25/08/2026
🌿 ECHOES OF THE EARTH
An Original Fictional Story by Ify
EPISODE 17 — THE PORTION OF DEATH
“The heart can forgive what the mind understands, but sometimes it cannot survive what the heart remembers.”
The hunter had barely eaten for days.
He remained hidden in the forest, waiting.
Waiting for Chimmaramma.
Every morning, he told himself she would come.
Every evening, he told himself perhaps she had been prevented from leaving.
But as the days passed, the truth became harder to escape.
Odibeze was dead.
The entire kingdom was mourning.
The palace drums that once announced royal celebrations were silent.
Women gathered in mourning.
The King had withdrawn from public appearances.
And the hunter's guilt grew heavier with every passing day.
He had wanted his daughter back.
He had wanted to take her away from the palace.
He had wanted to prove that he was her father.
But now one innocent girl was dead.
And the daughter he had fought so hard to reclaim had disappeared from him.
THE VISITOR
One evening, the hunter heard footsteps.
He immediately reached for his knife.
Then he saw her.
Chimmaramma.
She stood several feet away.
In her hands was a wooden plate.
On it were pieces of roasted corn.
Beside the corn was a small calabash of palm wine.
The hunter stared at her.
"Chimmaramma..."
She said nothing.
She walked toward him and placed the food beside the fire.
"You haven't been eating."
The hunter looked away.
"I couldn't."
"You have to."
He looked at her.
"Why did you come?"
Chimmaramma sat opposite him.
"Because I need to talk to you."
The hunter swallowed.
"Will you forgive me?"
She looked at him for a long time.
"I don't know."
He lowered his head.
"I never wanted Odibeze to die."
"I know."
"I only wanted you."
"I know."
"I thought if you came with me, everything would be different."
Chimmaramma's eyes filled with tears.
"You should have trusted me with the truth."
The hunter looked at her.
"What?"
"You should have told me everything."
She stared into the fire.
"Instead, you gave me lies."
"I was afraid."
"And because I believed you..."
Her voice broke.
"...my sister died."
The hunter began crying.
"Please."
He reached toward her.
"Come with me."
Chimmaramma looked at him.
"I will."
His face changed.
"You will?"
She nodded.
"I cannot remain in the palace."
"Why?"
"Because everything there reminds me of her."
She wiped her tears.
"Her room."
"Her clothes."
"The places we played."
"The gardens."
"The food we used to steal."
She looked at the roasted corn between them.
"Even this."
The hunter stared at the food.
"You still remember."
"I remember everything."
She picked up the calabash.
"And I brought this because I want us to eat together."
The hunter hesitated.
"You are really coming with me?"
"Yes."
She smiled faintly.
"Eat."
He looked at her suspiciously.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I'm afraid."
"Of me?"
"No."
He shook his head.
"I'm afraid that if I eat, you will change your mind."
Chimmaramma forced a smile.
"I won't."
She handed him the food.
"Eat."
The hunter slowly began eating.
Chimmaramma watched him.
Her eyes were filled with tears.
The hunter took a drink.
Then another.
"I have missed you," he whispered.
Chimmaramma looked down.
"I have missed having a father."
He reached for her hand.
"I'm sorry."
She squeezed his fingers.
"I know."
For a few moments, there was silence.
Then the hunter's movements slowed.
He blinked.
"Chimmaramma..."
"Hmm?"
"I'm suddenly..."
He rubbed his eyes.
"...very tired."
She looked at him.
"I know."
He tried to stand.
But his legs weakened.
He stumbled back down.
"What's happening?"
Chimmaramma's tears began falling.
She moved closer.
"It was you who gave me this portion."
The hunter stared at her.
"What?"
"The same portion you told me would only make my sister sleep."
His eyes widened.
"No..."
"It took her life."
"Chimmaramma..."
"And now..."
She swallowed.
"...the same portion you gave me will take yours."
The hunter stared at her in horror.
"No."
He tried to reach for her.
"Please."
She held his hand.
"And by this same portion..."
Her voice broke.
"...I will go in search of my sister."
The hunter's eyes filled with tears.
"Don't do this."
"I wish I could hate you."
She cried.
"I truly wish I could."
She pressed his hand against her cheek.
"But I couldn't."
The hunter struggled to breathe.
"Then don't leave me."
Chimmaramma closed her eyes.
"I can't let you live while my sister is dead."
She opened them again.
"I wish you had trusted me with the truth instead."
The hunter stared at his daughter.
"I'm sorry."
Those were his final words.
His hand went limp.
Chimmaramma sat beside him, crying.
For a long time, she did not move.
Then she whispered:
"Goodbye, Father."
THE LAST VISIT
Chimmaramma returned to the palace one final time.
She did not go to her room.
She did not go to the Queen.
She went straight to Odibeze's grave.
She carried the same things the sisters had shared on their final night.
Roasted corn.
Palm wine.
She sat beside the grave.
"Odibeze Nwannem..."
She placed the corn beside her.
"I brought our food."
Her voice trembled.
"Do you remember?"
"We used to steal our father's palm wine."
A weak smile appeared on her face.
"And then we would blame each other when we were caught."
She laughed through her tears.
"Those were the happiest days of my life."
She looked toward the sky.
"I have avenged you."
The smile disappeared.
"But revenge doesn't make me happy."
She touched the earth above the grave.
"I wish I could bring you back."
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Chimmaramma looked up.
The sky had suddenly darkened.
The first drops of rain began to fall.
She stared at the storm.
It was the same kind of night on which the two girls had entered the world.
The sky seemed to remember.
She opened the calabash.
"I am coming to find you."
She whispered.
"This time, nothing will separate us."
Another thunderclap shook the earth.
Chimmaramma closed her eyes.
"Nwannem..."
"I will find you."
Follow Angelo Carissimo on Facebook for the next episode.
Hashtags