By the next morning, the sedra had returned.
Wonderful, thought Uyo. That didn’t last long.
Uyo dressed hastily, grabbed the korhi staff, and made their way outside. Once they reached the street, Uyo struck the staff to the cobblestones. As the crack echoed in the early morning, Uyo felt the weight of the sedra dissipate.
That’s better, thought Uyo, as their back unhunched and their shoulders retreated.
The rest of the day was unremarkable. Otuam set a challenging pace for the day’s work, but it was easier for Uyo to manage without the sedra. It wasn’t until after Otuam had called out her daily farewell, that Uyo felt the sedra return.
Uyo swore. How can it be back already?
Uyo slumped against the nearby willow tree. Above, its golden leaves flowed like a waterfall of tiny flames, as the wind buffeted each branch, and the setting sun illuminated each leaf. Uyo watched as a fiery droplet detached from the cascade and spiraled to the ground, joining the other dun leaves encircling the trunk. A pause. Then, another fiery droplet made its journey to the circle below. Another pause, longer. Another drop. Then two more. Uyo was so mesmerized by the spectacle that they didn’t notice the twins, Tresta and Ordis, approaching.
“Hoy, Uyo,” said Tresta. “Hoy, Uyo,” echoed Ordis.
With the spell broken, Uyo focused on the twins. “Hello, Tresta. Ordis.”
“Why are you sitting under that tree?” asked Tresta. “Yes, why?” echoed Ordis.
“The sedra makes it difficult to do much of anything else,” Uyo replied.
“Oh,” said the twins together. “What did you do to deserve this punishment?” asked Tresta. “Yeah, did you kick a puppy? Or disobey an elder? Or — did you go to bed without brushing your teeth?” asked Ordis with increasing alarm.
“Wait, what? No. None of those things.”
“Well, you must have done something,” said the twins.
“No. Nothing,” Uyo protested.
“Hmm. Maybe it’s what Uyo didn’t do, Ordis.”
“Oh, yes, Tresta, that must be it! The sedra wouldn’t just appear randomly.” Then, “Or could it be a moral failing?”
“Ah, yes, that’s a possibility, too. Uyo was too spiritually weak and insufficiently attentive to proper protocols to prevent it.”
Uyo retreated into themself as the twins continued to discuss why the sedra had settled upon Uyo. Tresta advocated for Uyo’s complicity in some nefarious act. Ordis kept returning to Uyo’s deficiencies in personal hygiene. Uyo was forgotten.
Eventually, Tresta turned to Uyo and said, “Uyo, you must atone for the harm you have caused through your actions — “
“Or inactions!” interjected Ordis.
“Or inactions,” continued Tresta. “Only then will you be free of the sedra.”
“I didn’t — uh…I mean — I um…” Uyo sputtered. With no meaningful response to make, Uyo stared at the ground and said, “Okay.”
Satisfied that Uyo had been sufficiently chastised, the twins continued on their way. When they had left, Uyo struck the korhi staff against the nearby cobblestones. And wept.
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