She ran through the narrow bush path leading to the stream like a rabbit fleeing with its tail tucked beneath. Her heart hammered against her chest as she ran, her heels nearly touching her buttocks with each stride. She feared her heart might cease beating at any instant, knowing that either her fear or its source would bring an end to her.
One of the beads on her waist snapped, and the entire strand scattered on the floor, but she didn't stop. As the sun bid farewell to the sky, sweat drenched her face, obscuring her vision, prompting her to momentarily wipe it away with the back of her hand.
She descended the steep hill towards the river bank hoping to find a canoe to ferry her across to the other side of the river but none was to be found, and she could not swim. Ahead of her lay the river, while behind her, her pursuer thundered down the steep hill, brandishing a raised machete in one hand and the other hand fastening his wrapper around his waist.
She knelt down on the damp sand and removed the beads from her neck before unleashing a piercing scream.
Ezenwaanyi burst into the room, with Diokpa close behind. They found their daughter on the mat, drenched in sweat, with her eyes shut tightly. Her hands clenched into fists, gripping the mat with intensity, while her head and legs shook vigorously.
"Chioma! Wake up, Chioma. Please, Chioma, wake up," Ezenwaanyi pleaded, gently tapping her daughter's face, but to no avail. Diokpa hurried out of the room and returned with a cup of water. He pulled his wife aside and poured the water over their daughter's face in an attempt to rouse her. As the water splashed onto her face, Chioma let out a loud inhale and lifted herself from the bed before opening her eyes. Her mother rushed to her side and enveloped her in a tight embrace as Chioma broke into sobs.
"I had the same dream again, Mother. This time, I saw his face. He was going to kill me, mother. He was going to kill me. Why do I keep having these dreams?" Chioma asked with a trembling voice, still crying on her mother's shoulder. Unable to bear seeing his daughter in such distress, Diokpa stormed out of the room. The sight of Chioma becoming a mere shadow of herself once the moon was out, only to wake up even more tormented, shattered his heart into pieces.
After what felt like an eternity, Diokpa returned to the small room that had become their daughter's since the nightmares began. They had relocated her to the room next to theirs so they could swiftly attend to her whenever her screams pierced the night. The sun's rays were already filtering into the room through the poorly shut wooden window. Diokpa lifted the lantern globe and extinguished the light before carefully placing the globe back in its position.
Chioma had grown much calmer as her mother serenaded her. She lay on the mat, her head resting on her mother's lap, but sat upright when her father entered the room.
"I went to Ekwensi's and told him that Chioma's struggles persist despite everything we've done as he instructed," Diokpa explained, his gaze shifting between the faces of his wife and daughter, both filled with curiosity. "He said the only solution now is a dreamcatcher."
"A dreamcatcher? What is that?" Ezenwaanyi inquired, her gaze shifting between her husband and Chioma, who appeared equally puzzled.
"I don't know, but he said that before the first cock crows tomorrow, you and Chioma must embark on a journey to Amanze village and seek out Mbiri the Wise," Diokpa relayed.
As Diokpa finished speaking, a grave silence fell in the room. He left the room, leaving mother and daughter to contemplate their impending journey to Amanze. Together, they began to make plans for the journey that awaited them the next day.
Before the first cockcrow, Chioma and Ezenwaanyi found themselves on the narrow bush path leading to the stream. With a lantern to guide their way, they walked steadily, their bare feet leaving imprints on the damp ground as they ventured forth. Feeling the chill of the early morning, Chioma wrapped herself in one of her mother's wrappers. The short wrapper skirt and the small cloth covering her breast, the typical maiden attire, offered little protection against the cold.
By the time they arrived in Amanze, the morning dew was still on the leaves. Chioma and Ezenwaanyi sought directions to Mbiri the Wise's dwelling from a hunter they encountered on their journey. Upon reaching the compound, a sprawling expanse with huts scattered about, they hesitated, unsure which one to approach. They stood at the center and clapped their hands, hoping to attract someone's attention.
"Who is home? We are from Uziben village and we seek Mbiri the wise." Ezenwaanyi called out, her voice carrying through the quiet morning air and echoing within the compound.
After a brief moment, the mat covering the entrance of one of the huts shifted and revealed an old woman draped in a wrapper from her chest downwards. Spotting Chioma and Ezenwaanyi, she gestured for them to approach. With a keen gaze, she scrutinized Chioma from head to toe before gently turning her around to assess her further and then her lips curved into a smile. "Welcome home, the promised one."
Chioma and Ezenwaanyi exchanged silent glances, their curiosity piqued by Mbiri's mysterious words. Mbiri motioned for them to follow her inside the hut. Inside, they found a windowless space. A mat lay on one side, alongside neatly folded wrappers. On the opposite side, a fireplace crackled with fire, surrounded by four sticks bound together with red cloth. Clay pots of various sizes and white feathers adorned the floor.
Chioma felt goosebumps rise on her skin and swallowed hard. Mbiri motioned for them to sit beside the fireplace, and they complied, settling in front of her. With a deliberate gesture, Mbiri threw four cowries onto the floor, initiating a ritual.
"Wise one," Ezenwaanyi began, her voice respectful yet laden with desperation. "We have come seeking your guidance because my daughter has been tormented by nightmares for the past five full moons. Despite our efforts, the nightmares persist. We were directed here in hopes of obtaining a dreamcatcher to bring her peace." She glanced at Mbiri, who had been engrossed in communing with one of the cowries since she started speaking.
Mbiri the Wise erupted into hearty laughter. "The frog does not run in vain during the day," she chuckled, her eyes twinkling with wisdom. "It's either something is chasing it or it is chasing something. You do not rush a hot yam, or it will burn you. Hot yam is meant to be eaten slowly."
"Wise one, your words are veiled in parables, and we struggle to understand their meaning," Chioma replied.
"It is not for you to understand the language of the gods," Mbiri explained. "What you seek is not a dreamcatcher, for such a thing does not exist. Dreams are messages sent to us by the gods themselves. Your daughter has been plagued by this nightmare because she is resisting her true calling."
"Wise one, what do you mean?" Ezenwaanyi inquired, while Chioma's eyes widened in anticipation of Mbiri's response.
"Your daughter is a reincarnation of Princess Adanna," Mbiri revealed. "Princess Adanna was destined to deliver the people of Amakwu from their enemies, but she succumbed to fear and fled her duty. Each night, Chioma sees someone pursuing her with a machete, does she not?"
Chioma and her mother nodded in silent acknowledgment. Chioma stretched out her legs, her hands resting gently upon them as she prepared to absorb Mbiri's revelations.
"That man is one of the palace guards tasked with retrieving Princess Adanna," Mbiri clarified. "He was not intending to harm her; rather, his duty was to safeguard her and ensure her safe return to the village before the enemies could reach her."
Chioma struggled to comprehend the connection between a past event and her present circumstances. However, Mbiri the Wise patiently elucidated that history was on the brink of repeating itself. The recurring dream served as a divine summons, beckoning Chioma to undergo fortification and preparation, for she was the chosen one destined to safeguard her land from impending threats.
Mbiri the Wise performed sacred rituals, chanting incantations and making cuts on Chioma's body as part of the ceremonial process. She then applied a potent ointment, uttering more incantations to imbue it with mystical properties. Finally, she offered Chioma a concoction to drink, infused with ancient remedies and blessings, sealing the spiritual bond between Chioma and her divine destiny.
By the time Chioma and her mother returned home, the birds had already sought refuge in their nests among the trees. They relayed everything to Diokpa. Though initially skeptical, he held onto a glimmer of hope that Mbiri's intervention would bring an end to Chioma's nightmares, and much to their relief, Chioma slept for the first time since five full moons without a piercing scream.