Chapter 24
At night into the savanna the long grass swung right left due to the strong Harmattan winds. The savanna whiling sound of the wind was loud that no movement or any animal sounds could be heard.
Suddenly in the savanna, Ama moved while running chased. On her was she meets up a dead fallen tree where she ran to hide under it. Under the tree, she constantly kept turning back heavily breathing due to the long run. After she rested from a moment, she turned to a tree before her some few meters away. To where she was hiding, she was not safe from what she was running from.
Without hesitation, she stood and rushed to the tree. Before reaching on the tree she got trembled and fell to the ground. Before getting up she fast turned back to see if still she was being chased, she saw a wolf was running toward her.
Pumping her last adrenaline in her system, she rose from the ground and rushed to the tree where she quickly climbed. The hungry wolf stopped under the tree barking to her. On the tree she faced down the wolf. She had regrets as to why she had gone to the savanna.
Ama on the tree she said under her breath, “Where are you Ofori.” She had never walked to the savanna all she heard that the savanna was dangerous but she did not believed it. With the experience she confessed in her heart she will never walk to the savanna. After the words that she talked to herself, the brunch that he was seated on broke. The bang would rendered her injured but due to the presence of the wolf under the tree, she surely would have died. But before she landed on the ground Ofori appeared where he held her with his two arms as a hero.
If he was a normal human, she could not have saved her because the fall needed a super human speed. On Ofori’s hand she gazed to him this was the second time that he arrived to her rescue at the right time. Ofori questioning her presence he faced her back silent. Ama broke the silence and awkward moment of lovers look by facing the other side where she noticed the wolf was lying dead on the ground and sprint of his arms. Then he calmly asked her,
“Ama what are you doing here?”
“I wanted to talk to you.”
“This savanna is dangerous to walk and you are a lady.”
“I know but I knew you were going to rescue me.”
“And what if I was not near?”
“I had faith that you would come to my rescue.”
Not knowing the right word to tell her how much the savanna was dangerous for her, he faced her silently. Without taking the situation serious she sat under the tree and said, “I have a question?” Ofori still silently faced her. She then added,
“The day we meet did you killed the clan of elders?”
“Why are you asking me that question?”
“It’s wrong but I do understand they were the ones who caused you this pain.”
“I have not to feed for so long and stop sitting stand up and let me walk you back to the village is not safe for you being with me now for long.”
Ama rose from where she sat on and said, “First answer me did you killed the clan of elders?” Ofori replied, “Am not the only beast in the community there is also the cult and I have answered your question. I have not to feed lately.”
It was at night in the Baoule land where there were two guards heavily armed they were guarding the Baoule’s lands entrance. The guards held a flaming torch to make the night visible for them and spear for a sudden attack. The guards were facing silently facing the savanna.
Suddenly the guards noticed a man at a distance holding a flaming touch walking towards them. Quickly the guards reacted by pointing a spear at the man. The man who was wearing a long clock and its hut immediately reached to where the guards stopped and said, “I come in peace.”
As they pointed spears to him ready to attack one of them asked, “Who are you?” The man on the clock dropped the hat of the clock that was Chief Ashanti and responded,
“I want to speak with the chef.”
“What do you want to say to him?”
“It’s something important.” The guards reacted by facing each other in suspense.
The next moment Chief Ashanti was standing outside the chef’s house and the two guards were standing beside him. The Baoule chef walked out of his house where he walked and stopped before Chief Ashanti. They were neighbors’ community whom they had made good friendship. In joy of seeing his long lost friend Baoule chef said, “My brother Chief Ashanti long times no seen.” To have a private talk plus to make Chief Ashanti comfortable to the environment he ordered his guards to give them privacy.
Immediately the guards walked away Baoule’s chef faced Chief Ashanti and asked,
“Why have you paid a visit at night?”
“I have a problem and I need some help.” The Baoule’s chef held Chief Ashanti's shoulder and said, “Let talk about this in.” then they both walked into the house.
Back in the Akan land, Ofori walked with Ama beside him. As they were walking, she said,
“Walking with you and talking to you feel so nice, I wish this would happen every day.”
“But next time if you need me don’t take such a risk just call out my name, I can hear you no matter the distance.”
“Ok be ready for me I will be calling you like every time.”
As they were walking, Ama stopped at Agyemang’s and Opokuaa’s home where also Ofori stopped beside Ama facing the his former home. Then she as she was facing the home she asked,
“Do you remember this place?”
“I can never forget the place where I was born in.”
He turned to her whom was still facing Agyemang’s home admiring that he would have known here before. Due to his thirst of blood, he noticed her artery that to him it was thumbing loud. The more he gazed the thumping intensified.
Knowing the temptation will lead to an awful act he let the human in him take over the beast where the thumping stopped. Then he moved closer to her and hugged her where she hugged him back while looking confused not knowing the reason of the sudden act.
As the two were both sunk in the moment Serwa behind them Shouted, “Hey you two.” It was at night she did not have a clear look and it was strange for two people standing before her home. Ofori reacted by slowly pulling off the hug and faced Serwa her sister. Immediately she saw it was her brother Ofori she exclaimed, “Ofori!” He responded calmly called her back, “Serwa!”
Not believing what she saw she replied, “Please tell me this is not a dream.” Happy to see her sister she “Serwa is me Ofori your brother.” Serwa rushed and hugged Ofori as she was crying, she had long missed him though he knew he was dead man walking she did not cared plus she felt the sparks of blood bond. Ama silent stood beside the watching.
The next morning Opokuaa Serwa’s walked out of the hut as she was yawning due to the long sleep at night. Suddenly her blood pressure raised by the look that she had of the her kitchen smoking. She quickly ran to the kitchen where she entered to find her daughter Serwa kneeling beside the fire blowing the fire. It was odd for her; she was a heavy sleeper by the look of her mother she knew her daughter was in a good mood.
After the fire lighted up Serwa raised to find her mother standing on the doorstep. Serwa happily said to her mother,
“Good morning mother.”
“Morning my daughter but.” Serwa interrupted her mother's words by quickly responding, “Is it wrong waking up to help you?” Opokuaa curiously asked her, “Have you done anything wrong?” after seing her dead brother live she was beyond happiness she joyful responded,
“No! no! Mother.”
“Why are you so nice today?”
Opokuaa faced Serwa who was facing her back while smiling. Then Opokuaa faced at the tea that was on the fire and said,
“Ok look after the tea and I will wash the utensil.”
“I have already washed them.”
“Serwa tell me are you ok?”
“Mother am ok first I want to leave you looking after the tea as I go to the river to fetch water.”
“It’s early for that.”
Serwa took the pot faced her mother and said, “Today I feel joy flowing through my veins,” then Serwa walked out of the kitchen leaving Opokuaa astonished with her weird joy.
In the river, Serwa dipped the pot into the water waiting for it to run full. It was very early where nobody dared to walk at the rived at the time due to the intense cold. But those were the times that Akyaa used to go to the river to fetch water. Immediately Serwa pulled off the pot of the river and kept the pot on the riverbed to get a good posture to take up the pot. Akyaa behind her said, “Hello!”
Serwa turning back she saw her and happily responded, “How are you Akyaa?” that was odd to Akyaa because Serwa was her biggest enemy with a reason that she did not understand clearly. But due to Ofori she gave her the respect of a friend’s sister. She responded as they were long friends,
“What’s up?”
“Joyful mood, would you need some help on the pot.”
Akyaa responded, “Yes!” as she handles over her pot to her. Without remembering the pain that she had brought to her brother she took Akyaa’s pot knelt to the river and fetch water still as Akyaa was facing her. After Serwa finished fetching water in Akyaa’s pot she placed the pot beside her feet where Akyaa said,
“It’s no normal for to come in the river this early.”
“Why? You don’t you know my life.”
“No all I know I have been always coming in the river alone at this time.”
The response was diminishing but she was not in any bad mood. She breathed in and out heavily and responded, “Today is all about good energy.” Then she picked up her pot and placed it on his head and as she was leaving away, she said to Akyaa, “Your pot is full.”
After Serwa made a few steps, away Akyaa faced her and not having the clear words to express herself she asked, “Do you believe in the dead coming back to life?” Serwa paused faced Akyaa back and said, not wanting to disclose what was in her head she responded but curious of why the question she responded, “Somehow! Why?”
“I saw Ofori.”
“When?”
“Some two days ago.”
“Are you sure you were not dreaming?”Akyaa kept silent where Serwa with no hesitation she walked. Though meeting her brother it was joyful, she did not want to open up to people because she knew how people of the village would react.
Ama was at the garden in the morning under a pears tree. Under the pears tree, she faced a ripe pear on the tree. Wanting to eat pears, she jumped multiple times to reach the pears where it was impossible. In good luck, she noticed a long stick beside the tree where she took it.
Then using the long stick, she hit the pears and it fell on the ground. She dropped the stick and faced back to take the fallen pears. Immediately she raised she found Serwa standing before her. She took the pears and asked Serwa, “What’s wrong?”
“Can we meet today with him?” Ama not expecting such a question she responded with a low tone, “You are insane coming this early to ask me such a question.” Serwa responded,
“I want to tell him something.”
“Ok, ok we will talk with him at night not now.”
“And I have a question?”
“Immediately I answer your question go before my father suspect anything.”
“How many people know about Ofori.”
“I will be brief is other three people.”
“Is my mother part of those three?”
“Just go now we will talk at night.”
Before Serwa said another word Ama gently pushed her away while saying, “Go, go I will come for you at your home at night.” It was risky for them to be sawn talking. Serwa as she was resisting the pushed she said, “Ok but I will be waiting.”
In the evening when the darkness had started to fall over the land. Ama was silently moving alone along the road. Then she stopped beside Agyemang’s home the father to Serwa to call out Serwa. She had gone take her so that they can both go to see Ofori. After continuous calling of her name, the home was still silent and no movement. Due to the current situation of the community, it rose suspense to her.
In good luck, a woman at that time was passing by her. She took the advantage of the moment by stopped the woman and politely started by, “Hello!” the woman stopped face her and replied,
“Hello, Ama?”
“Do you leave round this place?”
“Yes am the neighbor to Serwa who you are calling.”
“And have you seen Serwa of late?”
“No, actually the home has been silent since afternoon.”
“Ok thank you.”
“What do you wanted from her?” Ama responded as she was giggling, “It is nothing important.” Then the woman walked away as she responded, “Ok.”
Immediately the woman walked away, Ama slowly entered the home. As she slowly walked up to the main hut where she found the door was broken. She suspiciously walked in the hut where she found everything was unorderly. Turning to her left side, she saw a pool of blood that astonished her. it was a prove that something bad had happened.