Ndubisi

Curiosity didn't allow Ego to wait for them to reach her; instead, she began making her way towards them till they were just a few centimetres away. A young man was with them whom Onumara introduced as Ndubisi. He had a lean and hungry look with a bushy moustache. It was obvious this young man was not having the best days of his life. There was this strange sadness in his eyes; like he has been angry at something for a lifetime. He was likely the same age as Nnanna when he passed away.

He further said they met him not far from here and he claims to be residing in the forest for a while now and has never seen an old woman or a dog around this place.

Have you ever met someone and had this feeling like you know them from way back but just can't remember when or where. That was exactly how Ego felt once she saw Ndubisi. He looked so familiar, but she just couldn't put a name to the face or remember where or when they met.

"Ask him to come forward" she instructed Onumara as he had asked the young man to wait behind.

Immediately Ndubisi came closer, his scent further awakens the I-know-you feeling but still not enough to awaken any memory. When asked to speak, he said: "I have seen you before".

Ego took a long stare at him, but she still couldn't remember him from anywhere and at the same time couldn't shake away the feeling that she has been with this human before; she has even heard his voice before. Maybe it is from another lifetime she concluded. "I don't think I have seen you before till now," she said shaking her head.

"So you don't remember me?" he further asked.

Now, this was becoming interesting and at the same time creepy, "I think you must be mistaking me for someone".

"Your name is Ego?" he inquired from her.

"Does your knowing or remembering my name change anything? Many people know my name, people I have never met before"

Convinced that she doesn't remember him; "Alright, let me cut to the chase. I first saw you on a wrestling match some years ago in Umudibia" he said with confidence.

"I have attended many wrestling matches. What spectacular thing happened on that particular match that might jog up my memory?" she asked.

"I can't remember his name again or face, but he became the champion that day by raising the right leg of his opponent and swung it over his rival's head, and he landed on his back flat on the ground" he recalled.

"Oh! It is you!" she exclaimed. "You are the young man that kept staring; who couldn't take his eyes off me on that particular day" Ego said almost laughing.

"That's not how I remember it. I took my eyes off you a few times to watch the wrestling. You still look beautiful like that day I saw you" he said returning her smile.

"It is the work of the gods," she said then in slit seconds went into a serious mood before asking, "You said you first saw me in that wrestling match, so where did you see me for the second time?" she asked.

"I saw you here in this forest; in fact, I actually saved your life," he said putting on a serious face too.

"How exactly did you save my life?" she inquired.

He looked around and said, "For the next thing I'm about to say, some privacy would be necessary".

She asked everyone to please excuse them. Immediately they left she said, "Go ahead tell me how?"

After clearing his throat, he began "About twenty market days ago, I was chased by a group of mobs for a crime I knew absolutely nothing about. The command was to get me dead or alive. I ran into this forest for safety; desperate they came after me. I ran past this hut that very night, there was a fire inside and a lady outside. I didn't really see the person but I was sure someone was outside the hut.

I got very far from the hut, deep into the forest and climbed up to a huge treetop. From up there I observed and watched them search aimlessly for me till I fell asleep. Only to wake up the next morning to see from up there something covered with plantain leaves not far from the tree. I got there, removed the leaves and found you in there with a terrible fever".

"Me?" she asked with a fake surprise on her face.

"Yes you, I'm certain, I don't forget faces". He assured her.

"Hmm, alright continue," she said.

"I quickly took you out and figured you would be the same woman I saw the previous night. I made a bamboo stretcher with which I brought you back to this hut. Hurriedly I made fire, went home, got some herbs which I boiled and made you drink. The fever began its slow process of deteriorating. Everywhere was really messed up looking abandoned; I spent a good amount of time cleaning it up. I took care of you all through that day to the next one; then went out the next morning to check on my traps and fetch more firewoods but came back to discover you were gone" Ndubisi concluded.

"How come I don't remember any of these?" she asked looking lost in thought; probably wondering whether the young man was who actually save her life and not the old lady.

"Yes, you should. Just take a closer look at me; it should stir-up some memories".

She leaned forward, looked him in the eyes while he shyly removed his gaze. She giggled and said "I still can't remember anything. But how am I to recall anything if I was down with a grave fever?"