My greatest mistake 2. A story written by mimi. A

My greatest mistake 2.

A story written by mimi.

As the small town in lagos State came into view after a tiring night of driving, They finally arrived in the early hours of the morning. The street they entered was very calm, almost as if it was a gràveyard. 

But here's the truth about Arewa street- It was a deserted street in a small town in Lagos State. Some claimed it was cûrsed, while others believed it was a place meant for the deád and those longing to be with them. Parents warned their children, especially the boys, not to set foot in it. Not because they would be hàunted if they did, but because they feared that if they discovered the true nature of the place, they might put their hands in evíl.

 The strange quietness of the place was that which sent fear around Michael's spine. Even though he hasn't felt what life after deâth was like - this feeling seem to be it.

 Not a single söul could be seen. The only movement was the gentle shaking of trees, their leaves whispering softly in the breeze.

Michael's mind was in confusion. He had never felt this scared before. Just the sight of the thréatening forest was enough to send his thoughts turning. If the outside was this frightening, he couldn't even begin to imagine what awaited him inside.

"Let's go," Samuel's voice broke in the quietness, causing Ken and Michael, who had came down from the car, to Follow behind.

"And One more thing, no matter how scared you are out here, don't even dare speak a word," Samuel warned, clearly directing it at Michael.

With Samuel and Ken leading the way, Michael trail behind as they went into the forest.

Going deeper into the forest, Michael's eyes beheld sights that provided an explanation for why people steered clear of this particular street. The first disturbing sight was a môntrous face of an elderly baby, its scary teeth giving out a frightening smile at them. To add to this strange sight, seven gràves laid in a row along the sides of the forest, with Michael wondering who were bûried there.

"That is the gràves of those who traveled to the other world and never returned" Came a voice that seemed to emanate from an elderly woman. However, when Michael turned in the direction of the voice, he was met not by an old woman but by a young girl of around 15 years, carrying an ancient pot with smòke coming out it. 

How she knew what he was thinking even made Michael wondering, and scared of what was to come.

"Remove your foot wears!" She instructed, placing the ancient pot before them as the three men obeyed, dipping their feet into the ancient pot- this was to cleanse their feet from the unclean spirit of the soil they had stepped into before entering the forest.

As the ritûal was completed, the young girl picked up the pot and led them deeper into the forest, her laughter echoing through the trees.

Reaching an old hut, she stopped and turned, before disappearing into thin air. It was then that Michael realized she was not of this world, and started sweating uncontrollably.

Samuel and Ken then started to enchant. They clapped their hands three times as the old wooden door of the hut swung open on its own. There sat an elderly man, likely in his late 90s, wearing a white and black gown with a black crown on his head. Two vulturès stood beside his royal wooden chair.

The colors of his gown signified the boundary between life and deâth. It was said that those who embarked on this journey, and loses their lives in the process, their earthly years would be added to his own. Their bodìes would be left in the forest for the vultûres to feed on, their bonés laid at the forest entrance.

The old man gestured for Michael to step forward, as if he already knew why he had come. Michael approached carefully and knelt down before him.

"He who wants to join the elder to eat must first learn how to wash his hands. This dance isn't the earthly dance; it's a dance of the spirìt. And if you must learn its steps, you must become a spìrit" came the man's voice. He was speaking in parables, and Michael could understand less of his message.

"Become a spirit to learn a dance?" he pondered. He hadn't come to become a dancer, rather to be wealthy.

"Young man," the old man called him, with Michael looking up to him. "I know you're confused by my words," he said, as Michael nodded in response.

"For you to attract this wealth and power you're seeking, you have to dìe." he declared, as Michael rose up in shòck.

"What's the use of coming here if it's for me to diè? I came for wealth, not for deàth," he responded, turning to leave the hut as Ken held him back.

"What an elder sits down and sees, even if a child should climb the highest iroko tree, he still won't be able to see it. Your understanding is that of a child, and your impatience with life is what brought you here. Come and kneel back," the old man instructed. 

After moments of looking at Ken and Samuel, Michael finally obeyed and knelt back.

"The riches you seek is not of this world, an Abundance that will elevate your name among the wealthiest on Earth. But the path to getting it, is paved with deâth." Michael remained calm, silently absorbing the man's frightening words.

"You must bàth under the midnight sky, then choose a gráve to lay in for seven nights. If you survìve till the morning of the eighth day, riches will flow to you like a river." The man revealed.

"It seems impossible to survive such a trial, sir. No one has accomplished such a feat before, especially not in a gravèyard where the deceàsed lie at rest." Michael's doubts surfaced, but the old man simply smiled mysteriously before continuing. "You must be faster than your shadow, boy. A hen pèrching on a bird should possess the strength to face the challenges ahead. Before the journey begins, a young virgìn's life must be sacrificed to protect yours. Her heàd will take the place of yours, ensuring you make it alivè after the buriàl. No harm shall befall you as long as she bears the consequences.

"Sàcrifice a soùl That was never part of the plan," Michael pondered, but he knew there was no turning back. Michael was determined to go to any length this time after the humiliation life had made him face.

"I will do it," Michael nodded confidently. "Just tell me when and where the sacrifìcial rìtual will take place."

"You have the heàrt of a warrior. Return tomorrow with the sacrificiàl offering, and the rituàl will commence," the man commanded before sending them on their way.

As they made their way out of the forest, Michael was anxious about the task ahead of him - finding a young virgìn in such a short timeframe. Lost in his thoughts, a sudden name strùck him - the name ' Mercy', his class prefect.

                                                                        To be continued...

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