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The more I looked the less I see, knowing everything about humans-their culture, behaviour and belief is beyond my imagination. People have different approaches to doing things based on choice, availability and preference. Just as women in Tapa community prefer firewood for cooking to using cooking gas or kerosene, Catherine is not an exception as she believes it is the cheapest source of fuel. A particular day in the week has been set aside by her and her children, Mary, Roland and Ola to go the bush in search of firewood. Catherine was so happy when she received a call from a friend Whom she hasn't seen for sometimes.
"Hello Catherine, this is Lisa calling"
"Oh Lisa, it's been a while now we haven't seen"
"Yes dear, I have been very busy preparing for my Son's graduation party, I want you to do something for me"
"Ok I am listening......"
" I need you to make beans cake (akara in local language) in bulk for some of the guests"
"Okay I am ready at any time, thank you so much"
Catherine was happy after seeing the estimated quantity of beans' cakes to fry in a day which would earn her much profit, she quickly called her three children:
"Mary! Please call Roland and Ola, it's time to go and look for firewood we have a big contract tomorrow to make Bean's cake for my friend, Lisa"
Roland likes hunting and always show a lot of excitement and willingness to follow them to the bush in search of firewood believing that he would kill some rabbits as usual. They both went to the nearby farmland looking for dry woods. It took them several hours to get few firewood as Roland was just stylishly concentrating on hunting but saw something that looked strange to him and called her mum;
"Mum, come ooooo..... I have seen some firewood here well arranged"
They both rushed to see them.......
"Wow, our work is now made easy, may be the gods wanted to help us" said Ola.
"Ola how do you know it's gods? I think the tree just fell on it's own due to heavy wind yesterday" replied Mary.
Their Mum shouted, "could you just pack the woods and save my time, stop arguing nonsense"
Roland who had heard a story of spirit-like beings called elves reacted differently,
"Mum I don't want us to carry this wood, look at the arrangements as if someone has passed here, this is strange to me"
"So what do you want to infer, spirits or humans?"
"It's spirit mum, I have heard of their story in school; this is how they do strange things, please let's look for woods somewhere else."
They laughed at Roland and called him Mr spirit and this got him angry. He refused to carry the woods. The Mum, Mary and Ola share the firewoods and took them home. The midnight was full of drama when the elves could not find their woods and traced them home.
"Oh my God, somebody help!" the mum screamed.
"What happens mum?" Asked Ola.
"Can't you see what I am seeing? Something just slapped me"
"What's that?"
"Oh no! It has slapped me again, see it looking like a baby toy"
"I wish I could see them and deal with them." Ola replied.
Ola immediately received his own share of slaps and screamed,
"Mummy! Something slapped me just now"
"Didn't I tell you that some elves are here. Roland may be right about this things"
She quickly went to check Mary in her room and asked,
"Mary, are you alright"
"No mum, something is pulling my leg but I couldn't shout and move"
"This is getting beyond us let's call people in our compound for help.? Said Catherine.
The beating continued to a point they had no option than to wake everyone in the house.
" What is the problem?" Asked one of the elders.
Roland narrated everything that happened in the bush and how he warn them not to carry the firewoods which he suspected to be elves'. The elders blamed the mother for taking what appeared to be strange. Then, one of the elders asked,
"I hope you have not used any of the firewoods, or else you are gone.?
"We have used part of it to cook in the evening, please help us"
"I am sorry I can't help you, ask others for way out, from my experience you are suppose to return all the woods you took there"
They returned the remaining woods the same night but still experienced occasionally beating but not a frequent as before.
Roland remembered what his friend told him when his Dad encountered such beings by involving a man of God to pray for him. He told his mum,
"Mum, don't worry I will inform our pastor about it, he will pray for you people"
"Please do, I would have listened to you"
Roland called his pastor on phone,
"Hello pastor, please come and help us, some spirit beings are beating my mum and siblings"
Pastor was confused but simple said "our help comes from the Lord, I will be there in a moment"
The pastor arrived and prayed earnestly in Jesus' name and the these spirit beings had no option than to leave them as it written: "by the mention of the name of Jesus Christ, every knee must bow and everything tongue must confess that Jesus is the Lord........"
There was a sigh of relief for Catherine, Mary and Ola as the beating stopped after the pastor prayed for them. Roland said,
" Mum, I hope you now believe that there are spirit beings that look like elves popularly depict in some of the stores as toys.
"Yes, but they must be stupid for slapping me"
Everyone laugh......
Wow, the slap though
I'm shocked at her disbelief
I like the story and I'm following u from now on
Thanks, mum's behaviour looks funny 😂
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I laughed oo. These elves are nasty. You can even have some firewood? Hehe. I can imagine those slaps and beatings. Lesson learned I guess.
Well written. I like it. 👏👏👏
Thank you, it really sound funny 😂
Thanks for sharing your story of the mysterious firewood. Those are very mischievous elves.
Yes of course
An interesting morality story, with a religious message. (Of course not everyone believes in Jesus, or feels that a prayer can solve life's difficulties. Just something to consider as you choose future themes for your stories.)
Thank you for engaging with other writers and their work in The Ink Well, @popmanj.
Yeah,but they didn't think that way though.