Excitement gripped the tiny village of Patience. This was a quiet rural community and the folks there existed on subsistence farming. There was no electricity, telephones or running water. Villagers moved at a slow pace in their day to day activities. There was nothing to fuss about. That is until some unusual things began to occur which disrupted their peaceful existence.It all began with a group of boys. They had ventured into the forest to pick fruits and catch fish. After fishing, they began searching for and picking fruits. While they were all up in fruit trees, one of them saw something moving towards them in the thick forest. He called out a warning to his friends. They all watched the moving object.
As it drew nearer they realised that it was a giant hairy creature with bulging eyes that were on fire. Ugly, long black ears stuck out from its head flickering in every direction seeking out the slightest sound. As it approached it made a deep rumbling sound.
WOOOO!! WOOOO!! WOOOO!!
Forgetting fish and fruits, the frightened lads raced back to their village. When they told of their experience elders warned them never to venture into that area again. They learned that they had encountered a Masakura Man and were lucky to be alive.
Sometime later that week an old villager heard the same sound that the boys did. This happened very late at night.
WOOO! WOOO! WOOO!
Then there was a shrill, chilling whistle. She knew immediately what it was and what she had to do. Getting up, she began chanting an ancient verse that kept evil spirits at bay. Then she clapped seven times; each time louder than the last.
ZIP! ZAP! ZOOM!
As far as the claps could be heard the evil spirit was compelled to go. She then returned to bed and enjoyed a peaceful rest.
Abiola was new to the community. She had no time for their ancient “mombo jumbo.” Frankly, she thought it was all nonsense. She kept this opinion to herself so as not to breed enemies. When she heard of the two incidents she was highly skeptical.
“SHRUUPS!”
She sucked her teeth loudly in disgust.
“I don’t have no time wid dat!”
“But Abby is true. Me father tell me he see it one time when he went hunting. “
Abiola burst into laughter.
“Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
“You could laugh all yo want. Yo betta don’t go no way nite time.”
This last warning got to Abiola and she flew into a rage.
“I gon go wherever an whenever I want! I not afraid a no Masakura Man!”
“Girl stop. Dat ting serious bad.”
“Let he come na! I ready fo he. I gat me cutlass an I would chap he up in small pieces!”
Her friends departed shaking their heads. Abiola promptly went into the small house and came out with her cutlass and file. She sat on her front step honing the blade till it glittered wickedly. If and when the creature came she would be ready. Boy, would he be in for a surprise. Her 22 shone in the sunlight.
Some of the older and wiser villagers stopped by and told her not to wish for any such meeting. If it ever happened she would regret it. All Abiola did was to continue sharpening her blade. Then she burst into song.
“I chapping to de left!”
“I chapping to de right!”
“I chapping in de morning!”
I chapping bad at night!!”
Two nights later she got her wish.
There was a birthday party down at the back of the village near the river. Everyone had gone there before nightfall and would go home the next morning. The fear was still strong so villagers avoided walking late. Abiola had no such inhibition.
She took her time dressing-up. She wanted to show off a bit on this backward community. She decided to wear an expensive evening gown and matching high heels. When she was ready she grabbed her trusty cutlass and tottered towards the home of the birthday girl.
WHOOO! WHOOO! WHOOO!
Abiola stopped and listened. Silence. She moved off again.
WHOOO! WHOOO! WHOOO! WHOOO!
She stopped and glared around menacingly her cutlass at the ready. She was ready for anything. Or so she thought.
WHOOO! WHOOO! WHOOO!
The loud chilling sound drew nearer and nearer. She looked wildly around and tried to increase her speed. The high heels sank into the soft sandy soil and made her progress difficult. There was a violent crashing sound to her right and she turned to confront the threat, cutlass poised for action. What she saw changed her disbelief and attitude.
The creature was humongous! She had to look upwards to see its piercing, fiery eyes. The head was bigger than Frankenstein’s and much uglier. The flashing, deadly looking teeth, warned her with an evil grin. She needed no such warning. Dropping her ‘toothpick cutlass,’ she hoisted her fancy gown and instead of whining like Setira Gal, she kicked off her useless high heels and charged through the bush screaming at the top of her lungs. And Abiola had some big lungs.
“MAMEE! OH ME LAWD!”
Her volume and speed took the poor creature by surprise because it did not try to pursue her. Abiola arrived at the party and plunged headlong inside upsetting the small table where some of the food was laid out.
CRASH!
Food and drink flew everywhere. With chowmein in her face and hair and Pepperot spread all over her fashionable evening dress, Abiola managed between gasps to sputter out her story to the gathering. She was now a believer.
The next morning three of the men had to escort her home in order for her to budge from the party house. When she arrived home she thanked them and went inside. She had only taken a few steps when she realised something was radically wrong.
“EEEAAAH!” EEEAAAH!”
The escort party rushed to her rescue. Inside they found a screaming, babbling Abiola. She sat in the middle of the room pointing a shaking finger at her bed. Laid neatly in the middle of the bed were the cutlass and her high heel shoes. Abiola fainted.