Mustering all the courage I could find, I opened the box fully and nearly fell over from what came oozing out of it. The hardship I’d endured in the past few years, the disappointments, the pain, the heartbreak, and the turmoil, all flashed before my eyes in streams of light. Each issue with its distinctive color and texture, reminding me of everything I felt, saw, or touched. It took me through the whole realm of all I’d been through. I squirmed at first and then stood stoically as a puzzled look spread across my face.
“Enough,” my grandfather said and took the box from me.
He closed it and placed it in his pocket, and turned to me, a contented look on his face.
“What just happened?” I asked, astounded by all I’d seen.
He hesitated for a second before saying. “When you received the box, I bet you thought you were getting a prize.”
“Yes. I thought so.”
“If you recall, I also told you an exchange was required, right?”
I nodded twice, eager for him to continue.
“Well, remember when you missed the first exchange, I said you would have to give something else in return.”
I shrugged.
“I had no clue what you needed me to give, and I still have no clue now.”
“I couldn’t tell you either what it is you had to give in exchange. It comes as the sum of the actions, the experiences, and the events that occurred in your quest for love and happiness, everything you’ve experienced. Everything you just saw in that box.”
“I see. Why–”
“Shh,” he said, placing his index finger on his mouth. “The price was yours to pay. That was the cost of your dreams. The cost of finding and occupying your purpose.”
I sighed as I recalled all the pain and disappointment I’d been through.
“But why did I have to bear so much?”
“Everything that happened, the good, the bad, and the ugly, brought you to the point you’re at now, and whether you like it or not, brought you closer to your purpose.”
“Did it have to involve so much trauma?”
“No, but would you have rather not lived?”
I shook my head furiously.
“Not at all.”
He shrugged in triumph as the rest of the court, my fellow Eris, who had been staring at me in admiration the whole time I stood there, clapped in unison.
“Everyone is proud of you, Ona. What do you say?”
“Thank you! Thank you!” I said, bowing to the crowd twice with both hands joined together in front of me.”
They clapped some more.
“When you were suffering,” my grandfather continued after the clapping had died down, “you were in the belly of the whale. That was the time you had to reflect, make supplication, mature, and garner the knowledge needed to understand not only what your purpose was but also how you can occupy it, so you can eventually fulfill it. From now on, you have the responsibility to do everything in your power to stay on course.”
“I will, Papa. I will”
I let the things Grandfather said sink in until my thoughts drifted back to Albert, Ozumba, and Ifedi.
“What makes humans act so evil?”
“Simple. They stray so far away from God and leave a gaping hole within their soul that creates a burning need to be filled. This space then gets packed with greed, jealousy, and discontentment, and they’re left with no choice but to do wicked deeds. They keep pursuing their dreams, like you and me but end up trampling over others in the process and creating ruin and destruction wherever they go.”
I grimaced and shook my head. “What a wicked scary world.”
“You have absolutely no reason to be scared,” he said, nodding his head.
“Why do you say that?”
He stopped and smiled at me as he used to when I was a little girl.
“Because God is within you! You will not be moved! He will save you from roaming the earth without a purpose!” my grandfather concluded and vanished into thin air.
I returned to earth, the least confused I’d ever been after a trip to Luenah. The rays of the sun poured into the room in full blast shrouding my vision. As I stepped down from the bed to draw the blinds, I saw glistening on my feet the gold slippers I wore at the entrance to the shrine. Confused, I shut my eyes to confirm I had returned to earth. Everything around me—starting from the piercing rays of light, to the mango trees outside, and the birds on the windowsill—confirmed my exact location. As I pondered what to make of the shoes, my ears perked at the sound of a sweet booming voice, saying, “You’re now ready to occupy your purpose.”
THE END
Acknowledgments
First, I would like to thank the Almighty God, the source of my inspiration and without whom everything would be nothing.
Writing a novel is a very lonely exercise, so when I emerge from my cocoon, I feel blessed to be surrounded by people I admire.
Massive love and appreciation for my favorite trio, Ofor, Dumkele, and Nnamdi. Nnamdi, for being my first reader and a frank one at that. Dumkele, for completing detailed and comprehensive edits. Ofor, for creating my digital productions and handling behind the scenes marketing.
To my beta readers Ogbo, Kene, Azubuike, Urunna, and Ogo, I greatly appreciate you giving me the gift of your time to read my drafts. Your advice and feedback really helped me take the story to new levels. To Urunna, thank you for bringing my idea of the box to life.
To my publicists, virtual assistants, and graphic designers, thank you for your help and guidance through this daunting process. I can’t imagine how I would have coped without your help.
A big thanks to my family and friends. You have been there from the beginning, supporting and encouraging me.
Finally, a huge thank-you to my readers. You make me feel that the massive effort involved in writing and publishing a book is worth its while.
About The Author
Oby Aligwekwe is the author of Nfudu and
