Chapter 29:Awọn igbesẹ mi si titobi (My steps to greatness)9

Though I didn't know the way to his house, I never bothered asking, just kept walking without asking for directions.

I did thought ' Why would I ask for directions?' Howbeit to me, I should have, even before leaving the school premises. I knew I should have asked but you know? when your ego takes over your thinking.... it's just..... maybe that's what my mom calls ' Pride'

The journey to his house was so rough and frustrating. why?

me!! I was the main reason why it was so. I allowed my ego and hatred to blind me into asking for directions from that human. when I realized I immediately put aside all my hatred for him aside because I was walking towards the forbidden path and he... didn't say anything till I almost put a feet into the forest.

There was a forest in my village that is forbidden to enter because it the dwelling place for demons.

It was said ' if anyone step a foot into the forest; he or she would be eaten alive by the nineteen twin demons called 'iwo iwo orun apadi'

From the story told around the village from ages to ages, it's said that they pound the soul of the individual in a mortal made with blood fire brimstone before eating their flesh and drink their blood with their soul scattered around the earth never to be reborn or judged by Olorun or Esu.

They were said to a fore-finger tall and iroko strong. They lure their victims by mimicking the voices of humans or animals before attacking.

And this human almost made me a victim, though I'm the reason for my almost tragic death.

" Keji, ọna miiran ni ayika (Keji, it's the other way around)"

" Ṣe ti iwọ ko sọ fun mi? (Why didn't you tell me?)" stomping my feet several times with my arms crossed infront of chest and my lips pushed forward. I tried my best putting all the blame on the human but failed.

Why?

Guilt.

I was feeling guilty for not asking him for directions.

" Mo gbiyanju sọ fun ọ ṣugbọn- maṣe yọ ara rẹ lẹnu jẹ ki n mu ipo iwaju ati pe iwọ yoo mọ ọna naa (I tried telling you but- don't worry let me take the lead and you will get to know the way)" he came forward and pulled me by my hand to whatever route he took me through without my permission.

He is holding my hand? His hand is holding mine!!!

I almost freaked out but stopped myself from getting angry because I need to know the direction to house. so I let that be and there won't be any second time. Or will there?

As we went around in circles, I noted there was a tall trees shaped like an axe or shovel, little children playing the booko-booko, a shirtless old man sitting under an ipala tree fanning himself with his agbada as river of sweats was falling from his body, another round of tall trees, our school district, the way to my house and the way his hand was shivering and sweaty when holding mine.

The way to his house was just like the boju-boju game. I was so tired but excited the same time.

Finally, we reached his house! yes, finally!

His compound wasn't as wide as mine likewise his house. It was made out of dirty clay that needs to be scrubbed several times. It wasn't as fancy as mine. It was.....old and simple but beautiful and clean.

the compound was clean, the clay water pot outside looked clean, the surroundings was clean. And there was an ero outside the house.

Does he use it?

"A wa nibi ( We are here)" he said with a breathless smile and I think he realized he was still holding my hand because he awkwardly let go of it with an awkward smile.

I just fell flat on the sandy ground that had been roasted by the hot sun with my buttocks feeling nothing but tiredness.

I didn't care whether my uniform get dirty, I don't want to die and let my mom will be questioned about the cause of my death.

And what will that poor woman say " Tiredness?"

" She died from playing 'boju-boju' game"

That will be the weirdest death ever in history and I won't like to die at an early age.

I just sat staring at the orange of ancient days clothed in a garment of proverbs and parables of old; the alarewo kankanfo in the battlefield for a thousand decades, the oyemesi in the royal court of mystery and the oba of the sweetest melody of the women cooking and grating tatashe and rodo on the golden granite in the heavenly kitchen.

It was so amazing.

The human with just stared at me with wide eyes and open mouth.

What?

I wanted to tell him "Pa a tabi eṣinṣin ile yoo wọ ( Close it or an housefly will enter)" but couldn't because it was none of my business. period.

Like as if someone doesn't have the right to be tired and sweaty made me feel like a cooked kote fish in the big pot of pepper soup.

" ṣe o fẹ mu omi? (will you like to drink water?)"

" Eh?" swirling my head to the the surprised human whose words are total nonsense for my medulla oblongata to process at this time because my head spinning.

The human shook his head and went in and came out with something that I later realized was a calabash with something.

" Kini o wa ninu rẹ? (What's in it?)"

" Omi (Water)"

"...."

"Ṣe iwọ yoo mu- Mo rii pe o rẹ ẹ. ma binu ( Will you drink- I see you are tired. sorry)"

"...."

First thing first! Why is that human apologizing? I should be the one apologizing, ahhh I hate when I'm pushed to a tight corner and second thing second, I hoped he didn't spike the water?

" Ehm-" One thing about me; I don't know how to say a forbidden five letter words to anyone else apart from my mom. It just sounds weird to me.

Why will I have to say it? they don't deserve it? they are not my mom? so I won't say it.

So rather than stammering and ruining the reputation of those poor words, I snatched the calabash from his hands and gulped the water at ounce not caring if I'm poisoned or not.

After gulping all the water, I felt so refreshed and relieved; light as the mango leaves in the hammartan season; strong as the king lion in the forest.

I was sure some Water escaped from my mouth down to my uniform and I don't care about it. I was just like the hungry lion that had finally found its dinner after a decades of fasting.

" ṣe o fẹ diẹ sii? (do you want more?)" he reached out his hand to take the calabash from my hand with a smile. a smile that annoys me.

" ... Emi ... (... I ...)" I think after drinking that water my five senses started functioning as I noticed good three things:

1) We are still outside his house

2) Are his parents around? If not; will it just the two of us?

3) Will my mom whip me for messing my uniform as my mom is the goddess of cleanliness? and this was the most important realization.

As soon the third realization came to me, a force from nowhere dragged me to my feet at ounce. I never want to risk being beaten by that tigeress.

" S-ṣe awọn obi rẹ wa nitosi? (A-are your parents around?)" I asked to be sure so that I could prepare for escape if the answer turned out to be negative.

" Rara (No)"

I almost had an heart attack by that reply. It shocked me like shocker.

A boy and a girl alone? Behind closed doors? what will happen? the society say? and what will I say?

I was scared, very scared.

Probably because of my mom's teaching that made want to die on that spot. She ounce told me not to ever stay alone with the opposite gender.

And that teaching had become a compound in my blood.

" N-nigbawo ni wọn yoo pada wa?(W-when will they come back?)"

"...."

I saw something changed on his face, that annoying smile vanished into something else for a second before fully blooming on his face like the maize in its season.

" Emi yoo mu ibujoko kan wa ni ita- duro de mi (I will bring a bench outside- wait here for me)"

He didn't even allow me to respond before vanishing into thing air like the shadow in the day time and to reply at night time. It was weird but last last shrugged it off.

"Nibi ( Here)" He brought a wooden bench enough for two and a half people to sit.

"Mn" I went towards the bench and sat on it like a queen without any polite words or sentence and he helped matter by sitting quietly with his giraffe legs at both sides of the bench.

Good boy.

" Nitorina kini o fẹ bẹrẹ pẹlu? (So what do you want to start with?)"

Wait? I should be the one asking that question? Not him?

" Hmmmm...." I had to think hard about it with him drilling a deep into me with his groundnut eyes. I had to choose wisely between starting with the easiest or with the opposite.

If he start with math, it would be like I'm being taught nonsense in an equation; english will sound a torture to my tongue. What if I start with something I love?

" Bẹrẹ pẹlu kini o dara julọ (Start with what's best)" well.... I couldn't decide. Pardon me, please.

"O dara ( Okay)" He took hold of his school bag and brought out a clean multicolored textbook which ' MacMillan Mathematics' was boldly written on the cover.

My eyes widened at that because I was about to face my greatest fear.

" We would start with math" He said with that annoying smile leaving my mouth hanging like the overriped mango on the tree ready to hit the ground soon.

He's my greatest enemy.

He opened the hated book of all ages like he was opening an holy judgement book checking whether my name is in it from the cover to the main content then to the page where Chapter one is boldly written on it.

" A yoo bẹrẹ nipasẹ kikọ awọn nọmba wa (We will start by learning our numbers)" he said with that annoying smile still lingering on his face.

He's doing on purpose! He want to get back at me; for hating him, for doing so many bad things to him.

He should have poisoned me. At least I wouldn't get to live with this torture.

" Jẹ ki a bẹrẹ (Let's begin)"

That smile of his piss me off. I just didn't do anything because I was so speechless and stupefied.

My nightmare has begun. Dun-Dun!!