The Prologue..
Uju was in her room,
waiting still. It was getting dark and the room was aglow with the TV showing 7 p.m. news. She had been waiting for him to come. Due to this, she cancelled an appointment with her friends earlier this evening. This was what she had been expecting - be with him privately in her room and tell him all she wanted them to do. If she had to force him, she was ready to do so.
She had peeped through the widow but he was not coming. So this has been a disappointment? she thought as she sat down on the bed, worried. He had not been like this since they had been together. This was the first time he had failed to fulfill his promise.
She heard a knock on the door and tiptoed deliriously to see if he was the one. As she twisted the door knob so that the door cracked open, she opened the curtain and behold, he stood before her, eyes bright with emotion.
She hugged him, exchanged some kisses with him and led him in. The room was cramped. She had abandoned the clothes she had intended to washed and left them angrily on the floor. There was where she had all her belongings - her bags, books and a lot of other things. She waved him to sit on the bed. She was seated beside him, abreast.
"I've been waiting for you," she said, twisting her face.
He cupped her face. "I'm sorry. I forgot that I would have a visitor." He kissed her and dropped another kiss on her jaw. She felt it, held him by the collar, licking his lips. They had gone far and Sunday was tempted to pull her so that she lay on the bed but she had stood up, seated again.
"I called you to have a talk with you," she said, looking at his distended trouser.
"What could it be?"
"I want us to have a blood covenant," she said, looking into his eyes, guilt welling inside of her but she must do it or lies he whom she had loved so dearly that was ready to let go not now, ever!
His face had contorted, as he stared skeptically into her face, their eyes locked. "Blood what?"
"Yes, so that you will not leave me or I do. I'm jealous. If you say you love me, then, I will cut my body where the blood will come out and you will do the same. I will join the blood so that we swear by it. Just a small deal. Sorry for this but you must do it if you really love me and not with your lips."
"I don't know anything about this blood shit! How would you come up with such a weird and eccentric talk? I don't understand you."
"You will when it is done," she said as she cut her hand with a blade. She brought out a small plastic container when the blood was gushing out. She got it in the container and gave him the blade to do the same.
He reluctantly collected it from him and asked her where he should lance.
"Anywhere," she said.
He cut at his chest so that nobody would notice the scar. It was bleeding and she used her finger to get the amount of the blood she needed. She stirred the blood in the container and started swearing.
"If I leave you and marry another man, whatever is the curse you lay on me will come to pass." She sipped the blood, eyeing him. She handed him the container to do the same.
"What the hell is this? I can't drink this rubbish." His teeth were gritted now. After much cajoling and persuasion, he did and agreed to be with her forever but was impatient to linger there. He was on his feet to leave while she mouthed 'thank you, love.'
"Remember," he said, "I did it out of ignorance and whatever may happen will never affect me because you forced me." He left, the blood in his mouth, tasting stale and rotten.
I love you. She blew him a kiss across the air...
The Binding Covenant: By Udoka Emmanuel Chinono. Coming soon.
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