“Who are you, grandmother?” Ladi asked, using her culture’s most respectable term to refer to this strange old woman.
Although she knew nothing of the old woman’s identity, something in the back of Ladi’s head screamed at her to be careful. It was very likely that she wasn’t dealing with a normal human being here.
“Me?” the old woman asked with a rasping laugh. “I’m just a poor, weary old traveller, who was making my way across the world, when this storm detracted me from my purpose.”
“Are you coming from a far place?” Ladi ventured again, trying to make out the woman’s features in the near-blackness of the hut interior.
“What business is that of yours?” the woman snapped, sounding irritated.
“Please do not be offended by my questions, grandmother,” Ladi said gently. “I am accustomed to seeing travellers carrying supplies when they are on the road. You seem to have none, and so I was only wondering if you might not need at least some food and water, and maybe some clothes better suited for the road.”
The old woman was silent a while. Then she said, “you have a good heart, child. The ancestors bless you.”
“May this be so,” Ladi replied.
“And you, child,” the old woman said, “do you live here?”
“No,” came the reply. “I was on my way home when the rain started.”
“So until the storm is over, you will have to stay here?” asked the old woman.
Ladi nodded.
“Hmm,” said the old woman. “We could be perhaps of help to each other. I know how you can stop the storm.”
“That’s impossible,” Ladi said surprised. “No mortal possesses the power to control the weather.”
“Yes,” the old woman said, rising to her feet, “no mortal.”
As she spoke these words, a bright bolt of lightning struck a tree, setting it aflame with a terrible noise. The fire burnt on the struck tree, despite the rain, creating an eerie light with which to see by. In the light of the burning tree, Ladi was shocked to see that in place of an old woman stood a younger woman, although her age Ladi could not say. In place of rags, she wore billowing white clothes, and in her left hand, she held a spear.
Upon seeing the weapon in the strange woman’s hand, Ladi fell to her knees. “Please do not harm me,” she cried.
“I will not,” the woman said gently. “I am the spirit of lightning, and I came with the storm, because the spirits had been saying that you humans have forgotten virtue, and how to treat strangers. If you are representative of your people, I can go back and tell them that your people are still noble.”
Ladi, terrified, but fearing for the ominous sound of the spirit’s message, said, “My parents are true children of the land, and they raised me and my brother to honor virtue.”
“That may be true,” the spirit said, “but your words must be tested. If you pass the test, all will be well.”
“And if I don’t?” Ladi asked, her heart pounding against her ribcage.
“Your own safety is guaranteed, for you seem to have a good heart,” replied the spirit. “But you will return, and you will not meet home.”
To be continued...
Thanks for coming!
That little boy,
