27 The journey 2

Ego was no longer paying attention; she was recalling what happened a long time ago when she was just a girl of eight. A youngster named Ogudiri, the first son of Nze Obijuru - a wealthy blacksmith; went out and never came back home. The last people who saw him said he took this path but he was never found; not even his corpse.

Rumours had it that he must have been killed by enemies of his father who were sending him a message to stay off a piece of land he was about to acquire. This must be the spirit of the young boy, she thought and this arose even more compassion for him. Ego wished she could tell him everything she knew about his passing, the way the whole village wept for him for days and the rumours about his death, but she couldn't; her mission was more important.

"I have been here in the land of the living because I couldn't cross over to be with my ancestors as I wasn't properly buried. I watch all the little plants around me turn into giant trees, watch my age-mates grow into men and women. I watch most of them pass me here almost every day. Earlier, I tried communicating with them by distorting the plants and trees around as they walk past me; but I only succeeded in scaring them away. I have been to everywhere I fantasized about when I was alive. I have been to the female portion of Nworie River, I only saw without being able to touch which further made me angry and miserable. I have tried a dozen times to visit home, for some strange reasons; I just can't pass the front gate. There seems to be an invisible blockage preventing me from entering the compound".

Ego without uttering any word kept using hand and head gestures to indicate that she was hearing him and could feel his pain.

"Honestly I don't know why or how you can hear and see me but it feels good to be able to talk to someone. It is really lonely being a spirit. Wait, are you dead? Is that why you can hear and see me?" He asked with a sudden surprise in his eyes.

She shook her head from left to right to indicate a no to his question. She had heard enough, he was wasting time which wasn't on her side. The war could end at any time which means termination of her mission. If she continued chatting with the ghost boy she could accidentally say a word, which also means expiry. She had to get going that was the only way to avoid all these. So she waved the boy goodbye and continued on the straight path.

From behind she could hear the child calling-out "Ego! Please don't leave me here. I have been here long enough. Please don't leave me here I beg you!"

Ego uttered no word in return, didn't even bother to look behind to see how the child was digesting the disappointment. She felt bad for not being able to assist or at least comfort him in any way. She felt sympathy for him but not enough to ruin her mission. She kept pressing forward, increasing her pace as it was now clear to her that the child was deliberately delaying her before.

Now sounding really pissed and angry he yelled "Ego! I know where you are headed oh! If I were you, I would turn back and return home. You are walking into a trap you will not be able to escape from".

He paused, probably expecting a reply from Ego but she fed him none. He continued yelling her name until it was barely perceptible.

Ego continued on her way thanking the gods she had overcome that challenge without ruining the mission. Different animal and insect sounds filled the air. The buzz of giant mosquitoes was predominant and it kept singing in her ears and face. The howl of a wolf could be heard from a distance. It must be the alpha male thinking it was night, thereby alerting the pack to get ready for hunting or maybe it is also wondering what was going on having night come this early. She kept pressing on, not allowing herself to be scared or distracted by the weirdness all around her. She kept her mind on the price, filled her thoughts with all the pleasant and glorious things she was going to do with what the bird will be providing her.

This form of distraction didn't last because she began hearing the faint buzz of flies approaching her which was strange, flies don't move in the dark. This was accompanied by a pungent smell of rotten flesh, like loads of unrefrigerated meat. She felt so nauseated she almost couldn't breathe. The worse is that she couldn't hazard where the stench was coming from and what the source is. She tried extending the light from her torch to catch a glance at what was coming before her but it seemed darker yet; the only option was to move forward and meet the approaching phenomenon head-on.