Withered Heart

Chapter 5

Enyenima's father was tired of his daughter's daily exploration of life outside the normal activities of the village, and decided it was high time he put an end to her childishness. He had given her the freedom to do as she pleased, because he loved her dearly but it was evident with her wanderings that that was not the best for her. She needed to spend more time with her own people, rather than walking alone in the mysterious forest. He knew she was a special child and no harm would come to her, but didn't want others to see her as strange and too wild to be married.

He wondered what she did to occupy herself in the quietness of the deep forest, that could have infatuated her to the point of making her unable to stay away from it a whole day without going back to it. Curiosity took the better of him and he decided to discreetly follow her the next day. He knew it was foolish following her, but still went along with his plan the next day.

Enyenima was unaware of her father tailing her movements. She went off as usual, heading straight to where she normally met Iyene, she was always excited to see him especially since they became lovers. She met him with Nsong who she hadn't seen in a while. The three of them proceeded to play around as usual with Nsong taking her form occasionally to trick Iyene during the cause of the game.

Obong Imoh was shocked at what he saw, he knew even from a distance that the young man with his daughter wasn't an ordinary person but a Ndém, and watching the way they related, he perceived they were more than just friends. He felt ashamed of himself for not keeping close watch over his daughter, who had now fallen far the charm of an Ndém, for they were known to turn the hearts of men to get what they wanted or so their fore fathers had said. He also couldn't believe his eyes had seen a shape shifter, a creature he was sure even his ancestors would have gaped at.

He was sure his daughter had been bewitched, because no human in their right sense would be comfortable to be in the presence of such strange beings. He went home undetected by them and started planning on how to put an end to his daughter's perceived misfortune all by himself because telling anyone else, even the ekpo society of which he was in charge, would put his daughter at risk of ridicule or public avoidance.

When Enyenima returned home, she met her father in a mood she had never seen him in, and no one, not even her mother seemed to know the cause of it. Everyone walked around him in tiptoe, expecting him to explode with the obvious anger they saw in his eyes, but Obong Imoh wasn't even aware of his immediate surrounding, but was filled with thoughts of terminating the dangers his daughter had been exposed to.

He forbade her from leaving the house, keeping her locked in her room except when her food was brought to her, to prevent her from sneaking back to the monstrosities she associated with, as he finalized his preparation to kill an Ndém. Such a feat would bring more respect to him, especially if he could kill the shape shifter as well, although that wasn't the reason he was going on a hunt for them but for his daughter's safety. He knew doing this would hurt her but he believed the hurt would stop when whatever was used to bewitch her finally fades after their death.

Enyenima was locked up for three days. She knew without being told that her father was aware of those she mingled with and was scared that harm would come to them. Early the morning of the third day, while she sat in her room thinking of a way to escape, she noticed a rat in her room, staring abnormally at her. With relief she realized it was Nsong, she was overjoyed to see him and immediately started telling him of her ordeal, begging him to take her shape and stay in her place until she safely made her escape to warn Iyene of the pending danger. Nsong agreed to do as she said and told her Iyene would come by their usual spot, she only had to sit and wait if he wasn't there by the time she arrived, while he, was going to join them shortly when he was sure her escape was successful.

Obong Imoh came to his daughter's room to make sure she was still there while he was on his dangerous hunt, for he was fully ready after three days of fortification against foul powers. He met her crying as she had been doing ever since he had her locked up. He felt pity for her but couldn't bring himself to release her and risk her running back to them before he had the chance to wipe out the evil beings from his village. He left and went in the direction of the spot he had seen them some days before after making sure Enyenima was safely locked in her room.

Obong Imoh approached the clearing as quietly as he could, not wanting to be seen before he was ready to be. He sighted his daughter sitting on a large tree root, staring towards the river. He raised one of his spears and aimed it at her, believing it was the shape shifter he had seen the last time, because he was sure his daughter was at home. He threw the spear at her and was triumphant when it hit her squarely in the chest. He became skeptical when the perceived shape shifter remained in the form of his daughter, screaming and writhing in pain.

He stood rooted to the spot with conflicting emotions, not sure if he should be feeling victorious on having caught a shape shifter or if he should be scared for his daughter's life. Suddenly he saw the Ndém running towards the writhing body screaming his daughter's name. Obong Imoh forgetting his plans to kill him when he appeared ran with full speed towards his daughter. He felt his world crashing on him as he watched life draining out of her.