HOW I ENTERED PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITH A WITCH

HOW I ENTERED PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITH A WITCH

It was 6:30 in the morning, and I knew I had to leave early if I wanted to catch a cheap sole bus going to Yaba market from Abule Egba.

So I had to do everything in haste. But for some reason, I felt something weird about the day. I ignored it because I am already used to leaving early for Yaba.

I left my house by 6:45, heading to the car park. When I got there, I stood for about 10 minutes looking for a sole bus, which I was trying to avoid that morning.

Then suddenly, from behind, I felt a very hot hand tap me. She asked where she could get a sole bus to Yaba market. The hotness of that hand sent a chill down my spine.

I turned back. It was a woman dressed in iro and buba, red and black, with a very weird hairstyle common in the time of our ancestors. A thought came to my head, but I ignored it. We are in a generation where people dress how they want for movies and content.

I told her I was also looking for a sole bus. Then she pointed to a bus opposite me and said it was a sole bus. At first, I did not believe her because she was just asking me where to get a sole bus, and now suddenly she knew where to find one.

I went towards the bus and asked the driver. It was truly a sole bus. At first, I was afraid — could this woman be a witch? But I shook the feeling off. Maybe she just saw people rushing.

So we both entered. As I was about to sit at the window side, she stopped me and asked if she could enter first. I said, "Ok, sure, ma." She entered and I entered and the bus started moving.

Then she called my full name and said thank you.

I wanted to shout. I managed myself and asked her how she knew my name. She gave me that weird smile. That smile made me start processing everything from the time I met her till that moment. I started recalling the stories my grandma told me about witches.

I could not help but try to control my emotions. Then she said, "Don't be afraid. I can feel your thoughts."

I couldn't help but look down. I had already entered a public transport with a witch. As I looked down inside, I saw she had no feet. I was so scared. I wanted to get down from the bus and run as far as I could.

Then she said something to me. She said, "Not all spiritual beings are rotten or bad. There are nice ones too."

Then I remembered what I told my grandma — that if I ever found a nice witch, I would be so nice to her and tell her to greet my grandma in heaven when she dies.

I said to her, "Please ma leave me, I am still young, do not initiate me."

She smiled and said, "Your grandma is saying hiiii. She says she wants you to be happy and find a nice job and stop stressing yourself going to Yaba market working for a very wicked woman who does not treat you well and doesn't pay enough."

Tears rolled down my puffy cheeks. Then I told the witch to tell my grandma that I miss her so much and I am so lonely.

The witch said to me, "Wipe your tears. You will no longer face hardship." At that time, seeing her and knowing what she was, I could not help but embrace my culture the more and saw life from another perspective. In the midst of all this going on, other passengers could hear us, and that was what made me wonder. She was so nice, so beautiful, and had a very nice scent like that of a rose.

Then I said to her, "Thank you, I will never forget you. Help me tell my grandma that I love her so much."

Then the bus stopped at its usual destination. She looked at me and said, "Be blessed, child, always be happy." It was as if God had intentionally sent her my way that day.

When I turned back to say my last goodbye, I didn't see her again. And I felt this chill happiness to live life to the fullest again.