Midnight Shrub

Chapter 22- Omasiri part 2

"Do you want to see?" She asked.

"No, that's impossible, I can't see." I replied.

"Oh please darling, you're of the 'zik' family, it's different for you. Just let me in." The woman spoke with a soothing voice. It was as though I was getting hypnotized by her southern skills.

"And how do I do that?" I asked weakly.

"Simple child, do you trust me?" Madam koikoi asked from the background. Background? Why was everywhere getting blurred out? The only thing I could see now was the stream at my front.

"Trust?" I managed to scoff. ,"You've kidnapped, starved and threatened to kill me numerously, of course I trust you." I replied.

"Perfect, she's ready dear." Madam koikoi turned to the lady. 

"Wait..wait..wha-"

"Don't worry, there's a reason why they gave me that name." The woman interrupted. As she spoke, I could feel the water in the lake. But how? I haven't moved towards it. 

"Name?" I asked feeling dizzy now. The water and made his way up to my chest, no, not up, into. It was in my chest, my veins were filled with water. I could feel it moving all over me. What is she doing to me?

"Steady child. You'll be fine." The woman spoke and in response, my body lay on the ground facing the sky. "Perfect." She smiled. 

Name? I should remember it though, madam koikoi said we were here to meet someone. Uhmmm..water, in me. 

Yes, I know her. The most powerful name in the seas.

"Mami water."

....

Madam koikoi's POV

"Mama, can I join you to pick some herbs today?" I asked my grandma

"No, rukky, you know very well what going outside for now will do to you." My grandma replied. Rukky she called me, short for Ruvkewe. 

I was just six years old, but I was used to this reply now. Mama, said she had found me one day in the river. She doesn't know how an eastern child got to the southern tribe and survived the terrible seas. But I did really. And now, I have to live in hiding because if the southerners know an easterner is living in their midst, not only me, but mama will have to pay for it with our lives. 

"Would I ever get to leave this house?" I played with my toes as I sat on the floor.

"Yes Rukky, that's why I'm working very hard to make your herbs, don't worry. Before your 16th birthday, you'll be out of here." She bent and gave me a kiss on my forehead.

"Yaayyy..okay mama. I Can't wait!" I said cheerfully.

....

9 years later*

"So how exactly is this supposed to work mama?" I asked my grandma.

"Simple. You keep shut while I do the work." She replied sharply. I rolled my eyes in response to this. 

Grandma has been attempting to seal my eastern aura and replace it with a slight faint of southerners' aura. We've been at this for years. I ate weird plants and animals, I also swam in the sacred pool when nobody watched at night, just grandma. I also learnt how to meditate, to enhance yet conceal my spirit at will. I've been doing this for years and now, today is what we'll use to make the final decision.

"Okay mama, I'll take my stance." I got up from the mat at the center on the living room and assumed my squatting position I usually took during meditation. "I'm ready."