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Mama was in the kitchen preparing lunch when I came back from school that afternoon.
Even though she was busy with the pot cooking on the fire, I could sense her anxiety for she returned my greetings coldly before fixing her gaze at me.
"Ese, I really need your help." She began.
"A letter arrived moments ago stating that your grandmother is terribly sick in the village.
Your father has gone on a business trip and I can't leave your siblings behind to travel home to care for my mother.
Please my daughter, I want you to go to Abudu on my behalf in order to take care of your ailing grandmother.
I'm her only surviving child and everything about her wellbeing falls on me.
Please, do not deny me this favor." She begged.
I protested weakly for I was about to write my SSCE examination the following term and didn't want to miss out on any lesson but Momma persisted.
My grandmother is an extremely difficult woman who never fail to criticize and beat us savagely whenever she visited thus I was afraid to pitch my tent with her but momma doused my fears by promising that I would return home once her health improves.
Momma packed up some foodstuffs and other necessities and took me to the bus terminal where I boarded a bus going to Abudu.
The distance from Ikpoba in Benin city to the remote village of Abudu was not much and I was able to arrive at my destination before twilight.
Even though I was born and raised in the city, I usually felt at home whenever I find myself in the village.
The neatly built huts scattered in the neighborhood coupled with the chirping of the birds fluttering on the treetops usually made it look as if I've become an interesting character in one of my storybooks.
The moment I arrived, the children playing excitedly rushed down to welcome me.
They marched with me to my grandmother's hut which was a bit isolated from the other huts and I bade them to wait as I went inside to announce my arrival to my grandmother who's shivering badly in the straw mat where she lay.
"Osanubua! Ese my daughter, so your mother sent you here instead of coming over to take care of me?" She asked and tried to get up from the mat.
I carefully explained to her that my mother could not make it due to my siblings hence she delegated me to represent her.
My grandmother was never pacified with my explanation and continued to rant even when I presented the items which Momma gave to her.
"Iyare my daughter, Ah! e no go ever better for you!
Wetin your Mama do wey go make you forget her?
To say you no be my pikin, I for kuku command ogwu make e kill you.
Anyway, as you take treat me na so your own children go treat you." She cursed.
When I excused myself and went outside to share some biscuits to the children who escorted me home, my grandmother who's shivering on the mat where I left her suddenly rush out with her walking stick and chased the children away.
"Ese! You go dey ask question before you do anything for this house.
These children parents no dey greet me well and you want carry biscuit wey you bring come for me share them.
No try am again ooo." She warned and snatched the packet of biscuit from my hand.
When we woke up the next day, my grandmother dragged me to the bush where she harvested different types of roots and herbs.
While the medicine was cooking, she removed some powdered ingredients from the blackened kitchen rafter and added it inside the pot.
Afterwards, she retired to the hut and bade me to bring the pot down when the logs in the fire has completely burnt out.
It was already dusk when I carried down the pot and poured some of the medicine into a cup which I took to my grandmother.
She prayed silently on the cup and drank a little before passing it back to me.
"Ese, oya finish this one wey remain and pour some of the medicine for pail make I take am bath."
"But I'm not sick grandma, I don't want to drink any medicine." I returned.
My grandmother stood her ground and sternly reprimanded me until I drank the medicine which is the bitterest thing I've ever tasted.
Afterwards, I lead her to the bathroom where she stripped and bade me to scrub her body with the leaves of the herbs.
Halfway through the bath, my grandmother bade me to strip as well and when I refused, she showed a remarkable strength by forcing me and eventually bathed me with the remnants of the herbs she used.
I woke up the next day feeling feverish and could not get out of bed.
However, my grandmother who's too frail the previous day was the one who energetically got up and took over the house chores.
As the days went by, I grew weaker while my grandmother grew stronger until I've to rely on her for every of my needs.
She continued to bath me with the medicine she brewed and make sure that I drank the one she poured for me in the cup to the dregs.
As the days turned into weeks, I could hardly stand on my feet and was immensely relieved when my mother showed up unexpectedly.
She was alarmed when she saw me and wanted to transfer me immediately to a hospital in the city but my grandmother refused and insisted that the concoctions she brewed will heal me.
My mother left without putting up any argument but my father came the next day and forcibly took me away.
We ran from one hospital to another but all the laboratory test carried out on me could not figure out the cause of the ailment which has already crippled me.
My parents spent lavishly on my medical bills all to no avail until the last hospital which admitted me discharged and advised them to stop wasting resources on me for my case is already hopeless.
I cried painfully each day, rolling on the floor and all the sedatives given to calm my nerves could not lure me into sleep.
A faceless old woman keep visiting my room at night, offering a cup of concoction which I usually downed without questioning.
When my father's sister who heard about my condition paid us a visit, she cried upon seeing my pitiable state and declared that my case is not ordinary.
She left and when she returned the next day, an army of prayer warriors trailed behind her.
After preaching and reading from selected bible verses, the group praised and worshipped before falling into an intense prayer which saw one of them prophesying.
"The anger of the most high has risen, it is boiling over and his harsh judgement will surely fall on the wicked." The seer began.
"How can the liver kill the heart?
She's innocent but they've traded her life for diabolical longevity."
Upon hearing her words, the group circled around me and prayed harder.
From where I lay, a hand seemed to run over my skin and I instantly felt nauseous.
I began to retch violently, vomiting black substances which drew deep from my stomach.
By the time I've entirely cleansed my intestines, I was totally exhausted and fell into a deep sleep.
I woke up hours later feeling like my old self and the house erupted into a joyous praise to the Almighty God.
It was unbelievably true and my parents could not stop shedding tears.
Before they left, the prayer warriors warned about the impending death of a close family member.
They disclosed that the person whose death is imminent was the one who tried to trade my life with hers but must surely go down hence the mighty hand of God has rescued me.
Two days later, we received a letter from the village which stated that my grandmother has passed away.
Upon the reception of the news, everyone was tongue tied and couldn't shed a tear.
We silently battled with our thoughts for my grandmother gave birth to five children and have buried all except my mother.
However, my parents waved aside everything that has happened and travelled home to give her a befitting burial.
The incident proved indeed that some people living amongst us are dabbling with dark forces which equipped them with the powers to inflict pains on others.
It is a crazy world and everyone is a suspect.
Do not lead your life in the flesh to avoid falling a victim to this malignant beings.
Thanks for reading