CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: HER PAST

Chapter Eighteen: Her Past

She found out that I was from Umuguor community. How the hell did she know I had the same similar mark at the back of my hand.

I sat still as we stared into each other, searching for the deepest secrets. She had not said a word after praising the god forsaken HIJIRAR.

Who the hell is even Hijirar?

I stood up from the little chair, taking careful steps to get the food I left on the tray. I carried the tray and walked to the door that led out of the kitchen. Getting to the door, I turned back facing the old lady that sat down peering into me.

"Don't tell Ovie that I am from Umuguor community. He doesn't have to know that I am the chosen one" I said with all seriousness.

I didn't want her to go spill my secret over to Ovie. He shouldn't know that I am the chosen one. But I didn't know old lady Papirus was not that kind of person.

"I won't" her old crooked voice spoke out,a little bit low.

"Thanks"

I said as I turned, already walking out of the kitchen.

"A secret can't be hidden forever. It will come out,one day" her words interrupted my steps.

I stood, still holding the tray. I pondered on her sayings with utmost importance. She actually has a point. I knew I couldn't hide my secret from him. But I still don't want to tell him. Not yet, but maybe in the nearest future.

"I do know that, telling him would break your relationship but he has to know" old lady Papirus said as she stood.

"What if I don't tell him now? What if I tell him in the nearest future?" I asked.

"It's your choice" she said as she grabs a cup of water.

"We got to start eating before the food gets cold" she says with a smile.

I nodded, holding the tray firmly I took careful steps, walking into the sitting room.

"Oh yeah, Finally! Food is ready" Ovie exclaimed with a smirk.

I placed the tray of food on the dinning table that was at a little corner of the sitting room. Ovie bounced up and down like a happy child, walking to the dinner table. He sits on a chair while I sit close to him. Old lady Papirus was at the other side of the table.

"So, what do we have as breakfast" Ovie said, more like a question.

He uncovered the plates while old lady Papirus and I sat staring at him. I moved closer to her and whispered into her ears.

"Old lady Papirus, let's play a game" I whispered into her ears with a grin.

Understanding the meaning of what I whispered, she chuckled. As Ovie opened the first plate, he smiled seeing scrambled eggs.

"Hmm, scrambled eggs are one of my favorites" her muttered breathing into the unique scent of the eggs.

Suddenly, old lady Papirus slapped his off the plate.

"Old lady, what was that for?" Ovie asked rubbing his hand that was slapped.

"The scrambled eggs are not for you. They are for me" old lady Papirus said, covering the opened plate.

Ovie murmured while I laughed inwardly. I had initiated the game. Ovie didn't help with cooking instead he wanted to help with eating. So he wasted his time playing games, it's time for me and old lady Papirus to play our own game.

I chuckled at the thought.

Ovie moved on to open another plate. He had a large smile seeing cheese. Picking up his spoon to scoop a little, I slapped the spoon off his hands.

"The cheese is mine" I said pretending to be arrogant.

Looked like it worked. Ovie smiled, seeing two more plates. He grabbed one, opening it he sees butter. Trying to have some in his mouth, the old lady slapped his hands off.

"It's mine" she said giving a long hiss.

Ovie didn't want to give up. Maybe he didn't get the clear message we were trying to pass on to him. A little bit dumb!

He uncovered the last plate and seeing a loaf of bread,he smiled even more. But I cut short his expectations,by slapping his hands off when he wanted to get some bread.

Ovie breathed heavily.

"Can't I have anything?" He asked but no one answered him.

"No you won't until you learn to have manners or maybe gratitude" old lady Papirus said.

Ovie breathed heavily again, somehow having understanding of the game and trying to figure out something.

"Okay, thanks for preparing the food and also thank you so much old lady Papirus, for taking us in . I'm really grateful" Ovie says with a pitiful face.

His gratitude must have really worked. His face beamed with unstoppable smiles as we dropped the plates. In no time he dug into the food, eating it like he had never done before. He would have choked on the food if not for the water old lady Papirus had brought.

"Eat slowly, it's not like the food is running away" old lady Papirus told him occasionally as he ate the food.

#####

' Breakfast was good'. So said by Ovie. Actually, he is right. Breakfast was awesome but what would happen after breakfast.

I cleared the dinning table and made sure the used plates were washed. Old lady Papirus was surprised at my hard work nature. She was sure I would make wife probably to Ovie.(I can't wait to see those sexy body lines of Ovie. Hope he has wonderful six packs) I chuckled at the thought.

I came back to the sitting room to meet old lady Papirus and Ovie, peering into each other. Old lady Papirus was somehow a lot creepy. She would give you a look that would make her look like a witch.

I rolled my eyes and walked up her and sat close to her. Ovie was disappointed that I didn't sit with him. I knew he had planned out some bad things he do if I sat with him. Some really bad stuff!

"Old lady Papirus, can you tell us a story or maybe about you. A story about you would be great" Ovie spoke out, staring at my legs.

What? At my legs! What is he looking at in my legs?

Taking a good look at his eyes, I noticed that he was just taking a look at my awesome body shape. I wasn't sure if I was beautiful,I haven't seen myself in a mirror for days.

"Ok, I will tell you about my past. But you will have to stop examining Naagin's body shape" old lady Papirus said.

Okay, that was it. The old lady had caught him. Ovie coughed and changed his body posture with a smirk for being caught. I also arranged myself in order to listen to a story.

"This is how my life goes"

******

Her name was Sylvia Herbert. First child and eldest of Mr Bright Herbert. She graduated with being the best student from oxblood University of her time in Benin city. This only means that she was unique and intelligent. Being the first child, she also had two siblings which are

Favour Herbert a girl given birth after her and Lucky Herbert the boy and last born.

She was beautiful and since her family was stinkily rich, she had many suitors. But she didn't want to get married, she wanted to pursue her dream of being a successful business woman. Her father liked the idea, at least she would help with his company.

After she had finished University, she joined the family company as the CEO(Chief executive officer). This was because,her father was getting old was not able to handle the company. As luck would have it, the company prospered and became one of the biggest in Casablanca.

She earned the name lady Papirus when she finished a huge project. Her project brought game , glory and a lot of money to the company. Her father and family were all proud of her.

Things got serious when she fell in love with a young and handsome doctor whose name was Mark Kenji. Their union brought about three children just like her father and mother did. Two girls and one boy who is the last.

When the snake god chose her as his priestess,her father refused. Her father didn't want her to leave the company and become a priestess for a god.

So the snake god struck him down, bringing him to his death. Slyvia wept at the death of her dad. She didn't eat for two weeks.

She became the priestess anyways and her name was changed to Old Lady Papirus. She liked the name and performed her duty as the priestess while running the family business. She got her children in school and they came back being just like their mother. With uniqueness and intelligence.

During the war between Umuguor community and Agbejor community, she watched as her children were killed right in front of her. She had powers in defending herself and her family but she couldn't. She could not defeat the known sorcerer (Mr Huck) who brought about the war because of greed.

She was able to escape into the Umuguor forest since she is the only one who can go into it. She watched as Umuguor community was burned down and the survivals of the war was were taken as slaves.

*****

"That's how I have come to live here" old lady Papirus concluded her story.

Tears was evidently on her face. I felt for her. She had lost everything to the war. Her family,riches ,her children and her people.

"I'm so sorry old lady Papirus" Ovie apologized.

"You should not be sorry. The people that were killed and captured are also your people. We just have to wait for the chosen one to come of age" old lady Papirus said, staring at me.