Chapter 28: Unveiling the Past
1617words
Frustration showed clearly on her face. Many days went by since the attack happened at Iya Wura's shop, and even though she worked very hard to find answers, the mysteries of the Moonlight Lease stayed very difficult to figure out. The box, now secured in her apartment, felt like a taunting enigma.
A knock comes on the door and makes her feel surprised. She thinks for a moment about not opening, but Eki takes a deep breath and says, "Come in!"
The door made a creaking sound when opened, and there was a person in an old denim jacket. It was Ayo, and his face looked very worried.
"Eki," he said, his voice urgent. "Are you alright? I haven't heard from you in days."
Eki waved a hand dismissively at the chaos surrounding her. "Just…research. Intense research."
Ayo walked into the room slowly, his eyes opening wide when he saw so many books stacked all around. "Research about what?"
"Everything," Eki said, not explaining much. "The fire, the Orisha, the Moonlight Lease... anything that can link them together."
Ayo's brow furrowed. "Orisha? What do they have to do with this?"
Eki seized the opportunity. "That's what I'm trying to figure out!" she exclaimed, grabbing the mythology book and thrusting it at him. "Look, there! Read about Obatala and the creation of the Earth."
Ayo made his eyes smaller as he looked at the page, lines appearing on his forehead because he read with confusion. "Obatala… the god who made everything… but why does this matter here?"
Eki moved closer, speaking in a soft voice. "See the symbols near the words," she said, pointing with her finger at complex swirls and shapes. "They're identical to the markings on the tools in the hidden room!"
A spark of recognition ignited in Ayo's eyes. "The hidden room? Your uncle's collection of… artefacts?"
Eki nodded eagerly. "Could there be a connection? Could the Orisha… the gods… somehow be linked to the Moonlight Lease?"
Ayo stopped talking, his face showing he was thinking hard. "Maybe," he said at last with a voice that sounded not very sure. "But Yoruba mythology is vast and complex. Deciphering this could take weeks, maybe months."
Eki felt much sadness come to her. "We do not have time like that," she says in a soft voice. "Whoever stole the box… that figure… they want to keep the secrets buried."
"And another reason we must hurry," Ayo said with a serious face. "The full moon will come in only seven days."
Eki feels breath stop in her throat. The full moon – this night, the same one as their promise and also the night fire burned down the building. What would happen when the moon reached its peak again?
A tense silence filled the space between them, with only the constant ticking of the clock on the wall interrupting it. At last, Eki spoke first.
"We need help," she said, her voice getting stronger with determination. "We need someone who knows Yoruba mythology very well, someone with much understanding about these things."
Ayo's eyes quickly moved around the room, then they stopped at a small picture in a frame placed between some books. It was a photo of Eki with her grandmother, both having big smiles that showed they were very happy.
"Your grandmother," Ayo said softly. "She used to tell you stories, didn't she? Stories about the Orisha, about Yoruba legends."
Eki felt a strong feeling of missing someone. Her grandmother, who had a lively spirit just like the stories she told, passed away many years ago. But her words, her stories, still echoed in Eki's memory.
"Maybe…" Eki started, her voice not very sure. "Maybe I can think of something from her stories that could help."
Ayo offered a small smile. "It's worth a try. Sometimes answers do not come from old books but from what we remember and keep close in our hearts.
Eki spent many hours thinking deeply about her memories, recalling the small stories her grandmother used to tell softly before sleep time. Pictures came and went in her mind - a smart god named Eshu, a strong warrior goddess called Oya, and an important creator known as Obatala.
Suddenly, memory comes to mind, very bright and clear. It is about an agreement made under a full moon between a desperate human and a powerful Orisha. When breaking the pact, the effects are very bad. Curses come out, maybe destroy all things.
Eki felt a shiver run down her spine. "The Moonlight Lease – it was not just a story, it is real," Eki whispered with fear in her trembling voice. "It was real, and it could have consequences we haven't even imagined."
Ayo's face turned very pale, and his eyes showed that he suddenly understood something important. "So, the fire..." he said softly as he started putting together all the pieces of information. "The unfinished work... maybe Olumide who agreed didn't finish it before the full moon. This is why the curse happened."
Eki nodded, fear growing strong in her stomach. "And now, the person who took the box – maybe they want to make a pact again or even worse, break it and let the curse return!"
The big importance of this news everyone felt strongly. The box, which many people before were curious about, now looked like a ticking time bomb. They had a week, maybe less, to decipher its secrets and prevent another catastrophe.
"We must hurry," Eki said, voice full of urgency. "We need to discover what is inside the box, what terms were agreed for the pact, and how we can stop it."
Ayo looked thoughtful. "There's someone who might be able to help – my grandfather. He's a renowned scholar of Yoruba mythology, a man deeply connected to the traditions."
A spark of hope flickered in Eki's eyes. "Can we see him? Now?"
"He stays in a small village far from the city," Ayo says. "It takes a few hours to reach, but this is our best chance."
Without waiting anymore, they took their things and secured the box inside a strong backpack. While leaving the apartment, Eki glanced one last time at all the books scattered around – it showed how much they were struggling to find answers.
The trip to Ayo's grandfather's village had many twisty roads and very green countryside. The loud city noises slowly disappeared, turning into endless sounds of crickets singing and leaves moving with the wind. When they are close to the village, the air gets heavy with the scent of woodsmoke and damp soil.
Finally, they come to a group of huts with straw roofs and tall palm trees all around. An old man is there; his face shows many years of wisdom and experience. He sits on the mat made of weave in front of his small house, eyes closed like he is thinking very hard or maybe meditating.
Ayo walked to him with much respect, head bowed very low. "Baba," he said in Yoruba language, "I bring someone who needs your help."
The old man opened his eyes, and they looked at Eki with strong focus. He stared for a few seconds, his face showing an expression that was hard to understand.
"You carry a very heavy burden, child," he said with an old and rough voice. "Please tell me, what makes you worry?"
Eki took a deep breath and then started to share her story – about the fire, Moonlight Lease, and stolen box. As she spoke, the old man just looked at her quietly without saying anything; it made the silence between them feel very heavy.
When she stopped talking, everywhere became very quiet. The sun that was high in the sky before started to go down, making long shadows all over the village.
At last, the old man started talking. His voice was deep and heavy. "The Moonlight Lease," he said slowly, "deals with any risk." It requires something very precious, a big sacrifice, to obtain Orisha's power."
Eki's heart pounded in her chest. "A sacrifice? What kind of sacrifice?"
The old man's eyes became tiny. "That," he whispered, his voice now hoarse and soft, "depends on what the person who desires the pact wants."
Eki felt a cold dread come over him. What did the person who took the box want? What things are they willing to give up to achieve it? Before she was able to ask her question, a loud and rough cry pierced the air. It came from the village square, a scene of escalating chaos.
Eki and Ayo looked at each other with shock. In the distance, they saw black smoke rising into the sky, making Eki remember the awful fire that took his family away.
"What's happening?" Eki cried, a tremor running through her voice.
The old man stood up, his face now looking very determined instead of the peaceful look he had before. "It seems," he said with a firm and serious voice, "we might not have an entire week." The darkness seeks to claim its offering tonight."
Feeling a new urgency, Eki, Ayo, and the old man rush to the village square. They are in a great hurry as they need to confront shadows and face the scary truth about what sacrifice is needed by Moonlight Lease.
