CHAPTER TWENTY- ONE. OTI, ETI.

Walking into someone’s eyes had to be the strangest thing Uloma had ever done, but it did not feel odd at all; it felt like walking through any old portal. It was the usual tingles and the unsettling heavy feeling, all four standing on a plank surrounded by silvery grey water and mist. Behind them, Odiye’s eyes were shutting, and the cave was disappearing. The plank they were standing on was held firmly by four ropes on angles tied to four weathered rocks that looked to have roots buried deeper than they could swim. 

“What now?” 

Uloma asked. The cave was gone entirely, and there was nothing to see except water and mist. She wondered momentarily whether Odiye was playing a trick on them. But one look at her friends, and she knew she was wrong; their eyes were wide, their bodies giddy with contained excitement.  

“We are going swimming.” 

Asiya told her. 

“You are not serious.” 

Uloma protested, looking around. They looked like they were all gearing up for something. 

“Come on.” 

Uloma pleaded. They were insane if they thought she was going into that strange water. 

“It is alarming how much you do not listen in class, Ulo.” 

Abali told her, shaking his head. 

“It's okay, just follow our lead. I will wait for you to go in.” 

Asiya dove in, followed by Eligwe. His graceful body slipped into the ashy water; they did not even make a splash. A ripple appeared where they dove; it spread for a second, but then the water settled again, as if it had changed its mind about making a big deal of their dive. Ekama winked at her and slipped into the water. 

“See you on the other side.” 

She screeched just before the water swallowed her. Uloma shook her head at Abali. 

“Please don’t make me do this.” 

She begged, and he laughed at her in response. 

“Ulom, you just walked through a literal eye, but going into the water frightens you?” 

“No, but we cannot breathe underwater. At least I cannot.” 

She said, hugging her hand to herself, from the chill of her misty surroundings. 

“I will do it with you.” 

He assured her and took her hands. 

“Here, sit at the edge.” 

He motioned, patting the corner of the plank where he sat, his legs dangling over the water. She allowed him to pull her towards himself, to sit beside him. 

“See.” 

Nothing to fear here.” 

He said, nudging her with his shoulder. 

“Well, so far so good.” 

She conceded grudgingly. She was telling herself that it did not matter that she could not breathe underwater because her friends would not let her drown. Besides, they were supposed to have crossed over. She knew where they were; no matter what the others thought, she listened sometimes. This was Nayi, the Waiting; it was the place between consciousness and death or extinction. You could return from here. It was unfortunate that Odiye’s eyes had not led them straight to their destination, though, she mused.  

“Yes, but we are almost there. Just let go.” 

Abali told her, as if he had read her mind. She breathed in. This was her fight, she reminded herself. She had to be brave, she decided, as she let her hand slip out of Abali’s and let her body fall into the water. The sensation was unlike anything she had ever felt. It did not feel like being submerged; it was rather like being pressed down by millions of hands. And it was over in a second. One second, she was floating downwards in skin-grating, chilling water, and the next second, she was on the other side. 

“There you are, finally.” 

Ekama laughed; Uloma felt like laughing as well. She had never felt so free, but Ekama did not look like Ekama anymore. She looked exactly like Ekama’s mother did when she was in her full power. Her wrapper was gone; in its place was a dark, stormy attire that covered her whole body, pooling around her feet. Her attire had silver flashes zigzagging around it. Ekama’s eyes were grey with the same silver brewing in them. She was stunning. Even her hair was wild and full, shaping her face. On her temple was a tattoo of the wind; it shimmered and billowed whenever Uloma focused on it. Ekama was beyond stunning, Ulo conclusively decided. 

“You look like your mother.” 

Uloma said, at last, still openly gawking at her friend. 

“Mhm, I am her daughter.” 

Ekama laughed as if it was usual for lightning to run across her open arms. 

“You are wearing thunderbolts like the women of your family!” 

Uloma exclaimed, gesturing to the satchel full of silver thunderbolts and a bow, slung over Ekama’s back.  

“Seems like it.” 

Ekama laughed again. Why were they not all freaking out about Ekama’s change like she was? Wait, they had all changed, she realised. Focusing on Ekama had kept her from seeing their transformations, too. How could she have looked away from Ekama, though, once her eyes had settled on her? Her friend’s new look commanded attention, even Uloma’s attention, and Uloma was not one for paying attention. She tried to focus again on the others. ‘What was happening?’ She felt like she was reeling, but in a good way. 

“What? You all look different. Why am I the only one freaking out about it?” 

Uloma shouted, throwing her hands up in frustration. They looked too cool for what she was looking at. 

“Well, we waited a while for you; they all had time to adjust to the change. I promise they were not so cool when it happened at first.” 

Eligwe said, smiling lazily in amusement, Uloma wished almost at once that she had not looked at him. He was naked from the waist up. White feathers, not clothes, covered his lower body to his ankles. He was thin, so why was he also muscular? She pulled her eyes away from his chest and taut stomach to his face, which was a big mistake. He had his lazy, amused look, but he still looked a perfect sight. She sighed and bit her lip. His eyes were dark and dreamy, and a gold jewel sat on his forehead. How does one’s look define the word beautiful? Eligwe seemed to have figured it out. Her eyes travelled down his white, feather-peppered arms, and she sighed again. Beside him, Asiya cleared her throat, and Eligwe chuckled. 

“You are such a pervert.” 

Asiya scolded her with disgust, riddling her small dark face. 

“Asi.” 

Uloma gasped. 

“You look like our sisters.” 

Like their sisters would, at least in their full form. 

“Will I be changing too?” 

She asked her sister. 

“I don’t think so. If you have not changed by now, you won’t be changing, I don’t think.” 

Trust Asiya to be unfeeling and menacingly blunt. She really did look like their sisters, though, Uloma thought jealously. Her hair was plaited and loud, and she was shrouded in a shade of green that was all her, but her wrapper even looked fierce, if that was possible. A dagger and a small spear stood on her back, held together by straps; she had the spiral mark of death in green on her temple and running down her arms. Her feet were invisible until you looked closely. She was above the ground, like Eligwe and Ekama, but unlike her, they had feet. She looked formidable and fearsome, Uloma thought, running over with jealousy; she wanted to resemble her sisters, too. In a moment, there was a rippling sound, and Abali was suddenly there. 

“Nice of you to finally grace us.” 

Ekama joked. 

“You look amazing.” 

He said to Ekama, nodding appreciatively at her. She made a cute thank-you gesture with her shoulder in response. 

“You all look pretty nice. I won’t lie.” 

He chuckled, his eyes travelling from Ekama to Asiya and Eligwe. Uloma gasped; he was changing, too. First, his bald hair started to grow, lengthening until it fell down his shoulder in a dark dreadlock. His clothes were changing too, like Ekama, his wrapper vanished, replaced by a dark cloak that moved like the thick darkness of night. His family’s signatory coral white bead appeared around his neck, falling to his chest, as if his chest needed any more accentuating. Uloma gulped appreciatively. 

“She really is a pervert.” 

Eligwe said to Asiya, who was nodding, ‘I know, right?’ His eyes were laughing at her. Uloma glared with indignation at him. 

“I won’t lie, Ulo, you are gawking at him.” 

Ekama seconded Eligwe; he looked amused, as if he were enjoying making her uncomfortable, and she was uneasy. She had thought she had been discreet in watching them. Eligwe winked at her; she would have blushed if she could. She looked away, shy and still indignant. 

“Where are we exactly?” 

She said instead. 

“Oh, blind, blind sis, look and you shall see.” 

Asiya punctuated her cryptic nonsense by spreading her hand about her. Uloma was about to ask her to cut the cryptic crap, but then she did see. The colour was deafening, at first. She blinked, as if what she was seeing could not be real. It was not real. 

Sunflower stalks spread wild and stretched out in front of them almost as far as the eye could see. Monarch butterflies flocked in the formation of birds escaping the rainy season, trailing a path before them. The yellow of the butterflies and the sunflowers blazed a blinding gold against the clear, sunny day. A wisp of breeze gently moved over the tall stalks and leaves, a welcoming whisper that sounded like a million fluttering monarch butterfly wings. 

“Butterflies lead the way to the Other Side.” 

Asiya whispered in reverence. A large sunflower stalk shook, and a girl in a similar attire to Asiya stumbled out of the field of flowers, leaves, and florets stuck in her wild hair. They all watched her, unsure of what to make of her; she did not carry any obvious weapon, at least, Uloma thought, thankfully. 

“Hi.” 

She wavered, stumping over to them, patting herself down, and attempting to fix her hair. She carried a long scroll in her hand, Uloma noticed. Another girl appeared leisurely from between the tall sunflower stalks after her. How many more were coming? Uloma worried, watching this new girl with interest. She was bald, unlike the first girl. Her feet pounded the earth; the first girl did not even appear to have feet, just like Asiya. Her wrapper hung down to her ankle in the style of most male beings. In her right hand was a very long spear. Uloma hoped they were friends, if anything. That spear looked like a seasoned user owned it. Unlike the first girl, the second girl skulked towards them in no hurry. 

“Hi, hi, sorry we are late.” 

The first girl sputtered; her speech heavy, as every word was rushed to make room for the next. 

“And whose fault is that?” 

The second girl, coming to a stop beside the first girl, asked. Now that they were close enough, Uloma could see they looked identical, except for their fashion choices and the evident missing feet of the first. 

“I am not going to argue, Oti. I am not fighting.” 

The first girl announced, annoyed, her face shifting easily from pleasant to irritated and back. 

“Whatever.” 

The girl who was supposedly Oti replied, rolling her eyes. The first girl huffed, determinedly ignoring Oti. 

“My name is Eti, and this lovely young person here is my twin. We are here to welcome you.” 

She announced. Uloma looked over at Ekama, who raised an eyebrow quizzically at her. The drama: she could feel Ekama saying. She made a face to say ‘I know’ for Ekama. Ekama grinned. 

“If I am lovely, you are delicious.” 

Oti countered. 

“What does that even mean?” 

Eti asked her twin. 

“Hey, I know a thing or two about irritating sisters.” 

Asiya volunteered, breaking up the tension, which Uloma would have been grateful for, except that Asiya had to help in Asiya's way. 

“Tell me about it.” 

Both sisters said at the same time and gave each other annoyed looks. 

“So, you are both Odujiye. I have always wanted to meet one. My family brings the souls to Odiye, and yours takes them to their final destination.” 

“Hmm, I know I saw a kindred in you.” 

Oti looked at Asiya like she was appraising her; she obviously liked what she was seeing, Uloma thought warily. An Asiya coalition here was not something anyone would want. Uloma watched the twins even more suspiciously. A friend of Asiya was a potential enemy. 

“Okay, let us focus. The butterflies lead the way. If you will all follow. I see here that you are all present.” 

Eti looked at her scroll as she spoke, her eyes scanning their faces. She seemed so friendly. 

“Now that they are all accounted for, shall we go?” 

Asiya asked them, throwing her hands across the necks of both twins as if she had always known them. They were as tiny as she was. 

“Shall we talk about how much we hate being our sister’s keepers?” 

Asiya asked them, matching them around, and walked off with them. 

“She had to bring along all the paperwork as if we were not already in-built paperwork. We come in-built with useless information we don’t even need.” 

Oti complained. paperwork

“Forgive me for wanting to do it by the book.” 

Eti replied, her hand folded over her chest. 

“We can spend the time talking about sisters we want to make extinct, but I want to hear all about you. I am about to graduate from the tedious training. I envy you.” 

Something told Uloma as she watched her sister float away with Eti and Oti in her wake, that she was replacing her bodyguards with these two. Asiya was talking to them as if they were just one person; it was diabolical, but effective, and both poor sisters would feel like the special one. 

“See you, loafers. If you are coming, that is.” 

Asiya called over her shoulder. The rest of them stirred as if suddenly awakened from their rapt watching of both sisters. Uloma sighed heavily and began walking toward the direction the butterflies were flowing. 

“Let's go.” 

She told her friends. She was beginning to look forward to seeing the other side. She had been filled with trepidation earlier, but it was as if she had not crossed over with her fears and all the overwhelming emotions she had been heaving under.  

Ekama and Eligwe took to the sky, like Asiya and the twins before them. 

“Race you.” 

Ekama said to Eligwe, her hair and body sparking. Eligwe gave her a lopsided grin and took off. 

“That is cheating!” 

Ekama called flying after him, leaving statics and wind behind. Uloma shook the soil off herself, laughing. She heard her own light, happy laughter and liked the sound of it. Abali was laughing too. 

“He just might be a match for her. She used to be the only cheater on our team.” 

Abali said, but he watched Ulo rather than the sky where their friends raced. 

“You scared me earlier.” 

He told her. 

“I could tell something had happened, but try as I did, I could not see what it was.” 

Uloma made to pat him on the shoulder, but her hand disappeared into him. 

“Freaky.” 

Uloma grinned, and Abali grinned back. 

“I am what I am, now about you, young woman. And please take your hands out, it tickles.” 

She was wiggling her hands inside of his, but stopped and gave him a sad, wide-eyed look. He shook his head, to indicate he wasn't buying it, and walked off; the distance he put between them made her hand slip out of his. 

“I really should have taken floating lessons seriously. Who knew it would come in handy?” 

She said, running after him. He gave her a quizzical look. 

“All of us?” 

Uloma scrunched up her nose. Whatever, it was not her fault that nobody was willing to force lessons on her.

“We cannot force you to learn anything. We can only encourage.” 

He told her, reading her thoughts. 

“You and Ekama can read my thoughts, she accused him. 

“No, but we know you too well by now. Now what happened earlier?” 

She told him about the woman without eyes as they walked through the field of sunflowers, her feet leaving prints on the soil. He did not interrupt her through her retelling, but she felt his hand search for hers. He took her hand in his and did not let go. They were catching up to where the others were waiting, by the time she had finished describing what she had seen and what she feared was only imminent. 

“They are not just summoning you because you started up time then, are they?” 

Uloma shook her head. She felt the fear from earlier rush through her as she recounted the event she had witnessed in Emenike’s office. Her resolve returned, too. What if even as she was here laughing and joking with everyone, that woman was taking even more lives? And it was somehow all her fault. 

“Whatever happens, we will learn more from the gathering and the council. They would know what to do.” 

She nodded. He had to be right; the Council ran the universe, and they were affiliated with the other universes. There was nothing that they could not deal with. 

“Hey, slow pose.” 

Ekama called, waving as they were coming out of the field. 

“Isn’t it magnificent?” 

She said, turning her head to gaze at the thick wall in front of them. Uloma turned her head to gaze at the wall, but all she could see was a wall. A tall wall, with symbols and astrological celestial markings. 

“I dared Eligwe to reach the top before me. He was his too sensible self at first, I won in the end, the wall had no end.” 

“Told her beforehand it didn’t have an end. She insisted on checking it out herself.” 

Eligwe told them, shaking his head, but Uloma realised he was enjoying himself; the Ekama effect.  

“We told her too.” 

Both twins chorused at the same time. 

“That must get old, really fast.” 

Asiya said thoughtfully, as if she were trying to imagine what would happen or even what had happened when it got old. The sisters shrugged. 

“You learn to live with it.” 

Oti told them, she eyed her sister. 

“Sorry about earlier. I should not be snapping at you.” 

Eti shook her head in response. 

“We should focus the anger on Mother.” 

Eti agreed. 

“That we can agree on.” 

Asiya said, looking at Uloma, Uloma gave a slight nod of agreement. Mother should be the focus of their anger. 

“You have not been given a proper welcome; to be truthful, this was our first mission; we are just students. Something is happening that is spooking all the adults. They are not saying anything to us as usual, but we can feel the sense of panic; they hide it poorly. Last night there was a meeting, Oti found out because she was skulking in places where we are not allowed to be. Mother informed us just a minute before we met you that we had to receive you.” 

Oti got an appreciative glance from Ekama and Uloma, skulking around in places they were strictly not allowed in was something they could appreciate. 

“Left Eti scurrying to do everything right, and me, not wanting to do it at all.” 

“But mothers are laws unto themselves, and we do not live a peaceful life if we cross them. We know a thing or two about being an offspring of an all-powerful mother.” 

Asiya informed them, looking over at Uloma. Uloma watched her sister for a second. What had Mother told her that had Asiya so opposed to Mother? She was Mother’s little pet.  

“Oti and I know this much: whatever is going on inside has something to do with your lot.” 

Eti paused meaningfully but was met with silence. 

“We want to know what has everyone so on edge.” 

Oti told them, her eyes travelling through their faces. They both had eyes like Asiya’s; eyes that looked past your outside. 

“We are here to find out, too. The Council summoned Ulo.” 

Ekama told them. They looked confused, not sure who Ulo was. 

“The Council is here?” 

Eti asked, she appeared taken aback. She whistled and exchanged a look with her sister. 

“They have not gathered in centuries. You are sure all of them are here?” 

Oti asked Ekama. 

“We don’t know.” 

Ekama told her. 

“The sooner we go through the wall, the sooner we will find out what all this is all about. And that awkward light-skinned weirdo over there is Ulo, the sister I was telling you girls about?” 

“Ahh.” 

Both sisters said and nodded. What? Uloma fumed; she was not awkward, she thought, eying Asi. 

“She does not look special, though. Why would the Council want to summon her?” 

Oti said, giving Uloma the look over. 

“I keep saying how not special she is, but she is a lot of trouble, so be careful. Also, she has a lot of bodyguards.” 

She said the last sentence with a nod to Ekama, who glared at them. 

“Don’t listen to my sister, she can be a lot sometimes. She just means that you do not look like...” 

Eti trailed off, Uloma shot her an offended look, she was only repeating her sister. Trying to be nice about it did not make it any less mean. 

“Okay, for your information, she crossed over with a soul and spirit. You still think she is nothing?” 

Ekama sounded like she was about ready to thump someone. Both sisters exchanged glances and looked over to Asiya for confirmation. Asiya sighed exaggeratedly and made a facial gesture to imply that it was true. 

“I did say she was a lot of trouble, did I not?” 

Asiya told them they were looking at Uloma with intrigue, as if they could not believe, for a moment, that she was what they were being told. 

“But that is impossible. You did not even change to a true form.” 

Eti said, staring openly at Uloma. Did she expect her to do a trick to convince her? Uloma wondered. 

“Shall we get across now? The answers lie just beyond this wall.” 

Eligwe spoke, breaking whatever spell the information Ekama had offered had cast on the sisters. He looked bored again, but Uloma was thankful this time for his short tolerance for anything that did not serve to entertain him. 

“Right, right.” 

Eti said, shaking herself awake and taking charge again. 

“One more thing, though, this will probably go towards our yearly performance result. If anyone, especially Mother, asks, can you give a favourable review?” 

Uloma looked incredulously at Eti. 

“You mean lie? I could never.” 

Ekama told her with the most innocent look she could muster. But Eti was something because she squared her shoulders and looked like she would not budge. Oti cleared her throat. 

“She is the insane twin, and she actually does mean it. So that we can all move from here, please say yes.” 

Oti pleaded. She looked serious, too. 

“I like crazy, you have my vote. And don’t worry, they may all be versions of annoying, but deep down, they are all do-gooders, and Eligwe is probably not going even to dignify a question about your performance with a response; he does not like anything.” 

Eligwe nodded, implying that Asiya was right. 

“Good. Let's go.” 

Eti was her chirpy self again. She waved her hand, and a glowing force field appeared on the wall. It spread until it could fit all of them. Eti walked through first. She charged through to be more accurate. Uloma thought, watching the supposedly sweeter twin, who was, in all fairness, worrying and scary. Her friends did not seem to share the same sentiment; they were more than eager to cross over and would follow Eti to extinction if necessary. Why was the Other Side so appealing to everyone, Uloma wondered not for the first time, wishing again that she had paid more attention to Emenike. It represented answers and revelation for her, and Asiya, of course, was at home here, but why did everyone else really want to reach the plane of Bliss?