19 Freezing fire

"No, no, no, no, no, that is not good Silver! She's not supposed to be freezing. Fire doesn't freeze so why is she freezing!?" Oracle worriedly asked Mama silver, pacing the length and breadth of his own living room.

Mama silver had called him as soon as she heard the new development about Emma from her friend.

"I don't know and I'm very confused myself. I'm on my way to her school as I'm talking to you... I just pray this won't mean another battle because I'm yet to recover from the one we fought this morning. I don't think I have the energy to fight through another one.

Oracle sighed heavily from the other side of the phone. He understood what she was saying. It's dangerous if they were to fight another battle this soon, the energy and power they lost this morning have not been replenished yet.

"I cannot tell you anything right now Silver unless I consult with the spirits. What I'm sure of is that things are going wrong for her... It's like she's losing her powers!?..."

"She's losing her powers!? How could she be losing the power that has not been activated yet!?... How is that possible!?"

"The only way that is possible is if she has tasted the taboo..."

"No, it can't be that! I made her understand what the consequences would be if she indulges in it and I trust her... She would never disobey me!" Mama silver vehemently replied in defense of her granddaughter.

"Silver what happened when you pour water on fire!?... He asked and paused for an answer but none follows his question so he continued

"When fire comes in contact with water. It will make a hissing sound right?... The hissing sound is not because the fire is enjoying the water, the sound was because the fire is in pain. It is dying!...

The water tampered down its powers before it would eventually smother the fire, cutting off its oxygen so much so that it can't burn anymore...

It's pain and misery for the fire! The exact pain and misery I warned you about are exactly what is happening to your granddaughter right now, and that can only happen if she has tasted the taboo...

Fire doesn't just freeze out of the blues, it slowly fizzles out before it eventually dies down. And she's not just drenched with water... She's freezing!

Whether you like it or not we have to think of the possibility that she has tasted the taboo... Or somebody is trying to destroy us." He said the last part in a whisper like he was afraid someone might be listening in to their conversation.

"Destroy us!? Mama silver asked with surprise. "Who would want to destroy us!? We've always been fair in our dealings with people so why would anybody want to destroy us!?"

''Like I told Aderinsola... I don't want to speculate, but something is telling me that we are being attacked! Somebody is targeting the three of us for whatever reasons best known to them.

Something bad happened to Aderinsola's grandson the same time it happened to your granddaughter... That's too much coincidence in one night if you ask me...

Think about it, Silver... It would take the combination of two powerful elements like air and water to be able to freeze fire. If your granddaughter did not taste the taboo then we have some serious problems on our hands which we have to discuss in our next meeting on Monday.

So what about her parents?" Oracle asked, changing the subject. "The ritual I asked them to do for her when she clocks fifteen, hope they did it?"

"I informed them what to do and they promised me they would do it"

"But are you sure it was done?"

"That I can't say but I'll certainly find that out when all this is over"

"Okay go take care of her and inform me how it went. I will see you at the shrine on Monday." They finished and disconnected the call.

***

Emma was in a desolate place. She fell down a long, winding, dark tunnel till she suddenly found herself in a vast, grey land of nothingness, with dark void space for a sky.

One would think the place would be warm at least, with the smoke and ashes that were floating and swirling in the atmosphere. She looked around the place that appeared to be dark and stormy with no streak of light visible.

Emma was scared. "Grandma! Grandma where are you!?" She called out with fear apparent in her voice. The place was freezing and stifling at the same time.

She was finding it difficult to breathe and hold herself upright so she sat on the frozen yet smokey floor, hugging her knees close to herself to keep herself from freezing to death.

***

Mama silver was a small sinewy woman with a shock of closely cropped white hair. Her movement was lithe and agile like she was in her twenties instead of her seventy-three years of age.

"Abike how are you?" She greeted with a bright smile on her face to the girl who has been waiting for her outside the hostel gate.

"Good afternoon ma!?" Abby greeted questioningly with a smile of her own, wondering how the elderly woman got to know her name since she didn't introduced herself as Abike when they spoke on the phone.

"I'm Emma's grandmother." Mama silver smilingly introduced herself to the girl who has confusion written all over her face.

"Ohh... Good afternoon ma!" Abby respectfully greeted, still wondering about the name.

"It's the hair..." Mama silver's voice broke into Abby's thought.

"What hair? Abby asked in confusion not knowing what the old woman was driving at

"The white hair... I was born like that... That's how I got to know stuff I'm not suppose to know... Your name just sort of came to my mind..." She confided like she has known Abby for years.

"Help me with the bag will you?" She suddenly changed the subject handing her bag to Abby.

"Oh, I'm sorry ma. I got carried away..." Abby apologised for not collecting the bag immediately Mama silver introduced herself as Emma's grandmother. She quickly collect the large tote bag from the elderly woman that looked nothing like her age.

Inside Abby's room, Mama silver immediately started burning incense, which she said was for driving out evil spirits while chanting incantations. When she was done, she removes the blanket covering Emma and was shocked to see the state her granddaughter was in.

She brought out some strange herbs and different bottles of oil of different colours and immediately began to grind them into a paste with a small, white marble mortar and pestle. When she was done, she rubbed the concoction all over Emma's body that had turned stiff and greyish.

Emma suddenly opened her eyes gasping for breath and looking around her, wide eyes. When she was sure of where she was, she busted out in tears hugging and sobbing helplessly in her grandmother's arms like a baby.

"Grandma I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do it, please forgive me! I don't want to go back there, it's terrible!" She kept on saying and sobbing at the same time.