THE STRANGER WHO CAME TO OUR VILLAGE AT MIDNIGHT
EPISODE 3: THE BROTHER WHO BETRAYED HIS OWN BLOOD
The village meeting hall was in complete confusion.
Chief Eze had disappeared.
Mama Nneka was crying, while Chike stood in the middle of the hall, struggling to understand everything he had just heard.
"Please, Mama, tell me the truth. Who was my father's brother?"
Mama Nneka wiped her tears.
"His name was Obinna. He was your father's younger brother. But nobody has seen him since the night your family compound was burned."
Chike became angry.
"So my uncle is still alive?"
Mama Nneka nodded slowly.
"I believe so. But there is something else you need to know."
She moved closer and lowered her voice.
"Your father did not die in that fire."
Chike froze.
"What?"
"Your mother told me he escaped through the back entrance. She said he was going somewhere to meet someone who promised to protect him."
"Who was that person?"
Mama Nneka looked around to make sure nobody was listening.
"Your father's best friend. A man named Chief Eze.
Chike stepped backwards.
"Chief Eze? The same man who just ran away?"
Mama Nneka nodded.
Before Chike could ask another question, a young boy rushed into the meeting hall.
"Everybody! Somebody has been found dead near the old river!"
The elders immediately stood up.
Chike followed them.
When they arrived at the river, they found an old man lying beside a large tree. His clothes were covered in mud, and one of his hands was tightly closed around a piece of paper.
Chike bent down and carefully removed it.
There were only seven words written on it:
"OBINNA IS NOT THE MAN YOU SHOULD FEAR."
Chike read the message three times.
Suddenly, he heard someone calling his name from behind.
"Chike!"
He turned around.
Standing in the darkness was a woman wearing a red headscarf.
She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"My son..."
Chike's heart began beating faster.
"Who are you?"
The woman slowly removed her headscarf.
It was a face he had seen only in an old photograph.
It was his mother.
"Mama?" Chike whispered.
She rushed forward and embraced him.
For twenty years, Chike had believed his parents were dead.
Now, one of them was standing before him.
But before he could ask where she had been all these years, she grabbed his shoulders and whispered urgently:
"Listen to me, Chike. We must leave this village immediately."
"Why, Mama? Who are we running from?"
She looked towards the village road.
Then she said something that made his blood run cold.
"Because your father is still alive, and he is the one who sent me here to find you.
Suddenly, a gunshot echoed from the other side of the river.
The woman screamed.
Chike turned around.
A shadow was standing behind the tree, holding a gun.
And the mysterious figure shouted:
"Nobody leaves this place alive!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
If you discovered that your parents had been alive all along but had hidden from you for twenty years, would you forgive them?
And who is the mysterious gunman
Share your thoughts. Episode 4 is coming soon!
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