okechukwu was able to lift himself up and limped towards the wall. He felt his way through the dark, finally being able to feel the door and slowly but quietly opened it.

Outside he saw Onyi and Okwudibonye snoring loudly; he saw the taser in Onyi’s hand, hanging loosely. He quickly grabbed it, limped passed them and tried to find his way back to the palace. He wondered how long he had been away and why no one had been sent to look for him.

Okechukwu walked toward the forest, known as the Anambra forest; rumoured among the village children as the forest of spirits. Okechukwu attempted to find his way out the intricate cluster of bushes and leaves which Okechukwu hoped would lead him home. Then a low hum arose, louder and louder as if it were chasing him. Okechukwu, startled, ran to be rid of this melancholy tone. He did not care about the bushes and hanging branches in front of him, suddenly his foot got caught on a vine and Okechukwu stumbled forward, falling flat on his face. Silence. Okechukwu noticed the humming had stopped, he slowly lifted up his head and in front of him was a hole: too small for a rabbit, too big for a fox. It seemed to be the opening of a long winded tunnel. Who created this?

Okechukwu did not know what to think. The scent of the leaves surrounding the hole smelt of damp and mildew but there was something else that attracted his senses, something indescribable, something he could not resist. Okechukwu, entranced, crawled through the small gap, huffing and puffing as he squeezed through.
Darkness.

Okechukwu slowly crept forward, his hands on the damp wall, tracing his way through the black abyss. There was dim light given out by an almost extinguished candle that hung on the wall. It barely helped his sight in the damp tunnel but he was determined to see what was at the end. Oddly underneath the candle was a box of matches and an oil lamp filled and ready to light, as if positioned there on purpose. Okechukwu lit it and the whole tunnel was immersed in great light. As Okechukwu walked, he noticed pictures, no drawings, on the walls. The colours ran because of the dampness of the walls but he could make out what the pictures were.

Okechukwu cried out. It was him, his family, the people in the village. What was this place, why were there drawings himself. He stopped in front of a drawing of him as a baby and his mother. A tear rolled down Okechukwu’s cheek as his fingers traced his mother’s kinky coils, he reminisced the sickening sweet smell of coconut oil which maintained her overflowing afro.His mother died two months ago, she’d caught an unknown fever which could not be cured. However, one strange thing which Okechukwu has pondered on ever since his mother’s death is his mother’s dying words. Okechukwu was by his mother’s side in her last moments. His mother’s breathing grew heavier and slower by the second and tears welled up in both their eyes as they knew it was the end. Just before his mother lost touch with the world, she beckoned Okechukwu to bring his head closer and struggling for breath, mumbled, “Ebe onye dara ka chi ya kwaturu ya’. Before Okechukwu could ask what she meant, his mother’s eyes drifted closed. Okechukwu heard a soft whisper; he could hardly make out what the voice said. It was familiar, the voice warmed his heart. But then he realised who the voice belonged to. His dear mother was calling out to him. Okechukwu quickly wiped away his tears and ran like never before, his long defined legs moving like swift footed Achilles down the tunnel towards the soothing voice with the brightly lit lamp in hand, swinging violently back and forth. The tunnel was never ending. Okechukwu was beginning to feel cramps in his legs, but he had to keep going, he had to see if that voice he never could forget belonged to his mother. A piercing white light blinded Okechukwu’s eyes as he took a few more strides; the air quickly became cold, his breath became mist in the air. Okechukwu slowed down into a walk and shielded his throbbing eyes from the light. The closer he came the colder the air was. He then saw a figure encased in light; he ran like never before and reached his arms out ready to embrace it. But just as his fingertips touched the figure a huge gust of wind blew Okechukwu to the ground.Okechukwu groaned and got up, the air was warmer and the ground was sandy. He looked up. He was at the palace. The compound was silent; all you could hear was the crickets and the leaves rustling in the light winds. Okechukwu knocked on the gate until the gateman appeared, grumbling “Who is here at this time of the night? Can’t you see that people are trying to sleep?” As soon as he set eyes on Okechukwu, his eyes widened and fell to the ground.

“Am I seeing well? Chai!” he cried. “What do you mean?” asked Okechukwu.
“Oga, Everyone thought you were dead; the whole village is in mourning. What happened? Look at you, you are all bruised and beaten.” The gateman exclaimed.
“Me? Okechukwu dead?” he questioned confused. “Yes sir! Because of this your brother Nnamdi will become the next Igwe in two days time. But sir, what happened to you?” the gateman inquired. “Do not worry about that, I will now go inside to speak with my brother.” Okechukwu said. He limped towards the front door, turned the handle and went inside. Nnamdi was sitting on the couch talking on the phone, looking stressed, “What do you mean he escaped? I paid you to do one simple thing! Find him at once, I do not want him ruining my day to become Igwe and…” he didn’t get to finish his sentence when he noticed Okechukwu standing there glaring at him. The phone Nnamdi was holding slipped out of his hands and fell onto his knees. “Oh my dear brother! I am so happy to see you, I…”
“Don’t you dare! My own blood, I trusted you and you do this to me. I wonder what father would say if he were here.” Okechukwu boomed. Nnamdi got off his knees and fired back, “Of course father would side with you! You were always his favourite, the one with muscles and bravery. But what talents do I have? Nothing! Everyone praises you, not me!”

“Is that what this is about? Because of your own carelessness and insecurities you would kill your own brother!” screamed Okechukwu. He shakily pulled out his taser and pointed it at Nnamdi’s head. “You made me suffer; you insulted me and disgraced our father’s name. It is now time to end the pain and suffering for good, to lay your insecurities to rest.”

“Please, you do not have to do this. Okechukwu I’m sorry, biko, let’s work this out. Just put the taser…” Nnamdi didn’t get to finish his useless apology as Okechukwu fired the taser at his brother’s head on the highest voltage.
Nnamdi shook violently and fell to the ground, foam forming in his mouth. The shaking gradually stopped. His eyes drifted closed. He was dead.