Maybe it was the chill of the breeze or the emptiness of the road, either way, I had an inkling that I may never come down this path again.
As I trekked the distance from my church at Kings street, back home to Gambari, I wished for one soul to pass by. Just one. The overwhelming darkness did nothing to curb my already crowded mind filled with unpleasant pictures and thoughts.
I increased my pace, the main intersection just at the corner. I hoped to get there soon even as the wind picked up and my fears heightened. The rice bed by the canal just below the untarred road responded to the call of the wind, making waves that to my fear ridden brain, seemed eerie. So I fast walked till I was almost jogging.
Then like a miracle, I saw the silhouette of someone coming towards me. They held a torch light and I slowed down, my lungs working normally again as I took deep breaths. As the person got closer, I made a mental note to greet them just to show my gratitude.
I kept my eyes to the ground but I did as I said I would. I didn’t receive a response though I didn’t mind and moved on. As I walked down the lonely road, I felt an overwhelming presence and I was forced to look back.
The figure was there but rather than walking the other direction, he was following close behind with the torch still pointed to the ground and a rather strange sound emanating from him. Almost like whispers.
My brain blanked, my chest caved and my legs took flight. I had no other thoughts than getting to the intersection. From this point, I could see the telling of headlights and I knew I was close. Then I heard it. It was a growl. Feral and menacing.
My bag which I clutched so closely to me no longer seemed important. I let it rip and threw my energy into running for my life. The growl continued behind me as tears cascaded down my face and I began to scream for help.
By the time I turned into the intersection, I fell flat to the ground as a car nearly ran me over. It swerved just in time into a wall on the narrow road, and the car following behind hit the brakes all too sudden, the tires screeched to pitch.
I was still reeling from the shock, my heart in my throat when a middle-aged man shook me and asked if I was fine. I tried to speak but my words were jumbled, they tumbled over the other like crashing buildings.
“What kind of mumu crossing was she doing like that? Does she want to die?!” I heard someone bark. I couldn’t lift my eyes to look at them but the man who continued saying something I couldn’t decipher to me. He looked genuinely concerned.
“My dear, where did you come out from?” I heard next. I turned to the intersection, the one leading towards the road I had taken three nights in a row. A road I discovered four days ago as a short cut, to find it wasn’t there. In the place of the entrance was a wall. Solid, bricked and rusted.
I gaped. My mind going into a frenzy. I wasn’t imagining it.
“T-t-t… it w-was there. I swear…” was all I heard myself say. I was pointing and the onlookers followed my line of sight. There was nothing. Only a wall. And behind that wall, a duplex towered.
I turned back to the man, in hysterics, “Please believe me sir. It was there. The thing was chasing me. I even lost my bag.”
“This bag?” Came a voice and my abject shock must have been apparent because the man sneered, “stop making excuses. Are you a mad person?” He threw the bag on the ground and walked away. The people left with him, whatever image they had of me now sealed in their brains.
Only the man crouching, his hand still firmly on my arms didn’t leave.
“I believe you.” Was all he said before helping me to get up. He retrieved my bag and then led me silently to his car, still parked and a little bruised from the impact of the wall.
I let him lead, my mind a whirl of thoughts.
We got in and he started to drive, silently we arrived at the Main Street, now filled with people. He parked in front of a supermarket and got down, leaving me to my thoughts. I stared down at the bag in my lap. I had dropped it. I was sure of what I have experienced and I’ll be sure to explain to the man once he comes.
He returned with a bottle of water, uncorked it and gave it to me.
“Sir I-“ I began but he lifted a hand to stop me.
“I believe you,” he started, “when I was 12 years old, I followed that same road many times than I can remember. I never seemed to find it in the day but it was always there at night. I failed to realize that.”
“One fateful night, I took that road on my way home from seeing a friend, and a man with a torch passed by. I used to see him all the time but I never said a word. Until that night. I greeted him. That was my mistake. Did you greet him?”
I couldn’t believe my ears. This man just relayed my experience, “Yes. I greeted him.”
The man nodded, “No one believed me when I relayed this story to them. When I brought my parents to show them, it had magically disappeared. I kept coming back every night but it seemed as though it never happened. I escaped by a nail scrape. I don’t know what would have happened if I was caught by that thing, but I escaped. Since then, I keep coming back. I was just driving home from work, deciding to take this route when I noticed that road had miraculously appeared again. Before I could know what was happening, you jumped out and I’m glad I missed you. It would have been a different story.”
We sat in total silence, awash with the discovery of our discussion.
“Well, I’m glad you escaped. People won’t believe you. Like that man from before. My dear, try and forget this experience, hmm?”
“I will” was all I could manage to say. The man nodded and turned the ignition key.
“Now describe your place. Let me take you home.”
This is the alt account to Deraaa. I created this account for purely fiction and nothing else. Henceforth, I will use this account for my engagement in the Inkwell community. Thank You.
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