I was running.
Running where...? I didn't know. My feet kept at the pace.

My feet started aching. Well, it was a long time that I had done some running or intense exercise.

After running to wherever, I stopped and thought.

Where am I going? Really!

Then, I asked God for direction.

In-between my prayer, a man tapped me. I opened my eyes. I looked at him.

He was a bald huge man and he smelt of local herbs and sweat. He was wearing an Ankara top that was probably ironed by an amateur just to say. He was chewing gum and scratching his body indiscriminately. His feet were dusty and he was twirling a key on his right pointing finger and looking at me like I was a lost puppy.

"This pikin, children no dey walk anyhow for this town o. Then go grab you put for armpit. I never see you here before. Se you can run? I see you from front as you run that small run and you dey breathe as if you put your head for water since morning. Or se I dey lie. I be driver o. If you wan go somewhere just tell me I go carry my machine and take you where you wan go. You go just give me something I go take chop but because say you be pikin, I no go charge you plenty money. Where you dey run sef?"

I stared at the man who just interrupted my prayer. He was right in front of me speaking Pigin English so fluently while I struggled to understand it. He spoke so quickly you could shake your head and tell him to repeat everything he said.

In summary, he said I should pay him to take me to my destination. There was some money in my mother's purse.

Then, I heard a whisper.

I sent him to you don't be afraid. Tell him you're going to Ilesha.

I knew it was the voice of God. I was so grateful to have him to talk to me especially when I was in such a situation but really, Ilesha?

Where's that? Is that where Love is?
(What if....? × 1000000)

"I'm going to Ilesha how much is the charge? Sir?"

"Abeg no dey talk Queens English o. Or se I talk Queens English to you? If I talk that one to my customers, all of them go done disappear te te but you bi lucky pikin. I understand wetin you talk. Ilesha. I be Yoruba man o. You go pay 200k."

He gave a toothy grin.

"Na play I dey play o. You go pay 2500 naira."

"My machine no far o. We go just walk small. Wetin be your name sef?"

"My name is....."

"Just talk am straight."

"Tegha."

"Ah! You no be Yoruba o. Igbo girl. Wetin you con dey find for Ilesha naw?"

"I'm not igbo. I'm Urhobo. Please can we get going. It is urgent."

"My machine no far from here."

I thanked God for the sudden help even though it came in form of a queer man but I knew better than to judge him.

We walked for some more time. I was admiring the not so admirable scene. Some dusty huts, some old houses, some trees, some toddlers dancing half dressed, some women frying this or that, some pounding yam, some in white collar jobs, some playing ball, some selling food stuff and others doing other things.

"Where is the machine sir?"

"E remain small make we reach the place."

Roughly thirty minutes passed.

I was tired and thirsty. My bag felt like heavy weight.

"Sir? The machine?"

Then I got curious. What machine?

"We don dey reach."

"Okay."

Ten minutes later, we reached a small beer parlour. A new motor bike was parked next to it.

So, a machine is a motorbike?

He laughed.

"Yes. This is my machine." He said with a large grin.

He went into the parlour and told me to wait.

He came back some minutes later with a new smell of alcohol.

I was afraid.

God, what kind of driver drinks right before driving?

I sighed. He got on the motorbike and turned it on then, he asked me to hop on.

After several attempts, I finally climbed on it.

I put my bag in front of me and prayed. I shut my eyes tightly when he began speeding.

An hour passed then just as I imagined, we ran out of fuel.

He got some fuel not to long after the abrupt stop.

Before he came back, I noticed something engraved on an old wall. It was in a strange language. I used my mother's phone to translate it.

It meant;

We devour young females

When the man came back, I asked him about it.

"Na their territory we dey so. Abeg sit down well and hold your property."

I tried not to panic.

I really wish I was deaf because of what happened next.

Tell him to stop here. You're getting off here.

What? But...

He'll accompany you. Don't worry. I'm always with you.

He just said that they eat people.

I took a deep breath.

"Sir, I want to hop off here."

"We don pass am o. I be for wan ask you if you want puff puff but I no know if you go like am."

"I wan drop here." My pigin was rough and slow.

"Shebi I tell you that them dey chop pikin here."

"This is my stop please."

"Their juju don catch you abi?"

"Please."

"Okay o but I go follow you to your place so I go know say I no throwway pikin for inside mouth of them witches and babalawo."

He drove the bike to a restaurant and parked there.

"I wan chop. You want food?"

I was getting hungry bit I didn't want to have any stomach trouble.

"No thanks."

"Okay o."

He left. I shut my eyes tightly as I was leaning on the wall of the restaurant outside.

I was praying.

I had to admit it. I was scared. I wasn't scared of being eaten. I was scared of Love and what I would do to help her.

Where is she anyway?
I thought as I opened my eyes.

A sudden wind picked up some dust and swirled it right in front of me.

I was sneezing.

The man, as if on cue ran to grab me then the unbelievable happened.

He held my hand but, I felt another hand pull me into the growing sand spinner.

It jerked both of us into it.

I settled into the darkness but I knew I was not alone. I could hear slurping noises.

I couldn't see anything.

I knew Jesus would never leave me.