Fairytale Of The Past

"Come on Raul. You and I both know you are not the type to do that".

She is right, I am not.

I could be that kind of person, but I can't. As long as she is with her husband, there will always be that gap distancing us.

It's nothing personal, I just don't like the idea of being in the same place with her husband for too long.

On the other hand, maybe it is personal. That man hates me and he does not even bother to hide it. It is not like I care or am bothered about it.

"You are right aunt. I came here for a reason".

My expression turned serious as I looked at my aunt, sternly.

"What about your husband". I asked, with a whispering tone.

What I am about to ask her is something I find very secretive. Like top-level information that shouldn't be shared with a third party.

I wasn't even going to tell my aunt if I thought that she would not be of any help to what was on the ground.

Can't have her husband in the room, listening in on our conversation.

"He is not. He is out at the moment... Working".

Her hesitancy to mention the work part gave it all out, her lies that is.

From what I remember, her husband works at a construction site while she, my aunt takes on whatever menial job is available for her.

"I see. Then that means we are the only people currently inside".

I remember schools being on break, but maybe that is just my school.

"Yes. Your cousin Anita has gone out to play with her friends".

Right, friends. I have been so busy making a living for myself that I forgot what kids my age should be doing on school vacation.

"Raul, you are scaring me. Just where are you going with all these questions".

"Don't worry Aunt Lin. There is nothing to be scared of". I soothed her with a calming voice.

My questions might sound alarming and come off as troubling, but it is a necessary course for what I am about to say.

"Aunt Lin. Have you ever heard of the Oduduwa!".

Why i have so far been confused about all the things happening to me, and especially why I also have a hard time believing it to be you know? Wildly realistic.

It can all be traced back to the term Oduduwa.

This is a word I have never heard of in my fourteen years of living.

It also said it is the name of my ancestors, but that can't be. My surname is Greyson, not Oduduwa.

Along the line, my family's surname might have been changed from Oduduwa to Greyson. The only one I presume can confirm that is my aunt.

She is the only adult and a direct member of the Greyson family. Though she had changed her surname after marriage, that doesn't mean her knowledge changed as well.

I assume, or a part of me assumed that she would be told stories about our family line while growing up. If at all she was told, that story can come in handy for my situation.

"Oduduwa. Oduduwa". She repeated, mulling the words over again.

"You don't know what". I asked, trying not to interrupt her thoughts.

This is just my guess but I think she actually does know the name, or have at least heard it before.

Her reaction is what made me assume so. The way she did when she heard the name, it was not the reaction of someone who was just hearing it for the first time.

Rather, she reacted as though she had once heard it in the past, in a very long past and is trying to look through her memories to figure out which of the past.

"For the record, I am not one hundred per cent sure, but I think it has something to do with our family's past".

Figured giving her the clue would make things easier for her to remember. And in a way, I was right.

"Yes. I knew I had heard that name before".

"You have". I promptly said.

"Back in my childhood days, when our parents would take us to the family home to go and stay with your great grandfather, he used to tell us stories about the past, about our family and its accomplishments. And oftentimes does that name come up in every one of his stories".

I was eager. This is vital information that I would not have been able to gain from just reading the book. There might be a chance I could in the future, but it won't be as fast as I just did.

"Those stories, Aunt Lin, can you tell me more about them".

I wanted to know. My curiosity metre was aching and I didn't want to jump into baseless assumptions of my own, at least not without a sturdy foundation to lay on.

"I don't know Raul, that was a long time ago".

"Please Aunt Lin". I fervently begged, shifting toward her and seeing how my hasty reaction put Aunt Lin in slight shock.

"I, I am sorry Aunt Lin. I apologize for my abrasiveness".

I came off as too strong, and for a minute there that must have had her frightened, if not worried.

"Raul, what is going on with you". She inquired, the worriness apparent in her tone.

I am hesitant to tell Aunt Lin what is happening to me. Not because I don't trust her enough. Rather, it is because I trust her too much to know how worried she would be when I tell her.

Before revealing anything, I need to first know what is happening. I need to understand what is becoming of me and my body.

Until then, not a word is to be told to her.

"The stories were mostly centred on fairytales".

I was in thought when her voice struck in, and had my head raised to look at her. She must have noticed my gloomy expression.

"The kind of stories told to children, about a world beyond ours where imagination could be brought to life". She added as she sent her smile my way.

Thank you, Aunt Lin, really.