28/04/2024
THE MYSTERIOUS LIVER
Chapter One
The last crow of the cockerel signaled the final warning to those yet to finish their early morning chores. The sun was rising steady ☀️ and its early morning rays could be felt by anyone outside at the moment. While the birds sang 🐦, the animals chewed on what was left of last night’s dinner 🍽️ as they prepared for another outing in the fields.
The villagers were not left out of the morning’s activities. The farmers hurriedly prepared to leave for their farms 🚜, the herdsmen prepared to leave for the grazing fields before the sun sets. Indeed, it was daybreak in Boma's village. Every daybreak meant the beginning of a new day plus a host of challenges to overcome. But this particular day was going to mark the beginning of strange events in this once peaceful village.
Just before sunrise 🌅, Udago, one of the men living in the outskirts of the village, had been up. As he rushed to the river for a quick dip 🏊♂️, the sight of vultures attracted him.
“These vultures and their desire for flesh,” he said softly as he drew closer to take a look at the carcass on the ground. Animal carcass was not a new thing in Boma village; at times, a cow or sheep would stroll away and fall into the river where they would drown and be washed onto the beach 🏖️ At other times, a cow could be bitten by some of the poisonous snakes 🐍 common in the area and would die from the venom injected into its blood by the snake.
Thus, in the morning, the villagers would wake up to discover one of their cows dead. Being very strong worshipers of deities, a live cow would be buried as a gift to Rorche, their god. Rorche was the deity associated with protecting the people as well as their belonging, from all kinds of evil attacks. Udago pressed forward with the intention of identifying the object that had made the vultures gather so early in the morning. The vultures were not unaware of the intruder moving closer to them. As Udago drew closer, the vultures continued to shift uncomfortably away from what they perceived as danger, preparing to take flight to safety should the intruder become violent. But the sight a few meters in front of Udago stopped him dead in his tracks. Instead of the usual tail and the hind legs, Udago saw human toes 👣 and torn clothing. He screwed his eyes and came closer to take a better look. “I’m sure my eyes are not deceiving me; it is a human being – a boy! 🧒” With this reaction, he ran back towards the village as fast as his legs could carry him. This sudden action frightened the vultures badly and caused them to fly off, issuing cries of protest at having been disturbed from what would have turned out to be a fantastic meal 🍲. Shortly after Udago delivered his news, it spread like wildfire 🔥.
rThe men of Boma village gathered fast and began moving towards the spot where the co**se was sighted by their kinsman. The group was divided in their minds; some felt it was true while other members of the group believed it was a false alarm and were already thinking of a possible punishment for Udago. A punishment that will serve as a deterrent to any other person who might want to raise a false alarm in the future. “It’s a co**se indeed and a boy too,” Ogadi announced on reaching the spot. “Udago was right, it’s not a false alarm,” Abokito added. Accompanied by the men, Abokito and his men came forward to examine the co**se. “The vultures have not done much damage yet,” Abokito announced to the search party. “But apparently, the boy has been dead for long, and it is clear he had been killed,” Ogadi added, moving away from the co**se. This fact was incontestable as there was a large hole on his chest. “What is this?” Abokito asked the men with him. “What is that?” Ogadi replied, moving back towards the co**se. Ogadi was the second-in-command of the group; himself and Abokito had similar traits.
Both men were good hunters 🏹 and efficient herdsmen 🐄, and the fruits of their hard work could be seen. Pointing to the hole on the boy’s chest, Abokito turned to look at Ogadi. “What kind of animal may have done this?” Abokito wondered. “I don’t know, but there are many wild animals in this area,” Ogadi answered, scanning the area as if the killer was hiding somewhere around. Abokito was not convinced. “It’s not an animal; this is the work of a man,” he blurted out. “Are you sure?” Ogadi asked, “let us not raise an alarm yet, it’s too early for that.” Looking around, “where is Udago?” Abokito asked. “I am here,” Udago said, stepping forward. At this point, the other men now fully convinced were pressing forward to see whose son the boy was. “Udago, I want you to tell us everything that you know about this dead boy,” Ogadi demanded, having received the mandate of his leader to ask. Clearing his voice, Udago once again began narrating how he had come out and was on his way to the river when he saw the vultures. “On seeing the vultures, I was curious,” he said, “I came closer only to discover it was a human co**se, and then I ran to the village to notify you all.” Udago concluded. Nodding his head in reaction to Udago’s story, Abokito turned to the men. “You and you there,” he said, pointing at Jumba and Mumba. “I want you to go to the village and tell the chief that his attention is urgently needed,” Abokito paused and waited for Jumba and Mumba to take their exit. “Well, men of Boma village, as you can see, the dead boy is Halima Atanda’s son, the widow whose husband died twelve months ago,” Abokito informed the men. Some of the men shook their heads in pity, muttering incantations invoking the gods to protect the whole village from such gruesome murders in the future. “But who really killed this boy?” One of the men whose name was Toma asked, “It’s an animal that killed him,” one of the men replied.
“Animal indeed,” Toma sneered. “Then that animal must be very skillful with a knife as to carve such a hole in his chest,” Toma said sarcastically. Ogadi smiled and nodded his head like a redneck lizard while drawing hard on his pipe. “This kind of brutal killing has never been witnessed before,” Ogadi said, exhaling smoke, “we must find out how and what happened here and also put a stop to it; tomorrow it could be another villager’s child or even wife.” Ogadi warned. “May the gods forbid that it should happen again,” Toma prayed. Tikayo arrived at the scene of the killing like a windstorm 🌪️ flanked by the chief priest and Mumba, Jumba brought up the rear.
The chief was about asking a question, but the wailing of women as Halima and some women sympathizers from the village who had also arrived to take a last look at her son interrupted him. The sight was too much for her to take; she passed out but was immediately revived. Two tragedies in such a short time were a great abomination. TO BE CONTINUED.
This is chapter one of the book titled: The Mysterious Liver.
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