THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 71-80
CHAPTER 74
BY SOLOMON ADINYA
“Go and get me my cutlass, sharpen it very well.” He said, after finishing the cup of tea Ogbene had prepared, Ogbole went to the store and got the cutlass he went out died and sharpened it, when he brought the cutlass to his father he grabbed it and got up from the couch.
” Papa where are you going with a cutlass?” Ogbene asked, he ignored her and got into hia truck, he drove to Ochodo where his Juju man lived.
The bungalow was built with red mud blocks, the old corrugated zinc had turned earth brown, several economic trees littered the compound, the oranges already had fruits.
“Okache! Okache show your devilish face let me chop it off!” Simon cried, hyperventilating, the cutlass dangling in his arm, his heart was boiling. Okache’s adult son came out of the house ro confront Simon.
“Simon what is it? Why are you shouting in my father’s compound?” He asked, watching curiously to see Simon’s next move.
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 71-80
“I am not here for you Joe just get out of my way. Go and call that wizard you call father, or else I’ll burn down this house with everything inside of it.” He threatened his eyes red like the top of a burning cigarette in the dark of the night.
“Taaar! You? You cannot do anything! You are threatening a spirit with a cutlass. Have you forgotten what I can do? I can turn you into a cockcroach and crush you under my feet.” Simon heard the voice of Okache sounding from all around him, he wasn’t there.
” Okache if you are a man with two balls appear before me. If I don’t cut off your head off my father Ogar Obagwu didn’t give birth to me.”
Simon dared the juju man, so Okache appeared before him, while his son Joe stood aside ro see what Simon would do to his father.
Simon roared like a crazy lion, he launched at the old man with the cutlass, before he could drop the raised cutlass down on the old man, who had been bent over with age,the old man disappeared and the cutlass just cut through the air.
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 71-80
“Simon you’re chasing the wrong way, whatever is happening to your son isn’t me.” The old man said behind Simon he turned and swirled his sharp cutlass the old man teleported to a new location.
“This is the last warning Simon. Leave my compound I don’t know anything that happens to your son. You asked me to tie his brain, that’s just what I did.
I’ve been doing works for you for more than twenty years that’s why I have not punished you. If you raise your cutlass on me again, I will make that hand useless.” The old man said in a shaky hoarse voice.
Simon turned and raised his cutlass up, he dropped it down on the Juju Man’s head, the cutlass couldn’t touch his head, but Simon’s hand was frozen, the cutlass began to burn Simon’s hand he cried in pains.
He couldn’t let go of the cutlass, that had become red like coals, the woodwork of the cutlass had gotten burnt into aches, so was His hand.
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 71-80
“if I want to kill you, I’ll kill you here. You don’t ever try to fight the source of your power. I’ll never work for you again.
I didn’t harm you or your family but you want to harm me. Your hand will remain like that to teach you a lesson.” He said.
“Papa please let him go, you’ve already taught him a lesson.” He said. The old man let Simon go, the cutlass fell from hand, he ran away from the compound holding his injured hand, he got into the vehicle and drove his white beast away.
“It’s not Okache that did this to my son. Then who must have done this? Could it be one of my enemies? Who do I suspect, when I have so many enemies.” He mumbled in a whisper as he drove away from Okache’s village.
“Nobody will believe that I know nothing about my son’s condition. God please don’t let this boy die. I’ll lost my family.”
He said as he drove out of the bush.
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 71-80
After three days in the hospital, Ogwuche regained consciousness. Ogwuche had been operated upon, to remove the bad blood that had gathered around his neck.
Onyabehi ran back home when she got the message from Ene, she was the one with Ogwuche in the hospital for one week, until he was discharged.
“Daddy sorry ehn?” Alice said. Ogwuche nodded. “Is it paining you?” she asked he nodded he couldn’t talk.
“Daddy why are you not talking is it the wound on your neck.” Ogwuche nodded. Onyabehi came in with a with a plate of pap.
“Ogwuche please sit up let me give you the pap.”Onyabehi said with a painful grimace on her face. She had openly accused her father in law.
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 71-80
The whole clan had gathered for a meeting, when the tension in Simon’s family had become too much. Ene and her children had all turned their backs on Simon. They only greeted him and ask necessary questions, he was surprised Ejembi could also turn against him.
“Thank you my family. I thank you for all coming in to help this situation. I can’t kill my son Ogwuche.” Simon said “I am not involved in this. I only want my son to marry an idoma girl like all of us did.
That’s my only offence that he comes back home and get married to somebody from here. That’s all my offence oh.” Ogar said.
“I heard you threaten Ogwuche hear, a few weeks ago. You said you’ll deal with him for talking back at you.” Ochigbo said.
“Whatever I said I said out of anger, I didn’t mean it.” Simon said.
“What about the charms that was left in front of Ogwuche’s door a few weeks ago. My husband I fear you. If not for my children I would have returned back to my father’s house.
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 71-80
I don’t know what happened to you, this wasn’t the man I married thirty five years ago. See my son my pride, see him in his room, he cannot take himself to the toilet or bath, he had to be feed.”
Ene said crying.”He was okay in Gboko with his uncle, not for one day had his uncle ever called to say he was sick. I don’t know what you did to my son, I beg you on the name of God let him go.”
Ene said falling on her knees.
“Please if its how I spoke to you, please forgive me Simon.” She cried. ” Forgive me pardon my son, he has married who you want him to marry, what else please don’t kill him for me.” An elder lifted her from her knee.
Tears fell from Simon’s eyes, he knew he brought the doubts upon himself from the way he had lived his life.
It was dark he couldn’t see the faces of members of his extended family, he could feel the judgement in their voices.
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 71-80
He fetched sand from the ground. “I swear to God! Today if I have a hand in this health condition of Ogwuche let me die in my sleep, let me not see the next month.”he put the sand in his mouth and spat it out.
Onyabehi glared at him with hatred in her eyes, she wished she had powers she would have stroke him dead.
To be continued………
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 71-80
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