CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3 Beneath his long drenched hair, the ogrism's eyes glowed heinous, and with each step the ogrism took, Abednego inched back. Yet, soon the ogrism came to a standstill between Abednego's spread arms before he crouched downward before him. Knowing the figure about him could kill him in an instant, he did not move. Instead his body moved on instinct, completely out of fear, to where he lay flat on his back. Lexus turned his head, bearing his throat, and clenching his eyes shut, he waited for the worse. As the ogrism-man’s body covered his own, Abednego couldn’t help but flinch from the searing contact of the other’s heated skin. Grunting beneath the weight of the creature, he struggled not to fight. Especially as he felt the ogrism's warm breath blow against his throat, with shaky breaths Abednego's chest rose slowly in fear. Hoping his death was quick, his eyes clenched even tighter as his jaw tightened. Rigid beneath the other, he jolted at the sudden lick of a warm tongue against the corner of his jaw. He cringed, his tears leaking out as he cracked his eyes to peek up at the wolf, just as the other murmured a sarcastic, "Good Boy…" against his throat. Sickeningly, Abednego realized he could feel the ogrism's anger pressed against his stomach. Yet, even as the creature’s clawed hands raked up his legs and across his torso, he did not dare fight the other. Unconsciously shivering against the heat that rolled from the ogrim's body, Abednego tensed, and even briefly contemplated running once again. However, where the incubuses had slowly taken their time to painfully explore his body, the ogrism wasted no time. Without a moment's pause, it flipped him over on all fours and brutally poked its fingers inside his nose, l*****g his mucus. Abednego screamed, desperately trying to crawl from it. Yet, his hips were held firmly in the ogrism firm clawed hands. While it had been the incubuses’ intent to play with his body, this thing was a beast. No matter how much he screamed, kicked, and clawed at him the beast forcefully pounding its fingers inside his nose and l*****g his mucus. The more he struggled, the more violently the it thrust inside his nose, and soon Abednego could do no more than cradle his head, with both his arms. Sobbing, he shut his eyes desperately wishing for the nightmare to end, even as his vision blurred and he went limp beneath the monster’s fierce anger to dismantle him. Should he eat him, he wondered …would that help settle his distaste?  Staring down at the collapsed figure, he stared, analysing at Abednego’s features. Abednego gave it the slip, not once but twice, the ogrism scoffed.  Squatting down next to the unconscious figure he let out a long sigh, then with a clawed finger he began to tap in time with the beating pulse at the Abednego's throat. Mesmerized by the feeble of the human below him, he knew how easy it would be to tear out the his throat or even the beating organ within the his chest. Leaning forward, the ogrism muzzled of the juncture of the boy's neck and inhaled deeply, shuddering at the human's scent. He was unabashed by his behaviour, to an ogrism such a thing was a symbol of death. Yet, he wasn’t ashamed of it, after all it was the oozing blood from him that had first gained his attention. It leaked the blood from the wounds inflicted from its claws, it enjoyed l*****g and thought of crushing his leg bones to chew. It later began to suspect the his slightly unsettled actions. It had wondered if the human could see or feel it in its surroundings. If nothing more, this intrigued it the most, for very few humans had the ability to sense demonic forces. The horror that crossed the Abednego's face, he shivered, he was unprotected like a lamb without a flock or shepherd, and that bothered him more. It wondered briefly what it should do, for surely the man would taste awful. Eating him was out of the question, so- … A sudden sharp pain ripped from its ponderings. Shocked the ogrism looked down at him and the glass bottle in now embedded inside his rib. Another thing that bothered him about him, he had a hunter's stealth. "I hope you die," Abednego screamed with rage, yet looking completely terrified at the same time with all the tears that were streaming down his face. Yet the him pressed on, pushing the down on the glass as hard as he could. Almost as if he truly believed he had a chance of killing a demon with a glass bottle.  Mockingly, the ogrism laughed aloud at his actions. Despite the pain in his side, it was just all too funny. Well, it was funny until he began to twist the bottle in his rib. He sure knew how to make it hurt, he granted, suddenly poised off. "Demons are immortal," it snarled at the him. Then with one hand, it grasped both of his own and jerked the glass bottle from its rib. Before their eyes the blood stopped almost instantaneously as the wound began to heal itself. Keeping his eyes on the flashing emotions that crossing his face, the ogrism shivered. That look of horror on that crossed face of Abednego was more than enough to make him stiffen. He could smell the Abednego's fear in the air, and as the Little Rabbit attempted to flee once again he easily tackled the him. Pinning the human to the group the ogrism made short work of positioning Abednego's lips. Elevating the his hips off the ground, he forced the screaming man lay on his back as he spread the human’s thighs far apart. Angling the human’s spine and legs in a way that put the Abednego's knees on either side of his face, he flashed an ogrism's smile down at the him. Even as the Abednego stared at him in shock, his clear eyes widened with terror as the ogrism slowly licked his face. An evil gleam shone in the demon’s eyes as it looked down at the him, "We got interrupted earlier, and now you're all slick and loose...," it gave a menacing smile while it pricked him on the thigh with a claw tipped finger. "Can't let this go to waste, now can we?" the ogrism asked, its yellow eyes beaming. Abednego watched in horror as the ogrism-man's long tongue plunged inside his aching thigh. He could feel it rolling deep within him, and the more he fought the ogrism hold by turning and arching his back to pull away, the farther inside him the tongue went. Vainly he struggled, clawing at his attacker down the length of his ribs and arms. Above him the ogrism face harden into a scowl, for Immortal or not he felt the pain from the his pathetic claws. Abednego gasped in complete disarray, in one moment he had been struggling against the ogrism then in the next he was suddenly flipped over onto all fours. Beneath the ogrism Abednego's eyes flash wildly with terror and pain as his screams echoed on endlessly.HCollapsing low to the ground, Abednego cradled his head, sobbing uncontrollably. Wishing he would drown from the large tears and snort streaming down his face as his attacker pondered to eat him. However, to the ogrism, the sight of the shivering man trembling beneath him and the blood scent tears mixed with the strange smell the raw flesh he carried began to stir something inside the ogrism. He flipped him over onto his back. Looking deep into the frightened tear-filled eyes of the glaring human trembling beneath him, and doggedly he felt a strangling presence well-up within its chest. Those clear eyes bore into his soul. Sometimesething about them, the hate that filled them, struck a carnal urge inside him to please the one below him. Why, he wondered. Did those eyes disturb him so? Abednego stared up at the ogrism with wide eyes and trembling lips, but his protests were swallowed as the ogrism-man's long canine tongue swept into the other's mouth. The human glare darkened with both confusion and rage. He bit down harshly on the intruding lips and tongue, filling both their mouths with the copper taste of blood. Abednego couldn’t help but wonder what his attacker was thinking, Why had the orgrism-man's cold yellow-eyes suddenly become so blank? He couldn't stop the tears or hate that flowed from his body. His attacker paused at his glare with a crude questioning look. The taste of him and his blatant refusal to give in was astonishing. He grabbed the human's jaw careful of his own strength. He was determined to taste him again, yet he was careful to keep himself from breaking his jaw. Forcefully, he swept his long tongue deep into the human's nose. Holding the his face, keeping the human’s head tilted back, and his jaw pried open as he explored the depths of the human's mouth. Pulling the him close, hard against his chest, as he plunged deep inside both his nose and mouth. Soon he began to notice as the human's struggles lessen. The longer it leaked his mucus, the weaker he became. Yet, without pause, Abednego reared back his head to slam it down directly onto the bridge of the demon's nose. The attack left them both dazed and starry-eyed. Yet, Abednego was able to free himself from the demon's iron grasp. However, as he turned to run, he found his vision was blurred.  His head spinning from the jolting blow to his skull. He found his efforts had left him collapsed on the floor, only able to crawl away. Much too dizzy to stand and barely able inch backwards as the demon approached. Abednego whimpering frightfully as the demon reached out for him, flinching as its clawed hands approached. The creature lifted its clawed hands glistening with blood in the other, and was reaching out for him. Suddenly, like thunder, it's head was blown off, the blood splattered everywhere and the thing fell with thud. Life was like a cage to Abednego. He realized it because he was facing death every moment. The worst part of this realization is that most he was far away in the evil forest being haunted by evil spirits. He was racking his brain, any minute if he is not careful then he will be a dead meat. He reasoned out, he has to do something about it. "When they are near you, grab the calabash and hit on the ground," he could remember Matendechere telling him. He hit the ground so hard, immediately there appeared a cage, that cage was for trapping the ogrism inside. Ogrism have to be trapped and put in a bar. The bar has to be having food inside, as long as the cage has a roof and there’s food inside of it. They don’t dare attempt to escape, to risk something better. The cage has to be secured, totally sealed, but if it happens that it is opened, if it does, you can bet that whoever opens it has his own plan for himself or either early death. A plan he may probably be going to hate. Abednego was instructed by Matendechere to hit the calabash and lead them to the cage, they were hypnotized by the smoke that was coming from the calabash. They followed the smoke until they were in the cage. Finally he locked it using some magic powers that Matendechere gave him. Abednego didn’t feel anything hard, it had been a matter of pushing a door open and walking out. He had practically bloodied his hands trying to rend the bars, finally grinding them down so that he was barely able to escape outside and leave them in. He came out with the scars to prove it. Now I will get the tail and fight for the freedom of my village. Abednego, a young energetic boy in the only village of ‘Namamali’, a lively boy worth emulating. He had a certain irrefutable logic about himself that was so fascinating. Most people in the village couldn't afford to be away from him due to his personality that was promising. He was brought up in a robust family and vigorously lived with great dreams and visions of getting married and raising up a healthy family, just like his parents. “Having a brilliant family is the most vital thing on earth,” he amicably figured out to. As time went by Abednego began to focus on how to get a family of his own. "One day I will marry a woman of my dream, and when I do so, I will make sure that it lasts for a lifetime," he pondered upon himself. Though there was a challenge with Abednego's parents, whenever he made friends his parents would ask him not to trust them and have close relationship. According to his parents, his being sensitive might get their child hurt easily, so they asked him to maintain distance with people. So Abednego never made friends. He would share his thoughts, feelings with his parents most of the time. But as he entered teenage life he found it difficult to share his feelings with his parents anymore, as they were bit conservative. He lacked self confidence and proper communication skills, which often would result in misunderstandings. Abednego found it difficult to express himself. People's comments would carve on his mind making a scar. To avoid people's comments he tried to be a perfectionist. Later, he became obsessed with perfection. He never shared this with his parents thinking that this might make them unhappy. All these feelings were buried deep within, having no one to share with. Abednego thought his wife, when he gets married, would cure his loneliness. Barely a year after, Abednego met with Nina, a young beautiful girl, who would later be Abednego's wife. She was a jovial girl coming from Abednego's neighbouring village. They later met at dinner, an informal gathering done yearly in the outskirts of Namamali village. They had attended almost a decade earlier. Throughout the evening, they found each other again and again. Nina loved Abednego's easy laugh. "He liked my smile," she amicably said to herself. It was obvious they were both interested. They were the last to leave. A week later, Abednego asked Nina out. Nine months later, they walked down the aisle and pledged their lifelong love and faithfulness to each other. It was a traditional marriage that was attended by almost everyone in that small village of Namamali. This young energetic boy Abednego knew marriage would bring change, but change — even when expected — can still be surprising and unfamiliar. They are different; their personalities echo quite opposite voices. The girl was invigorated by time with villagers; while Abednego leaves a new group dazed and overwhelmed. They couldn't get enough time with each other. Depression began affecting Abednego, it was piercing his heart deeply like a hot knife through butter. The paradox is obvious yet quite mysterious. At times, when they were talking, Nina felt so understood — like he really “gets” her. The way they were interacting made her feel as if they were cut from the same cloth. Then, a small shift in tone, her eyes water, and Abednego says the unthinkable,  "You cry a lot.” Suddenly, Abednego is alone — and want to be! How could one statement instantly distance them and leave him blankly starring at the same person that, only moments before, he had been savoring? But to his wife tears represent devastation or catastrophe. His moist cheeks and brimming tears frighten and confuse Nina. Even unwrapping their wedding gifts was an eye-opening experience for Abednego. The couples returned home from our honeymoon to a living room overflowing with presents. It was unlike anything they had seen before, and Abednego was ecstatic! It took them days to get through this generous bounty: pots, dishes, linens and more. It warmed their hearts to realize that each gift had been hand-selected by friends and family. By day two, they'd established a pattern. Abednego would unwrap. She would squeal with delight and record the gift information. He would organize the pile and return with a new present. Finally, they unwrapped the pot followed by other sealed vessels in soft goat skin, now it was Abednego's turn to smile. It hit Abednego that the entire ritual of wedding gifts is more for the wife. In jest, his sweet wife picked up her three gifts and said, “Well, at least I got three things," they both laughed. The kind of life they were going to live is what mattered little to him, but Nina didn't that it mattered to him. Abednego playing along, even participating in the unwrapping, proved to him he was invested and trying. She was learning how to better love him, and Abednego was learning what life can mean to him, he knew difficult times were ahead, difficult moments that can't be explained. They were living in a terrible land, a terrible village governed by a cruel king, Imboko. Abednego saw it wise not to disclose any secret to Nina, her wife. He knew that she will not be able to grasp it, so he chose to keep it to himself. Abednego loved that after so many years of waiting to wake up next to his wife, that he now of staying together, something strange was taking place in their love triangle, Nina wasn't conceiving. This became as a shock to Abednego. Nights became nightmares, "There's something amiss in this marriage", Abednego thought. "What could be happening, could I be a problem, Oh, no. It cannot happen, it,can't be that way," he refuted. They have been living together happily but when the issue of not having a child crossed Abednego's mind, he covered his head and began to soab uncontrollably. Her wife Nina couldn't think of it anymore. When she think of high hopes she had, dreams and visions of raising up robust family, she became so sad. "What did I do to deserve all this?" She questioned. " wish I could tell her how I feel. ..I wish I could tell her how I feel," Abednego retorted. "In the morning, I cant take anymore, but I have to, I have to tell her. Yes, I will tell her how II feel, she is my wife, I know she loves me. I have no objection but to tell her how I feel.," he said to himself while feeling worried. Nina's husband walked silently towards there hut, Sat down and started pondering in his heart, "There, yes there, like an escaping shadows of darkness that room behold of you." He said to himself. "The light touch her exquisite features, long dark hair past her shoulders, her lips as red and flawless as a bloom rose, eyes so captivating that shocks all my senses, you are flawless in every way imaginable, you are my burning desire, my endless love, and yet the most beautiful and good hearted suffers a mental disorder." He thought about her, expressing his deeper love to Nina her wife. It wasn't known how long he took outside there, but when he stood up to go around his checks, he realized that time had really gone so first. The moment he made a move towards the door of their hut, there she was, a girl standing looking outside their hut. He knocked but she didn't seem to hear so He opened the door, stepped in and as he did she turned her head and gave an angelic smile, his heart melted he was so stun by her natural beauty he forgot what he was doing there he probably was sitting here for like the whole afternoon before she approached him and asked, "you must be exhausted?", "yes, yes, no, I mean YES!"  Abednego was nervous never in their life has he ever seen a mortal goddess stand before him so amicably, despite the fact that they were in deep challenges of living together for fifteen years, as wife and husband but without getting any child. "Is there anything we can do to have a child?" He asked. She turned, looked outside the window of their hut and said, "No, there's no any other way." "How could she say no?" Abednego pondered.  "You don't have any idea on how we can get a child?" He went further to asked. "Yes, but I have a mom and dad, I will reason out with them." she said. " Why don't we think of any other vital way instead of consulting them?" He asked. "Sure, that's a great observation. I've been thinking about it since I've been here." She told him. "Good, but what hell are we going through?" Abednego asked. He resolved in his heart that no matter what happens, he will never leave his wife Nina to suffer the shame of barrenes alone. "Whatever that happens to my wife, Nina, I will never leave her." He softly said. He proceeded to walk out their but she grabbed his arm and told him how much he appreciates his love. She also promised to be faithful to him and never to despise their marriage. Towards the end of sixteen years, Nina run to the husband while holding her tummy. "Guess what!" She exclaimed.  "I am pregnant!" She shouted at the bottom of her voice, then she said, "Well my dear husband, it is a pleasure. If only I would of met you in a different setting". I couldn't really say anything you see I'm the shy girl when implode just to carry the tummy, funny I think." She marvelled. does, despite the warnings that someday he will get tired. Waiting for his wife wasn’t passive; it was active. He prepared, anticipated and hoped. His life didn’t begin when he met Nina. He already had a life, a life he was readying and expecting to share with another. He couldn’t wait for a wife to complete him. He would be his complement. He knew God could fulfill him; it wasn’t going to be his wife's job to meet his every need. Daily, he made choices to create a life that another would want to become a part of — and he had the faith that one day, a woman would join that life. When you have longed and hoped for someone for such a long time and she's finally here and real, the joy in having your heart’s desire doesn’t soon diminish. Their lives are now intertwined. But there was still much more hidden in the closet that would eventually unfold. Despite the fact Abednego wanted a family of his own, there was much more than that in the village of Namamali. The only secret that he was supposed to reveal to the wife before it was too late. The land was crying, the land couldn't make their life better, it will only make their life bitter. No male child was kept buy the parents, boys were king's object, the now reigning king known as Imboko. Imboko was a horrifying leader whose leadership was filled with blood. Will they enjoy their marriage, that was the question that lingered Abednego's mind. Though marriage was valued in Namamali village, but the king was making the life of every villager bitter. It was real on a dreary Wednesday afternoon when Abednego returns from working in farm, he was dead tired. He entered in their hut, closed himself in before he proceeded to bed. So many issues had preoccupied his mind, many families were destroyed by the king in that land. Now he is married but has kept the secret away from the wife. "What if she finds out," he wondered People were being killed every now and then, "Probably Nina, his wife or even himself could fall a victim," thoughts crossed his mind. He looked up at the soot strand, hanging above his head touching their grass thatched house. Though Nina loved him, yes, but she was in a wrong land, a land that could easily open up and swallow her at any given moment. He felt sad for her. He dreamed of one day liberating the village from that cruel king, he saw himself slaughtering the king as the whole villagers applauded him. "What a brilliant day will it be," he admired.  Years went by and Nina's love and her husband grow stronger and stronger. After fifteen years