Titilayo Ajose

Name: Titilayo Ajose Content Area: Fiction Title: Dimga Notes: Here's an excerpt from one of my fiction short stories Vega land was unusually calm that particular day. The sun was beginning to set and many of the villagers were already preparing to retire for the day. They had already packed their utensils into the shanty huts which were scattered round the valley after the evening meal. The children were also getting ready for an evening game of hide and seek. They could be heard calling to one another, their tiny voices ringing delightfully in the twilight. Suddenly, a terrorizing scream pierced the serene environment, followed by the sound of someone tearing through the bush closest to the village arena. Many young hunters sprung up with their spears sprinting in the direction of the noise. A young lad burst out of the thick foliage, running with great speed, gasping for breath and screaming on top of his voice. Once in a while he kept glancing back as if to check if his “pursuer” was gaining on him. The hunters with their spears raised in their powerful hands stood still and stared intently into the deep forest from where the terrified boy emerged. At first they saw nothing and everywhere seems calm. But then, they all saw it almost at the same time, the creepy dark shape of something that emerged as an animal crawling stealthily out of the bush. They were stunned at the sight. Someone whispered: “Dimga!” in a quivering voice. Truly it was Dimga - half man- half cougar and the great defender of the treasures and resources of Preston - the neighbouring village with the highest number of gold vaults known in human history! The beast drew back its lips in anger to reveal sharp deadly fangs at the sight of the hunters and its prey- the young lad who had hidden himself behind one of the men. The hunters from Vega bowed on their knees the sight of “Dimga” after-all they recognized and respected the culture of the province and they sensed that they had somehow trespassed, though in what way they could not explain. Few moments after, four rugged men dressed in nothing but white loin cloths around their waist and which passed in between their legs, appeared from the bush behind the beast holding a long leash attached to the massive ankles of its hind limbs. They all had shiny bald heads and a black, spotted mark on their sweaty brow. Now the hunters from Vega knew why they were not attacked by Dimga; the leash was restraining the beast and this seems to anger it greatly for it struggled to free itself despite the efforts of the strong men. They were breathing with exertion from the effort and were almost thrown off-balance when Dimga suddenly leapt forward. “You have trespassed your boundary” one of the powerful men shouted at the hunters from Vega; “You know the rules and you must be made to pay, you little thief” he screamed angrily, staring at the lad who was shivering involuntarily with dilated eyes. He held on firmly to one of the hunters from his village. The hunters from Vega were shocked at the accusation. No one steals the treasures of Preston for they all know it carries grievous penalties. Such a person could be made to freeze into a mud statue for a thousand years, or could be made a slave; bound to serve for a decade in the dark tunnels where the treasures were kept; such were the endless chastisements that accosted the act of stealing from Preston, the wealthiest village in the whole province. No one steals from Preston without risking the anger of Dimga, the beast assigned to defend the vault. The eldest of the hunters from Vega was the first to recover from the shock and gathering the remnants of his courage spoke up boldly “This boy was brought up honourably and can do no such thing. It must be a mistake” he appealed to the enraged hunters. “Search him then and let’s get over this ruckus. We have to take Dimga back to its rest.” The man replied gritting his teeth with indignation. The accused boy was Elion, the ten-year old crown prince and the only heir to the throne of Vega land. He backed away from the hunters and to their surprise tried to resist the search. One of the hunters grabbed his trembling hand and roughly plunged his hand into the pocket of his make-shift garment. This generated further struggle as Elion twisted and turned in other to avert the probing hands of the hunter. Dimga snarled and roared in great fury as its holders struggled to maintain some calm. It was a terrible noise that shook the whole forest. The hunter managed to get his hands on the reins of the loose garment which Elion wore on his waist and tugged it open. Elion grabbed it protectively, but it was too late. The frail material came apart and out came a glittering stone, the size of a tennis ball, but with jagged edges. It was the sacred capstone, one of the most cherished treasures of Preston land. It was believed that anyone who owned it would become the most powerful in the entire province. The stone fell down and rolled in the dust, glittering in all its majestic beauty. The whole audience gasped; one side in fear and the other in rage. The prince’s life had suddenly become very insecure.