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Redemption and Recovery

 

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It's a tale of  huts and thatched roofs, of narrow village paths and clear streams. She walked one of the paths now barefooted; not knowing exactly where she was headed, she picked up her pace as she went, the red mud flying and plastering on the edges of her wrapper. 

She looked behind her, is he awake now? searching for her? The man whom she was given to, the custodian of the ancient gods. Could he smell her, sniff out where she was? She started to shake visibly. Run! She cried. Escape or die trying.

She began to run; tearing away from her the beads around her neck and waist and wrists, it was an abomination but she didn't care now. She had to get away from him. Oh, how her ribs hurt.

She began to lose her breath, and just when she thought she would fall, she saw Him. She came to a halt, panting heavily. It was not the custodian. This man seemed to be a Traveller. He did not look like men from these parts. Yes, he had to be a Traveller, but again, he was too clean for someone who had travelled a far distance.

He looked up at her from where he was sitted on a big stone. He smiled at her and said "I have been waiting for you". She looked behind her in disbelief, her palm folding into fists, as she took a step back and stopped. He had the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen, why couldn't she bring her self to move again? There was an inexplicable aura about him, "who are you" she asked with a shaky voice, aching all over. 

"You're tired, come and have a drink" he says, unlatching a leather pouch and offering her water, the smile still on his face. She felt all her defences shattering right before her eyes. "Who are you" she asked again,"What do you seek in these parts?" She walked slowly towards him and accepts the drink taking a long swig. 

She falls to the ground, suddenly weighed down by all the burdens she had borne for such a long time, alone, and begins to sob uncontrollably. How vulnerable she must look to this stranger, she thought, willing the tears to stop.

"Wipe your tears, Uzochi" the man said and helped her up, wiping the tears off her eyes " You don't need to run away anymore, I have assailed your assailant, and now you must recover his plunders, follow me" he said. 

Even though Uzochi had so many questions, one of which was how he knew her name, she followed the man back towards the direction she had come, bathed in a new strength she couldn't quite explain, to recover her plundered goods.

 


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