Flashback

  No. 454, Onozutu Drive, Division C,

  Otite, Okene,

  Kogi State, Nigeria.

  Sunday, February 13,

  10:21 AM.

  Victoria

  Mama hummed softly as she cracked and sorted her freshly fermented melon seeds on her chair in the parlor while I lay on the floor beside her, continuing to read my favorite novel. Judith and Jessica had gone to grind tomatoes for our dinner soup while we waited.

  "Vicky..."

  "Ma?"

  "Si bowl hu ni store awor va mi."

  That's Ebira for: "Please get me a bowl from the store."

  "Ok, ma," I grunted, picking myself up from the floor. I almost reached the store when my ears perked up in alarm as I heard groaning coming from the parlor.

  "Mama!" I shrieked, rushing towards her. She was kneeling on the floor, clutching her chest in pure agony as tears flowed from her eyes.

  "Mama?!"

  "I'm fine!"

  "Mama, I'm scared..."

  "I'm fine!"

  "Mama, you are crying, and you say you are fine?! Where does it hurt? Wait, let me get Mama Joke to take you to the hospital." I said, in a rush, and tried to rush out, but she held me back firmly.

  "I'm fine! It's time you learn some things about our family, my last born."

  "What do you mean...?"

  "She's back!" Mama gasped, clutching her chest again. "I feel it now more than ever."

  "Who?"

  "We've waited for so long..." Mama continued, oblivious of me beside her. "And now she's finally here!"

  "Mama, who's here?" I asked, getting her attention this time.

  "Who else but the..."

  Mama was interrupted by five simultaneous peals of thunder followed by the whooshing of pregnant clouds.

  We were still in the same position when Jessica and Judith returned home shortly before the rain began to drizzle.

  ***

  At the same time,

  Somewhere in the spirit dimension,

  Angeline

  "Jiro!" I screamed, waking up with a start as I pushed myself off the smooth, stone-cold floor.

  My head felt wooly as I looked around, wondering. I was in some sort of large, dimly lit glass dungeon or hall with a lot of stuff piled up around the edges and glass pillars. Unlike my curious nature, I was more focused on finding the exit than checking them out.

  After a minute or two, I heard something creak.

  "Hello?" I called. "Who's there?"

  My voice echoed across the room. I couldn't see well, as the only source of light came from a purple, pea-sized flaming orb held in a scaly claw in the middle of the room.

  Apart from my footsteps, it was eerily quiet.

  "How am I ever going to get out of here?" I thought aloud. "If only my guardian angel was here..."

  "So, now you need my help!" a disembodied voice said.

  "Hello?" I said, looking around to see who it was.

  "I don't blame you; this is just the first time you've decided to visit me," it said, the voice sounding like it was between childhood and adulthood.

  "Hello? I don't know who you are, but I could use your help..."

  "The world needs your help more..."

  "Really? How? Wait, how did I get here? Who are you, and where are you?"

  "I'm right behind you!"

  "Ah!" I shrieked, jumping away, a little disappointed. I was expecting a wise sage or wizard, but all I saw was a tiny, purple, floating dragon, the size of a mouse, grinning toothily at me.

  "What's wrong with your face?" it asked, seeing my enlightened look.

  "Is there any rule that prevents you from leaving here?" I asked.

  "No, not really... why do you ask?"

  "What if I take you with me?"

  "I don't know..."

  "I really need your help and guidance, in the flesh..."

  "Well, I HAVE been quite lonely here, and she DOES need my help, and I AM her spirit guide..." it contemplated loudly, pacing back and forth in the air.

  "So?"

  "Fine, let's go!"

  "Yay! Here, stay here in my breast pocket." I squealed.

  "Why does your gown have a pocket?" it asked as it flew closer to my pocket.

  "Because I like pockets. So, how do we get out of here?" I asked, eagerly rubbing my palms.

  "Carry the pearl with your right hand, and the pearl will project its message. Don't worry!" it said, seeing my skeptical frown. "It won't burn you."

  "Ok, and whatever you do, don't come out!" I warned.

  "Got it!" It said, diving into my pocket.

  "Alright, here goes nothing!" I said, going towards the claw. Taking a deep breath, I took the pearl, and to my surprise, it didn't burn me, though it was a bit hot. I felt scared as it glowed brighter before projecting its message on the wall.

  I cleared my throat, my voice echoing, as I read it:

  A Serpent's tail,

  Whiskers of a Rat;

  A Carp's scale,

  Wings of a Bat.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  The goatee of a Goat,

  Belly of a Rabbit;

  The heart of a Clam,

  A Monkey's wit.

  The face and horns of an Ox, Teeth and claws of a Tiger;

  The legs of a Horse,

  Crest of a Rooster.

  Ears of a dog,

  Eyes of a demon,

  And snout of a pig;

  Come together and make me a dragon.

  As I began to read, things began to move around the room, leaving me in the eye of the tornado. All the animals, one by one, entered the pearl as I called them softly, making their sounds. When I felt like my hand was on fire, but I couldn't let go of the pearl. The pain was so intense I sank to my knees as I cried.

  Through the pain, I saw my little dragon turning to dust and entering the pearl, causing the flames to rise higher. Suddenly, with the force of a bullet, the pearl shot into my chest, knocking me backward onto the floor.

  I felt a surge of energy and power flow through me, and I knew that I had been chosen for something greater.

  But what?

  As I lay there, trying to catch my breath, I heard the voice of my spirit guide once again.

  "Angie, you did it! You're one step closer to fulfilling your destiny!"

  I smiled, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment. But as I looked around, I realized that I was still trapped in the spirit dimension.

  "How do I get back home?" I Chapter Six - I Am... Dead-ish!

  Flashback

  No. 454, Onozutu Drive, Division C,

  Otite, Okene,

  Kogi State, Nigeria.

  Sunday, February 13,

  10:21 AM.

  Victoria

  Mama hummed softly as she cracked and sorted her freshly fermented melon seeds on her chair in the parlor while I lay on the floor beside her, continuing to read my favorite novel. Judith and Jessica had gone to grind tomatoes for our dinner soup while we waited.

  "Vicky..."

  "Ma?"

  "Si bowl hu ni store awor va mi."

  That's Ebira for: "Please get me a bowl from the store."

  "Ok, ma," I grunted, picking myself up from the floor. I almost reached the store when my ears perked up in alarm as I heard groaning coming from the parlor.

  "Mama!" I shrieked, rushing towards her. She was kneeling on the floor, clutching her chest in pure agony as tears flowed from her eyes.

  "Mama?!"

  "I'm fine!"

  "Mama, I'm scared..."

  "I'm fine!"

  "Mama, you are crying, and you say you are fine?! Where does it hurt? Wait, let me get Mama Joke to take you to the hospital." I said, in a rush, and tried to rush out, but she held me back firmly.

  "I'm fine! It's time you learn some things about our family, my last born."

  "What do you mean...?"

  "She's back!" Mama gasped, clutching her chest again. "I feel it now more than ever."

  "Who?"

  "We've waited for so long..." Mama continued, oblivious of me beside her. "And now she's finally here!"

  "Mama, who's here?" I asked, getting her attention this time.

  "Who else but the..."

  Mama was interrupted by five simultaneous peals of thunder followed by the whooshing of pregnant clouds.

  We were still in the same position when Jessica and Judith returned home shortly before the rain began to drizzle.

  ***

  At the same time,

  Somewhere in the spirit dimension,

  Angeline

  "Jiro!" I screamed, waking up with a start as I pushed myself off the smooth, stone-cold floor.

  My head felt wooly as I looked around, wondering. I was in some sort of large, dimly lit glass dungeon or hall with a lot of stuff piled up around the edges and glass pillars. Unlike my curious nature, I was more focused on finding the exit than checking them out.

  After a minute or two, I heard something creak.

  "Hello?" I called. "Who's there?"

  My voice echoed across the room. I couldn't see well, as the only source of light came from a purple, pea-sized flaming orb held in a scaly claw in the middle of the room.

  Apart from my footsteps, it was eerily quiet.

  "How am I ever going to get out of here?" I thought aloud. "If only my guardian angel was here..."

  "So, now you need my help!" a disembodied voice said.

  "Hello?" I said, looking around to see who it was.

  "I don't blame you; this is just the first time you've decided to visit me," it said, the voice sounding like it was between childhood and adulthood.

  "Hello? I don't know who you are, but I could use your help..."

  "The world needs your help more..."

  "Really? How? Wait, how did I get here? Who are you, and where are you?"

  "I'm right behind you!"

  "Ah!" I shrieked, jumping away, a little disappointed. I was expecting a wise sage or wizard, but all I saw was a tiny, purple, floating dragon, the size of a mouse, grinning toothily at me.

  "What's wrong with your face?" it asked, seeing my enlightened look.

  "Is there any rule that prevents you from leaving here?" I asked.

  "No, not really... why do you ask?"

  "What if I take you with me?"

  "I don't know..."

  "I really need your help and guidance, in the flesh..."

  "Well, I HAVE been quite lonely here, and she DOES need my help, and I AM her spirit guide..." it contemplated loudly, pacing back and forth in the air.

  "So?"

  "Fine, let's go!"

  "Yay! Here, stay here in my breast pocket." I squealed.

  "Why does your gown have a pocket?" it asked as it flew closer to my pocket.

  "Because I like pockets. So, how do we get out of here?" I asked, eagerly rubbing my palms.

  "Carry the pearl with your right hand, and the pearl will project its message. Don't worry!" it said, seeing my skeptical frown. "It won't burn you."

  "Ok, and whatever you do, don't come out!" I warned.

  "Got it!" It said, diving into my pocket.

  "Alright, here goes nothing!" I said, going towards the claw. Taking a deep breath, I took the pearl, and to my surprise, it didn't burn me, though it was a bit hot. I felt scared as it glowed brighter before projecting its message on the wall.

  I cleared my throat, my voice echoing, as I read it:

  A Serpent's tail,

  Whiskers of a Rat;

  A Carp's scale,

  Wings of a Bat.

  The goatee of a Goat,

  Belly of a Rabbit;

  The heart of a Clam,

  A Monkey's wit.

  The face and horns of an Ox, Teeth and claws of a Tiger;

  The legs of a Horse,

  Crest of a Rooster.

  Ears of a dog,

  Eyes of a demon,

  And snout of a pig;

  Come together and make me a dragon.

  As I began to read, things began to move around the room, leaving me in the eye of the tornado. All the animals, one by one, entered the pearl as I called them softly, making their sounds. When I felt like my hand was on fire, but I couldn't let go of the pearl. The pain was so intense I sank to my knees as I cried.

  Through the pain, I saw my little dragon turning to dust and entering the pearl, causing the flames to rise higher. Suddenly, with the force of a bullet, the pearl shot into my chest, knocking me backward onto the floor.

  I felt a surge of energy and power flow through me, and I knew that I had been chosen for something greater.

  But what?

  As I lay there, trying to catch my breath, I heard the voice of my spirit guide once again.

  "Angie, you did it! You're one step closer to fulfilling your destiny!"

  I smiled, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment. But as I looked around, I realized that I was still trapped in the spirit dimension.

  "How do I get back home?" I asked my spirit guide.

  "You'll find a way," it replied. "But for now, rest. You've earned it."

  And with that, everything went black.

  To be continued...