Chapter 11
Tikayo‟s wives and children walking as fast as their legs could carry them arrived the outskirts of the village just as Ogadi and the men entered the village square with their fallen chief. Mako Tikayo‟s first wife and the rest of the family were already aware of the sad and despicable event that had taken place through Ntumba who had managed to reach the farm.
“I can‟t believe it,” Mako said muttering over and over.
“This is a bad dream,” Akko added. On being rescued from the clutches of his liver crazy father, Ntumba on regaining consciousness had managed to find his way to the farm where his mother and other members of the family were sweating it out under the hot sun. His mother was surprised to see him, “what is it, where is your father?” Akko asked in quick succession.
Ntumba merely fell on the ground and started weeping uncontrollably and holding his head.
Okanu moved to where he lay, “what is the matter,” he asked just as Toki joined him. Akko was astonished and beside herself with anxiety. Ntumba‟s wailing attracted the attention of the first wife as well as the rest of the children who now joined Toki and Okanu and were making spirited attempts to know why Ntumba was weeping.
“What is wrong with you? “Mako asked gently bending down to examine his legs for snakebites or scorpion stings. As the first wife, she was mother to all the children in the family.
“Ntumba why are you refusing to tell us what is disturbing you now? “Akko pleaded looking very worried. “Did your father beat you or is he in trouble?”
Suddenly Mako cried out, “what is this?” she asked massaging the bump on Ntumba‟s head gently.
“It was father who hit me with a big stick, first on the back and then on the head”– “Why did he hit you with a big stick?” Akko probed further.
The two women were amazed and exchanged quick worried glances with one another.
“Tell us now what did you do to warrant his hitting you with a big stick,” Mako continued with the questioning. Both women believed that given the naughtiness of children Ntumba must have offended his father. But when Ntumba opened up and told the story of how his father was about to kill him but for the intervention of two men who it appeared were doing something at the tree top and thus were able to see what transpired below. Of course, there was no way Ntumba would have known that it was a vigilante group that had just saved him.
“Look at my chest,” Ntumba said opening his dress to reveal knife marks.
Suddenly the puzzle fell into place. “So our husband was the killer?” Mako asked in amazement, “children gather your things and let‟s go home immediately something bad has happened,” she announced.
“May the Gods protect us from the anger of the people,” Akko prayed as she gathered
her things. “To think that he was the killer– killing all these helpless victims…”
“Don‟t just stand there and lament, think of yourself and the children.” Mako said harshly.
“But mother,” Akko began then hesitated, “Yes speak out,” Mako ordered.
“Are you sure it‟s really true and not a fabrication by Ntumba?” Akko asked.
“Stay there and deceive yourself our husband is the killer. He could not get his mysterious liver again, so he now decided to turn inward and kill his own children so as to eat their liver,” Mako said, while her hands continued to work at a feverish pace gathering foodstuff.
“If not for the men up the tree, Ntumba would be dead by now…”
“May the Gods forbid that my child be eaten by a savage,” Akko shouted also interrupting Mako. “What a life,” Akko continued stunned. “Killing children, women then taking their livers and hearts home to be used as meat in his meals –“.
“Are you still standing there and reflecting on nothing?” Mako asked interrupting her.
“Okay stand there as if you don‟t know what the villagers can do to us due to the horrible crime committed by our husband”. Without further delay Mako gathered her things and all the children and they departed for the village. Of course Akko would not be left behind, she followed immediately.
As they all trudged on towards Boma village, Mako continued to go over her plans again and again. “How can I live in this village, all my life with this type of shame and stigma,” she wondered aloud. “May Rorche deliver us out of this shame” Akko prayed.
“Me? Not me” Mako said crossing her head with her hand. “Live in this village? So that the women will point at me with their left hand and say this is the woman whose husband ate my child‟s liver – not me,” Mako stated.
“Mother what do we do now?” Akko asked.
“I don‟t know about you. But for me I‟m leaving the village tonight” she declared emphatically.
Mother, we shall all go with you,” Ntumba said.
“Yes-o,” Okanu added.
“I will follow too,” Toki said. The die was cast, it was obvious that they were fleeing Boma village.
“The shame and stigma was unbearable and you could not trust these men in Boma village”. Akko reflected and being aware of all these setbacks did not need any body to convince her to flee the village with her children and whatever belongings they could gather. Away from Boma village they would all start life afresh and put this ugly incident behind them forever.