The deeper they were dragged into the cave, the more Amina, Bisola, and TJ couldn't shake off the haunting memories of Rotimi and Chichi's fate. The smell of boiling flesh clung to their nostrils, and the sound of their friends' agonized screams echoed in their minds, fueling their anxiety.
Their stomachs churned with a mix of fear, dread, and helplessness as they stumbled forward, unsure of what new horrors awaited them. Every step felt like a descent into madness, and the darkness of the cave seemed to close in around them like a suffocating shroud. The creatures' twisted grins and sinister chuckles seemed to reverberate off the cave walls as they surrounded the captives.
Their king, meanwhile, strolled around Amina, Bisola, Mike, and TJ with an air of superiority, his eyes scanning them with a mixture of curiosity and malice. His gaze lingered on each of them, as if sizing them up for some unknown purpose. Amina shuddered under his intense scrutiny, feeling like a trapped animal being inspected by a predator.
The king's eyes gleamed with a malevolent light, and his smile seemed to hint at the horrors that lay in store for them. The darkness enveloped them like a suffocating shroud as they were tossed into the cave's dank corner. The rough vines bit into their skin, constricting their movements and heightening their sense of helplessness.
Amina, Bisola, and TJ instinctively drew closer, their bodies trembling as they clung to each other for what little comfort they could find. Mike stood beside them, his eyes fixed on some unknown point, his mind racing with thoughts of escape. The others' whimpering sobs and labored breathing filled the air, a stark contrast to the eerie silence of the cave.
In the darkness, their imaginations ran wild with the horrors that awaited them. The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the soft shuffling of the creatures' footsteps and the faint creaking of vines as the captives shifted uncomfortably. The damp earthy smell and moldy scent filled their nostrils, making their stomachs turn.
The cave's darkness seemed to press in around them, a physical weight that made it hard to breathe. Every sound took on a sinister tone, and the captives strained their ears, trying to discern what was happening beyond their immediate surroundings. The anticipation was suffocating, making their hearts pound in unison with the eerie sounds of the cave.
The creature's sudden movement sent a jolt of fear through the captives. Its eyes, cold and calculating, locked onto Amina, and its clawed hand reached out to touch her face. Amina's skin crawled as the creature's sharp claws made contact, and she flinched away, her heart racing.
The creature's gaze seemed to bore into her, as if studying her every feature. Its expression was a mask, devoid of emotion, making it impossible to read its intentions. The others watched in horror, frozen in fear, as the creature's claws lingered on Amina's skin. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, and all that existed was the creature's unnerving gaze and Amina's trembling form.
Panic set in as Amina struggled to free herself, but the creature's grip was like a vice. Its claws pressed deeper into her skin, sending shivers down her spine. She tried to turn her head away, but the creature's gaze followed, its eyes seeming to bore into her very soul. The others watched in horror, their bound hands clenched into fists as they helplessly witnessed Amina's terror.
The creature's face remained impassive, but its grip tightened, making Amina's breath catch in her throat. Time seemed to slow as Amina's fear reached a fever pitch, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios.
The creature, as if examining Amina, lifted her head up as she buried her face down, trying to avoid the creature's terrifying gaze. Amina then closed her eyes, still trying to evade his gaze, and the creature used its thumb and index finger to pry open her eyelids, much like an optometrist examining a patient. "Ish!" Amina shrieked, trying to force her eyelids shut, but the creature's grip was too strong.
The creature repeated the action with Amina's other eye, flashing a wicked smile before walking away. Moments later, it returned with two other creatures, one of whom was an aged female who seemed extraordinary. She held a wooden calabash containing an unidentifiable substance, and her eyes, mouth, and hands conveyed a sense of experience and tension.
"Sirik ne'ik dosomie," the creature who examined Amina said, pointing at her. The aged creature walked in a circle around Amina four times, peering into the calabash and nodding her head. She then closed her eyes and began moving her mouth in a peculiar motion, and the substance inside the calabash started rising into the air.
As each substance rose, she shuddered, and when all had risen, she opened her eyes, looked up, and closed them again, repeating the motion. The substances then returned to the calabash in the order they had risen. The aged creature opened her eyes, nodded, and walked away without a word, followed by the other creatures.