Olamma

Episode 21

They got to a river and Atika asked her to go and wash off herself inside the river.

Olamma went to the river to wash herself, as she bent down over the water she saw a strange reflection.

Olamma looked round but did not see anybody close to her, She was the only one there. Atika was at another side collecting leaves from a tree branch and waiting for her to finish up.

Olamma bent over again and saw the same reflection, a strange older face filled with wrinkles.

She blinked her eyes and the reflection also blink. She try to ascertain if that was really her or some spirit playing tricks on her.
She raised a hand and touched her face, the reflection did exactly everything she was doing.

“This can’t be me. No…no…where is all my beauty? What happened to my face? Oh, by the gods, this can’t be me…No….
She ran out of the river. When Atika saw her running towards him, he pause from what he was doing and asked.
“The fleas are still on your skin…you did not wash as I instructed you to. Time is running, if you don’t wash off on time your skin will be eaten by the fleas until your death. You will look abnormal from very other person…
Olamma felt like crying out. She touch her face again before saying.

“I don’t know if it is my mind that is playing tricks on me or this is real. I was at the river to wash just as you instructed but I saw another person there who does exactly everything I try to do. That person can’t be me. She is ugly and has a wrinkled face…. I am the most beautiful maiden in my village and I don’t understand why I saw a strange reflection…it can’t me. I don’t believe it….
Atika smiled and came closer to her.
“That was your reflection Nne. Your facial beauty is gone. You have live and dine with the other world, they over fed you with the venom to make you grow bigger in time just for them to feast on you. You vomited the venom and transform to a normal human shape. You can’t be the same again. Your beauty is gone and you will have to live with yourself this way. The most important things is that you are alive. Now, rush down to the river and wash off immediately for your own good. You still have a deadly open wound on your arm which I need to quickly examine once we arrive at my shrine. Hurry up Nne and clean up…

Olamma turned and went back to the river. She washed up herself. Tears filled her eyes as she took her bath in the river.

How will she go back to her village like this, she was the most beautiful and now even her voice is not recognizable, she sound different from her old self. Everything has changed. She was angry at many things and wonder how she will face her people in her present condition.

The shame to face her people clouded her heart, how will she cope with living with herself. Her father and mother will still love her but she was no more the beautiful Olamma that makes men’s head to turn whenever she walk pass them.

The fleas that were stuck to her skin were gone. She felt a little free and also wish her real beauty will be restored back but it seems she has to live with her new self.

The journey with Atika continued. When they arrived at a place Atika stopped and began to whisper some incantations. She stood at a distance and watch.

Atika danced as he kept on with his chant and after sometime he went on one knee and stretch out his hand to Olamma who understood the signal and quickly grabbed his hand.