Must Read: Shadows

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: Shadows

*Flashback*

Friday, 6:45pm

Daniel: psst.. psst Temmy….Temmy….Come here quick!

Temmy: Hey DannyLove! What is it?

Daniel: How are you? I hear you guys are cooking jollof rice abi?

Temmy: Yes! Moji and I, plus two other girls sha! Why? are you hungry? I will give you double portion!

Daniel: Oh! Thanks! But not just that. I need you to do something for me and you must not tell anyone!

Temmy: Anything for you ma love!
Brought out a plastic bag with Some contents in it.

Daniel: I need you to add this inside the jollof rice.

Temmy: DannyLove! Hope you’re not trying to get people killed!

Daniel: No no no… Far from it! In fact! I’m trying to make people come alive. When we all eat this thing with the rice! We’ll all be “Alright ” .. If you know what i mean.

Temmy: Hahahaha…. Okay then I’ll do it. Let me quickly go and add it, the rice is almost done.

Daniel: (Smiles ) That’s why you’re my favorite girl in the whole of this school.

Temmy: (blushes ) Hmmmmm.

********************

Tobi: I’m so hungry right now i can eat a horse!

Kc: (Faces Helen ) This guy too like food ehn….

But Helen wasn’t listening, she was lost in thought. She shouldn’t have deserted her friends like that , she knows but she couldn’t stand walking around the forest in the dark looking for people that have probably ran home.

She’s scared. The boys by her side just talk and talk all the time.

Helen: Do you talkatives have any idea where you’re going??

Kc: Yes! I remember this is the route we took when the bus drove us in.

Tobi: Guys…. What is that?

Helen: (startled ) Oh my God! What??

Tobi: That tree!!

Kc: What tree?!

Tobi: That same tree, is that not the same tree we were facing when Lanre and Mary came to join us?

Kc: They must look the same, we left that place over 5 mins ago!

Tobi: But….

Kc: But Nothing! This is a forest and all trees look the same!

Tobi: hmmm…. Okay

They kept walking, silently this time. Each lost in thought.

Tobi was so hungry, he started visualizing a plate of Jollof rice in his mind.

Tobi: Emmm…. Guys, i have a serious question to ask you..

Kc: Ask….

Tobi: Helen, can i ask?

Helen: Just ask your question!

Tobi: It has been bothering my mind for years! In fact, i don’t know what to do. I have asked google but found no answer!
Kc: What is it?

Tobi: Hmmm…. It’s very serious

Helen: We’re listening

Tobi: You can’t tell anyone about the question o. Like i said, It’s been bothering my mind.

Kc: Just ask already!

Tobi: Emmm..My question is .. That green leaf inside Jollof rice, is it meant to be eaten?

They all started laughing, all three of them. It felt really good to laugh and loose up a bit.

Helen looked up, she saw the tree again, the exact same one, no difference at all, everything in place.

Helen: Tobi, Kc… is that the same tree?

Now they stopped laughing as they all looked at the tree they had seen, few minutes ago.

Tobi: I don’t understand! These trees don’t just look alike, they are the same.

Helen: But….what are you saying? Have we been walking in circles.

KC: No! We’ve been walking straight , we haven’t turn or curve a bend at all.

Tobi: We’ve been walking and still end up in the same spot! This is nuts!

Kc: Look!! That’s Lanre’s footprint! He stamped his foot on the ground when we were both arguing about leaving or looking for the rest.

The all moved closer, looked at the shoe print on the ground.

Now they are really scared. They’ve been walking and still found themselves in the same spot!

The wind blew, the branches swayed and the bushes crackled like a burning flame. Fear gripped them all. All three of them dropped everything they were carrying and made a run for it in the same direction.

As they ran, the wind got stronger, blowing against them and resisting their movements. Kc grabbed Helen, pulling her behind him as they ran.

Tobi was in front, heaving and shoving leaves out his way. He stepped on something sharp, something painful that pierced the sole of his shoes.

He couldn’t stand the pain, his legs became wobbly and he fell to the ground.

Kc who was behind him, almost dodged as his friend fell to the ground but it was too late, he tripped and fell, pulling Helen down with him.

Helen reached the ground head first with an excruciating pain. Her movements were slow and weak but she looked around, there were blood everywhere.

Tobi’s head hit a stone as he fell. All Helen saw was blood gushing out from the center of his head..She Screamed in fear, seeing that the head was split in two like a watermelon.

Kc’s grip was still strong on her hands, she prayed he was okay as she looked at him….. but he wasn’t. He had fallen on a sharp stick which pierced his stomach and going out from his back! His eyes were opened but he was long gone already.

Helen started crying, trying to see if she had any injury. So she looked up and there it was….the tree. The exact same tree they had been seeing. Even as fast as they ran, they still ended up in the same spot again. That was when it became dawn on her they were never leaving this forest alive. They’ll all die.

She heard the footsteps approaching, she spun around on the ground, facing up and facing it.

The shadow stood over her, looking down, a large, long and sharp rod on his hands, she couldn’t scream, she didn’t even try to because she knew she was dead already!

The shadow bent over her, took her right leg and raised it up, leaving the other leg on the ground.

She cried, she wailed but it was of no use.

He raised her leg, are two feet further apart….. she pleaded…..

Helen: (crying) PLEASE…… please Don’t kill me……Help me! Please don’t kill me….

Shadow: (laughing ) i hear you like to have s*x……

In a split second, the shadow raised the thick rod with a sharp end up. Helen saw it in the air as it came down.

With a force, he pushed the sharp rod right between her legs……

The pain was unlike anything she has ever felt before….. she winced, she gasped……. she took her last breath.