2 2-The Amulate

I stared at the woman dumbfoundedly, there are no such things as demons, they exist only in ancient mythology. it's 21st century, this can't be true. I looked at the pendant in my hands and the symbol on the wall. "My mother came here?" she looked at me and back at the pendant "It is possible, the answer lies within the pendant" I stretched my hand to stare at the pendant "what do you mean?" she snatched it from my hands with her staff "Amulates, can sometimes be a charm, or a protector to the possessor they can bring good omen or provide protection. most of the Amulates nowadays are manmade. but your Amulates is different" she explained to me to try and make me understand. "what's so special about it?" she didn't answer instead asked me to follow her behind the curtain and I hesitantly pushed my body to motion.

there were weaved mats on either sides of the small room. she took confident strides and placed the Amulate Infront of an old clay material that almost resembled the Indian bajrangi but this one had craved tattoos identical to the ones the woman had on her chest. kneeling and bowing her head before it. did she expect the statue to take it back?, this is just a traditional drama. I concealed the laughter that threatened to escape my mouth. the woman began addressing the statue in her mother tongue. "Ag, ourdelinge van die land, ek roep u aan om u magtiste besitting teruq the gee" (oh, elders of the land, I call upon you to return your most powerful possession) "sy magte behoort me tot die monslike wêreld nie" (It's powers does not belong to the human world) was she serious?, I was curious to know what she was saying to the statue. a few seconds of silence and I almost let go of the laughter I was holding when a strange wind blew the carpets and mats to the direction of the statue. I widen my eyes when the statue began glowing from the patches of the clay to its eyes and mouth. a thunder like voice coming from the statue shaked the hut.

"dogter van mosweu, u ourdelinge het u geroep vertel ons die dogter van die groot mosweu, ons het u pleidooi gehoor" (Daughter of mosweu, your elders came to your call, tell us, daughter of the great mosweu, we heard your plea). I felt blood rushing up to my face and I almost fainted. what is this? a piece of mud can talk?. subconsciously I fell to my knees as if I also wanted to pay my respects to the voice. the woman continued to speak to the voice without an ounce of fear. who was this voice?.

"my oudstes van die land, die cagn mantis was in die hande van die Jong, ek gee fit terug in u veilige hande" (my elders of the land the cagn mantis was in the hands of the young one, I am returning it to your safe hands) Are they talking about my mother?, is the voice behind my mother's disappearance? before I could ask the voice striked again "Geen! dogter van die groot mosweu, die amulaat hoort now by ons nie, u moet die eienaar soek, want hy is die enigste wat at mag kan uitoefen en u wêrelde Kan baskerm teen die straf wat op pad sal kom". (No daughter of the great mosweu, the amulate does not belong with us, you must seek its owner, for he is the only one who can wield it's powers and protect your world against the doom that is about to come your way) the woman laid her staff down and prostrated herself to the idol and spoke in the most devoted tone "my oudstes raadgewer, wat hierdie eienaar is?" (my great mentors, who is this owner?).

"hy is die uitver korene gekies deur Kalahari wat deur Elke ouderling van die Afrikaans se grond gekies is om vrede le herstel en u lande te beskerm" (he is the chosen one, chosen by Kalahari, chosen by every elder of the African soil to restore peace and protect your lands) without raising her head she continued to speak " waar Kan ons die gekose find?" (where can we find the chosen one?) the light grew brighter and the voice began wandering away "umutula land, die suiwerste van siel en onskuldig van harte" (umutula land , the purest of soul and innocent at heart).

The light disappeared so did the voice the woman remained in the same position without raising up. I still couldn't process what happened a few seconds ago. I jumped out of skin when I heard a voice, I then relaxed when I recall the woman's voice "ja, my ouderlinge dit sal gedoen word" (yes my elders, it shall be done)

"what do you mean, they said nothing about my mother?" I asked her in a frustrated manner, she looked at me then back at the walls, "The elders have spoken, there's more at stake than your lost mother" I looked at her annoyed by what she said "who are those elders? did they kill my mother?" the woman's eyes almost fell from their sockets "gruwel!!, you shall not speak of the elders like that again" she said in the harshest of tone "what's so special about the amulate?, where is my mother, hell who was that voice and what's that light?" The woman held the amulate to my eyes then flipped it, it's behind had cravings like the hieroglyphs on the wall except for one. "why are you showing me that?" she laughed showing the two gaps of the lower teeth "you already noticed the difference young one, I can find your mother, but only the chosen one can bring her back, because only he can wield the power of the amulate, the purest of soul and innocent at heart" I was relieved to know that my mother can be found but who is this chosen one "where is this chosen one?,wait is that thing powerful?"

"Ahahaha, young ones tend to ask too many questions. A storm is about to head our way, we must seek the possessor before it's too late for human race"

"who were you talking to?" she picked her staff to point at the idol "the spirits of the land"

"what storm were you talking about?"

"the demons have been awaken, if they won't be stopped they'll distinguish the human race" I was still digesting what I've witnessed moments ago and now the world is in danger? "how is that possible?" she walked to her clay pots "come closer young one" she asked me to move closer and I did, one clay pot had red water, the middle one had plain water and the left one had black water. she gleaned Infront of the pots and spoke in tongues "potte van die lewwe, wys hom wat gebeur het" ( pots of life, show him what happened) the waters shook and began showing off faint lights and then I saw her. I muttered under my breath you can almost miss it.

"Mom..."