Looters and Avengers
From their hiding place, where they laid ambush waiting for a victim, Udoka and Ego, the unsuspected village robbers who forcefully take away the luxury and money of traders along the route to the market in Onitsha, came out and followed he maiden.
Her face seem strange. They haven't met her before, so robbing her became difficult. More so, she doesn't look like someone on a business trip. She walked majestically down the road as the two notorious men followed.
A dimple on cheek was all they could see as she smiled to herself. Ego stood at a spot, Udoka stopped too while the strange maiden walked away, but gently and without fear.
Back to their initial position they went, hid and waited for another vulnerable passerby. This time, it is Onuchi, the dried fish seller who was passing. The two robbers jumped at him, with a mask on their faces, they snatched his bag of cowries and made him run for his life. This is their biggest loot in a long while.
Deep into the dark bush where they build for themselves a hurt, they shared their loot and hid it in different parts of the forest and made to come back to their hunting position. It was late evening already, when they should begin to retire to their homes in Obi-Igbo.
Just then, the strange maiden appeared on the path again. This time, with a basket covered with purple cloth on her head. She walked like she isn't in a haste. Ego told Udoka that they should pounce on her, be he held his hands and said:
There is something about this maiden. We should rather tea e her to see where she lives and more.
Ego was getting quite impatient. He came out of his hiding place and walked the strange maiden, overtook her and maintained a close distance ahead of her while Udoka came from behind both of them.
The maiden walked for a long while until she arrived at the other end of the village where the but of the old widow was built, then she stopped and looked back with a scary laugh.
Immediately, Udoka who was following from behind jumped into the nearby bush while viewing what would happen next.
Lightning from the sky shone bright in sequence and splash. And the maiden begin to transform into an old woman until she had completely transformed.
Udoka was already sweating profusely despite the cold wind of the night. If he had been told about this by someone else, he would have argued it. But now, it happened just under his watch.
She walked in with her basket. Udoka did not think twice, he ran quickly to meet up with Ego who had earlier negotiated a bend to the south end of the village.
That night, he decided he won't ever try robbing people of their hard earned money again.
Onuchi had earlier reported his encounter with the robber on the way to onitsha market. This report had been made by many casualties but nothing had been done to remedy the situation. Now that it affected Onuchi, the village business tycoon, Eze Nkanu decided to act so that this robbers would be arrested or checked.
The town crier beat the gong round the village.
Gong! Gong!! Gong!!! His imperial majesty, Eze Nkanu has ordered that everyone adult male reports to his palace at noon tomorrow. Let him that heard tell owe who are not around.
In the noon of the next day, every adult male gathered, including Udoka and Ego. Then, Eze started to address them on the security issues that has befell the community in recent time. Exe told them to form a vigilante group to arrest crimes and criminals that take advantage of the weak.
Just then, the old strange woman appeared. Now, Udoka saw her and began to feel unsafe.
It was her voice that shut Eze up.
The perpetrators of those crimes are among you. Let them be fished out now or this will be an already failed move.
Ego and Udoka looked at each other and gave a sign to run away. But a voice that could only be heard by the two of them said:
Death travels everywhere. Stay and fave the consequences of your crimes.
Without asking them, Ego was the first to come out to Eze to confess that he and Udoka had been the ones tormenting traders.
That afternoon, the village got a news that the robbers have been arrested and incarcerated in the King's dungeon. A great relief was felt by traders and their fears of being robbed we're taken away.
