CHAPTER1: THE SAVIOUR.

One day, by the riverside, fate of good things visited her mysteriously... She had taken her earthen pot to go fetch water late that night by the river when at first, from afar, she saw a light glowing from a very strange object which stood taller than a tree. The more she approached the bank of the river, the same object kept glowing but it became smaller and smaller and then she realized that it was not just an object of it's own but an holder- an old man with a long beard and a fascinating white garment that seems to blind the eyes when stared at for long. The old man sat at the riverside and then Dooter realized that the long object she saw from afar was the old man's staff that looked so unique and strange because the staff seemed to be talking with voices different from each other. Seeing the sight of the old man with a unique dress code and a staff at that odd hour of the night was enough to scare the soul out of the body but Dooter never panicked rather, she greeted the old man genuflecting with her knees.... As the old man asked her why she was up and out late the night to come fetch water by the river, she responded saying that she was cooking and the whole cooking and chores took her time before she finally came To the river for water to use. She filled her pot and would have left but she summoned the courage to ask why the old man was seated by the river. He responded saying he was just relaxing and although that response sounded strange, Dooter didn't flinch nor expressed fear. She then asked the old man if there was any help she could be of but the old man only gave her his first response to her first question. She looked at the old man and decided to invite him to her house since she thought the old man was probably helpless, homeless, tired and hungry but the old man said no to her invitation and still repeated that he was just relaxing by the riverside. Sensing a need to be of help, she persistently begged the old man to follow her to her house to eat and there she asked him where he came from but the old man ignored the question, stood up and then began to follow Dooter as he gestured to her to lead the way. On reaching the house, she dropped the water pot off her head to place it down and showed him a seat next to her parent's seat before going to bring the food. Her parents welcomed the old man and were at first dumbstruck for the fact that one, no man, ever since her third husband left her has never came looking or asking or even been guested by their daughter irrespective of the late hour visit and two, her guest was not just an ordinary man

not putting his age in consideration

.

Placing the food in front of the old man, he ate the meal in a very calm manner without any disturbances but Dooter's father interrupted the silence by asking the old man where he came from. He responded first by washing his hands halfway through the meal, wiped his hands, composed himself on his seat and then said no word not even a hiss.

Taking his silence as been deaf or something of such

He turned to face his daughter and asked her where she got to meet the man at the late hour of the night and also asked her where he came from but all Dooter would say was that she saw him alone by the riverside. Both parents, looking at themselves were now looking scared by the minute at their daughter's last response

a man clothed as this all alone by the riverside?!

. Dooter's father then pestered out what and why was the man out by the river late that night and there, he responded like he did to Dooter saying he was just relaxing which made it more confusing to both parents. They looked at each other, looked to the direction of the kitchen where Dooter was washing the plates and then the old man broke the silence by telling both parents to call their daughter to their presence.

He told them he had something to say but with Dooter's presence and she was summoned. While she stood, she was told to have her seat and then the old man began to speak in a deep baritone voice thanking them at first for the meal

although it was halfway finished

. He thanked Dooter most especially for showing him care and not rejecting him at that hour of the night where others may have fled for seeing what seemed to be a ghost or an evil omen which she didn't see it as such when she sighted him. He told Dooter to step closer to him as he stretched forth his hand to hold Dooter's hand and began to bless her. She took bold steps and not fearing to draw close to the old man and he began to speak and bless her while holding her hands that neither silver nor gold has he to offer to her but he would help remove the pain and reproach which she was going through. On hearing this, she withdrew her hands as if shocked only to ask if the old man knew the exact pain she was having, not knowing that the old man meant her barrenness. He told her family that such pain would be over.

They, astonished, asked him what he actually meant and this time, with a deeper accent responded "The barrenness". He said that Dooter would give birth and not just a child but a male child as a matter of fact. Dooter's father once again asked the old man where he came from to have said all he had just said and how was he able to know all that was happening to his daughter but the old man took no delight in answering where he came from. As he signalled to Dooter to stretch her left palm, he placed two signet rings on her palm, telling her that soon, a man would come her way and love her so dearly and then she will conceive and give birth to a baby boy. He further told them that the child she would bear would not just grow up to be a powerless person but a powerful man that not one ordinary or conjured power can defeat. He stated that this child will make them proud and not only that, but also will do exploits far beyond their very village and whoever that tries to mess with the child and his family would have themselves to blame and why they were ever born. The old man told them that they will at soon at some point in time experience strange and stranger things but they shouldn't fret nor quiver. He then handed the rings to Dooter telling her to put one of the rings on her finger which she did immediately.

Immediately the ring was on her finger it disappeared right out of their sight. The old man read their faces and fears and then told them not to worry as the ring was inside her finger and not visible to the eyes. As her parents stood motionless and speechless, watching the whole scene panning out, something happened not long after the ring on Dooter's finger disappeared- she fell down as if been pushed but the old man signalled both parents to be still and not to worry about their daughter.

Few minutes later, the old man asked what they called their daughter by name which her father answered, 'Dooter'. The old man then bent over and called Dooter as she lay motionless on the floor but she didn't respond. He called her by name the second time and this time she responded as if she was in a deep sleep. The old man reassured her parents that all was well. While both parents were still trembling at what was happening, her father tried to scream but immediately, his voiced became voiceless. The old man then told Dooter to keep the other signet ring and insisted that the very same day she gives birth, she should fix the ring immediately on the baby's finger. On saying the last statement, he looked smilingly at them all, thanked them, began to utter words that sounded like conjurations waved his hands and immediately, they all fell asleep as the old man disappeared out of sight.

Few minutes after the old man had disappeared, they all woke up to gain their consciousness but the old man was nowhere to be found. Dooter's father took the effort of searching the whole premises for the old man but he was nowhere near for he had long been gone out of sight. Dooter's father began to ask himself some questions but Since he got no answers to his self asked questions, he then turned to ask his daughter as to why she had allowed the old man follow her down to their home. Why had it of all houses had she chosen to allow the old man located their own house but she replied saying that the old man appeared unto her as if someone who needed help with food and shelter which she couldn't have ignored. By this time, with everything happening all at once and not expected, their conversation was cut short as the heavy breath coming from Dooter's mother was heard. They both rushed down to her spot in fear to calm her down and assured her nothing would happen although they weren't totally sure but hoped so. After calming her mother, her father asked Dooter to take him down to the exact spot where she saw the old man but on getting to the riverside, the place was as quiet and silent with no one in sight from their eye view to vanishing point. They were still quivering after discovering that no one was there, they returned home.