09/02/2024
SHE'S THE ONE
Episode 50
The shrine priest smiled triumphantly, his heart racing with anxiety, as he rejoiced over his eventual victory over Mawusi and the rebellious Jelani
He has had his fair share of women in his lifetime, but he was intrigued by the very one that seemed to be out of his reach, making him nearly pass out, out of excitement, as he looked at her unconscious, yet attractive body
Since the day Mawusi ran away from the shrine, the old man had seen over a score of girls, who were thrown at him as Trokosis, each having their peculiar beauty and allure
And not only had he been able to conquer them, he had subdued them to a point of no return, or so he thought!
The young girls took turns in warming his bed, satisfying his sexuĂ l imaginations and serving as tools for his crĂŁzy adventures, but he wasnât able to get his mind off Mawusi because in his mind, what Jelani had done was nothing short of a challenge
âYou sweet little demĂŽn. Iâm going to pound you so hard today, that the abomination inside of you will have no choice but give way for the seed that I shall implant in youâ he soliloquized, licking his lips lĂ sciviously as he tore off the remaining piece of clothes on Mawusi
Her youthful and succulĂšnt sisters jumped out to full glare, and the shrine priest bent over towards the brĂȘast, ready to take one of the nĂźpplĂšs in his mouth, when a hard object hit him squarely on the nape of his neck and sent him rolling off Mawusi instantly
His head became very heavy, and his eyelids, a lot heavier. He fought so hard to see the figure that stood so close to his face, yet so far, but he couldnât fĂŻght the pull of unconsciousness long enough to recognize the one who had attĂ cked him so viciously that he lost consciousness
âAma! What have you done? Oh gods of our land, how could you have allowed this little girl commit this level of blunder when you know that she has nobody to guide or help herâ one of the Trokosis cried out, after seeing what the little girl chose to do to the shrine priest
Ama was an only child of her parents, whose farmlands and source of survival had been taken away forcefully from them by the shrine priest, leaving them to until hardship and humiliation, which ultimately cost them their lives
Ama's mother had dīed from a treatable disease because they had no way of raising money for her treatment
Her father had gone to anyone he could find, and spoke to anyone that had the ability to hear, but nothing came out of it, until the poor woman lost the battle
Amaâs father took to excessive drinking and gangsterism.
One morning, Ama woke up to the saddest news she was going to hear in her lifetime
It was a really emotional wreckage to watch the little girl ask her father to get up, while they waited for his interment.
He had been killed by suspected gamblers, who he owed but didn't have back means of paying back
Many people commiserated with the poor child, and a good number of people came up with several degrees of volunteered helps, but on the very day the good people of the community gathered to discus her welfare and possible departure from the community to a foreign land
Only for the shrine priest to suddenly summon all the people around Ama, to inform them that gods had decided that Ama served in the shrine as a Trokosi, as an atonement for the sins of his father, whose poverty it was perceived caused the death of his wife, as well as his
And so, Ama was thrown into the shrine, making all her dreams and aspirations for her life become nothing but a joke
She had only been there for a short while, but her psyche and her entire being had become so beaten that she gave you the hopes of ever getting her life back
Then Mawusi was brought back to the shrine, and little Ama began to see the hopes of getting her life back, only for the priest to so callĂČusly plan to ruin everything, yet, nobody else was bold enough to do what needed to be done
She turned around and looked at the concern on the face of the lady who had just spoken and returned to hitting the shrine priest, without as much as saying a word in response to the older lady, who had rushed in to see what she had done
âStop it now Ama! Stop it this moment! Do you know what you have done? Do you know what it means to lay your hands on the revered shrine priest?â the lady complained, fear and anger written all over her eyes
"I have been deÄd all these while, sitting in this shrine and waiting for the day he'll choose to abusÚ me beyond what he has been doing already
"But a saviour came. A saviour brought hope and showed me that my parents' deĂŁth could be enough sacrifice for my own life, yet he wants to take all that away again?
"I know I'll die, but I want to dië, knowing that I fought back and at least saved a beautiful soul from the evïl claws if this cruÚl being" the little girl said, speaking so many words at a time, as against the few words she was known to speak, when she was forced to talk.
"But Ama look at what you have done to him. His head is swollen in several places yet he isn't bleéding anywhere. He is in grave dangÚr
"Do you know what it'll mean if he diës? Do you know what will happen when words come out about you being responsible for the priest's deãth?" The older lady asked Ama
Some of the Trokosis that had been too afriad to come into the shrine, eventually rushed into the shrine, after they heard someone complaining about the shrine priest being in dangĂšr
A great commotion erupted in the shrine, gasps, screams and whispers, echoing in the air, until the noise was huge enough to wake Mawusi up
Mawusi sat up with a start. She looked at herself, and then at the old man who was lying unconscious by her sides and began to sob
She was still unable to make sounds, so she tried to get up, just to go get the substance the shrine priest had in his pocket
Tears continued to roll down her cheeks, until Ama was bold enough to tell her how much she had to do to rescue her, while assuring her of the fact that the evĂŻl shrine priest didnât succeed.
Confused and anxious at thesame time, Mawusi continued her search, until she found the container in the shrine priest's pocket and applied nearly everything in the container, on her face
She sneezed several times,as her senses registered the strangeness of the substance, hut along with the sound of the sneeze, came her ability to talk
"Come on Ama, we've got to go now. The shrine elders will soon arrive here, and you know what it means for them to find us here in this circumstance. Come sisters, it's time to leave here" Mawusi first spoke to Ama, then to the others
The older Trokosis gathered together, their faces marked with deep lines etched by the wisdom of countless moons. With trembling voices, they tried to stop Mawusi and Ama, the young and innocent maidens, from daring to escape the clutches of their wretched fate again.
Their words, though adorned with the simplicity of common language, carried the weight of a dire warning that echoed through the stone walls.
"Do not venture beyond these sacred walls," the older Trokosis spoke, their feeble voices quivering with fear. "For it is doom itself that awaits you outside! The world beyond these gates is treachĂšrous, filled with perils that shall consume your very souls. We beg of you, stay within the confines of our sacred shrine where you won't face the stigmatization that follows everyone who has been named a Trokosi." The lady told Ama in particular
Mawusi, brimming with courage and determination, stood her ground before the older Trokosis. With each word she spoke, her simple language bloomed with undeniable conviction.
"You cannot remain trapped in this shrine any longer," she declared, her voice soft yet resolute. "There is an entire world awaiting you all, filled with the promise of freedom, love, and joy. We must escape this torment and find a life worth living." Mawusi said
Her words found a deeper resonance within the older Trokosis. They listened, their eyes clouded with ancient doubts and deeply entrenched beliefs. Slowly, one by one, they began to yield, their hearts touched by the ember of hope that flickered within Mawusi's unwavering spirit. The maidens' strength was infectious, cracking the thick walls of tradition and stifling the whispers of despair.
Yet, just as Mawusi and Ama prepared to venture beyond the sanctuary's boundaries, their freedom momentarily within their grasp, the heavy footsteps of approaching people reverberated through the tranquil air. Startled, Mawusi and Ama turned, their hearts pounding, to find two figures rapidly approaching.
Faced with this sudden hindrance, Mawusi's resolve did not waver. She turned to the older Trokosis, her eyes filled with unwavering determination, and implored them to stand by her side. With trembling hands, the elders mustered their fading strength and joined the young maidens.
"We shall not be swayed," Mawusi proclaimed, her voice now filled with a newfound strength.
"We have borne the weight of this dark tradition for far too long, and we shall no longer be its victims. Come, my sisters, let us venture forth, and face whatever may come with the unyielding strength we hold within our souls."
"Don't let the lies, threĂ ts and words of deceit hold you back. I left this shrine before, got married to the man I love, and had our marriage consummated, yet the gods did nothing to me
"All the lies you have been told before, were just to benefit their ĂȘvĂŻl penchants. Enough of their molĂšstations and abusĂšs. We must all leave now and face the world together" Mawusi said and got the others agreeing with her
As the maidens set off into the unknown, the older Trokosis casting off their chains of servitude, the two men grew evermore desperate.
They chased after them, their cries littering the still, stagnant air, demanding their surrender. But Mawusi and Ama, fueled by the flickering flame of freedom, stood tall and unyielding.
"Stop!" They heard a man bellow, his throat raw with authority. "Do not take another step!" His words, though abrupt and harsh, carried an undeniable command that sent shivers down Mawusi's spine.
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