Chapter 31: Chapter 31
IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
Sophie was so shocked that she dropped the bottle in her hand. The people standing in front of her were covered with different paintings. There were leaves tied to their heads.
"Omafaya, you are royalty. But not among the cult we belong to," the strange woman said. "Nonetheless, let honor be given to whom it is due."
'What! How did they…' Sophie was very shocked to hear her native name. Even her parents rarely mentioned it while they were alive. It could be transliterated to mean, "child of Faya."
"Who are you?"she asked them. "What do you want from me?"
"We belong to the coven of Olana, the conqueror and high priestess of Ashlavugi," the strange woman cast a terrifying gaze at her." You on the other hand are a blood descendant of the treacherous virgin, Faya. During the exact moment when night meets dawn, the greatest consummation of all generations must be made! But Anolafaya and her witches are against it. And we must make sure she and her supporters fail!"
"Who is Anolafaya?" Sophie shook in fear. "And what does this have to do with me?"
"Your parents prepared you since the day you were born." The man finally spoke. "They thought you were destined to rule Faya's coven. But it has turned out to be your sister! Jemimah Carpenter is Anolafaya. Her name means the reincarnated body of Faya. It has long been given to her by ancient prophecies."
This came as a very heart wrenching surprise to Sophie. She didn't have the faintest idea that her parents believed in gods and priestesses. "Is my sister safe?" she asked with teary eyes.
"That's very dependent on the choices you make," the man answered her apathetically. "Anolafaya's life won't matter much to us after the fulfillment of the prophecy. If both of you do not try to hinder the consummation, there's a very high chance that your lives will be spared."
"If you already have Jemimah, or Anolafaya, why do you really want me?" Sophie asked yet another question.
The man looked vexed now. "Omafaya, do not become contemptuous. Your sister is with an important piece of ours. He is called the groom." The strange man maintained his sinister gaze. "But she can sense your essence if she cares enough about you. So, hopefully, you are our bait to lure her out of her hiding place. And when we finally get to Anolafaya, then we shall also reach Olana's groom!"
"It is important for you to know that we can do this the easy way or the hard way." The woman's eyes were cold and unfeeling. "The choice is yours to make, Omafaya."
Sophie heaved a deep sigh. 'This must be a dream.' She pinched her hand to wake up. But it was her glaring reality! 'From the look of things, Jemimah must be in grave danger. Perhaps, this is my time to get beaten for my little sister,' she thought to herself. "What must I do?"
"Just come with us. Yield to the works of our hands," the strange woman said to her. "Do not resist our power. Now, be on your knees."
Immediately Sophie knelt down, the strange people began to recite an incantation. Suddenly, one of her windows was forced open. And in a twinkle of an eye, the three of them disappeared! They found themselves beneath an open moonlit sky. The place looked like it was situated in the middle of nowhere!
A group of people had been waiting for them. There was a boy who should be thirteen or forteen years of age, tied to a shrub. From the expression on his face, he had struggled to free himself for a long time and failed.
In no time, Sophie was also tied to a shrub. Other members of the coven performed a ritual dance around her.
Her heart raced really fast. But she felt no pain. All of a sudden, they stood expectantly. Every single one of them anticipated Jemimah's appearance. But after waiting for some time, they began to wail.
They were angered by her refusal to show up. Everything now depended on the members of the coven who had gone to search for her in person. Some of them began to mock Sophie. "How useless are you, Omafaya?" The others hurled small stones at her. "You were rejected as Faya's sole candidate. Now, even your blood has abandoned you!"
"At least my uselessness is ruining your age-long plan!" She tried to be brave despite being in so much pain.
But in response to her words, the witches made use of hot firewood to beat her bare back severely. She cried aloud under the vast sky. But no one came to her rescue! The stars merely peered at the suffering woman.