The ride to Nokalu was mostly quiet, with Rami intermittently repeating the words she was supposed to say at Nokalu and the follow-up responses she was supposed to give when asked. By the time they got there, she had the words down to perfection. The herbalist had asked them to drop her at the back gate, which was behind the main entrance leading into Nokalu. Outside the gate were rows of shrubs and large wooden figurines of people and animals.
The sun was still up when they arrived, and they waited impatiently for it to set.
When the herbalist’s phone beeped, they all turned to look at her as she read the message. “They’re starting. Peter, you need to get out of the car. Rami, bring two bottles of water. When he starts shaking, pour it over his head. Lilian, I will need you to help me hold him. He’s going to need the support after the bond with his brother is broken.”
They all took their positions and waited anxiously for their cue. It came about six minutes later. Peter screamed and began to shake vigorously. “Rami, now! Lilian, hold on to him.”
Rami quickly poured the first bottle of water over him, and then the next, as the shaking reduced to shudders. By the time the second bottle of water was empty, the shudders had stopped.
“Bring him another bottle to drink,” the herbalist instructed, and Rami rushed back to the car to comply.
After he had drunk the water, he looked calm and sober. “I feel different. So different.”
He looked different too, the same person, but still different.
The girls hugged him. “Congratulations for getting your life back.”
“Thank you.” Peter said somberly, trying not to let tears flow as he wiped the water off himself with the small towel the herbalist had brought him.
The herbalist’s phone went off again.
“It’s time. You have twenty minutes while they cleanse him for the next sacrifice to make the request.” She gestured to the small wooden gate. “This gate opens into Nokalu, but not the main areas, so we can walk in there. There is another bigger gate that leads inside Nokalu proper, which has a guard there. That is where they will come from. This gate can be opened without permission, as it leads to the threshold. I will stay outside the first gate and wait for you, and then we can go in together after you make the request.”
After Peter and the girls got into the car, Lilian turned around to drive to the main entrance, but the herbalist stopped her.
“Wait! Peter cannot go with you. He is still bonded to Hormeku. It may not matter, but to avoid any technicalities creating problems, he shouldn’t be so close to the ritual area either. He should wait here with me.”
The new development made Rami anxious. She had counted on Uncle Peter going with them, especially to help with the words in case she faltered. And also because as much as she had tried to hide it, she was deeply afraid. The thought of entering Nokalu on their own without the company and assistance of someone who knew the terrain made her anxious.
“We can do it,” Lilian said firmly, looking at Rami. Rami nodded, feeling encouraged.
“You will be fine,” Peter said as he got out of the car to let Rami take the front seat. “You have already mastered the words. They won’t ask you anything else different from what you have been taught the moment you say the first words. And don’t worry about the language. The request is the only thing you have to say in the local language.”
Reassured, Rami took her seat beside Lilian, and after waving at Peter, Lilian drove off to the entrance. Rami’s heart kept beating faster as they neared, and she took several deep breaths as Lilian parked outside where other vehicles were parked. Hand in hand, they walked to the entrance together, trying not to gawk at the intimidating black and gold figurines adorning the entrance. There were other people entering before them, and as they waited their turn, Rami silently repeated the words. Soon enough, it was their turn, and Rami and Lilian stood before the somewhat intimidating guard at the entrance.
The guard greeted them, and Lilian responded. Rami stared at him wide-eyed, her mouth dry as everything she had learnt evaporated from her mind.
“Madam? How can we help you?” he demanded when Rami didn’t speak. Lilian gently prodded Rami. “Rami, Aba is waiting for us,” she whispered gently, bringing Rami back to her senses.
“We have come for my sister, Aba Fordjour. Her family does not consent to her service to the Nokalu shrine. She owes her service to her mother, who still needs her in her life,” she said clearly even though her voice was slightly shaky.
The guard did a double take, clearly shocked.
“Who are you to her, and what gives you more authority than the one who brought her here?” he demanded.
“I am Ewurama Fordjour, younger sister to Aba Fordjour. I am her next of kin, and I have more authority over her than the one who brought her here.”
“Wait here while I confirm her presence at Nokalu and your ability to take her away from her servitude.”
“Thank you.”
Rami let out a sigh of relief as the guard went inside. She was grateful that he didn’t ask any other question she hadn’t been taught by the herbalist and Uncle Peter.
The girls waited nervously for the guard to return to them. It took about fifteen minutes, but finally, they saw him approaching. Rami reached for Lilian’s hand. This was the moment of truth.
“Go around the back of the building. You will see a black gate. Enter and walk straight until you see another gate. Wait there. Someone will bring your sister to you.”
There were more words than they understood, but enough for them to know that everything had gone as planned.
“Thank you’” Lilian said, turning around to drag a frozen Rami to the car.
Rami was shaking as Lilian drove around the back to where Uncle Peter was waiting with the herbalist.
“Lilian, she’s alive. Aba is truly alive,” Rami whispered.
“I know. I still can’t believe it,” Lilian said as she parked the car in the previous spot.
Earlier
The shrine room was solemn and vibrating with powerful energy. It had been prepared for sacrifice, either of life or servitude at Nokalu for life. The gods would choose the kind of sacrifice they wanted after the ritual. Two helpers stood at each end of the room, and an altar held a massive statue decorated with red and white cloth with two pots of incense burning in the dimly lit room.
Hormeku was kneeling on a straw mat in the middle of the room, dressed only in a white cloth wrapped around his waist. He faced the altar and the priest, who was mumbling incantations. Occasionally, he would turn around and brush the fine straw brush he was holding over Hormeku. This went on for a while before one of the helpers brought a brown, clay bowl that was half-filled with a colourless concoction. The priest dipped the brush into the concoction and, still muttering the incantation, sprinkled it on Hormeku. After repeating the action for about fifteen times, the priest stood in front of Homerku.
“It is time to break your previous sacrifice bond. After we begin, it cannot be reversed. Confirm the replacement sacrifice before we begin.”
Hormeku cleared his throat. “I confirm the replacement as Aba Fordjour, the young lady I brought to be prepared for the ritual.”
“Very well,” the priest said. “Let us begin.”
The second helper brought another clay bowl, this time half-filled with a murky brown liquid. The first helper brought a wooden cup, which the priest used to fetch some of the liquid and hold to Homerku’s lips. He quickly gulped the liquid, trying not to cry out at the burning sensation in his throat. When he began to shake vigorously, the priest took the jug of water he was given by the second helper and poured it all over Hormeku. When the shaking stopped, the priest began another round of incantation, walking around Hormeku’s kneeling form for about ten minutes. Then he poured another jug of water on him and continued for another ten minutes. When he was done, he told the second helper, “Go and bring his sacrifice.”
The priest stood in front of Hormeku, muttering more incantations while they waited for the sacrifice. The first helper laid a mat in front of Hormeku, preparing for the arrival of the sacrifice. After ten minutes, the priest frowned when the helper had not returned with the sacrifice. He was about to send the first helper after him when the second helper returned without the sacrifice.
The priest looked at him in surprise as the helper shook his head in agitation, then beckoned him outside the shrine. “What is the matter? Where is the sacrifice?”
“Sorry, my lord. The sacrifice has been taken back by her family, who have a higher authority over her.”
The priest was shocked.
“What? Her family found her?”
“Yes, my lord. She has already been released according to the laws.”
“Amazing! Unbelievable! I can’t believe it finally happened. Shocking.”
He looked towards the shrine where Hormeku was awaiting. “There’s only one thing to do then.”
When he returned to the shrine, he signalled to the helpers to be ready.
“I have some unfortunate news for you,” he told Hormeku. “You no longer have a sacrifice. The young lady you brought has been found by her family, who have a higher authority over her than you do. They have demanded her return.”
Hormeku looked up at the priest, gaping in shock. “My – my l-lord. How? That’s impossible!”
“I would have thought so myself, but unfortunately for you, it has truly happened. You no longer have a replacement sacrifice.”
Hormeku was speechless and fearful. This could not be happening. “Ignore them, my lord! I am her father! I have authority over her! Send them away, and let’s complete the ritual quickly.”
The priest shook his head. “She has already been returned to her family, as the law states. You may be her father, but you don’t have higher authority over her than her next of kin.”
“Give me some time. I will bring a replacement, please!”
“We cannot stop now. The ritual has already begun. Besides, you have already been given many chances. I can’t make any more allowances for you.”
Hormeku tried to scramble up. “Peter! Let’s use him again. Let’s reverse the bond!”
The two helpers who had been anticipating the action held him down.
“I am sorry, Hormeku. The bond reversal cannot be undone. I warned you before we started. We have no choice now but to continue the ritual and use you as originally intended.”
Hormeku blanched and began to plead tearfully, trying again to scramble up. “No, no. Please, please. Give me more time. I will bring someone else. You can’t use me! Not me! Please!”
Ignoring him, the helpers held him in place as the priest retrieved a long, sharp-looking knife. His screams echoed in the small room.
