The Darkest Hour - Season 1 - Episode 33

4 years ago

The Darkest Hour - Season 1 - Episode 33

**
Back to Ndiogoro land, everybody stared at chief Dike who came out boldly looking at Mrs Williams.

“Why would you think i have a hand in my brother’s death. It was obvious that the reason why he was killed is because he violated the tradition of the land”
“Is a lie! I don’t believe it” Mrs Williams retorted. “My people, years ago, Dike here had always wanted to sleep with me without my husband’s knowledge..”
“Heey!” the villagers exclaimed while Mrs Williams continued..

Continues..

FLASH BACK
:
In a farm where Mrs Williams was cultivating cassava, several ridges could be seen in rolls. She was a woman in her middle twenties looking beautiful. She tied a wrapper across her chest and another on her waist. As she bent down, hands startled her from behind, so she turned swiftly-that was Dike.
“Dike, what’s the meaning of this” Mrs Williams frowned. She had a machet in her hand.

“What do you think is the meaning of this?” Dike threw back the question with a smile. He had a wrapper hung on his shoulder while another on his waist. “Listen Rose, you are acting as if you don’t know what i want..”
“Have you forgotten I’m your elder brother’s wife” Mrs Williams interrupted.
“Who made u my elder brother’s wife? If not me, you wouldn’t have been accepted in our family. So you just have to cooperate with me. Listen, my brother’s property is my property. So, legally, you are mine too” he moved closer to touch her but Mrs Williams raised the machet up.

“Don’t you dare come close to me!”
“Muwa..” Dike beat his chest.
“Yes, giwa” Mrs Williams gathered her farm implements. Dike watched her as she briskly flung her butt0ckz home.
:
At Dike’s resident, Mr Williams visited him at night. There was a hurricane lamp on the centre table. On the walls of the room were traditional images. Dike sat opposite his brother listening attentively coz it was an unusual visit.

“Dike my brother” Mr Williams began. “Some thing have been going on in my life these days. I see things about the dark forest of our land”
“Things like what?” Dike queried.
“I can’t tell. The only thing that is preventing me from going there is my children”
“You mean you are trying to enter into the dark forest when you have twins as children. Never you try it brother”
“Then what do you expect me to do?”
“Just forget about whatever u are seeing”
“But the dreams get so intense” Mr Williams bent his head thoughtfully as silenced took over..
:
Mr Williams returned home that same night. He told his wife about his conversation with Dike which she wasn’t insupport of.
“Nnayi, i don’t like the idea of telling your brother what you just told him” the wife frowned in the bedroom.

Mr Williams looked at her critically. “Why shouldn’t i?” he asked but the wife kept quiet. “He’s my brother, so i suppose to tell him some certain things”
“I don’t just trust him. You need to be careful” the wife la!d down in sleep while the husband wondered why she had to say that..

:
CONTINUITY
Mrs Williams continued in tears as everybody listened to her. “The following day, my husband left to the farm with no hope of going to the dark forest. Few minutes after he left, Dike came to our house and wanted to sleep with me again which i refused”
“Heeey!” the villagers shouted.
“This woman is a liar!” Chief Dike shrieked. “How can u all stand here listening to this illusions?”

“Quiet, Dike!” the king shouted at him before everywhere calmed down. He looked at Mrs Williams and said, “Continue, woman”

“After i refused to sleep with him, he threatened to kill my husband and have me as his wife, even our properties. Just towards the evening, i heard that my husband who never planned to go the dark forest was caught there. I believe Dike has a hand in that. Let him swear!”

“Yes, swear!” came the reply from the audience especially the women thereby generating noise pollution.

Mrs Robinson paid attention to her son and whom he was defending. She always wanted to know more about her son and women. Now was a big opportunity. Therefore she began to memorize her questions in ascending order.

Mike glanced at Sandra to see her staring at the twins. He could tell what was going through her mind; Are the twins why David traveled all the way from school to the village?
“Sandra..” Mike tapped her.

Sandra looked at him without a smile then focused on the twins again.

Adaku and Faith gestures finally became real after listening to all the stories.
“I said it!” Adaku hit Faith hardly on the shoulder.

“What’s your problem? Why are u hitting me?!” Faith lamented painfully.
“Didn’t i tell u that these twins are liars?”
“Is that why you hit me?”
“Sorry nah!”

“I thought as much too. Let’s wait and see what will happen” Faith concluded.
After the noise lingered, the king, shouted for everywhere to be quiet. Instantly, everywhere calmed down. He looked at chief Dike and said, “Chief, what can you say about what this woman has said?”

“She’s talking nonsense. I am innocent of what she accuse me of”

“You will prove your innocence by swearing with the Ofo”

“Yes!” shouted the villagers.
Ofo was a powerful diabolical instrument made of wood which was used to take an oath and swear to prove one innocent. The king provided it and handed it over to chief Dike whose hand began to shake.
“Swear with your life that u don’t have a hand in the death of ur brother” the king commanded. After chief Dike waited without proceeding, he said, “Yes, i have a hand in my brother’s death”

“Heeey!” shouted the villagers..