Virgo

"I'm a seer, what I can't see, neither you nor your Forefathers can," Eze nmuo said.
"How dare you insult my forefathers, Eze nmuo? You've stumped me enough, first you took Ada m, some years back, now you want to take my own Maria. Over my dead body will she be sacrificed to your blood thirsty god," Mazi Nwosu said.



"Bia, Nwosu, watch your mouth, else Amadioha will wring your neck." said Eze nmuo, "Well, that does it for our discussion, make sure your daughter gets to the shrine before the next Eke market day."
"Eze nmuo, you've over-stayed your welcome, and should leave."
"Nwosu, you're a coward, I was about leaving, so if I leave now, I didn't leave per your command, mgbaa," Eze nmuo sighed and
left.
Maria walked out of the house, slowly and incomparably bitter - she must've heard everything.
"Papa," she said, "Why is the gods so wicked on us?" she dissolved into tears.
Mazi Nwosu would've said, nothing will happen to you, my daughter, like he said during Ada's, but he zipped his lips, feeling no need to shower her with false hope.
"Papa, the gods are heartless. Why demand a young girl like me? Why deprive me the right to life? Any god that prey on his subjects will one day have no worshiper. If Eze nmuo sees, as he claims, he should've seen that, and the possibilities of angry Christians setting his shrine ablaze, but he doesn't see, and can't even see what I have in-stock for him." with her school uniform, she cleaned her tears, "Papa, don't worry, in times like this, the solution is Jesus Christ, he might help this time, though he failed to save Ada. Nonetheless, I'm off for school, on my return, take me to the shrine, a virgin he wants, a virgin he would have."
She's brave. At fourteen, she's already man enough to accept realities.
From afar, her mother, Nwanyi Nkwo watched her daughter, with tears trailing down her cheek, accepting the fact that soon, she will have no child to show for her wedlock.
Per her request, she was taken to the shrine, and like a lamb, laid on the altar of Amadioha, though untied, and awaiting the moment Jesus Christ or death will free her from its shackles.
Present at the shrine were youths, chieftains and Eze nmuo, who had his ceremonial sword clutched to his right palm.
"As usual, a virgin is before thee, waiting to be devoured," said Eze nmuo, "At the drop of her blood, grant us, another Ikeji, victory over our rivals, powers beneath the earth, and a place in Ala nmuo, the moment we breathe no more."
"Amadioha, bia rie aja gi. Come and have thy sacrifice!" in a go, Maria's head went rolling.
At the drop of her blood, all they plead for, were granted. It's good from a perspective, Maria sacrificed herself. Had she refused, or rejected by Amadioha, seven virgins will die on on the Ikeji, and a virgin, daily, until the next Eke market day.
"Jesus Christ!" Nwanyi nkwo woke from a nightmare, she picked a match box from her bedside and lit a lantern that hung on the wall, checked the time and wailed. It's not just a nightmare, her daughter have given up, "Amadioha, my god will judge you and your followers,"
Mazi Nwosu rushed in, he's been outside waiting and hoping, Maria would walk up to him, somehow, "I heard you shout, please, don't continue this way. Maria might be history now, but we still have each other,"
"Papa! Mama!"
Maria rushed in.
"Ghost o!" they said.
"Don't come closer," her mother said.
Maria met her in a tight embrace, "I'm alive. I'm not dead."
"Thank you, Jesus," Mazi Nwosu said. Before, he never believed in that name, but today, he has finally believed, "But, how come?"
"He saved me, and somehow, I managed to outrun them."
"He? Them?"
They heard a bang at their door.
"Mazi Nwosu, bring that shameless daughter of yours out, now, or we do it our way. My fellow youths, hope I spoke your minds?"
"Ee!" they said in unison.
"Run!" Mazi Nwosu opened the back door and made into the bush with his family.
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©Oluebube Ogbonnaya