16 Shake before you drink

"Alright then, the dibia said shaking his head; having pity for her. "Give her the drink, let's see whether she is innocent or not," he added talking to the guard that has returned with a calabash.

He stretched his hand handing over the calabash to Ego but the substance was not yet visible to her. She collected it from him and on the inside of it was a concoction of what looks like blood mixed with water with some green leaves that was not properly crushed. She brought it closer to her nose and the smell was disgusting and repelling. It had the smell of a rotten mango.

She held the calabash, staring straight into it, hands shaking; she just could not believe that she is going to be drinking this disgusting concoction, only the gods know what it was made of, what if it is poisoned, but she is innocent and the only way to exonerate her from these accusations was to drink this and stay alive. There is no point resisting because the men beside her will give her the beating of her life until she is probably unconscious and still force her to drink the mixture. She really doesn't have any other option other than to drink the concoction.

Still pondering upon all those thoughts she heard the dibia instructing her saying,

"Shake that before you drink and make sure to cup down every drop of it".

She held her breath because it was believed that holding your breath while drinking any substance you don't like its taste will prevent your taste buds savouring the taste, thereby making it impossible for you to taste it. She drank it as quickly as possible, swallowing mouthfuls after mouthfuls. Though some of the leaves were too big to get past her throat, so they were stuck in her mouth; she began chewing them. It had a strange taste like nothing she has previously savoured. The look and squeeze on her face told the story.

It has been about five minutes now since she had digested the last piece of leaf that was previously stuck in her mouth and nothing has happened to her. Her in-laws were all staring at her with expectation and curiosity written in their faces; she was so happy to have disappointed them by not offering any confession. Ten minutes after, Ego was still standing firmly staring back at them all, saying within her that

"Her innocence has surely set her free from their allegations".

The dibia disappointed that nothing had happened to her; decided to check on her by calling out her name

"Ego!"

"Nnayi" Ego responded turning towards him.

"Hope you are alright?" He inquired

"Yes, I am feeling alright" She replied.

She then decided to walk to him, to prove him and all her accusers that she was feeling fine but she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. She stood back telling herself that it is nothing and maybe her mind was messing with her. Another wave of pain came and this time it was more intense than the other one. She noticed that her legs were very heavy; abruptly her heart beats had increased, her heart was pumping more blood than her body needed.

Her breathing rate has slowed down to the extent that her body was scrambling for air. The pain was now very severe; it was like something was eating her up on the inside. She was now breathing heavily like someone that went for a marathon. She slowly fell down facing up with her back against the ground; on the floor she could see the old lady, her mother-in-law and others all looking over her. Some of them were smiling and others laughing while the old woman was nodding her head as if to say it serves her right. She just couldn't believe the faces of these monsters will be the last thing she sees.

Their image gradually becomes blurring, she could no longer identify any of them. She could feel her pupils enlarging; it felt like it would soon pop out from its socket. The pain was no longer bearable; she could feel her organs on the inside compressing and it has resulted to a large deposit of fluid in her mouth; whether it was blood, saliva or both she was not sure but she had to let it out off her mouth. She tried opening her mouth to force the fluid off her system but could not; she was no longer in control of her body system; she could not even close her own mouth or digest the fluid. Her lungs were shutting down making it very difficult for her to breath. She was now struggling for air while pumping out with force the fluid stuck in her windpipe and throat, through her nostrils and mouth.

Why am I fighting? What is left to live for? All hope is lost, no need fighting for life again; the gods and accentors have forsaken her. They left her alone she thought. So she succumbed and let go, to join her husband wherever he was. "Obim I'm coming" were her last words before she closed her eyes slipping gradually into the other side.