Yese’s body itched everywhere. She was crying like a baby. Sighting a potsherd by her low stool she quickly grabbed it and started scraping her skin at the most itchy points. It was a bit relieving then the itch grew to enormous pain in her belly which elucidated a loud yell from her. She abruptly sat up in bed awakened from her sleep-dreamy state. Yese quickly checked on her young son, Liemen who was asleep beside her. His chest heaved up and down steadily. He slept peacefully so far this night for a change. On a normal night it was Liemen’s shrill cries that woke her.
He had to be fed every one hour, a job more exhausting than she had ever imagined. He was determined and adamant about his feed as though he was on a mission to dry up his mother’s reserves.
Then the itch returned on her arm for real. Yese quickly trimmed up her bush lamp which was on her roughly carved bedside table in order to scrutinize her arm. To her amazement, her entire arms were covered in small rashes and the itch was increasing by the second. Apprehension seized her throat. There was nothing she could do but wait for dawn to peek through the foliage of trees so she could visit the village physician. Her beautiful skin was under attack which had for years been the envy of women and girls in her village. The night was going to be a whole year. She lay back in bed trying to restrain her fingernails with her mind but it proved futile. She scratched away at the growing itch. The night was truly long having to minister to her fussing baby and at the same time attend to her new found companion, the unrelenting itch.
Morning approached slowly like a tortoise. Yese had never had cause to wait for daylight before. It was such a helpless and daunting challenge. The itch had spread to her chest and neck.Tears of frustration were shed through out the night. Because of her constant scratching, she incurred bruises and it seemed her whole skin was on fire.
Dawn was here at last. Yese left her son in bed and hurried to her mother-in-law’s hut. Now there was no more room for scratching. She was slapping at itchy points to avoid more bruises. She knocked at her door. Her mother-in-law was swung out of bed by the fury of the knock. She needed no soothsayer to tell her there was an emergency.
“What is it?” Mama Adaa inquired on stepping out. Her face told the tale of the previous night's sleep. Mama Adaa's eyes hastily brightened up on seeing Yese’s body movements. She quickly scrutinized her daughter-in-law’s body then ran into their hut to retrieve her grandchild, Liemen.
“Apeiver!” Mama Adaa called out to her daughter.
“Ooo!” Apeiver answered from her hut.
“Be fast. Come out. We are going to the village physician's. My wife is sick.
Apeiver jumped out of her Hut and banged the door behind her. The four hurried to get help for Yese.
