Outcast

ed hold my hands and squeeze into his own. He touched my face to check my body temperature. I looked at him

that I would have someone to play with now. My classmates talk about their s

****

I stared at Papa's face trying to make out the emotion on his face. The first time I saw him so emotional in his look. Papa still kept that mean face even when he

specially happy. A female child finally, bragged to her fri

so lowly. Mama sat on a long chair carrying my sister. Ma

s buried", Mama Nnukwu said. I t

orm it's buried in this co

l force. The river goddess needs to be appeased before she leaves Obiefuna to his

while carrying my sister into the sitting room. While in the sitting room, I heard Mama Nnukwu telling Papa that Iyi Uwa was buried in the form of a sto

night through the window when the ground wa

us to be baptized. We started wearing scapular and going to evening mass during weekdays. Papa didn't know who to support between Mama and Mama Nnukw

your mind", Mama N

ke that", Pa

ater, she would ask if I was interested. As usual, we went to fetch water. We followed a little path tha

u m araputa'm

ji chu

udu awa, I

slat

my bucket has implicat

er, I don't know how it fell a

held me back. The Python moved a bit and we passed. We got to the river and we fetched our water. Adaeze told me to wait for her because she was hungr

couldn't. I dragged her out of the bush to the river bank as she was crying and writhing in pain. Her leg was swollen and gushing blood. The Python had bitten her. She was bleeding from the nose. I looked at the path again, it had clear

at the entrance of their door with her grandmother and well-wishers. I got there and greeted everyone, Adaeze looked pale

r grandmother. I turned back to

end, Obiefuna"

id and coughed repeatedly. Her grandmother patted her calmly at her back, so

**************

ing her not to associate with me. She said I was an ogbanje and anybody who accompanied me to a place I was being targeted would be killed. I was eavesdropping on their conversation,

y saw me running but didn't know where I was coming f

entered her room. I sat on the sofa as tears drippe

called me Christopher on rare moments. I got Christopher and Nwakaego got Christ

er than somebody now. You need to talk more these days

class as our teacher dissected the topic ogbanje in our Igbo comprehension textbook. It wa

ive tone. Mama bent low and sat on the sofa I

pirit in you is greater than t

you heard it from his o

Adaeze's grandm

y! And Adaeze's grandmo

ad a dream where a river goddess war

heathen way", Mama said angrily. She bathed Nwakaego and me, as we left fo

Heavy clothes to cover their bodies and legs from being bitten by mosquitoes. During the deliverance, I was awake which was unusual, as I kept staring at those shaking and falling on

lattered on my body. Mama calle

ve years old. Chinyere held my hands as we walked. Mama Ebuka was chatting with Mama. We got to our house first and Mama told them goodbye. We entered

a said. Mama tucked me in the bed and laid Nwakaego besid