CHAPTER 20

The cries of burning woods and straws shunned the melody of the morning, accompanied by smoke that clouded the place, making it almost impossible to see clearly. Broken pots, calabash, and their contents streamed the dusty floor, with a smell that melded with the white smoke.

“What happened here” Ada heard herself say. It was more of a statement than a question. The frame of some huts were still burning, while some only had the heap of ashes to testify the majesty of the glory they once had.

“Barbarians” Chira, one of the girls said. Her words sent a chill down Ada’s spine. All her life she had spent in the palace, she had never seen such destruction as this. Even the stories of the village story tellers were nothing compared to what was before her. It was as if the forces of underworld, had set lose on earth.