Techira turned to meet the fierce eyes of her husband; she didn’t know he was home and didn’t even know when he had returned.
“Where are you going again?” Badow asked in his sonorous voice. A voice that made Techira fall in love with him the first time they met.
“I..I..” Techira stammered, with tears welling in her eyes. Badow had rescued her again, just like he did for the past eight years on nights that the sound of the flute was heard. He drew her closer to him, and she leaned her head against his chest, sobbing. Even though there was another woman between them, Techira knew that the love Badow had for her never withered.
“What if I’m really a loony? What if I’m really insane? What if what the whole village is saying about me is true?” Techira whimpered.
“You’re not insane. And it’s time you stopped listening to those villagers. Their opinion about you doesn’t matter,” Badow said assuringly, just like he did in front of the chief and his elders when he was told that Techira had to be kept in the care of the fetish priestess, after she was found on four occasions wandering in the village at midnight. This happened in the first two years after Techira started experiencing this, and so Badow observed the pattern in which it occurred and realized that Techira behaved in this manner on the second day of the first month of each year, which was the day their daughter was born and on the twentieth day of the fourth month, the day their daughter was carried away by the river. Since then, he made sure to stay awake during those nights and kept his eyes on the gate, to prevent Techira from leaving the compound. Badow took her to his hut which was situated between Techira’s and Awoshie’s huts, where she spent the night just like she did anytime it happened.

The incandescent sun woke Techira up and she couldn’t find Badow beside her. She presumed he might have gone to the farm. She stepped out of the hut and met Awoshie, who began laughing immediately she noticed her presence.
“No matter the number of times some women go into a man’s room, they are unable to carry his seed. And instead of them to pave way for the fertile ones, they won’t. If this isn’t witchcraft, then I don’t know what else to call it,” Awoshie said sarcastically, with her eyes buried in a tray of beans which she was picking, while the smoke from the fire, whirled around her. Amoma sat next to her, fiercely grinding tomatoes and pepper in an earthenware bowl, while dabbing the beads of sweat on her forehead intermittently. Techira ignored her and went into her room. She slumped onto her mat, while seething in anger. All these years, she had tolerated Awoshie’s ridicule and maltreatment for Badwo’s sake. But now, she was fed up and wished she could send her back to where she came from. Techira blamed herself though. Badow gave her the opportunity to decide whether to allow Awoshie live with them or not. However, not wanting to appear selfish, she agreed to let her stay. There was no way she could have decided otherwise after Awoshie stormed their house with a baby, claiming Badow was responsible, which he did not deny anyway. Moreover, this happened few months after Techira had lost her own baby, so both she and Badow yearned for a child badly. But, Awoshie never made Techira go close to her baby, claiming that she would cast her evil eyes on her or sell her to the river spirits, just like she sold her own daughter to them. These memories compelled Techira to relive the pain she felt ten years ago.

Aside from all these accusations, Techira couldn’t help but notice Awoshie’s eeriness. She never went into the rain, and was always careful around water. Hell broke loose one afternoon, after Techira, unaware of her presence, mistakenly splashed water on her feet, while trying to fill a cooking pot. Awoshie had yelped in fright and fled to her room, startling Techira. Techira didn’t set eyes on her for the rest of the day and only saw her the next morning, when she banged on her door and rained curses on her. Also, Techira heard unusual sounds coming from her room late at nights. But she never bothered to find out what it was. She felt it was none of her concern. Techira forced all these thoughts aside and focused more on her current mystery. She knew she had to find out what the tune of the flute meant and who was behind it. Probably, someone was deliberately trying to make her feel miserable or look insane. She vowed that the next time she heard it, she was going to trace its direction and made sure no one stopped her.

Techira heard children singing a familiar song behind her window, while their tiny drums imitated a familiar beat. Techira suddenly remembered that the Jintigi festival, which was the fire festival, was fast approaching, and that explained the excitement that gushed through all the villagers. On the evening of the festival, Techira prepared Tuo Zaafi with dry okro soup, Badow’s favourite dish. The dish did not only buy her a way into Badow’s heart, but it also bought her some compliments too.
“You’re looking beautiful as always. I must as well carry with me a cutlass to the festival, so that I can slay any man who casts a flirtatious glance at you,” Badow said jokingly as Techira sat next to him, watching him eat. She unconsciously touched her newly braided her and smiled shyly. Awoshie hissed loudly with jealousy, as she passed by and headed for the gate. Amoma trotted behind her while forcing her foot into her slippers. Both Techira and Badow knew she was heading to the chief’s palace even though she did not inform them.
Techira and Badow walked slowly hand in hand, to the chief’s palace. On their way, they met other couples chatting and laughing heartily. Teenagers walked in groups and children raced one another, in order to be the first to reach the palace. The atmosphere was gay and its gayness was infectious because everyone was enthusiastic. At the chief’s palace, there was drumming and dancing as the people awaited the chief’s appearance to commence the festival. When the chief appeared before the gathering, there were cheers from the people. When Techira also raised her hand to join in the cheer, she accidentally hit someone with her elbow. She turned abruptly to her right, and saw an androgynous person, wearing a cloak with a hood that covered their face. Techira apologised, however, the person turned his or her head slightly toward her and without saying a word, walked away.

To be continued…

© Nasreen Zankawah,2025