With elated eyes and a sinister grin, she chuckled at the slim piece of paper in her hand. It was a double strip mark, it was positive, she was pregnant, at least the ordinary first step pregnancy diagnosis test proved it. Her long dream was gradually taking its full turn. Heaving a mischievous sigh of relief, she hurriedly flushed the cistern bowl and left the bathroom.

***Somewhere in the jungle***

Reciting indistinct incantations, baba poured libation at pairs of tied effigies lying scattered around the putrid shrine. Now, with split kolanuts in one hand and a ringing bell in the other, he randomly flung each piece across the feather spunned carpet while chanting vigorously in an ominous manner. He had a sinister look which appealed to the evil world alone.

"My daughter," he began after spitting out phlegm in a red calabash on the altar. "This is the beginning of your fortune. Your demands have taken their due course in time in the spirit world and the water goddess has approved each request of yours accordingly."
The addressed body, a naked female,hidden in the dark with just her silhouette figure announcing her presence, giggled with evil pride. She ardently listened.

"There is a calabash right beside you, urinate in it," he ordered her. Reaching for it with haste, Nwakaego did accordingly, letting every drop in. It was reddish brown, she was obviously adhering to the prescribed potion. Baba's specification.

Nodding his head in affirmation, he picked it up and juxtaposed it with a selected effigy on the floor. A sudden flash shown in the incense filled room which had him erupt in wild, prolonged laughter. The air was electric.

"It is done," he continued.
"Listen attentively, take this along with you. In his next meal, instill a potion in it and leave the rest to the mother goddess." With that, he burst into yet another unholy laughter which caused a momentary turbulence in the air while he fastened the effigy more tightely.

"Thank you, wise one," Nwakaego, with a joyful countenance, replied with keen gratitude. 'The battle ground had been set,' she thought to herself, as she scurried along home...

***FICTION***

NB:
Uchenna Ugochukwu Ohanaka is a native of Mbieri in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo state, Nigeria.

A prolific Writer per excellence. A master story teller, a word weaver and a rare breed of our era.
With many beautiful short stories to his credit. Widely known for taking the minds of his readers on a thirsty journey into the imaginative realm, leaving them transfixed and wishing for more. 28 Nov 2016