Must Read: Shadows

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: Shadows

The three of them turned around back to the direction they had earlier ran from. Emma had to go with them only because of Moji. Even in the midst of chaos and deaths, his feeling hasn’t changed a bit.

He stood close to Moji and kept looking around The whole time the shadows had attacked them he had always felt a strange feeling before something bad happens. Somehow and in an unexplained way, he’s having that strange feeling now. Maybe it was a very bad idea going back, it’s a big forest, there has to be another mango tree ahead, why did they need to go back in the direction they had been running from…it. was Really a bad idea.

Daniel: There you go again, hiding behind Moji.

Emma: Someone needs to stay back and watch things from the rear.

Daniel: You just want to stare at her butt0ckz.

We all know you like her.

Moji: Really? You do?

Daniel: He’s been scared to say something.

Emma: Shut it up there. But he’s right Moji. I have always liked you from the moment i saw.

Moji: Really….uhm… how come you never said anything?

Emma: you had a boyfriend babe… that guy in 400 level and i believed you like him too.

Moji: He was my toaster alright but we weren’t dating.

Emma: So tell me….if i had said something to you….what would your answer be?

Moji: Maybe you should ask first, then we’ll find out.

Daniel: Here we are. Start plucking away…

They filled the sack they had brought full of mangoes, 3 for everyone of them. .

Moji: Do you guys hear that??

It sounded like a herd running towards them…and there were lots of them.

Daniel climbed a rock close to them. What he saw was something that looked like a thousand herd of cattle running towards them with a speed.

Daniel: Oh my God! Run…..run right now…run.

They all leaped up, running. The sack of mangoes Moji was holding was pulling her back, slowing her pace.

Emma: Moji. . DROP THE SACK…

Moji: But….

Emma: Moji….drop the F@#king sack.

She dropped it while Emma held her by the arm and they ran together. The herd was getting closer by the seconds.

Daniel: That’s a tree…. let’s climb it quick.

Daniel was quick to climb the tree. Moji was short, she wasn’t tall enough to grab a branch So Emma had give her a leap, raising her up to hold a branch.

Daniel: Hey guys be quick they are getting closer.

Moji finally held the branch and Emma pushed her up further. Emma looked back and saw the herd running towards him.

Moji: Emma be quick.

Emma grabbed a branch but his hands were sweaty so he slipped and fell back down.

Moji: Jesus… please…

He could feel the ground vibrating under his feet. The herd was closer now. In a flinch Emma jumped up again and was able to grab a branch to the relief of them all. He pulled himself up with all his strenght. He was now farther away from Moji who was on the other side of the tree.

Daniel was high above. They all looked down and saw the herd.

CRACK… CRACK…. Was the sound they heard all at once, it sounded like a branch breaking…

CRACK……

Emma raised his head, noticed it wasn’t his branch that was breaking…

Moji: Emma……..

It was the branch Moji sat on…. CRACK….

Emma began crawling towards her. She tried holding the branch on top but she couldn’t reach it…. CRACK…. Daniel was going down too.

But the more movements they made, the quicker her branch was breaking.

The branch was almost completely broken now… it pulled Moji down the more so Emma’s outstretched hand couldn’t reach her. She looked up at him, looking straight into his eyes…

Emma: ….Oh God….No…please….!

The branch broke finally, sending Moji down right into the middle of the running herd.

Emma: Nooooo… Moji…moj….

He almost jumped after her but Daniel grabbed him by the collar, pinning him down. They didn’t get a glimpse of what was happening down, everywhere was covered in dust.

By the time everything got silent and the herd was Gone. Emma raced down to where Moji was lying, her face swollen. The hooves of the cattle had ran over her, crushing her chest and giving her compressive asphyxiation. She was hardly breathing when he got to her.
Tears in his eyes as he saw her gasping for breath, even at that moment, she still had a smile on her face.

Emma knelt down beside her crying..

Emma.: Please babe…. Don’t you dare die on me! Please Moji.

Moji: (slowly breathing, gasping) Emma…uhh..if.. if you had asked…..(smiling ) I would have…would have said Y..Yes to to you…. I like you too.

Emma: (Crying) …. I guess I’m the dummy then .

She gave a weak laughter. Holding his palms tighter in hers. She still had a smile on her face by the time she gave her last breath.

Emma: No…no…no…..Wake up! Moji wake up!

Daniel bent down beside him, felt her pulse…

Daniel: I’m sorry Emma… Moji is gone.

Emma: (Crying out loud, places his head on hers) No don’t die….don’t you die Moji!

Pleaseeeeee…. I love you Moji..please..

Daniel: Let’s get out of here man

Emma: No…No… I can’t.

Daniel: There’s nothing left to do Emma.

Daniel pulled him up and virtually dragged him along.

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

The Moment they saw them coming, they all stood up. They looked at Both Emma and Daniel.

Emma was numb with a straight face, tears in his eyes, Daniel kept is head down.

Lanre: Guys…. where’s Moji? Where is she??

Daniel: (sigh) There was a stampede….some cattle ran towards us .. we tried running …

climbed a tree. .. the branch she was sitting on got broken and she fell…

Temmy: Okay….okay… So????

Emma: (crying ) She’s dead guys…. Moji is f@#king dead.

Temmy gave out a cry and sat down on the ground. Mary cried too. Lanre held his head and bent down on his knees. None of them could console another. Temmy and Emma wouldn’t stop crying.