Amara continued to care for her with the warm cloth, wiping away the dirt and sweat and pressing gently on her back.
“Thank you. Thank you,” the mermaid kept whispering, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Amara felt pity in her heart, but she also felt afraid. She did not know what would happen next, and she did not know why the mermaid had come onto land, pregnant, only to be caught by hunters.
The room was quiet except for the mermaid’s soft groans and the gentle crackling of the fire outside.
Amara looked at the mermaid’s large belly and wondered, What kind of baby is inside her? Will it be a fish or a human?
She did not know. But she knew she could not let the mermaid die.
The mermaid opened her eyes weakly and looked at Amara.
“My name is Nene,” she said softly.
Amara was surprised. “Nene? That is a beautiful name. My name is Amara.”
Nene smiled weakly, though her eyes were still filled with tears.
“Thank you, Amara. I will never forget this,” she whispered.
Amara nodded and held Nene’s hand gently.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of footsteps outside the hut, and Amara’s eyes widened in fear. She quickly looked at the door and then at Nene, who was trying to sit up but was too weak.
Amara placed a finger on her lips.
“Shh. Don’t make a sound.”
They both listened quietly as the footsteps moved closer to the door of the hut.
Amara turned quickly to look at Nene, the pregnant mermaid, who was lying weakly on the mat. Nene looked at her with fear in her eyes, clutching her swollen belly, her silver tail folded beneath her body.
Suddenly, the door opened with a loud creak.
Amara rushed forward and pushed the door, using her body to block the person outside from seeing inside the hut.
“Who is there? Why are you opening my door like that?” Amara asked, breathing heavily, sweat on her forehead.
Standing by the door was Mama Jadeeka, the village gossip. Everyone in the village knew her as the woman who loved to poke her nose into other people’s business. She stood there with one hand on her waist and the other on the door, trying to push it open wider while stretching her neck to look inside Amara’s hut.
Amara blocked her view with her body, spreading her arms across the doorway.
Mama Jadeeka raised her eyebrows and tried to look over Amara’s shoulder.
“What are you hiding in there, Amara?” she asked suspiciously.
Amara forced a small laugh. “Hiding? Hiding what, Mama? So early in the morning?” But Mama Jadeeka did not stop. She bent to the left and then to the right, trying to see inside the hut, but Amara moved with her, blocking the view like a wall.
“Ah! Ah! Amara, you are behaving strangely this morning,” Mama Jadeeka said, clicking her tongue. “Are you hiding something, or is there a man in there with you?”
Amara’s eyes widened in shock. “A man in my hut? Mama Jadeeka, what kind of talk is that so early in the morning?”
But Mama Jadeeka was not ready to leave.
She pressed her face closer, her eyes sharp like a hawk’s, searching for the smallest clue.
“I only came to borrow your water pot,” Mama Jadeeka said, folding her arms across her chest.
Amara gasped. She suddenly remembered the pot of water she had left in the bush while rescuing Nene. She knew she could not hand over the pot now, because the hunters might be searching for its owner, and if they found out she was the one who had taken the mermaid, it would bring great trouble.
Amara swallowed hard and forced a small smile.
“Ah, Mama, I am using the pot now. I cannot give it out. Please.”
Mama Jadeeka raised her eyebrows even higher and hissed.
“You are using the pot? What are you using it for now? You are hiding something, Amara. I can smell it,” she said, leaning closer, her eyes narrowing.
Amara’s heart was pounding with fear. She pressed her back harder against the door, blocking every space Mama Jadeeka might use to look inside.
“Mama Jadeeka, I asked you, what exactly are you looking for?” Amara asked, her voice growing firmer.
Mama Jadeeka shrugged and snapped her fingers.
“I only came to borrow your pot. But since you are behaving like this, maybe you are hiding a man inside your hut.”
Amara’s eyes widened and her mouth opened, but for a moment no words came out.
“A man in my hut? Me? Ah, Mama Jadeeka, please leave my compound. Stop talking nonsense!”
Amara shouted, waving her hands to chase Mama Jadeeka away.
Mama Jadeeka clapped her hands together and shook her head, then slowly turned around.
“Amara, I will come back later. Let me see what you are hiding in this hut of yours,” she said, walking away but still turning her head to look back.
Amara watched her until she was out of the compound before quickly shutting the door and leaning against it, breathing heavily.
She turned around slowly and saw Nene looking at her with fear and confusion, tears in her eyes.
Amara moved to her and sat beside her, touching her hand gently.
“Don’t worry. She has gone. You are safe for now,” Amara whispered.
Nene nodded slowly, holding her belly and breathing heavily.
“Thank you, Amara. Thank you,” she whispered back.
But before Amara could say another word, she heard a loud gasp inside the hut.
She turned quickly and saw her son, Chijioke, standing there with his mouth wide open, his eyes looking as if they would pop out.
“Mama! Mama! What is that?” Chijioke shouted, pointing at Nene, who was lying on the mat.
Amara’s heart dropped into her stomach.
Nene tried to cover her face with her hands, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Amara rushed to Chijioke and placed her hands on his shoulders, trying to calm him.
“Chijioke, please don’t shout. Please calm down,” Amara said, her voice shaking.
Chijioke’s eyes were still wide and he was trembling.
“Mama, what is that? Why does she have a fish tail? Is she a witch? Is she going to eat us?” Chijioke cried, stepping backward.
Amara felt tears gather in her own eyes. She did not know how to explain it to her young son.
“She is not a witch, Chijioke. She is a mermaid, but she needs our help. She is not here to hurt us,” Amara explained, kneeling down to his level.
Chijioke shook his head, tears dropping from his eyes.
“Mama, the elders say mermaids take people’s souls into the river. They say mermaids are dangerous,” he said, sniffing and wiping his tears with the back of his hand.
Amara hugged him tightly.
“Chijioke, not all mermaids are bad. This one is sick and pregnant. The hunters wanted to kill her and her baby. We cannot let them do that. We must help her,” Amara whispered into his ear.
Chijioke’s body was shaking as he looked at Nene, who was still lying on the mat, her silver tail shining in the dim light of the hut.
Nene slowly removed her hands from her face and looked at Chijioke with tears in her eyes.
“I will not hurt you. I promise. I just want to be safe,” Nene said softly.
Chijioke swallowed hard, looking into Nene’s eyes.
Amara held his hand tightly.
“Please, Chijioke, promise me you will not tell anyone. If people find out, they will take her away and kill her, and they will punish us too.”
Chijioke looked at his mother, then at the crying mermaid, then back at his mother.
He nodded slowly, tears still in his eyes.
“I will not tell anyone, Mama,” Chijioke said softly.
Amara hugged him tightly and kissed his head.
“Thank you, my son,” she whispered.
Chijioke looked at Nene again, his eyes softer now.
“Are you hungry?” he asked shyly.
Nene managed a weak smile, her eyes full of gratitude.
“Yes. Thank you,” Nene whispered. Amara stood up quickly, wiping her tears. She moved to the corner of the hut to prepare some hot pap for Nene.
But deep inside her heart, Amara was afraid. She knew that Mama Jadeeka would come back, and if she found out about the mermaid, the whole village would hear about it. She also knew the hunters would soon realize the mermaid was missing and would begin searching every house.
Amara did not know how long she could keep Nene safe in her hut. But she knew she would try, because deep in her heart she felt this was not just an ordinary mermaid. This was something bigger, something spiritual, something connected to the destiny of her family.
The sun was already high in the sky when Amara finished washing her children’s clothes and sweeping the compound. She was trying to act normal, but inside she was terrified. She kept remembering how she had hidden Nene, the pregnant mermaid, in her hut, and how her son Chijioke had promised not to tell anyone.
But deep inside, she knew the hunters would come looking.
For Complete Cooking STEPS Please Head On Over To Next Page Or Open button (>) and don’t forget to SHARE with your Facebook friends.
