PART 3

 THE MORTUARY

SECRET 3

   

   The village elders, a group of wise and respected men and women, gathered in the central square. Chief Amadi, the oldest and most revered elder, stood at the forefront. He raised his hand for silence, and the crowd hushed instantly.

“Bring the child forward,” Chief Amadi commanded. Mama Ada, clutching Ada tightly, stepped forward with Papa Ada by her side. Ada’s wide eyes looked around, confused and scared.

Chief Amadi knelt to Ada’s level, his eyes kind but serious. “My child, do you remember anything from when you were in the forest?”

Ada shook her head slowly. “I was playing... then I fell asleep under the mango tree. When I woke up, I was in the darkroom.”

Chief Amadi nodded thoughtfully. He turned to Mr. Okoro. “You claim there is a curse. Explain yourself.”

Mr. Okoro, sweating and nervous, swallowed hard. “Many years ago, a girl woke up in the mortuary just like Ada. The next day, a great sickness spread through the village. People said it was because she came back from the dead. Since then, we have not allowed anyone to leave the mortuary if they wake up.”

The crowd murmured, exchanging fearful glances. Chief Amadi raised his hand again for silence. “Superstitions have no place here. We will investigate the truth. Mr. Jide, take Mr. Okoro and search the mortuary. Look for anything unusual.”

Mr. Jide nodded and, with two other villagers, led Mr. Okoro back to the mortuary. The rest of the villagers waited anxiously, whispering among themselves. Mama Ada and Papa Ada stayed close to Ada, comforting her as best as they could.

In the mortuary, Mr. Jide and the others searched every corner. Mr. Okoro stood by, wringing his hands. Suddenly, one of the villagers, Kemi, found a hidden door behind a shelf. “Look here!” she called out.

They pushed the shelf aside and opened the door, revealing a dark, narrow staircase leading down to a basement. With lanterns in hand, they descended the stairs, their shadows dancing on the walls.

At the bottom, they found a room filled with strange herbs, bottles of mysterious liquids, and old, dusty books. In the center of the room was a large, stone altar with symbols carved into it.

“What is this place?” Mr. Jide asked, his voice echoing in the basement.

Mr. Okoro, now pale and trembling, muttered, “This... this is where we kept the curse at bay. The herbs and potions were meant to protect the village.”

Mr. Jide picked up one of the books and flipped through the pages. “These aren’t protection spells. These are curses. You’ve been using dark magic.”

Mr. Okoro’s eyes widened in horror. “No, it can’t be. I was told these were to keep us safe!”

Mr. Jide’s face hardened. “You’ve been deceived. These spells could have caused more harm than good.”

Back in the village, the elders and villagers waited for news. The sun was rising, casting a golden glow over the square. Just as the tension reached its peak, Mr. Jide and the others returned, carrying the book and some of the herbs.

Chief Amadi examined the items, his expression grave. “This is indeed dark magic. We must cleanse our village of this evil.”

The villagers gasped, realizing the true danger they had been in. Mama Ada hugged Ada tighter, relieved that her daughter was safe.

Chief Amadi continued, “We will perform a cleansing ritual to rid our village of this darkness. Mr. Okoro, you will be held accountable for your actions, but first, we must ensure the safety of our people.”

As preparations for the ritual began, the villagers felt a mix of fear and hope. The mystery was unraveling, but the danger was not yet over. What would the cleansing ritual reveal? Would Ada be safe? The answers were still to come, leaving everyone on edge, waiting for the final resolution.

To be continued