Episode 17: Beyond the Bloodline
Kemi’s POV
We sat in the hospital for what felt like an eternity. The ticking of the clock on the wall only amplified the frustration between Jide and me. The patient we were waiting for never showed up. It was like another cruel twist to the nightmare we were living in.
“Let’s go,” Jide finally said, his voice sharp with irritation. “I’m done being turned around by these people.”
I nodded silently. My heart was heavy, and exhaustion clung to me like a thick fog. We walked out of the hospital, got into the car, and drove off.
Jide’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white. Neither of us spoke as the car hummed softly on the quiet road. I sank into my seat, staring blankly at the passing scenery, my thoughts clouded with confusion and sadness.
But just as we drove past a large tree not too far from the hospital, something caught my attention. At first, I thought I imagined it, but when I looked again, my heart skipped a beat.
“Jide,” I said softly. “Stop the car.”
“What?” he asked, not taking his eyes off the road.
“Jide, stop the car!” I repeated, this time with urgency.
He frowned and slowed down slightly, looking at me in confusion. “Kemi, what is it? What did you see?”
“Look over there,” I said, pointing to the side of the road. Under the tree, a young woman lay motionless. Her clothes were dusty, and her body looked so frail it was almost skeletal. Her arms were limp, and her head was tilted unnaturally to the side.
“God,” I muttered under my breath, my chest tightening. “Jide, it looks like she’s passed out.”
Jide glanced briefly at the figure and turned back to the road. “Kemi, let’s keep going. I’m not in the mood for this today. We’ve had enough drama for one day.”
“Jide, no!” I protested, turning to face him. “Please, let’s not do this. If there’s one thing I know about you—one thing that made me fall in love with you—it’s your kind heart. You won me over with that kindness. Don’t let whatever we’re going through change the man you are.”
He hesitated, his face torn. I pressed further, my voice soft but firm. “Jide, that lady looks like she needs help. What if she’s dying? We can’t just leave her here.”
Jide sighed heavily and muttered something under his breath. After a few moments of indecision, he reversed the car until we came to a halt near the tree.
“Fine,” he said grudgingly, loosening his grip on the wheel. “Let’s check.”
I hurried out of the car first, my heart pounding as I approached the figure. The closer I got, the colder I felt. A strange chill ran through me, and I suddenly stopped.
I froze, my mouth dry as my eyes registered what was before me.
It was me.
Or at least, it looked exactly like me. The woman lying under the tree had the same face, the same hair, the same features. I felt cold shivers crawl over my body, and goosebumps covered my skin. My legs began to tremble as I took a step back, unable to look away.
“Ori mi!” I whispered in terror. My voice rose into a scream. “Jide, Moku o!”
Jide ran towards me, alarmed. “Kemi! What is it? What happened?”
I couldn’t speak. I simply pointed at the woman lying on the ground, my hands shaking violently.
Jide turned his gaze towards her and froze. For a moment, he looked like he had seen a ghost. “Wait… what?” he muttered, his voice breaking.
“Jide!” I choked out. “What… what is happening? She looks like me! Jide, she looks like me!”
Jide took a shaky step closer, his face pale. “Kemi, calm down. She… she looks human.”
“No, Jide!” I cried. “These things can be deceiving. It might not be what it seems. Let’s throw some sand on her. If she disappears, then we know she’s not real!”
Jide hesitated, clearly shaken by my words. But seeing my panic, he bent down, grabbed a handful of sand, and flung it gently at her body.
We both stared, holding our breaths. Nothing happened. She didn’t disappear. She didn’t move.
Jide slowly exhaled. “Kemi, she’s human.”
Still shaking, I whispered, “Jide, what do we do now?”
“We can’t leave her like this,” he said, recovering slightly. “We’ll take her back to the hospital. She needs help.”
Jide bent down and carefully lifted her frail body into his arms. I watched, still frozen in place, as he carried her back to the car. I forced myself to follow him, my mind spinning as a thousand thoughts ran through my head.
Who was she? Why did she look like me?
At the Hospital
When we arrived back at the hospital, the nurses were just as shocked as we were. Their eyes widened as they stared at the woman Jide carried in.
“Who… who is this?” one of them stammered.
“We found her unconscious by the roadside,” Jide explained, his voice calm but strained. “She needs help immediately.”
The nurses nodded and sprang into action, wheeling her into the emergency unit.
I sat in the waiting room, my knees bouncing restlessly. Jide sat beside me, his arm around my shoulder, trying to steady me.
“Calm down, Kemi,” he said softly. “It’s going to be okay.”
But I couldn’t calm down. The image of that woman haunted me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly, terribly wrong.
A nurse finally approached us. “She’s awake,” she said.
I stiffened, my heart racing. “She’s awake?”
“Yes,” the nurse replied. “You can see her now.”
Jide stood, helping me up, but I hesitated. My legs felt like jelly as we walked down the hallway.
When I entered the room, I stopped in my tracks. The woman was lying on the bed, pale and fragile, her eyes slowly opening.
And then, she saw me.
Her gaze locked onto mine, and for a moment, the room seemed to tilt.
Her lips trembled, and her voice, weak but clear, broke the silence.
“My Chi…” She voiced out.
I staggered backward, the chill returning.
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