The revenge of Sinai

Chapter 04 - Sense of danger

 Chapter 04: The Sense of Danger

On my way home, I was thinking of a way to spend my day. There isn't much to do at this time of year because things are fairly calm. The harvest season had just passed, and last week we hunted enough food to last for a week or two. I usually spent my time training or learning at old Mansa's house during this period. But today I can't; the stranger... I mean, Zakariah must rest.

It seems as though a living being is haunting me because I keep seeing his face and hearing his voice. I relished every second I had with him. I could still remember how intrigued I was when I first saw his face. He seemed to have stirred up something inside of me that had been sleeping. I wanted to spend hours watching him to figure out what it was about him that appealed to me. I've never felt this way before; when he was near, I was unable to speak or think clearly. I felt like a snake hypnotized by the snake charmer's music. His voice had the timbre of a lovely melody emanating from the ocean.

I needed to get my thoughts straight, so I chose to visit my old friend Adama. Whenever I was lost, she was always able to help me relax and feel better. My friend was loading some luggage onto a horse when I got close to her hut.

"Peace be upon you, my friend," I said,

"Sinaï! My thoughts must have reached the ancestors. I was about to come looking for you."

I questioned, "Where are you going, too?"

"My mother requires that these clothes be delivered to the next village; unfortunately, my brother is ill, so I must go." She asked kindly, "Would you please come with me?"

I didn't need to be asked twice by her. This change of scenery is exactly what I needed. to flee from this oppressive village, even if only for a short time.

"I'll be happy to come with you, my friend. I'll let Fatim and old Mansa know I'm leaving, and when you're ready, I'll meet you at the village gate."

She said as I walked away, "Hurry up, we must come back before dawn; we do not want to be outside of the village when the spirits march on earth,"

Dawn was a very ethereal time. It serves as a transition between day and night. The bridge between the seen and the unseen also opens during that brief period. Rarely do the spirits appear; not everyone has the mental fortitude to handle seeing one of those beings.

A veil separating our two worlds was not placed there by the gods haphazardly. Weak as we are, our minds cannot bear to see beyond what meets the eye, so they are meant to remain hidden. But perhaps in the years to come, the people who will live after us will be able to understand and endure what we were unable to.

I went home and looked for Fatim. She had started preparing lunch already. "Fatim, I have to go with Adama to the next village so I won't be here today. Before dawn, we'll return," Fatim gave a nod. "Take this just in case, child, and safe travels," She gave me two charcoal pieces. It is said that using charcoal will keep you safe from nighttime spirits.

"Won't you ask me for permission to leave?" said a voice.

I turned around to face my father; he was sitting in the chair with a bottle of palm wine next to him.

"I don't need anyone's permission," I turned around and started walking away when he yelled at me,

"I am the man of the house!"

"The man of the house? I am the man of the house. I bring food into this house; I feed you,"

Without waiting for a response from his side, I turned around and dashed over to Old Mansa's house. But my rage vanished as soon as I caught a glimpse of Zakariah. He was sleeping once more. When I arrived in the yard, I saw the old man sitting next to his small tree.

"What brings you back here?" he asked, surprised.

"I came to let you know that I am leaving for the day; I'm going with Adama to the next village,"

"You must come back before dawn," he said.

"We will."

"Wait before you leave." Old Mansa entered his hut and returned a short while later carrying a scabbard. "This is one of the best swords you can find in this land, take it to defend yourself just in case. It was forged by the Makerar Dutsi from the Hausa people, the best blacksmiths and masters of smithery,"

I took the sword out of the scabbard and exhaled in shock. The day we met, he used this exact sword to save my life.

"I can't take this... This sword—" I was unable to speak

"It is now yours. Take this as a reward for completing your training successfully,"

"I don't know what to say. It seems like these days I am speechless,"

"You don't need to, just get back home okay. Be wary; if bandits are approaching the village, it won't be long before nobody is safe,"

I nodded and mounted my preferred stallion from the ranch of old Mansa. He owned three stallions. The two others were gifts from the villagers, and once he was the horse he brought here 14 winters prior. I then joined my friend at the village's entrance.

"Let's go," I said to my friend.

Adama broke the ice as we were moving by asking, "How is the stranger?" "I haven't had the opportunity to see him yet." My face unintentionally broke into a smile. I wasn't aware of it until my friend asked, "Is that a smile on your face? " in a high-pitched voice. "I thought this day would never happen, the day Sinai smiles because of a boy!" she exclaims in astonishment.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. I tried to stop smiling, but my mouth was against it.

"Oh! My friend, I don't know what is happening to me. Ever since I laid my eyes on this stranger, I keep seeing his face when my eyes are closed. I hear his voice day and night. "It is like I am haunted, and I can think about something else even if I want it." I confess "Every time I see him, I have this strange and scary feeling in my heart." He has awakened something in me, but I don't know what it is. "I am lost; I've never felt that way before, my friend! What is happening to you is the most beautiful thing in the world! "You are falling in love!" she screamed.

All of my senses perked up the moment I heard the word "love" Me? Sinaï? Falling in love? That's not feasible at all! I just can't let that happen to me,not now. I don't want to fall in love with someone who might leave tomorrow. I don't want to fall in love before I've even started my journey.

"I don't want to fall in love," I complained.

"I'm sorry, my friend, but love is not something you choose; it comes without asking," "You do not have the choice,"

In that case, I choose to refuse to acknowledge these feelings. "Let's ride faster; the sooner we arrive, the better."

I drifted off into thought the rest of the way. I was considering what my friend had just said to me regarding love. I hardly know this stranger, how can I love him? Isn't love more about what you know about someone rather than what you see? You cannot fall in love with someone you hardly know. Something else must be going on there; it can't be love. What happens if Zakariah leaves? What if he doesn't feel the same way as I do? what then! How should I handle these... feelings? I sigh in desperation; these emotions are a bad omen.