Chapter 4

Tikayo reached his compound just before sunset. Throwing down his load he sank his frame into his favourite chair and tried to relax as his children rushed out of their abodes to greet him.

“Have you children had your evening food?” He asked.

“Yes,” Okanu answered on behalf of the other children. Okanu was the second son of the entire family. Tall for his age, Okanu was a tough lad and like his elder brother he was showing signs of growing up into a strong lad and a good hunter.

“Where is your mother?” Tikayo asked Komo another child of his.

“In the kitchen,” he answered.

“Call her for me now, he ordered.

“Yes papa,” Komo replied racing off to fetch his mother. Tikayo continued relaxing and mulling over the days activities.

“Yes my master here am I,” his wife said tapping him gently on the knee.

“Whose turn is it to cook today?” he asked.

“It‟s my turn,” she replied. “Is my food ready?

“Yes,” she said rising up to go.

“Wait,” he said. Dipping his hand into the bag he produced a medium sized bundle.

“Akko you know I love the liver of animals very much?” he asked.

“Today its your turn to cook my favourite for me do it well.”

“I‟ll do my best my Lord,” Akko promised and went back into the kitchen.

Akko was the second wife of Tikayo chief of Boma village she had been married to him for many years and she had borne him six beautiful strong children. As soon as his second wife vanished from view, Tikayo reclined back on the chair and closed his eyes while allowing his mind to go on a roller coaster. He dwelt extensively on the predicament facing him. He had killed many animals in the past months and had eaten their liver; it was not to be compared with that first liver he had eaten previously. He had

killed two people in Boma village already and it was clear that the liver he had eaten before was human liver.

He did not like killing innocent villagers besides two deaths in a short space of time. The entire village was now on alert but that did not pose a problem to a skilled hunter like himself “No matter how alert they maybe I shall still get my meat. I pray that this antelope liver will turn out to be a good substitute, he mumbled to himself.

“My master what are you substituting?” A voice asked suddenly from behind. Tikayo was frightened badly and he showed it.

“How many times have I warned you not to take me unaware again?” He asked his wife with eyes blazing. Akko carrying a tray laden with a big bowl of fufu and okro soup rich with the antelope liver halted immediately and she remained rooted on the spot to take in the rebuke. Remaining on the spot like a statue, Akko stayed in that position till she was sure that her husband‟s anger had abated.

“I am sorry my master,” Akko said by way of apology as she kneeled to serve him his evening meal.

“I‟ve heard you,” he said gruffly. “Make sure you don‟t do that again else you will be sorry for yourself.”

“Yes my master I shall remember your warning,” Akko pledged. With the matter rested, Tikayo began to attack the big bowl of fufu before him. He isolated the liver in his soup bowl preferring to tackle it last.

“I hope this is the liver that I gave you to prepare?” Tikayo asked.

“Yes my master it is the liver that you gave me to prepare,” Akko replied. There was silence as he ate on, suddenly he fired another question

“What kind of liver is this?” he asked taking a second bite to be very sure. Akko was confused but remained silent.

Tikayo was disappointed his experiment didn‟t work. I shall kill again, he vowed silently. Tikayo and his wife maintained the silence as he continued eating. As the chief of Boma village, Tikayo ran his house with

utmost ruthlessness. It was a taboo to talk while he was eating. You had to also suspend all that you were doing to listen and you must stand till he had finished speaking. His wives and children had more than a healthy respect for him. He was like a God to his family and in the entire village he was highly respected for his strength and prowess as a hunter Tikayo was the third man among the hunters in Boma village to kill two lions and follow it with a tiger using just his bow and arrow in both cases.

“Water,” he suddenly called out. Akko as alert as ever reached out and served him drinking water in a big jug.

Tikayo then reclined his back on his rocking chair followed with a subdued belch. He watched with disgust as Akko and her children cleared the partly empty dishes of what had earlier been his dinner. He had not enjoyed the meal at all especially the liver, which was that of an antelope. “Only the human liver taste so delicious and I shall continue to kill to satisfy my urge. Henceforth I must enjoy my meals! On the spot Tikayo

silently resolved to have a good meal as from the following day.

Tikayo lived up to his promise as he returned from the field with a package the following day. It was Mako‟s turn to cook remembering the first warning she did not ask questions. That evening Tikayo ate well emptying his plate. A feat he had not achieved for a long time. This time he followed it with a loud belch, which could be heard by those around him. As the plates were being taken away he patted, his stomach here lies the liver of my third victim. The liver he had eaten that evening was that of a twelve-year-old boy from Boma village.

In his quest to satisfy his urge Tikayo was very careful to limit his attacks to only children and women from Boma village. The other neigbouring villages he knew would not take the disappearance of their kinsman kindly. Knowing well the kind of powers these villages had Tikayo decided to play soft by not killing somebody who was not from Boma village. As chief of Boma village Tikayo at a glance could tell his subjects from other

villagers. One feature that gave them away was the marks on their faces and their pierced ears, which always had an earring dangling. It was not because Boma village was scared of fighting after all they were warriors. But Tikayo thought it foolish to provoke war through his actions. So he thus limited himself to Boma village.