Season 2, Episode 4: "Tears from the Other Side"

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"Tears from the Other Side"




Obiora's cough was so loud and frightening, dry, and persistent echoing through the walls of the house. Obiora convulses on the bed. Aunty Amina and Chukwuamaka rush into the room almost simultaneously, breathless with panic.


"My son!" Aunty Amina cries out.

"Bae!" Chukwuamaka exclaims.


Their voices clash, but their concern is momentarily aligned. Aunty Amina places her hand on Obiora’s forehead burning hot.


She gasps. "This fever is getting worse!" Without another word, she races to the kitchen.


In a desperate act of hope, Aunty Amina grabs the discarded herbal bowl, discovering a thin film of residue still inside. Whispering in Yoruba, she speaks to her ancestors, a quiet but powerful invocation:

"I have failed once. Do not let me fail again. Forgive me. Heal him."


Suddenly, the atmosphere shifts. The house becomes eerily cold. Chills race down her spine not from fear, but affirmation. She senses their presence. It’s not just a prayer anymore; it’s a visitation.


She returns to Obiora’s room, gently lifts his head onto her lap, and carefully pours the diluted mixture into his mouth. Moments pass. Then minutes. Slowly, the sweat on Obiora’s body fades. His skin, which had been pale and dull, begins to show signs of life. His breath eases. Aunty Amina exhales in relief and wipes a tear.


“He’ll rest now,” she whispers.


But what follows is something no one could expect.


A Dream Unveiled...

In his slumber, Obiora finds himself in a dimly lit room, his old village home. His mother is seated by his bedside, weeping gently, dressed in white.


"My child, you don’t belong here. Why have you let yourself be deceived by love? True love is weaved on the corridors of eternity… and other web lines where the two souls must meet at the intersection… But Obi, why?”


He reaches for her, but his hands pass through like air. Yet, the sorrow is real. Tears fall from his real eyes, those watching him think it’s sweat. But in the realm of dreams, he mourns something even he cannot name.


Meanwhile...

Chukwuamaka tries to re-enter the room. But as she approaches the entrance, an unseen weight keeps her steps heavy. Her breath shortens. The atmosphere that had once turned cold now feels unwelcoming, as though something is keeping her at the threshold.


She retreats slowly, disturbed.


In a distant location...

Her best friend Ada is seated before Baba Eze, the fetish priest.

“Baba, I’m sorry. I should have warned her earlier. I should’ve taken the signs seriously. Something is wrong.”


Baba Eze gazes at her in silence for a moment. Then, in a haunting tone, he begins:


"When a tree leans too close to the fire, it doesn't need a second warning. The fruit she bears now may taste sweet, but the roots are already rotting. Let her come… if she still wants to live."



TO BE CONTINUED...

Story by Kobby Talesnovella

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