Chapter 37: Whispers from the Ancestors
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The weight of this new understanding was heavy and seemed too much for her, but she had to discover answers and find someone who could guide her through the tough journey ahead. Only one person came into her thoughts – Iya Wura, the elder sister of her grandmother. She was the protector of family mysteries and holder of ancient stories that time almost forgot.
Iya Wura lives at the edge of the city, in a small bungalow surrounded by many palm trees. Air has a strong smell of incense and cooking herbs when Eki comes inside. Iya Wura is a very old woman with eyes wise and ancient like the big baobab tree outside. She sits on a woven mat, her hands wrinkled and holding tight to a twisted staff.
Eki kneeled in front of her and spoke with a trembling voice, explaining all the events from recent days – the book, the Guardians, the strange message, and now Detective Johnson. Iya Wura listened silently without any expression on her face.
Finally, when Eki finished talking, a long silence remained between them. It was full of unspoken things. Then, Iya Wura started to speak, her voice rough because she was old.
"The spirits have spoken," she said, her voice sounding heavy and very serious. "The Moonlight Lease has moved, and with this change, something else begins to wake up."
Eki's heart lurched. "Something else? What do you mean?"
Iya Wura closed her eyes, and her eyebrows moved closer as she thought hard. "There is an old story," she started, voice gentle but serious, "passed down through many generations, told only in whispers." It tells about a strong spirit, which got hurt by the Olumide ancestors and is always trapped inside the walls of the mansion.
Eki shivered, a coldness spreading through her. A vengeful spirit? Could this be the unforeseen consequence, the force Kunle warned her about?
"This spirit," Iya Wura continued, speaking very quietly, "has anger that has grown for many hundreds of years. Its fury is like a snake hiding, waiting to strike at the perfect moment."
Eki's mind raced quickly. Was the fire she dreamed about caused by this furious spirit? Was it connected to the Moonlight Lease or another event in the family's past?
"Why have I never heard this story before?" Eki asked, with a bit of anger showing in her voice. "Why keep this secret from me?"
Iya Wura opened her eyes fast, and a small sign of pain was on her face. "The Guardians told us to promise to stay silent." They say the spirit's power is too dangerous to accept because they worry it might be unleashed.
Eki felt a surge of frustration. "But now it's awakened! Thanks to that stupid contract!"
Iya Wura put out an old, bent hand, but her hold was strong in a surprising way. "Eki," she said with a powerful voice even though she appeared frail. "The Moonlight Lease may wake up the spirit, but it also has a way to make peace with it. The contract explains why the spirit is angry and shows which promise was not kept."
Hope flickered within Eki. A way to appease the spirit? But how? She looked at Iya Wura, pleading. "What does the story say? How can we stop this thing?"
Iya Wura moves her head slowly from side to side, a small fear showing in her eyes. "There is only one piece, unclear verse passed down generation after generation." The story talks about the inheritance that is taken away, a daughter who cannot get what belongs to her by right. Her spirit stays on the earth because she made a promise for revenge."
Eki's breath caught in her throat. Stolen inheritance? Daughter denied? Could this be the answer to everything? Was the vengeful spirit somehow connected to Ayana, the architect from the lease?
Suddenly, there was a loud bang sound from the backyard that interrupted the peaceful feeling. Before Eki or Iya Wura could react, someone burst through the back door with much force and fell on the floor in a tangled heap.
It was Kunle; his face looked very white and his eyes were so big with fear. He tried to take deep breaths while pointing a shaking finger at the door.
"Eki… you need to… get out of here… now!"
Eki stood up quickly, feeling the rush of adrenaline in her veins. Kunle's frightened voice and terrified expression gave her chills all over. The sounds of the marketplace, which before seemed like bothersome noise jumble, now felt nicer than the scary silence that had come to Iya Wura's tiny home.
"What happened?" Eki demanded, rushing to Kunle's side.
Kunle coughed, clutching his chest. "Men… in black suits… they… they found me."
A wave of nausea washed over Eki. Detective Johnson? But why attack Kunle? She wanted to ask, but before she could speak, Iya Wura began talking. Her voice was surprisingly steady for someone so weak-looking.
"Who are they?" she croaked, her gaze fixed on the back door.
Kunle winced, looking very tired as he tried to speak. "They... they didn't say." But… they mentioned the book… and the Olumide family."
Eki's heart was racing. The book had a secret, it could fix everything, and those men wanted to take it away.
A big sound from behind showed her fears were right. The men in black clothes were forcing their way in. Fear tightened in her throat, but she knew leaving Iya Wura with them was not possible.
"Iya Wura," she said with a very strong voice even though her body was shaking. "We need to take you away from here." Now!"
Iya Wura shook her head, her eyes filled with a newfound determination. "No, Eki. You must go. Take the book, and find the truth within its pages. It's your only hope."
Eki wished to argue, but the serious tone in Iya Wura's voice—so unlike her usual gentle way of speaking—made Eki stay silent. She glanced at the back door where loud noises and whispered conversations were approaching closer, realizing that Iya Wura was correct.
"But what about you?" she choked out, a tear rolling down her cheek.
Iya Wura stretched out her hand, and even though she was quite old, the hold felt surprisingly strong. "Child, I have lived through many years." My whispers are passed on. Go, Eki. Save our family, save yourself."
Eki's face became covered with tears as she hugged Iya Wura very tightly. Perhaps, it might be the last time Eki will see her wise elder relative and maybe also the final chance to feel her warm embrace.
Suddenly, the back door shattered into pieces, and two individuals in black suits hurriedly entered the room. Eki gasped with fear taking control over her sadness. The men were very tall and seemed serious, their faces hidden in shadows under large hats.
"There you are," one man spoke, his voice very cold and flat. "Give us the book, maybe we won't hurt you so bad."
Eki clutched the book tighter, her mind racing. She couldn't let them have it. It has answers, a method to calm angry spirits, and the truth about her family's history.
"No!" she shouted, her voice surprisingly strong in the tense silence. "You won't get away with this!"
The men looked at each other, surprised a little showing in their eyes. Maybe they did not expect young women to be so bold.
Before anyone could answer, a scary scream broke the silence. The noise did not come from Eki or Iya Wura. The place where the scary scream came from was outside, towards the palm trees.
Eki and the men in black stopped moving, their eyes focused on something frightening happening in the dark that they couldn't see. Then another scream came, but now it was closer, shattering the silence around them.
The men dressed in black stopped for a short while, then exchanged glances once more. Fear showed up in their eyes for the very first time.
"What the…?" one of them muttered, his voice laced with a tremor.
Eki didn't wait for an answer. This unexpected distraction was her chance to escape. With sudden energy, she grabbed Kunle's arm and pulled him toward a small side door that was new to her.
"Come on!" she hissed, shoving him through the doorway.
They moved fast into a narrow alley, the smell of wet ground and garbage filling their noses. The shouting noises continued but became quieter as they went deeper inside the winding side streets.
Eki did not know where they were going, but any place looked better than facing those men or the scary thing causing people to scream in the palm grove. While running quickly through the night, a frightening thought appeared in Eki's mind.
The spirit Iya Wura mentioned to her, the one trapped within mansion walls… was free now. And whoever or whatever released it, they are far from catching it again under control.
They kept running, breathing heavily, and their legs were very painful. Eki looked back one time but saw no person in the alleyway; it was empty. She was not confident that the men in black still chased her. Now, only staying alive is important to her.
They discover safety inside a small, brightly lit kiosk that offers hot bowls of noodles. The strong aroma of ginger and garlic fills the air, which is very different from the fear they escaped just moments ago.
An old woman with many wrinkles on her face and kind eyes looked up from the ladle she was holding. Her gaze went back and forth between Eki and Kunle, seeing their untidy appearance and anxious expressions.
"Lost, children?" she asked gently, her voice a soothing balm to their frayed nerves.
Eki didn't know what to say. Could she trust this stranger? But Kunle's eyes showed the same fear she felt, and she knew they couldn't keep running away all the time.
Taking a deep breath, she quickly said, "We… we need help. Men were chasing us." They want a book…"
The woman's eyes got big just for a moment, and then she swiftly moved them deeper into the kiosk, away from anyone who could be watching.
"Make voices softer, children," she whispered with surprising firmness. "This is not the place for such talk."
She pointed to two stools behind a simple curtain. Feeling unsure, Eki and Kunle took their seats. The warmth from the noodle soup she placed before them brought a comforting sensation, especially with all the chaos happening around them.
"Now," the woman said with eyes that still looked sharp even though she was older, "tell me everything. Who are these men?" What book are they after?"
Eki stopped for a moment, not certain if she should seek help or keep everything secret. But Kunle felt confident since the woman looked very peaceful and began sharing the story instead. He spoke about when they met Detective Johnson, Eki's dream of Ayana, and the attack that happened at Iya Wura's house.
The woman listened very carefully, her face showing no emotions. When Kunle finished speaking, there was a long silence between them, filled with unspoken thoughts.
"You find a dangerous way, children," she says finally with a soft voice. "The book you have keeps many secrets that strong powers want to control."
Eki's heart hammered against her ribs. Powerful forces? Was this woman connected to the Guardians, or perhaps another faction entirely?
"Who are you?" Eki asked, her voice barely a whisper.
A tiny smile showed up on the woman's face. "An old friend of your family," she said with a mysterious tone. "Someone who remembers the soft voices from past times. And someone who can help you find answers you're searching for, but only if you are prepared to face what comes after."
Eki exchanged a doubtful glance with Kunle. It was obvious; they were in too deep. But returning was not an option. They had upset a vengeful spirit and angered powerful forces, and now the future of their family or even the entire city could be in danger.
Eki took a deep breath, looking straight at the woman. "We're in," she said with a strong voice, but a small shake could be heard.
The woman's smile became larger, and a glint of steel appeared in her eyes. "Good," she said with a bit of satisfaction in her voice. "Then let's begin."
When Eki bent forward, really curious to learn the secret, the woman reached into a hidden spot behind the counter. She pulled out an ancient scroll with burnt edges covered in odd symbols that Eki had never seen before in his life.
"This," the woman says, her voice having respect that makes Eki both scared and excited, "is the real story of Moonlight Lease. And it begins with a lady named Ayana, a woman who suffers injustice, and spirit looking for revenge."
Eki felt a shiver run down her spine. The truth was almost revealed, but with it came the terrifying realization that the past held secrets far more frightening than she ever imagined. The fight to keep their family's heritage safe and make sure the city stays secure was just beginning.
