Answering My Destiny
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The first time I saw the Star Dragon, it was in a dream. The dragon had been sleeping for centuries and would never awaken again unless someone could answer its call to action by waking up his consciousness with their own power of will—a feat that only one person on earth possessed: me!
It took many years before my friends believed this vision from God’s heart truly existed; but when they did believe, we all worked together as hard as possible toward our goal…to save mankind.” —From the book “A Journey Through Time” written by Aisha Ngozi-Ogbu (aka Princess)
I opened my eyes slowly, taking deep breaths until I felt rested enough to move about without fainting or throwing up. Then I looked around at where I’d fallen asleep, which happened to be inside a large tent made out of some kind of thick cloth material.
There were two beds within the shelter, both covered in blankets and pillows like mine. Both beds faced each other across an aisle between them so there wasn’t any danger of anyone falling off into space while trying to get comfortable. In fact, everything seemed fine except for one thing…the absence of light outside the entrance flap of the tent.
That meant night had already come since dawn hadn’t yet arrived. But how long ago? And why didn’t I feel tired after spending most of yesterday unconscious? Maybe because I slept through part of today too, I thought as I sat upright on the bed. I knew better than to ask questions right now though.
Instead, I just stretched out my legs and arms and waited patiently for whatever came next.
After several minutes passed, something finally stirred behind me. When I turned around, I found myself looking down upon a woman who appeared very much older than her twenty-four years. Her skin was dark brown, almost black, and she wore a simple white dress over top of what must have once been another garment underneath.
She also sported a headdress similar to those worn by women back home in Nigeria. However, unlike the ones used during ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, and religious services, hers consisted of a single piece of fabric wrapped tightly around her forehead and tied under the chin.
On either side of it hung beads strung along thin cords that dangled freely beneath the edges of her hairline. This particular style reminded me more of traditional African hairstyles rather than anything else.
As soon as I noticed the woman standing above me, she spoke up. “Good evening,” said the old lady. “It is good you are awake. We’ve all been waiting anxiously for your return.” Without saying another word, she walked away briskly towards the opposite end of the small room.
By the time she reached the door, however, she stopped dead in her tracks. After staring intently at nothing for a few seconds, she then let out a loud sigh followed by, “Oh well!” As if that explanation alone explained everything, she left the tent and headed straight for the nearest campfire set up near the center of the encampment.
Once there, she started gathering wood pieces and placing them onto the fire pit until flames began licking upward. With no further hesitation, she picked up a pot hanging nearby and placed it atop the growing blaze. Soon thereafter, steam rose from the boiling liquid within making everyone stop what they were doing to watch.
Apparently, this was not a normal occurrence here in these parts.
When the sound of splashing water filled my ears, I realized whoever had brought me food earlier must have returned with clean clothes for washing purposes. At least, that’s what I assumed since the smell of soap wafting throughout the air told me exactly where I needed to go next.
Soaking wet, I stepped out of the tent and immediately spotted a young man carrying a bucket of fresh water. He quickly handed it to me and asked, “Are you ready?”
My reply sounded far less enthusiastic than he probably expected. “Yes,” I replied simply, hoping to avoid getting into any unnecessary conversation. Besides, I wanted to wash off the grime and sweat accumulated over the past couple of days anyway. Who knows, maybe the warm bathwater would even help me sleep tonight.
Once I finished rinsing off, I changed into the new garments provided by the stranger. They weren’t fancy by any means, but they fit perfectly and dried fast thanks to the heat generated by the campfire. No sooner had I pulled on the shirt and pants than the rest of the people gathered around us began talking excitedly among themselves.
Some were asking questions while others offered suggestions regarding how best to proceed. All of them, including the elderly woman who stood beside the cookpot stirring the contents inside, stared directly at me. Not sure what to make of it, I decided to remain silent and wait for things to play out instead.
Soon afterward, the old lady approached me wearing an expression that suggested she couldn’t decide whether to smile or frown. Finally, she settled on a mixture of both emotions before speaking loudly enough for everyone to hear. “You needn’t worry yourself about our customs anymore,” she announced.
“We will gladly explain everything to you later, but first we should introduce ourselves properly. My name is Mama Nkechi.” Turning her attention toward the group, she continued, “These are my children: Chukwudi, Uchechukwu, Akachi…”
“And me,” added the last person to join their ranks. His voice rang clearly across the clearing as he introduced himself. “I am Osaze.”
The old woman nodded approvingly after hearing his introduction. Then, without warning, she pointed at each member of the family one by one. “This is my son, Chukwudifu; my daughter, Uchenna; my grandson, Ochuko…and finally, yours truly, Mama Nkechi.”
Everyone looked at me expectantly now, awaiting my response. What could I say? The only thing I knew for certain was that I didn’t want to offend anyone by refusing to answer when spoken to. That being said, I wasn’t quite sure why they felt the need to do so in the first place.
Surely, I already understood what kind of culture existed here. It just seemed like a waste of energy to keep repeating the same information over again. And besides, I really did feel tired right now – too exhausted actually to care anymore.
So, in spite of my better judgment, I answered the question posed to me. “Please forgive me, but I don’t understand,” I stated politely. “Why is that necessary?”
Mama Nkechi shrugged her shoulders apologetically. “Our way has always been to share important details of our lives with those we meet along the road. This includes names, ages, professions, places of origin, and other such facts. In fact, it might be considered rude otherwise.”
She paused momentarily to allow me to process her words fully. When I still appeared confused, she went on. “For example, if you met someone traveling through your village, wouldn’t you ask him his name, age, profession, birthplace, etcetera?”
That made sense, I supposed. But, despite knowing all of this beforehand, I’d never once thought about introducing myself to strangers. Maybe because I’ve traveled extensively throughout Europe and North America during my lifetime.
Or perhaps it was due to the fact that most folks back home tended to treat foreigners differently than natives. Either way, I figured it was pointless to continue dwelling upon this subject much longer. After all, there were more pressing matters at hand right now. Like finding a good spot to lay down and get some well-deserved shut eye.
“Well then, please excuse me for not understanding,” I responded. “But I’m afraid I’ll fall asleep standing up soon if I don’t find somewhere comfortable to sit.”
Mama Nkechi chuckled softly and shook her head. “No need to apologize, dear traveler. You’re certainly welcome to stay here until morning. We can talk further then.”
***
By dawn’s light, several hours passed since I arrived at the campsite. By that time, I found myself sitting comfortably next to a crackling fire waiting patiently for the others to wake up. While doing so, I noticed something strange happening within the cooking pot. At first glance, nothing seemed wrong.
However, as I watched carefully, I realized the water had begun bubbling slightly faster than normal. Within moments, steam rose from its surface which eventually turned into white clouds that quickly evaporated away. As far as I could tell, no additional ingredients were needed to produce these results.
Which meant whatever was going on inside must have originated naturally.
Then, suddenly, the lid popped open! A large amount of liquid splashed onto the ground where it immediately started boiling vigorously. Before long, the entire surface became covered in small bubbles rising upward rapidly.
From a distance, it almost resembled the ocean waves seen on television screens late at night when the weather channel ran special programs featuring live footage taken from various locations around the world.
At length, the sound of voices reached my ears. They came from behind me and sounded vaguely familiar. So, I stood up slowly and walked toward them while keeping my eyes fixed firmly on the scene unfolding before me.
There, I saw five people huddled together near a makeshift table built out of logs. Each of them wore traditional clothing consisting of brightly colored skirts and shirts. Their hair also differed greatly depending on gender.
For instance, women generally sported braids whereas men usually kept theirs short and simple. All things considered, though, everyone present seemed rather attractive. Especially the young girl who sat directly opposite me.
Her skin glowed radiantly under the early morning sun, making her appear even younger than she probably was.
As I approached, I heard another voice speaking loudly. “Hey!” exclaimed a man whose face was obscured beneath a dark hood. He continued shouting angrily. “What are you doing?! Stop messing around with the damn stove or else there won’t be anything left to eat tonight.”
The woman seated across from him shot him an annoyed look. Then, turning toward me, she asked, “Are you alright, sir?”
I nodded in reply. “Yes, thank you very much. My apologies for interrupting your meal. Please go ahead without me.”
She smiled warmly. “Don’t worry about us. Go take a seat over there instead.” Turning back to her companions, she added, “We should finish eating soon anyway. Just give him a few minutes.”
With that said, the group resumed their conversation. The only sounds remaining were the occasional clink of utensils against plates and bowls, followed by the soft murmur of voices. Soon enough, they finished cleaning everything off the table.
And just like that, silence fell upon the campground once again. Not wanting to intrude any further, I decided to remain standing nearby. Yet, after watching them for a little bit longer, I couldn’t help feeling curious about what was being discussed.
That is why I began walking closer to hear better. Only seconds later, Mama Nkechi spotted me approaching. She stopped abruptly and looked me straight in the eyes. With a smile still plastered across her lips, she introduced herself. “My name is Nkechi. It’s nice to meet you, Mr… erm…”
Before she could complete her sentence, one of the other girls spoke up. “Oh yeah, we haven’t properly met yet either. This is my daughter, Emelda. But call me Emi.”
A second later, both of them bowed politely toward me. Afterward, the mother took a step forward. “Please forgive our rudeness. Allow me to introduce myself. I am called Mama Nkechi. These two ladies beside me are my daughters, Emilia and Emelda. And this gentleman right here is my husband, Oluwasegun.”
Oluwasegun? Was that his real last name or did he use some sort of nickname? Either way, I figured calling someone ‘Mr.’ was more appropriate than using a family member’s given name. Or perhaps that was simply how they preferred to do things. Regardless, I gave each of them a polite nod and replied, “It’s a pleasure meeting all of you.”
Emi giggled happily. “Yeah, same here. Now come join us. Our food isn’t nearly done cooking yet.”
Despite their insistence, I hesitated to approach. Why would anyone want me to join them now? What if I made a mistake during dinner preparations? Besides, wasn’t it rude to show up unannounced like this?
Even so, I eventually relented and stepped into their midst. As expected, I found myself surrounded by four pairs of welcoming arms. While I initially felt uncomfortable having such close contact with strangers, I quickly grew accustomed to it. In fact, I actually enjoyed the sensation quite a lot.
“Welcome,” mama Nkechi greeted as she placed a plate full of steaming hot stew in front of me. “This is what we’ve been talking about earlier.”
Indeed, the meat inside smelled delicious. To top it all off, the vegetables had turned out perfectly cooked too. Everything tasted absolutely divine! Although, I didn’t have time to savor every bite since the rest of the family arrived shortly thereafter.
Once they’d taken seats at the table, I joined them as well. We then proceeded to enjoy ourselves until breakfast ended. Needless to say, we ate far more than necessary. By the end of it all, however, none of us complained. Instead, everyone seemed rather satisfied with the outcome.
After finishing dessert, which consisted of sweetened milk mixed together with honey, I thanked the family profusely before leaving. Since I hadn’t brought along any money on account of not knowing where I might find work, I promised to return tomorrow morning.
They readily accepted my offer and even invited me to stay overnight. However, I declined due to personal reasons. Nevertheless, I assured them that I would visit again soon. After bidding farewell, I returned to the inn.
Upon entering the lobby, I noticed that most guests were already gone. There weren’t many people staying at the place anymore, but those who remained appeared to be enjoying themselves nonetheless. A young couple sat side-by-side near the fireplace while reading books aloud.
An elderly man played chess with himself. Meanwhile, several others engaged in card games or board games. All told, there must have been ten different groups scattered throughout the building. Most likely, these folks belonged to the caravan traveling northward through town.
Given how late it was getting, however, I doubted very much whether they intended to continue driving tonight. If anything, I suspected that most of them probably planned to spend the night sleeping indoors.
As I contemplated this thought, I suddenly heard footsteps behind me. Looking around, I discovered an unfamiliar face peering down from above. He wore the same kind of clothes as mine, including long pants and boots. His hair was also cut short, giving him a clean appearance.
On the whole, he looked pretty average except for one thing: his skin color. It reminded me of a dark brown hue, similar to coffee. Not only that, but his eyes were a deep shade of green. Furthermore, he possessed a confident smile that suggested nothing less than perfect confidence itself.
Judging by appearances alone, I guessed that he was somewhere between twenty to thirty years old. Despite being a stranger, I couldn’t help but feel drawn to his presence. Perhaps it had something to do with the aura surrounding him; after all, I knew little else about him aside from his physical features
The End