Chapter 27: Seeking Guidance and a Troubled Legend
2107words
Her feet bring her to the familiar place of Iya Wura's herb shop. The soft sound of wind chimes tells everyone she has arrived even before she opens the old wooden door.
Iya Wura, with sweet incense smoke around her, sat at a messy counter organizing colourful herbs. Her wise eyes full of age wrinkles saw Eki; worry appeared on her old face.
"Ah, child," she croaked, her voice a gentle rasp. "Come, sit. You look troubled."
Eki sat on an old stool, the nice scent of chamomile and lavender making her feel at peace. She began speaking fast, telling all that happened in the past hour – Dapo's anger, Kemi arriving suddenly, and Ayo giving a weird warning.
Iya Wura sat quietly, her old hands placed together on her lap. When Eki finished speaking, the silence that followed was heavy and full of unspoken words.
"There, inside the smoke, secrets are hidden," Iya Wura finally said. Her voice was gentle and carried a note of sorrow. "Secrets your family has held for many generations."
Eki's heart lurched. Secrets? What fire secrets might hide, and how do they connect to her family's past?
"Please, Iya Wura," she said gently, her voice barely a whisper. "Can you tell me about the fire?"
A small sadness came into Iya Wura's eyes. "The fire," she began to speak softly, "did not happen by accident, but it occurred because of something."
Eki leaned in, her breath catching in her throat. A consequence of what?
Iya Wura stretched out her hand to touch a clay pot with intricate symbols, her fingers softly tracing the patterns. "There is a legend," she began, voice like telling an old story, "a legend carried by wind whispers about an Olumide from your ancestors."
Eki closed her eyes, seeing in her mind the proud faces from the family photo. She felt the deep weight of history pressing on her shoulders.
"This Olumide," Iya Wura kept saying, "was a man who only wanted one thing – to make sure his name remembered more than anyone else."
Eki felt strange shivers run down his back. The fire did not happen from being careless, but because of ambition that turned bad.
"He wished to build something no one ever saw before," Iya Wura went on, "a monument with his name that would touch the sky."
Eki's mind saw the burned ruins of a building, showing a dream lost to fire.
But the story was not over yet. Iya Wura paused, her eyes fixed on the dancing candlelight. "But, such big dreams need to pay heavy cost," she finally spoke in a very quiet voice.
"What price?" Eki breathed, anticipation gnawing at her.
Iya Wura took a deep breath. "He made a… Moonlight Lease."
Eki frowned. Moonlight Lease? It sounded ominous, like a deal struck under the cloak of darkness.
"Tell me about the lease," Eki urged, a tremor in her voice.
Iya Wura's eyes looked distant, as if she was seeing the past. "It is a pact," she said slowly, "with someone who has very unusual powers – a builder who works only at night under the gentle light of the moon."
A cold shiver ran down Eki's spine. A builder who worked at night? Was this some sort of dark magic?
"But there is a challenge," Iya Wura said, her voice becoming quieter like she was telling a secret. "The job must be finished before the next full moon comes." Should it remain unfinished, the consequences are… dire."
Eki's face paled. Could this unfinished work be the reason for the fire? Had the Olumide failed to complete the pact by the next full moon?
"And the artist?" Eki whispered, her voice barely audible. "The one who built the Olumide?"
Iya Wura's eyes showed a quick moment of sadness. "Her name was Ayana," she said softly. "A gifted artist, some say she could weave moonlight itself into her creations."
Eki's eyes widened. Ayana? Could this be a signal about the fire? Does any connection exist between Ayana and the bad luck of her family?
"What happened to Ayana?" Eki asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Iya Wura shakes her head, letting out a deep sigh from her mouth. "That, child, is where the story becomes not clear." Some folks say she vanished in the blaze, swallowed by flames from tasks left unfinished.
Eki felt deep sympathy for the mysterious Ayana. A skilled artist who lost everything in a fire – it brought back memories of the tragedy that had taken her parents away. Was there more to the story?
"But others whisper…" Iya Wura continued, her voice dropping to a low and secretive tone, "that she was never found in the debris. Maybe she escaped, or maybe..."
She stopped her talking, eyes going to something behind Eki's shoulder. Eki turned his head to see what she was staring at and began feeling nervous. In the corner, shrouded in shadow, stood a small, ornately carved wooden box.
Eki's heart hammered against her ribs. "What's that?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Iya Wura did not reply for some time, her eyes fixed on the box. Then, very gradually and with much caution, she extended her hand and picked it up.
"This," she said with a husky voice from many years ago, "could be key to the past. It belonged to your grandmother and passed through many generations without anyone opening it."
Eki's eyes became very big. Could this box have the answers about Ayana, the fire, and all those secrets her family kept hidden for so many years?
"But why…" Eki began a million questions swirling in her mind.
"It was never supposed to be opened," Iya Wura interrupted, her voice very firm. "The old stories talk about a curse coming if the agreement is broken."
Eki felt a little bit of fear, but the big wish to learn was even bigger. "But what if it helps me understand more?" she pleaded. "What if it can lead me to the truth?"
Iya Wura held the box with her old hands, and in her eyes, we could see she had a big inner fight. Around them, the air was full of tension, like something important might happen soon.
"The choice, child," she spoke finally with a serious voice, "belongs to you. But remember, some secrets are best if they remain unknown."
Eki stared at the box, her hand hovering over it. Discovering secrets from a time long past seemed like the only path forward, but she feared that opening it could also bring a curse upon her.
Just that moment, a strong wind makes a loud noise outside and shakes the windows. Eki looks out through the window – the moon is full and bright, shining up in the night sky.
A chilling realization struck her. Tonight was a full moon. The same moon was shining on the unfinished work, and it was also keeping the secret of Moonlight Lease.
A sudden feeling came to her mind, a picture of the burned building in the moonlight. It was a scary reminder that the business deal was not finished yet.
Eki knew then what she had to do. She couldn't let history repeat itself. The secrets inside the box, whatever they are, may be what we need to stop all bad things from happening again.
Taking a deep breath, she reached out her hand to the box, feeling its cold and smooth wooden surface with her fingers. If the Moonlight Lease had made problems before, maybe figuring out its secrets could finally bring peace to what remained of her family's legacy.
A soft creaking sound echoed through the shop as Eki lifted the lid. The moonlight streamed in from the window, revealing what lay inside the box. Inside, nestled on a bed of velvet, lay a single, worn leather-bound journal.
As Eki extended her hand to reach it, the shop door suddenly burst open with a loud bang. A figure stood in the doorway, moonlight casting long and frightening shadows behind them.
"Eki!" Ayo's voice boomed, laced with urgency. "Don't trust her! The box… it's a trap!"
Eki's heart lurched. Was Ayo right? Was Iya Wura keeping something more dangerous hidden? The question played in her mind. Before she could act, the figure jumped at her, its shape shadowy and hard to see in the moonlight.
A fight started, and books and plants dropped to the floor. Eki watched with fear as someone took the box from Iya Wura, who screamed in pain while she fell back.
The person stood in front of the door, gripping the box firmly. Under the moonlight, Eki made a noise of surprise. It was not Ayo. This person stays hiding in the shadows, face covered by a big hat with a wide brim. People move very quietly, almost like ghosts, and nobody sees their true faces. Mysterious figures always appear when unexpected things happen, making everyone wonder who they are and what is their purpose. It was the same person from the park, the one who had taken their photo.
"You never know the truth," the figure said in a rough voice, hiding in the shadows. "This secret is only mine!"
With the very last bit of speed, the person ran out of the shop's door and vanished into maze-like alleys behind the building. Eki's thoughts were moving fast like wind. This is not only about her family's past anymore; something very bad is happening now.
She scrambled to her feet, adrenaline coursing through her veins. "Iya Wura!" she cried, rushing to the old woman's side.
Iya Wura was on the ground, body in a strange way and holding her arm with pain clear on her face. "He... the box..." she said, voice very tired and weak sounding.
Eki bends down near her, worry showing on his face. "No, be scared," Eki says with a voice shaky but strong. "We'll get it back. But you need help first."
Eki slowly made Iya Wura stand up and guided her to sit on a chair. The air smelled strongly of herbs, which were scattered all around, and there was still a light memory of the scary voice they heard earlier.
"Ayo!" Eki called out, her voice echoing through the shop.
Silence. Had he disappeared as quickly as the other figure? Eki felt worried about growing bigger inside her. Ayo's sudden warning, his strong attempt to stop her from opening the box, and now he is not here... what does all this mean? Did he want to protect her from the hidden truths, or was there another motive behind his actions?
Her eyes looked at the furniture turned upside down and plants scattered all over. This was not the peaceful scene she had hoped for. It was a place of big chaos, like a battlefield in a war she did not completely understand.
A little motion outside the window got her notice. Eki walked slowly closer, looking through the dirty glass. The figure is no longer seen. Only cobbled streets, bathed in gentle moonlight, left behind.
But under the window, there was something small shining in the moonlight—a single silver feather. Eki picked it up, and its cold touch made her shiver down the spine. It looked very much like the ones she found after spotting that person in the park.
Another piece of the puzzle.
Eki did not know who the strange person was or what their goal might be, but one thing was very clear – they wanted to keep those secrets inside that box hidden. Now, feeling a strong mix of fear and determination, Eki also became just as determined to find out what those secrets were.
Taking deep breaths, she looked again at Iya Wura. "We must find Ayo and get some answers," Eki said with a strong voice, but inside she did not feel very confident. "And then, we're going to find out what's in that box."
Iya Wura made a weak smile, eyes having pain and wisdom together. "Be careful, child," she said with a rough voice. "The past has a way of biting."
Eki nodded solemnly. The past was far from buried. It returned to her life, seeking attention. And Eki, having a strong desire for truth, was ready to face it no matter what secrets and dangers were within.
