Must Read: Shadows

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: Shadows

Lanre held Mary’s hand as they ran. There were both tired now, breathing heavily. They stopped and looked back, no sign of anyone.

Lanre: O God! He has gotten what he wanted!
Dammit! He wanted us to spread out so he can attack us one after the other. (Looks at Mary) Are you okay Mary?

Mary: I’m sorry Lanre! I brought this on us, i should have listened to you, we shouldn’t have come. I’m so sorry.

Lanre: Mary! Look at me! You didn’t this was going to happen okay! Right now, Let’s focus on finding everyone else.

Mary: Lanre! Please don’t leave me!

Lanre: I will never leave you okay? I promise!

We are both getting out of here alive! Now hold me and Let’s find the rest.

Mary: Okay…..okay..

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Helen, Halimat and some two boys.whose name were KC and Tobi, had ran together, far from the others

Helen: Hey hey…. boys wait! Does anyone of you dummies know where we are?

KC: I don’t know! Tobi, do you know where we are?

Tobi: No i don’t o

Halimat: Okay….so what’s the plan now?

Tobi: Wait…. why are you girls asking us what the plan is?

Helen: Haha…are you not Men? In fact i ran towards this direction because i saw you two are macho and would be able to protect us.

KC: Hahaha…. pritect you? Why should we protect you?

Helen: You are men and we are ladies.

Tobi: Abeg! You people have been shouting gender equality on social media for a while. So no one is protecting anyone. “What a man can do, a woman can do better” is that not what you people say?

Helen: Oh Gosh! Of all the boys we could end up with, we ended up with perverts.

They are froze when they heard movements a few feet away.

KC: Who is that??

Helen and Halimat held each boys as tightly as they could.

Tobi: Lady…. take your hands off my neck! The fact that I’m scared of some black guy killing me doesn’t mean you should strangle me to death.

They heard the movement again, getting closer to them, rustling the bush out of the way. It was louder now, very loud and closer. Before they could say a word, two images jumped out of the bush, right in front of them. They all screamed.


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Uche, Daniel and Timothy took off together. They had no idea how far they had ran but they knew they are farther into the bush now. Each had a lamp on their hands, sweating and breathing heavily.

Uche: we should have stayed and fight!

Timothy: Oh really? So why did you run? From where i stood, i noticed no one ran as fast as you did.

Daniel: Don’t mind him, in fact, he was the first person to run.

Uche: I was searching for a weapon, a big wood or something

Timothy: And you still haven’t seen any?

Running this far out into the bush
Uche: Na you sabi! All that running has disturbed my stomach. Let me clear my bowels.

Timothy: Ode! You mean say you wan poopoo

Daniel: Hahaha… the mumu kon dey tush am….


abeg just take your poopoo go that side.

They laughed at him as he held his stomach and ran behind a tree.

He knew his friends would try to play pranks on him so he walked a little farther. He could still hear their laughter but he was sure he was far enough. He unbuckled his belt, pulled down his trouser and got down to business.

He felt so relieved, he must ate too much. His mind drifted to the issue at hand, somehow he had made everyone believe he is some “brave heart, fearless and courageous ” man but deep inside, he was probably more scared than the girls. He had never ran as fast as he did when he saw the black hand grabbed Emma.

His mind raced faster when he remembered he had been the one who kicked the guy out of the bus. Suddenly, staying alone wasn’t the best idea anymore. He knew he had to go back to his friends as fast as he could.

The wind started blowing, suspiciously colder than before, he wasn’t hearing his friend’s laughter anymore so he grabbed his lamp, flicked the switch but the light wouldn’t come on, he tried again, still no light.

He stood up, pull up his trouser slowly but precise. Some whistled behind him, he turned but saw no one. He heard the sound of someone walking but he saw no one, he looked around, he had no idea which direction he had come from. The sound was getting louder, like the person was getting closer. He began to move…. some grabbed his foot and fell, head first into his sh*ts. His face was covered in it, he tasted some in his mouth too.

He quickly got, totally disgusted, he coughed and spat on the floor. The smell choked him up.

His eyes were shut as he tried to wipe it off his face, when he got them opened, he it, right in front of him, real close and totally dark. It was dark everywhere but the image was just darker than anything he’d ever seen.

He threw himself to the ground, falling on his back, the shadow stood, looking at him as he scampered off the ground and making a run for it. Uche was screaming now, calling on his friends but no one answered.

The shadow was behind him, he could feel it, he fell down and before he could get up. The shadow grabbed his both his feet and drag him back. Uche twisted and turned, kicking and dragging himself but his strenght was nothing compared to the image dragging him.

He stretched his hands and it reached an object, it was the lamp! He flicked it on and this time the lights came on. He reached it, pointing it towards the shadow.

The shadow let out a low howling and shrieked as the lights came up to him, it shielded his face from the lights using his hands. There were movements from the opposite end, Timothy and Daniel came out.

Uche: Oh God! It’s here! It’s here! The shadow is here!

Daniel: Uche! Relax! Where is it?

Uche: There!! (He points)

Timothy: (Sighs) There’s nothing here bro!

Uche looked up and the shadow was gone.

Uche: I swear it just attacked me! I swear to God, it almost killed me.

Timothy and Daniel looked around but they saw nothing but the bushes around.

Daniel: Well… you’re smelling shits. Let’s get you out of here, find the others and get you cleaned up.

Daniel and Timothy helped the bewildered Uche off his feet and they all moved……………. A few feet away, the shadow stood behind a tree, watching as they walked away…………It laughed!