SOLOMON'S BRIDGE {Part I}

SOLOMON'S BRIDGE *13*

1891: Solomon and Hogan

And so it was, that three days after Mary's unexpected visit, Nsidung Edet Hogan Bassey entered Solomon's cave. Crazed laughter greeted him. His big head turned to the sound, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. There, on a cane chair, sat the village's uncouth, dread locked, lanky, weed smoking outsider. A dangerous man.

Solomon Effiong of Etoi raised his head, his eyes opening slowly, "And yet you come to me. How may I help you this auspicious day, Hogan?"

If Hogan was surprised at how his thoughts had been so easily read, he did not show it, "Says the man who does not pay me taxes; my due homage. How can you help me? I'm not entirely sure that you can..." he replied haughtily, still standing near the entrance in uncertainty. The rumours were true. It was a shrine unlike any other, an almost bare, spartan enclave, with no chair for visitors. Suddenly another cane chair materialized from the thin air, suspended in motion. He hissed,

"I am not impressed, Solomon! It is rude to invade my thoughts!"

"So churlish today, aren't you? When I come closer, you call me rude! Still, you want me to visit you, to pay you homage. It is not the ocean that visits the Sun, but the Sun that visits the ocean," he said, nodding once for the magical chair to be lowered like a weightless feather and balance on the rocky ground, "You may be champion warrior and master builder of this village, but I am big enough to swallow your fire," he gestured for Hogan to take his seat, "The difference between us is in the source of our powers," Hogan sat, and their eyes connected in a battle of wills.

Solomon took a quick drag from a joint in his hand, his watery voice strangely melodious, "When the great angels started mutiny on the heavenly Ship, and the Owner cast them out, did they not fall in their ranks?"

"I don't follow..."

Solomon took another drag, exhaling, "They lost their estate, but what about their powers? Still wielding them, they fell to us here and woe, but the very frightful fell deeper," the dimness of the cave began to brighten against stone walls behind him, as a circular ring of fire emerged from the air in a slow, spinning motion, "Hogan... I serve The General who commands the Atlantic, four hundred thousand leagues beneath the sea. You serve a foot soldier who fell on land. There is no comparison... don't try to rub shoulders with me!"

Hogan silently agreed, his gaze monitoring the opening portal behind Solomon in helpless admiration. Between them, the high priest was by far the superior power. He cleared his throat, "But who speaks of comparison? I come for our collaboration! After all, is it not the wind that teaches the tree branch, to dance? And...your master...what is his name?"

Solomon smiled, "Name? His name is his power, and only the Owner knows the sound of it. We lesser creation call him by his avatars. You on the other hand, serve three sisters in one, blood thirsty moon gorgon, Schizo."

"Are you done showing off?" Hogan was irritated.

Solomon took another drag, exhaling, "No. But I have a question."

"Ask it, I don't promise to answer."

He took his time with the question, contemplating his visitor with obvious schadenfreude, "Why this young maiden...what is so special about her that turns you into such a raving lunatic?"

That crazed laughter started before his question ended, turning into a squeal when Hogan, with speed, jumped up from his chair, his large hands at Solomon's throat, squeezing, "Have you forgotten so soon! What you revealed to me at the Night of the First Rain five years ago?" the anger on his face dissipated and he quickly came to his senses, releasing the amazed juju high priest and gently patting the ruffled lapels of his shirt back into place, "You told me," he reminded him, in a much calmer voice, "...not to waste my time with Abasiawan, you said she will birth girls like all the others! And you pointed to Chief Attah's daughter and said, Idara will give me my sons...my heirs...and that, the only person who could prevent my seed from taking root in her womb, was Unwannah..."