induction

the house was isolated, nothing but sand and bush for leagues, like an oasis in the desert the gateman hurried to help open the doors and carry my luggage into our quaint home. I walked a few meters to the front door.

[it was a mahogany brown colour that complemented the dusty brown paint that engulfed the house on the floor a miniature acacia tree rest on either side of the door. the door knob was s[ilver glinting in the sun casting light into my eye. I reached for it and turned it revealing a homely and well-decorated corridor parallel to each other were family photos of me my cousins, aunties, and uncles dated centuries ago.

I walked on the smooth ocean blue ceramic tiles .they had intricate swirling patterns that imitated waves and ripples of water. I walked further down reaching an amazingly hand-embroidered carpet. the lines and colours combine to create an intriguing story that appears to be about the Orishas gaining their powers.

the legend speaks of Olodumare (one of the Orishas) casting the powers of dominion into the air and the rest of the Orishas catching their respective powers. granting them the powers they are known for today.

I advance along the hall to our homely and aesthetically pleasing living room. there was a square-shaped pit in the middle of the floor .comfy woollen blanket and fluffy plumped-up pillows made the uncomfy hard sandstone bench seem soft and cosy in the middle of the pit there was a massive aqua-toned down table with extravagant ornaments bringing life to the table. I lowered myself onto the bench and waited for everyone to join me

Mercy our house help had set the table with tantalizing,mouth-water traditional food on the table. Since I lived in Canada I haven't had much time or money to order or make any of my traditional food. More so since I have never been as good around the kitchen as Mercy.

grandma, Omotayo, and my two baby cousins joined me at the table and got comfortable. Grandma Adaego bowed her head and raised her palms to the sky in prayer and everyone followed in obedience. she began.

" Queen God of all rivers on earth, thank you for protecting me and my family from harm and evil spirits along our journey." we opened our eyes and began to put food on our plates

"So are you looking forward to your cleansing ceremony, Okantomi?" Omotayo spoke.

"Yeah, I am, kinda nervous but ready to become a devote follower of the Orisha and become pure to the best of my ability for them"

the air was thick with the awkward silence most people try to avoid.

"Umm, so when does it start? I inquired

I indulged in the delicious Jollof rice and chicken while I awaited her response

her eyes not leaving her food she replied

'tonight "

For the rest of dinner Continued in silence, it was better this way cause we kind of ran out of good topics to talk about since we exhausted ourselves from talking so much in the car.

Once we finished dinner Mercy led me up to my room to rest and get ready for the ceremony tonight.

we approached a sliding door, that followed the house's recurring theme of the ocean and the deity Oshun.

A plethora of shades of blue slashed across the door mimicking waves crashing against the shore.

right in the middle of the room, there was a queen size bed with bronze framing .it had a princess kind of feel the walls were turquoise and white marble effect. Underneath the bed laid a vintage old rug that resembled Aladdin's carpet except it wasn't purple, maroon, and gold but a royal blue and modicum of white.

I leapt up onto my bed and had a well-deserved rest, leaving my luggage at the back of the door

I leapt onto my bed face down inhaling the fresh smell of washing detergent. Slowly I rolled over onto my side. My eyelids grew heavy and my libs became weak as I drifted into a deep sleep.

A few hours later...

"Wake up, it's almost time for the ritual", whispered Grandma

" huh, uh. ok, I'll be ready in a few minutes ", I wipe away the crust from my eyes and struggle to get out of bed. Finally, after a minute of battling with my body, I escaped from the comfortable clutches of my bed, take a quick shower, and put on some semi-formal traditional wear. I head out of the door to the same corridor that I went through to get to my room; at the end, I saw all my cousins and grandma at the end of the corridor waiting for me. I sped up in place to catch up to them .they part to each side of the hall like Moses and the red sea leaving grandma in the middle holding out her arm for me.

I linked arms with her as she led me down the hall to this obsidian black marble door.

The instant we both stopped my cousins made arch-shaped boxing me in.

They stood dead still with blank expressions on their face

I stood there confused giving my grandmother a' what the hell is happening look', but she just ignored me. I shrugged myself off and continued starting at this door looking focused and ready to finish the ritual.

My grandmother dove into her pocket and retrieved this fancy-looking key and unceremoniously slowly placed it into the keyhole. She wiggled it around for a few seconds until she heard that click signifying it had been opened. Out of nowhere, a sudden gush of wind threw the door open making me jump a little. Inside the door, a mystical mist pulled me into its dark and obscure abyss.

" Okantomi, "my grandmother said snapping me back to reality," I haven't been totally honest with you this isn't a ritual to bring you into the religion it's to help save our world a greater evil has come for us and you are our only hope, we must sacrifice the one with the blood of the Orishas to overcome to this dark entity that holds our family hostage and to live we must send you another world never to return." I look at them in disbelief, "why, why me, why do you have to send me away I thought we were family and this. This is not what family does to each other!!"

Tears fill my eyes as I desperately try to push them down, I wiped furiously at them trying to avoid embarrassing myself.

"I'm sorry Okan but this is the only way. " she lent in for a hug, then pushed me into the door sending me tumbling into the darkness