On the first meeting, Ivie was going to tell Mother Jose about the switch, she had planned it, went into her head and stringed the words she would say, all she needed was a good opening.
One she never had.
Mother Jose was a talker, what she lacked in physical strength, she made up with her mouth, only that Ivie wished it was the other way around.
Now, as they walked down the hallway going into the cellar so Mother Jose could show her painted portraits, validating her story of before, Ivie wished she would take a break.
Mother Jose had told her the history of the convent, about a place called Quain. Apparently, Quain used to be situated on the ground she was walking on, a king's Palace and not a convent.
"It was the king who founded St. Stephen," Mother Jose had said. "Quite ironical in those days, that a king with a debauchery as his would take faith in religious matters enough to open a convent school but king Anton always did things nobody foresaw."
"King Anton?" Ivie had asked.
"He would go down in history of the place as a king who laughed a lot, he laughed so much that you wouldn't know when he's sliced your head off with a sword."
"He was gruesome?" The story had piqued Ivie into asking more questions.
"He was handsome. Women swoon at his feet, a votive offering to him. The ones who were older than what appealed to his eyes brought their young girls with them and he wouldn't let any of them go untouched."
"Even the young girls?"
Mother Jose had given her a look and that answered her question. "He maintained peace in this own unique way, or I think it was his unique ways that brought the peace. He was always smiling, looking for a new woman to seduce, always with his pet."
"So, how did his reign end?"
"He left, just like he came. You see, king Anton did not exist five years before he came. I mean nobody knew him, he may have come from a far land, nobody knew. Nobody also knew how he moved to the position of power and one day, Quain woke up to see their king no more, nobody knew where he had gone."
"And so you turned his kingdom into a convent? What if he comes back and gets furious?"
Mother Jose had laughed. "My child, all these happened hundreds of years ago, hundreds and hundreds, I don't think there's any comeback his bones would make."
Now, as they walked to the cellar, Mother Jose continued her story, pausing every now and then to reply to greetings from passing nuns.
"King Anton wanted his story to be passed down from generations. The books says that he would call a writer and have him keep a journal on his daily activities, they're all in the library. We will check that out another time, let's see the portraits today."
Ivie didn't have any reservations. Spending time with the woman, even though her ears bled, meant she could avoid the plethora of work Sister Rita had somehow packed for her. She was always watching them, as if angry that Ivie was not doing her work.
They got to the cellar and Ivie took out her torch. She climbed down the stairs first to make sure the steps were steady, before urging Mother Jose down.
"You're watching me like I could break into two climbing down."
"It doesn't hurt anyone to be careful," she responded.
"You should worry about your own self, you're in far more worse trouble than you think." She breathed hard as she came down from the step.
"Why is that?" Ivie asked, her voice devoid of the fear that has her shaking inside.
"Nothing is what it seems, it's all a facade."
Ivie stepped forward. "Explain, please."
"Even you, you're another lie." Mother Jose shook her head. "How long are you staying here again?"
"Two weeks."
She nodded. "It's a week already."
It was? It was! She had been buried in work that she lost track of time.
"Come with me."
The cellar was not covered in dust like Ivie thought it would be, although it was dark. It was not sparkling clean either but she didn't crunch her nose in irritation.
Mother Jose pulled out the cover and a number of frames came into view.
"This much?" Ivie gaped at the number.
Mother Jose nodded.
"Why not hang them on the wall?"
"Some are hung here, these ones just didn't fit in anywhere. We can't hang everything, this is not a museum." She picked one frame up. "This is King Of Quain VI. That's what they used to be called before king Anton."
Ivie pointed her touch at the portrait, more amazed that it looked so new than the person on it. She ran her hand through it. "It looks like it was drawn yesterday," she said.
"Real fine oil and paint used here." Mother Jose agreed. "This was the last cultural king before king Anton. The books says when king Anton came, he had made his interest about sitting on the throne. Of course the king refused. It was one thing to give up the throne, it was another to give it up to a foreigner, a complete stranger. A month after Anton's appearance, he died, the next day Anton made himself king."
"The village locals didn't do anything? What about the chiefs?"
"If you know king Anton, that would not be a question to ask."
Mother Jose showed her other pictures of names she didn't register in her head.
"There are no pictures of king Anton?" She asked.
"There's plenty. He was a natural poser for the painter." She stretched her hand. "Give me your torch."
Ivie tried to pass it to her but it fell midway. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She went on her knees in frantic search for it, the light had gone off with the fall. "Stay where you are, Mother. I'm just going to find—ah, I've seen it." She pushed the on button but the light didn't come. She tried a few times to be greeted with the same reason. "Motherfucker," she cursed silently. "I'll be back, it seems to be broken. Let me quickly find another."
By the time she stepped out of the cellar, Sister Rita caught her and assigned her to work. She grumbled, using Mother Jose as an excuse. But Sister Rita was having none of it, she said she would get the Mother herself. Ivie gritted her teeth in anger, wishing she had superpowers that could help her disappear.
Mother Jose waited for a few minutes before going to draw the curtains aside and let light fall on one of the paintings of king Anton.
Only if Ivie had come back with the touch, she would have seen a face too familiar she would question everything she believed.
Back in the school, far into the night while everyone slept, a group convey at Sister Omo's death place.
"Are you enjoying your new life, Itohan?" A woman asked, the sarcasm in her voice palpable.
Itohan bowed. "I know you're not in support of—"
"Not in support?" She barked. "You went out on your own to do as you please and you expect me to be in support?"
"That's enough," the man with the stern voice, their leader, said. "So far it looks like it could be used to our advantage."
"That's if she has anything valuable."
Itohan wasn't sure whether to tell them about Father Ekene and Sister Agatha. She felt like she shouldn't, at least not yet, so she said, "Father Chibuike has a bird, a black raven, one he calls Amaka. And he also knows about the girl."
"Did he team up with Ivie or something?" A member asked.
"I'm yet to find out, but it seems they were closer than any of us knows," Itohan replied.
"First a cat, then a wolf and now a bird," the calm man said.
"We have to lay low—" the leader started to say.
But Itohan cut in, "We've been laying low, this is going to take forever, or have you forgotten why we need these sacrifices in the first place."
"Interrupt me again and you're going to be the next lamb for the sacrifice," the leader warned.
"This is no fun," she grumbled.
"Maybe we should bring Ivie back and undo the switch so this would be much fun for you."
"Nobody is doing any other thing without my permission. We lay low, find the perfect scapegoat and strike when it's time. Dismissed. Itohan?" He nodded to the back, "stay behind."
She stepped aside, watching the others leave. When they were alone she turned to him with a hard glare, "Did you really have to that?"
"You know how it works, I need to appear strict. Come here." He opened his arm and waited for a while.
She didn't budge.
"You know I won't let her touch you."
She remained fixed on her spot.
"It's been a week already, I'm going to expend Ivie's suspension to a month, then I'm going to expel her from this place, you have nothing to worry about. When this is all over, we're going to undo the switch and run away."
Itohan then smiled and melted into his open arms. "Thank you Father…Father IK."