The deception of fear

The darkness set in quickly as the sun retreated behind the clouds and I had to hasten my steps along the eerily narrow and bushy path. Apprehension raised it hunches in my mind, and I found myself looking everywhere at the slightest sound, be it a chirping bird or a retreating lizard.

I blamed myself repeatedly for staying so long and late at Pat’s house, but that didn’t measure up to how much I wanted to beat myself for opting for this shortcut home. I wanted to get home before my mum begins dinner preparations, but here I wished I had just taken the usual route and faced the consequences. At least, I wouldn’t be here scared of being a victim of the many rumoured tales of this infamous path.

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Halfway through the path, it felt like hours already when in reality it was barely five minutes, I heard crunches on the dry grass and fallen twigs that littered the path and my tension tripled as I listened and concluded a few seconds later that there was someone else on the path, right behind me. I didn’t need a warning; neither did I even turn back to confirm my suspicions; I ran madly like I had a cannibal on my heels.

I ran till I got out of the lonely path into lighted up civilization, then stopped in front of a provision store wheezing and holding onto my chest, catching my breath. It was then I heard the barks of what seemed like a mad dog and turned back to find out that I was actually being pursued by a cannibal, after all, a wroth-looking German shepherd that was now placated by a young boy, not a horny paedophile who doesn’t know how to keep it in his pants. That was the last I remembered as I passed out in shock. I didn’t get to beat my mum to make it home after all.

By Adewumi Joy

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