Chapter Two
Cynthia, a dark skinned beautiful woman in her thirties about 5ft tall and an hourglass figure matching her straight long legs which make her walk elegantly is a famous medicine woman who lost her husband to the division at the peak of her marriage. She is gentle and her heart full of kindness despite she had no child. She treat the wounded and sick very well at affordable price and sometime she would decline payment.
She treated Mrs Michael's son in her room using herbs and some roots. Mrs Michael is seated at the side chair close to the bed her son lay waiting for him to regain consciousness. Cynthia had noticed the worry look on Mrs Michael's face and knew it wasn't because of Ken's health.
"Madam, are you okay" she said knowing Mrs Michael won't tell her what really happened easily.
"I'm fine ma'am just praying my son gets better"
"Don't worry he is fine" she assured her patting Mrs Michaels' shoulder.
Mrs Michael wished Cynthia understood what she meant by praying for her son to get better she literally meant his overall well-being and not just his health. She knows that the division will come back for them and she's trying to devise a means on how her son can be protected.
Cynthia is in the backyard cleaning her medical tools when Mrs Michael walks to her. At first, she didn't notice her presence but later, she felt someone was behind her and looked to see Mrs Michael, she smiled and continued her work.
"Are you sure you're fine Mrs Michael?" She asked
"I don't really know but somehow I want to protect my son" she said
"Hmmm, from the division?"
"How did you know?" Mrs Michael asked, astonished.
"That's the only problem we have in this part of the world for now" she said, gathering her tools that are already cleaned.
"Are you also their victim?" Mrs Michael asked
"Is there anyone here who is not a victim of the division?"
"Yeah you're right, there's no need for that question"
"What happened?" Cynthia asked.
Mrs Michael wept as she explained her trauma in deep pain.Cynthia full of pity for the lady pushed the chair she was sitting on to Mrs Michael and stood beside her door while the latter sat facing her.
"I just wonder how our beautiful night turned to the ugliest night in my entire life" she continued sobbing.
" After celebrating our 16th anniversary, I and my husband retired to bed and my child was in his bedroom. We were already asleep when we heard a burst. We weren't sure of where it occurred in the house and didn't know who it was but we knew someone broke into the house. I quickly rushed to my son's bedroom to be with him and my husband went for whoever it was. At first, I heard voices that whispered and gradually grew into arguments. Their voices weren't loud so I did not hear what they were saying.
In a moment I heard gunshots that lasted for a while and then there was sudden silence, I asked Ken to stay calm and hid him under his bed while I went to check what was happening, climbing the stairs slowly I tried to peep and did not see any one, I moved further and suddenly I felt a hand grip me from behind,his elbow wrapped tightly around my neck and his right hand pointing a gun on my right ear, he asked me to move while he called my husband's name telling him he has me in captive and that if he doesn't come out he will blow my brain out and to threaten he shot the P.O.P, at first two men dressed in leather suit came out,then three and two again followed.
I was damn scared seeing the number of men that came after my husband that I started crying knowing my man might not be able to survive this. I was asked to shut up several times but I kept on crying and begging them to let him be, they shot again with the gun pointing to me, I screamed thinking I was shot until I saw the pierced wall two kilometers away from me. Finally my husband came out with his hands up and they surrounded him, took his gun from him, made him kneel before them and threatened to kill me if he misbehaves. They questioned him, something that I did not understand. After a while the man holding me placed the gun tightly to my right ear and still held my neck so tight that I began to choke. F
Michael brought out a gun from his shirt pocket and shot the man asking me to run,I didn't want to but I had to anyway for his efforts not to go in vain,they began to shoot ghastly and then there were moments of silence. Moments later my husband was dragged out of the house unconscious, I cried bitterly. That was the last time I saw my husband after some time I went back to the house and searched the room because I sensed my husband knew those people and didn't mention anything about them to me for a reason so I searched for something that could clarify me and found a letter he wrote few days before he was taken it read I should take care of our son and protect him.
I couldn't find a clue of his relationship with those people and didn't figure out who they were until they returned for my son and i. We were able to escape but they took all my husband's assets including the house we lived in. Eventually they found us and our troubles began" She ended her story with a deep sigh.
"Hmmm, things have not been easy with you," Cynthia said, shaking her head in pity.
"Cynthia all I care is for my son to stay alive, if he's alive then I'm alive too"
"Hmmmm my life has not also been easy since my husband was killed by the division" Mrs Michael looked at Cynthia hoping to hear more of her story.
"Why did they kill your husband" she asked
"He has some mysterious power so division saw him as a threat and killed him making me a widow so early" she started sobbing
Mrs Michael walked to her and consoled her by patting her shoulder.
"They make me cry so much because I didn't have a child before my hubby died, I feel so bad seeing other children and I have none when I'm supposed to" she continued crying "the beautiful home which I dreamt to build with my husband was destroyed by those evil people". She held Mrs Michael by the hand. "Let's take our revenge on them" Mrs Michael got confused.
"And how do you plan on doing that, I don't have any powers and can't risk my child for anything" she answered.
"Don't you want to avenge your husband's death?"
"Please I don't want more trouble let things stay the way they are. Beside, I'm weak and don't have any power"
"You will never know you have power until you do what requires your power—"
"Mom," Ken called.
Mrs Michael jumps from the chair "oh my son is awake" she ran to the room.
"Mom" he tried sitting up but his mom held him back and hugged him.
"Oh my son I'm sorry for putting you through all this" she said as tears strode down her chins.
"Mom why are those bad guys after us?" he asked "why did they kill daddy?" He began to sob.
"My son, I want to tell you something very important,please listen carefully," Ken nodded in agreement.
"To be honest I don't know why they killed your father, I've tried to figure it out but can't place my fingers on it but those guys are after you"
"What!"
"Ssssshhhhhhh" she lowered her voice as she continued to speak "there is nothing like orji, your father said that for a reason best known to him, your father said in his letter that you are the power division is looking for, he said that you have magic and it should be trained,he attached this piece to the letter he wrote. This is to guide you on your trainings take it" giving the paper with it's content written in Arabic alphabet.
"Mom, why are you giving it to me?" He asked as his mom put the paper on his palm and placed her palm against his, covering the piece of writing.
"Take it, keep it and guide it for it shall be your guide" she released her son's arms and rubs his cheek with her palm smiling
"Mom!" He hugged her while sobbing.
"Don't worry son everything will be fine" she assured him and freed herself from her son's grip, cleaned his tears and left to bring him food. After eating, she made him sleep.
"I love you my son" she covered him with a wrapper, gave him a kiss on the forehead and left the room to see Cynthia.
"I'm ready"
"I know you'll come around" she said smiling and stood to hug Mrs Michael.