Naagin (rise of the serpent)

Chapter Twenty - One: Recovering Good memories.

I breath into the fantastic natural air of Umuguor community when I emerged out of the river. Old lady Papirus came out as well with her hair and clothes soaked wet. I pondered on why her clothes were wet but it only occurred to me that she transformed back to her human form in the water.

"Isn't Umuguor a great place" she murmured out as she also breath into the fresh air.

"Yeah,it's an awesome place" I confirmed.

Looking ahead,trees and bushes covered the horizon. The main Community is actually located amidst the trees and bushes. Old lady Papirus took careful steps as she walked on the Sandy bank all the way into the trees and bushes. I followed her three steps behind as I took my time admiring the beautiful scenery around. As we walked through the little land of trees and bushes, I couldn't help but admire the little forest noises that could be heard all over the place. The chirps of birds, monkeys jumping around and all that.

As we kept walking, little huts and cottages started appearing in the vicinity. It wasn't long until we entered the main community of Umuguor.

"Welcome to Umuguor community" old lady Papirus said as we entered Umuguor community.

Marveled by the awesome appearance and natural activity, I took two long turn- around before complimenting on the community.

"It's a beautiful place, but it's in a bad shape" I said giving old lady Papirus a childish smile.

Actually, I was right. Umuguor community was a great place filled with gigantic buildings,sky scrappers and a lot of things that showed that it was a rich Community.

It was a rich Community that was filled with a lot of interesting places but the only problem was that it was in a bad shape. Umuguor community was in ruins. A lot of these buildings were burnt to the ground.

Umuguor community had now become a deserted place. It was more of a desert. Stray cats could be held 'meowing' from different parts of the deserted Community.

As we went deeper into the community,all that could be seen were skeletons. A lot of skeletons filled the community. Tears filled old lady Papirus's eyes as she remembered the happy days Umuguor community had gone through. All the happy and sweet days, were all washed away by this useless war.

It couldn't have been a useless war. According to old lady Papirus, Hijirar had shown her the future. He had shown her that the war was going to come to pass. That only means Hijirar must have intended the war. But why?

Why would Hijirar intend a war that will take away lives and properties? Why would he project a war that brought sorrows,pains and sufferings? Why would he project a war that almost wiped a whole Community from existence? Why and why?

As all these thoughts ran through my head,a voice interrupted. Making me realize I was standing in one place.

"Would you stand there rooted to the ground or do you think we have all day here" old lady Papirus shouted loudly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Looking ahead, she was right in front of a building. A really huge building. Part of the huge building was burnt down. The building was made of mostly marble and glass tiles. The glass windows were shattered. The building would have been a lot more beautiful before the war.

A smile was on the old lady's lips as she examined the whole building.

"She's still standing" she muttered softly, smiling with happiness.

"What?" I asked,a lot confused.

"The company. It's still standing" she said, not taking her eyes from what was in front of her.

My eyes left her face and went up to the building. The building was not that bad. A huge sign board stood in front of the building which states the name to be,

"HERBERT'S FAMILY SPECIAL"

Reading more from the sign board, I learned that old lady Papirus's former company was the biggest company in Umuguor community. It dealt in the sales of different minerals and different types of textile items. It also dealt with the sales of different fashion designs.

HERBERT'S family special was the greatest company in Umuguor community and that of Agbejor community.

"Let's go in. Maybe I could show you some of my projects" the old lady said and we both entered the company.

The gate of the company was no more, with skeletons around it. The skeletons were very creepy. I made sure to avoid them at all cost.

"Aren't you scared of the skeletons around?" I asked the old lady.

"No I'm not. Besides,why would I be scared of the skeletons of the people who I was supposed to protect. The worst part of it is that they are my people. I can't be scared of my people" old lady Papirus's voice echoed around the company garage.

"This skeletons might give me a heart attack one day" I said jumping across one of them.

Old Lady Papirus couldn't help but laugh. Entering into the reception room of the company, I could see chairs scattered with some skeletons sitting on them.

Old Lady Papirus went to one of the skeletons that had a jacket on. Peeping at the name on the jacket, I found out that the person was a client. A big businessman.

"Mr Rolfe"

I said out loud.

The old lady turned to look at me giving me a knowing. She stood up from where she had bent down. Actually she too was checking out the client's name.

"Mr Rolfe,a big businessman from Swagbucks" the old lady said.

"You know him?" I asked.

"I don't know much about him. Let's go to my office at the top floor" she says dragging me away from the skeleton.

"Why are we going to your office?" I asked.

"So that you can know much about me" she said as she ran through the stairs.

We could not take the elevator. We climbed up the stairs, reaching one floor at a time.

We both got to the top floor in thirty minutes. I dropped on the ground with sweat all over my face. Tiredness waved through my body and I couldn't get up. As for the old lady, she fine with no sweat at all. It was like she didn't climb through the stairs.

"Can you please get your butt off the ground. It's just some stairs that you can't climb so how would you defeat HUCK if you can't climb some random stairs" her torturing voice came after me again.

She helped me up as she entered her office. The office seemed to be the worst of all. A lot of skeletons everywhere. A part of the wall was burst open leaving the sunlight to filter into the office.

Which only means a bomb must have been thrust into her office that must have killed the people in it. Old lady Papirus moved to a part of the office and picked up some files that were on the floor. Some of the files had been eaten by cockroaches which I despise the most.

"These were my projects. My life projects" the old lady's voice echoed again in the office.

Taking a look at her awesome projects, I could see that she was great in her company work. Most of her fashion design project were exclusively awesome.

"Wow! They are great. Old Lady Papirus you have natural talent" I kept commenting on her great works and projects.

Dropping the files, I went over to a family photo on the wall. There was a man,a woman and three children. The kids were actually teenagers and the husband was hot. I recognized the old lady to be the woman in the photo. Her two girls looked angelic.

Taking my eyes to her young son, the young teenager was very handsome. From his well carved face over to his muscular structure. Wow! There is no doubt that I would have fallen in love with this young man. I licked my lips seductively at the thought.

My eyes left the old family photo hung on the wall and went to another photo. It's frame was made of cedarwood. Looking at it, one could see the young lady kissing her husband and it looked like it was during a celebration. The background was filled with lots which made me know that it was a celebration.

"That picture was taken on my coronation day." The old lady's voice jolted me almost making fall the photo.

The old lady chuckled.

"What's a coronation day?" I asked facing her.

"The day I officially took the position of being the priestess. That day, my cute and lovely husband kissed me in the public." Her tone was that of happiness as she said those words.

"Who took the picture?" I asked again.

"My naughty first daughter. That day the picture went viral and almost everyone in Umuguor community saw the picture. The picture of their priestess kissing her husband on her coronation day" she bit her lower lip as she went through the memory lane.

"Tell me about it" I demanded.

I went to sit on the table close to her as I was about to hear a short story or maybe a long one.

★★★

Old Lady Papirus* pov

The name Sylvia Herbert and on my coronation day. One of the best days of my life.

I woke up as early as I could to prepare for the coronation. I was to take my first daughter with me. Her name was Manda. A naughty little sweet girl.

"Honey, you'll be taking Manda, right?" My husband said as he walked into the dinning room with my second daughter. About nine months.

"Yep, and Nanda's food is in the refrigerator in case she is hungry. You would be coming, right?" I said and asked back.

Nanda is the name of my little daughter. The second one of about nine months.

"Yeah" came his reply.

After breakfast, I took my Manda my first daughter and headed out to the garage. I got into a Jeep with Manda at the back seat. I started the engine and zoomed off. I didn't want to be late for my coronation of all days.

As I moved through the beautiful streets of Umuguor community,a lot of people crowded the streets. Not just the Umuguor citizens but other citizens from the other zones of Casablanca.

As tradition, anytime a future priestess or priest moves through the streets, flowers are being thrown at him or her. That was what happened to me and my car. A lot of flowers were thrown at my car from every side and every corner.

My destination was the community's holy hall of worship. A place where all the sacrifices and prayers are made to Hijirar. I knew I would be doing much of that when I officially become the priestess.

I got to my destination and a lot of people crowded the hall. The hall without windows or doors. That's creepy! Anyways, I stepped out of the car and headed for the hall. Immediately I got to the hall, everyone in the hall stepped out. As I entered the hall it was as if I had entered another dimension. At the other dimension, I saw Hijirar. He was naked and I couldn't see his face. He stood like a naked mighty warrior god. Though beside him was the former priestess whose name was known as Arizona. I didn't really know much about her but all I knew was that she was a devoted priestess who had actually seen HIJIRAR'S face.

I was given a staff as evidence of being the new priestess. I stepped out of the dimension along with the former priestess, Arizona. As tradition demands, I had to raised the staff up to the eyes of everyone around. It was an evidence that I was really the priestess.

I went back into town and the whole people of Umuguor community, rejoiced as music played. It was like a happy ending.

But before we left the holy hall of worship where I was coronated, my husband did something I would never forget. Without evening a sign, he pulled me into a passionate kiss. A long lost kiss. I couldn't help but moan loudly as he pressed his body on me. My little naughty girl, took a picture of us and the picture went viral. Everyone couldn't help but get amused at their priestess doing such on her coronation day.

That day was one of the Best day of my life.

★★★

Old lady Papirus smiled as all those memories replayed right before her eyes. Tears clouded her eyes as she smiled in happiness. I hugged the old lady as we both drowned in the hug.