The rush to return to their region for the head count that comes up once in twenty years is going to be next weekend and everyone has to return home. Since Eki married his wife, Aku they haven't visited his hometown. Each time their only child asks them to go spend the holiday in their hometown, they would divert the talk to something else. Now that it has become a necessity, they are prepared to travel to Oraite.
Adaora was so happy that she would be visiting her father's hometown. Each time her friends in school talk about how they spent their new yam festival holiday with their grandparents, Adaora often feels bad because she doesn't have anything to share in response.
Four days before the headcount, Adaora arrived home and asked her mother, Aku:
Mummy, shouldn't we be in to prepare for the journey?
Aku saw the enthusiasm with which Adaora asked her the question and replied to her:
I am done packing our stuff. We shall set out this weekend.
That Saturday morning, Adaora was the one to take me up from sleep. She had slept late because anxiety covered her reasoning that sleep refused to come. And yet, she was the first to wake up from sleep and walked through the door parent parents' room and knocked.
Mummy, daddy it is time, let's start preparing.
Eki and Aku jumped from the bed when they realized they had slept for too long.
The journey to Oraite was smooth but the road was busy with a lot of travelers who were returning to their hometown for the headcount. For Adaora, it was fun. She hasn't traveled as far as this since she was born. She was amazed at the running palm trees as their car sped along the road.
They arrived at Benin around midday. This is entry to the eastern part of the country. Many commercial buses parked to recess and for the passengers to refresh and ease themselves.
The journey continued afterward. Later as they continued in their journey, Adaora noticed that the roads were so bad and the car was galloping. To her left-hand side, there was a big gully naturally dug by erosion, and to her left, a swampy forest that can house dangerous animals. There, something began to whisper to her that this may be the reason why her parents haven't been coming home.
Eki drove through a lonely tiny path and pressed the horn in front of an ancient designed house. An old woman with a walking stick stepped out and began to sniff around, looking for it the honked. Adaora, now looking confused asked her father:
Daddy, what are we doing here?
With a deep smile, groomed his daughter and said:
This is where I was born and that is my mother.
She couldn't believe her ears. Eki alighted from the car and went to hug mama, who now has started singing in her native dialect, the arrival of her son.
It was a mixed feeling for Adaora. She was happy that they arrived safely but to sleep in this house that she doesn't know how to place.
Aku beckoned on Adaora to assist in carrying the luggage from the car trunk. When they got inside the building, Adaora saw that there was very fine cushion furniture and a marbled floor. Though old, they looked expensive. She thought to herself that her late grandpa must have been a wealthy man.
Mama made a very sumptuous native soup for them with fufu. They munched to their fill. It was a way of saying that they were welcomed back home.
Adaora got closer to mama and before long, she started to like being around her. Mama took time to tell her a lot of stories about Oraite and the many families that made up to the community. She did not keep from her how she birthed Eki and brought him up with proceeds she made from selling Ukwa in the market that sells every five days. She continued to say all she could remember until Adaora slept on the arm of mama.
Aku carried her to the bed and came back to the living room to continue her gist with mama while Eki was listening and enjoying the conversation.
Few minutes later, Adaora ran from the room, sweating profusely and shouting as she approached the living room
White shadow, a huge white shadow!
Eki stood up and attempted to see what was happening to her when she fell in the middle of the living room, panting like someone who just completed a marathon.
What is the matter, Adaora? Eki asked.
The little girl tried to gather herself
I saw it. I……I……It has a set of huge eyes, staring at me in the eyes.
No one seemed to understand what she was talking about.
Did you just have a nightmare? Aku queried.
She looked at the wall, and stared at the frame of late Mazi Orenta, her late grandpa and pointed her it, then said:
It looked just like him.
Mama could not help by laugh. She looked at Adaora and said.
He just paid you a visit and to welcome you home.
Confused, Adaora looked at her father. She knew there was something wrong with her father's attitude towards visiting his hometown and her experience with the white shadow just interpreted it. She feared that the shadow may appear again.
Mummy, you would have to sleep in my bed tonight. Or rather, I would have to lay in between you and daddy.
Everyone laughed over it and went to bed. Aku decided to sleep in the other room where Aku had slept earlier while Eki stayed alone.
In the middle of the night, Aku got a full bladder of urine and woke to ease herself. She put in the bathroom light but the light could not come on, probably the bulb is bad. She eased herself but noticed a huge white shadow standing like a giant next to her. She screamed. Goosebumps covered her skin. Adaora woke up and shouted too. The whole house began to spin as she could not trace her mother on the bed.
What an experience it was for Adaora. After the headcount, they returned to the city but the white shadow is an experience of a lifetime for mother and child.