Chapter 71
"To whom?" She sounded a bit disappointed and almost upset now. "I thought most of you priests have never lain with a woman before? Why are you different?"
"Well, I didn't give it out simply because I wanted to. My stepmother took it; she raped me when I was fifteen!"
"She did what!" Kikelomo angrily fisted her hands at her sides now. "You mean she stole your innocence?!"
"It was very long ago, princess, and I've forgiven her."
She ground her jaws. "It doesn't matter if it was many years ago or if you have forgiven her! It doesn't! What mattered is I wanted to be your first!" She indignantly stated in an entitled manner.
He suddenly exclaimed as he gave her a surprised and confused look now. "What!"
"You heard me... I have always imagined how it was going to be like to share my virginity with yours. The blood of virginity makes people bond! It would have made you mine forever."
"Wait a minute, hold on, just hold on..." He held up open palm towards her. "...have you actually forgotten that I'm a priest?"
"Who cares about that? You won't need the priesthood when you become a king! Besides, there are perks to being a king that being a priest lacks." Kikelomo stated.
"Who said anything about becoming a king? I don't want to be a king!" He quickly said.
"Don't be ungrateful, Vincent! Do you know how many men are fighting and struggling to be on that throne by hoping to make me their wife?! Here I'm offering it to you in a platter and you are going to throw it back at my face?!"
"I don't know how many men are dying to make you their wife, but what I definitely know is that I'm not one of them, neither am I vying for the throne! I came to this kingdom to win more souls for Christ not to sit on a throne. I'm not even supposed to have anything to do with the opposite sex! I've taken the solemn oath of chastity and I'm sticking to it!"
"Then why are you seen all over the place with Ige if you really value your oath! Why are you so difficult and unreceptive when it comes to me? What does that girl have that I do not, tell me and I'll get it!"
"To correct your notion, princess, I've nothing to do with Ewatomi. The only relationship between us is studying the scriptures together. She's eager to learn about God and fascinated by the stories from the bible but you are not."
"And that makes her better than I'm?" Kikelomo angrily asked. "That makes her special to you?" She raised her voice. "Please, do not misunderstand my words. I did not say that she's special to me."
"Then stop moving around with her!" She jolted to her feet. "If you are to be seen around this village with any woman? I should be the one and no one else!"
Seeing that the conversation might only worsen things, Vincent rose to his feet. "I'm sorry if I have offended you with my words in any way, princess and I assure you that that was never my intent." He said politely. "But I've to take my leave now. I've something to do in church."
As he turned and started to walk away, Kikelomo asked, "Did you enjoy having sex with your stepmother?"
Caught off-guard by the question, Vincent paused and partially turned to look at her. "No." He answered.
"Do you feel bonded with her?" She asked again.
"No."
"Did she try to force you a second time?"
Vincent hesitated now. "Wait, why are you asking me all these?"
"Just answer the question!" She gritted through clenched teeth.
Vincent sighed. "Fine... Yes, she tried to force herself on me again but I didn't let it happen. Can I go now?"
Kikelomo hesitated, still seething, she reluctantly answered. "You may."
Relieved that she had not said otherwise, Vincent turned and started to briskly walk away from her, something occurred to him and he paused and said over his shoulder. "I mean no disrespect, Princess, but when next you wish to see me, come to the church." Before Like could say anything, Vincent quickly made his way out of the palace. He didn't know why, but being around her made him very uneasy, and now that he had discovered that she could be very overbearing, he wanted to be around her less.
★★★
A few days later, Njideka who was watching TV in the living room, paused when she heard the sound of hissing. Ignoring it when she didn't hear it again, she focused on the soap opera she was watching. Suddenly, the hissing came again and it was much louder. Getting on her knees on the couch, she turned to peer down behind the chair but saw nothing after scanning the floor.
Concluding that she had only imagined the sound, she settled down, placed a throw pillow on her lap and continued watching the TV program. Suddenly, she flinched when she heard a thud on the door as if something heavy had been thrown against it.
Rising from the chair in irritation, she walked to the door, opened it and glanced outside. After scanning the compound and realizing that there was no one around, she closed the door, locked it, pulled the curtain then turned to return to her chair but was she saw next made her freeze then she let out a loud horrific scream of terror.
Her entire sitting room was crawling with snakes of different species and sizes. They were all over the floor, on the fan which had stopped spinning; they were slithering around and over the television and center table and were on every chair in the living room. Njideka flattened her back against the door in terror and continued to scream as she watched the serpents take over her living room. Suddenly, the bathroom door slowly creaked open.
★★★
Kikelomo majestically stepped out of the bathroom and looked Njideka in the eyes. Her eyes were serpentine, her tongue was forked and her skin was scaly.
"Who are you?" Njideka asked in a frightened voice, also trying to avoid the snakes on the floor from slithering too close to her feet or coming in contact with any part of her body.
"I'm your nightmare and I've come to repay you for what you did twelve years ago." Kikelomo answered.
"Twelve years ago? What are you talking about? I don't even know you?" She shuddered as a cobra slithered over her foot and went under the chair. Somehow, she noticed that none of the snakes seemed to be attaching her. It was as if they were not even aware of her presence. Rather, they were just going about their business, crawling over each other and flickering their tongues.
"Oh... Do you want a flash down memory lane?" Kikelomo asked sinisterly. "You have stolen from me what should be mine and for that, I'll give you the most painful death about."
"Pleeaaasssse!!!" Njideka pleaded in tears now. "Spare my life whoever you are. I'm a lonely widow who has no children. What have I done to you that you seek my life? We have never even crossed paths before."
"Do you Vincent?" Kikelomo asked
Her eyes narrowed. "Vincent? He's my stepson but I've not seen him since his father was buried."
"Do you remember forcing yourself on him and taking his virginity when he was yet a boy?"
Njideka sheepishly lowered her head. "But that was so many years ago. I have even forgotten that I did such a thing. Did Vincent send you here? But he's a priest. What business has light with darkness?"
"Love!" Kikelomo took a step forward. "I'm in love with him! And whether he likes it or not, he's going to be my crown, but you have stolen from me what would have made us bond better."
"But he can't sleep with you? He can't even be in a relationship with any woman. He's a priest." Njideka tried to convince her.
"And you think that I don't know all that?" Kikelomo snapped and Njideka flinched. "All that wouldn't matter anymore once I win him over. Sleeping with him would have done him no harm if he was still chaste, but now, in order to make sure that he doesn't get hurt from laying with me, I'll have to give up my powers! Do you know how much sacrifice that is?! You stole this opportunity from me and instead, you have put me between the rock and the hard place! You have put me in a situation where I've to choose between my love for him and my need for my powers!" She hissed.
"I'm sorry... If only I knew that this would come to haunt me someday, especially in this way, I'd have left the boy alone." Njideka said in regret.
"And yet, you tried to take him again! You tried to force him into bed with you!" Kikelomo spat. "I've not come here to mince words with you, woman! Nor have I come all the way here to listen to your pathetic excuses and lies! Now, you shall face my wrath!" Immediately Kikelomo said the words, all the snakes that had been idly crawling around in a lazy manner suddenly became very active and the sound of their loud hissing filled the room.
Lifting their heads off the floor, they all suddenly turned their heads towards Njideka who began to pant- "No, no, no..." She said in terror as she shook her head. The snakes began to slither towards her in their numbers and Njideka began to scream. She tried to open the door so she could make a run for it but a snake which had secretly coiled itself around the handle of the door, gave her first bite and she quickly withdrew her hand in pain.
The other snakes surrounded her feet and began to lung at her in ones, pairs and groups, biting her and pumping their venom into her bloodstream. By the time a quarter of them had bitten her, she was almost paralyzed and slowly slid down to the floor with her back against the door.
As her eyeballs which had gone red from her own blood slowly lifted to look at Kikelomo, blood streamed down her nostrils and ears and her eyes widened in shock when a viper slithered on Kikelomo's right arm which she had stretched out towards her. When the snake reached the back of Kikelomo's hand with its predatory eyes fixed on Njideka, flicking its tongue, it pulled its head back in a tight coil then suddenly catapulted itself at Njideka, lashing its fangs onto her throat.
★★★
The church was filled to the brim on Sunday and the congregation had queued before the altar to receive the Holy Communion from the priest. After taking the Communion, the members would return to sit on their pews with a somber look on their faces while some would bow down their heads to quietly pray.
Just then, Vincent glanced towards the door when he saw someone slowly approach the entrance of the church in a tentative manner. The heads of other members turned at that moment and even though there was surprise registered on their faces, they said nothing. Babatunde who was astounded to see his daughter standing at the entrance of the church, exchanged a smile with Vincent and for the very first time, he seemed very proud.
Taking a cup of wine and the piece of bread, Vincent made his way through the queuing congregation and approached Ewatomi. "What an unexpected surprise. You are welcome to the house of God by the way and it feels good to see you again after so many days. Can you open your mouth please?"
Ewatomi drew back her head and shoulders as she gave him a confused look. Glancing down at the items in his hands, she asked, "What's that?"
"It's called the Holy Communion." Vincent answered. "They both represent Christ's body. This wine represents his blood while this bread, his flesh." He explained.
"But those do not look like blood and flesh to me." She asked after craning her neck to take a peek into the cup.
Vincent smiled. "Just regard it as an expression." Then he took the bread towards her mouth and when she reluctantly opened her mouth, he placed the bread in it and asked her to chew. After that, he offered her to drink from the cup.
After swallowing, she said with a frown. "I don't feel any different...am I supposed to feel any different?" She curiously asked.
"Not yet...and it won't be physically too..." He answered, I never expected you to show up in church... I mean, ever since our last conversation, we haven't seen each other for two weeks or so." He said, not wanting to voice out that he had missed her.
"I told you I'd think about it." She answered.
"Took you an awfully long time to think about it..." He teased her then asked in a serious tone, "So, have you made up your mind now?"
"Yes, but I'll only agree to do it there...not in the church" She partially turned and pointed at one of the biggest trees outside in the churchyard.
"Fine... As long as it's still within the church premises, I don't mind." He agreed.
The Parish priest approached them with a pleased smile on his face. "Father Vincent?" He called and Vincent turned to look at him.
"Father." Vincent said. "Please meet-" He started to make introductions, but the Parish Priest held up his hand, stopping him, his eyes fixed on Ewatomi. "That will not be necessary, father. I already know who she is...though I've never seen her come to the church before and it's really a surprise. Things like this call for celebrations."
"She's here to get some education and also study the Bible." Vincent informed the priest. "And I've volunteered to help her."
"And while doing so, I hope she'll accept to be one of us someday, and perhaps convince her mother and other maidens like herself to give their lives to Christ."
"Hopefully..." Vincent said in hope as he stared at Ewatomi who said nothing, then placing a hand on her back, and guiding her to the last pew on the row, closer to the door, he said to her, "Sit down, we are almost done with mass. Once, we are done with it, I'll come attend to you as soon as I can." He told her and she simply nodded.
When Vincent left Ewatomi and started walking down the aisle towards the altar, the Parish Priest caught up with him and said, "Well done, father. I can see that you are doing a good job. You have captured one of the souls I thought could never be won in this village and I'm certain that God will not leave you halfway in totally winning her over to Christ."
Vincent simply smiled and gave the priest a small bow of his head.