Mindviewers Stories

I was halfway into my meal when the three Okada riders met me inside the Buka. The zinc built roadside restaurant was stuffy that afternoon as the three commercial motorcycle riders stepped into the rowdy joint. They picked a table next to me and then made their orders. I was enjoying my rice and beans with fried meat. This was the popular menu of the eating place. So I was not surprised when the three men also requested rice and beans with meat. But I was surprised when one of them asked the waitress not to put meat on his.
‘ I don’t want meat on my own. ‘He told them loudly.
‘Don’t be stingy. Enjoy yourself while alive.’ I heard one of his companions say.
‘ Yes, spend money on yourself and enjoy your life.’ The third man supported.
But he smiled broadly at his companion and shook his head as if what they were suggesting was ridiculous.
‘You guys can go ahead and enjoy your life with all your money I don’t care. But as for me, I am not spending a dime to buy meat. I hope to do that once I get back to the village. I didn’t come all the way to the city to eat meat.’ He told them seriously.
The waitress brought them their order a few minutes later and I noticed that one of the plates had no meat. I saw the two of them pick out the two plates with meat and left the meatless plate for the third man. He picked up his plate with relish and they all ate silently.
‘But you should be ashamed of your squirrel life. The meat in your meal won’t pinch much from your money. Enjoy today, tomorrow is still far. ’ The first man said as they ate.
‘There is nothing like being a miser here. Look, I have all the money to buy a full ram or goat if I want to. But I have promised myself not to spend extravagantly. I am saving all this money to enjoy myself when I get back to the village.’ The guy responded and then to my surprise brought out a large sum of money from his pocket. ‘You can see I have almost one hundred thousand naira here. But I am not spending a dime on meat. You guys should go ahead and spend yours.’ He said mockingly, protectively returned the money into his pocket and then back to his food.
They finished eating a few minutes later, paid and left me still seated on my seat. I saw them climb their bikes and drive off. I left the buka few minutes later to see a sudden accident ahead of me. Getting to the spot, I saw the mingled body of a man and his bike under a trailer. A proper view confirmed that it was the corpse of the bike rider who had refused to include meat in his meal.

When I was in high school, I had a rather unique morning routine. Early in the morning, just as the world was waking up, I would venture out to hunt for snails. It seemed that in the early hours when the air was still cool, these little creatures would come out of hiding, perhaps migrating or seeking moisture, but whatever the reason, it made them easy to find.

I would spend my mornings scouring for snails, and within a week, I had amassed quite a collection. Meanwhile, my sisters and siblings would sleep peacefully, unaware of my early morning adventures. When they did wake up and find me engaged in my snail hunting, they thought I was wasting my time on something frivolous and fleeting.

It was a few days later when a neighbor paid us a visit and stumbled upon my snail "farm" – a small enclosure I had set up in a pent-up bucket. As he peered inside and saw the quantity of snails I had collected, he was impressed. To my delight, as a small child, he slipped me a 500 Naira note, which to me felt like winning a million dollars. My sisters were astonished by this unexpected validation, and they didn't hesitate to join me in my snail hunting efforts in the days that followed.

They were even more determined than me. Turning every stones and uncovering all uncovered.

About 4 days ago, my friend Enable visited me. It was a much-needed catch-up session, and we spent the evening discussing everything under the sun while laughing and reminiscing about the year that had just passed.

As we chatted, Enable mentioned something that caught me off guard. She started telling me about the bed bug infestation in her apartment and how there were reports of bed bugs just a few blocks away from her residence.

I was genuinely taken aback by this news. I couldn't recall ever hearing about bed bugs being a problem in our area. I asked her if she had noticed any signs of bed bug attacks in her own room, to which she nodded and detailed the distressing experience.

Her words made me briefly worried, but I quickly reassured myself. I hadn't observed a single trace of bed bugs in my room, and I was confident that I wouldn't be suffering from any bed bug infestations anytime soon.
I reminded myself that our lodge had never had any reports of bed bug infestations, yet Enable's explanation about how terrifying they can be at night lingered in my mind.

I've been avoiding my WhatsApp status updates for a while now. The constant stream of videos, pictures, and captions from my friends had become a source of anxiety for me. It seemed like most of them were posting things that I found uninteresting or even emotionally triggering for no good reason. It just didn't feel like a healthy use of my time to engage with their content.

Tonight, however, I made the decision to confront my fear and take a look at their statuses. It was a daunting prospect, to say the least. I had been so focused on my own principles about what I wanted to share that I hadn't given much thought to the kinds of content my friends were sharing. But I felt that if they were viewing my statuses, I could at least reciprocate the gesture.

As I scrolled through their updates, I was confronted with a mix of contrasting things. Some were impactful and meaningful, reflecting values and insights that I could appreciate. Others, however, seemed to be posting just for the sake of posting, without adding any real value to the conversation.

It was a moment of realization for me. I realized that while I had been hesitant to engage with their content, I could also use this opportunity to be a force for positive change. I could set an example by posting content that was aligned with my values and principles, rather than simply following the crowd.

Oya make una take note, stop posting uninteresting things on your status make I no go carry you lock for kirikiri.

When I woke up this morning, l realized I didn't have much to do, and I'd be bored staying at home all day, so I decided to follow my dad to the farm.

The farm wasn't too far from my house so we walked there. I was wearing sneakers so I took it off because I did not want to look to dirty while going home and since the farm wasn't bushy, I went in barefooted.

I was in the farm for about two hours, helping to plant some things and when I finished, I told my dad I was going home.
I walked over to where I kept my shoes and proceeded to put them on. The right foot already on, I was about putting on the left when I felt a stone in it. I turned the shoe so the stone could fall out, lo and behold, alongside the stone fell a large black scorpion, you all need to hear the way I screamed😂.
My dad ran over and quickly used a stone to smash the scorpion which was already scurrying away.

I have been stung by a scorpion when I was little and the pain is not something I want to experience ever again

You might have read many stories on the negative effects of being disobedient to instructions. But here is the story of Emeka. Emeka was known for his curious nature and adventurous spirit. His parents often gave him advice and instructions to keep him safe, but Emeka sometimes found them restrictive.

One day, Emeka's father, Papa Nnaji, called him and said, "Emeka, my son, the rainy season is upon us. Please, do not go to the river alone. The waters can be very dangerous and unpredictable."

Emeka nodded but thought to himself, "I have been to the river many times. I know what I'm doing."

A few days later, as the sky darkened with storm clouds, Emeka decided to go to the river. He wanted to catch some fish before the rain started. Ignoring his father's warning, he made his way to the riverbank.

As Emeka fished, the clouds burst open, and rain began to pour. The calm river quickly turned into a raging torrent. Emeka realized his mistake and tried to get back to the shore, but the current was too strong. He was swept downstream, struggling to keep his head above water.

Meanwhile, Papa Nnaji noticed Emeka's absence and grew worried. He gathered some villagers, and they rushed to the river. They found Emeka clinging to a rock, exhausted and scared. With great effort, they pulled him to safety.

Back at home, Emeka was shivering and soaked, but safe. His father wrapped him in a warm blanket and looked at him with a mix of relief and disappointment. "My son, I gave you that instruction to protect you. I hope you understand now why it is important to listen."

Emeka nodded, tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Papa. I understand now. I should have listened to you."

From that day on, Emeka paid close attention to his parents' advice. He realized that their instructions were not meant to limit his freedom, but to ensure his safety and well-being. Emeka grew wiser, and his bond with his parents grew stronger, founded on trust and understanding.

I, a final-year student, of the university of Benin felt a mix of excitement and apprehension as the last week on campus approached. Like many others, I eagerly anticipated the tradition of themed outfits each day. However, as someone from a modest background, I soon realized the financial strain it would bring.

With each passing day, the pressure mounted. Reluctantly, I called my dad for assistance, only to hear that finances were tight. Disheartened, I turned to my uncle, whom I hadn't spoken to in months. Just as hope waned, my phone buzzed with his unexpected call, asking if I needed anything.

Overwhelmed with gratitude and relief, I poured out my concerns to him. Without hesitation, my uncle offered not just moral support but financial aid that surpassed my expectations. With renewed spirit, I accepted his gesture, feeling empowered to fully embrace the last week on campus.

Adorned in themed outfits, I participated not just as a student, but as someone who had overcome a challenge with the unwavering support of family. My experience became a testament to resilience and the profound impact of familial love, reminding me that in times of need, help often arrives from unexpected places.

#your latest graduate

Chinedu woke up to the sound of heavy rain pounding on the roof of his small apartment in Yaba. As a third-year engineering student at the University of Lagos, he had a busy day ahead with an important lecture on Thermodynamics. Glancing at the clock, he realized he only had an hour before he needed to leave.

He looked at the overflowing basket of dirty clothes in the corner. His mother’s voice echoed in his head, reminding him of the importance of cleanliness. He knew he couldn’t put off the laundry any longer. Just then, his roommate, Ifeanyi, walked in.

"Nna, this rain no get joy o. You sure say you wan wash these clothes today?" Ifeanyi asked.

"I don't have much choice, Ifeanyi. I won’t have any clean clothes for the rest of the week," Chinedu replied, determined to stick to his plan.

Ifeanyi suggested, "Why not use the new laundry service? I hear they’re very reliable and can even deliver back to you on campus."

Chinedu, however, was set on doing things himself. "I can handle it," he said, grabbing the basket and heading for the washing machine.

As the machine hummed and churned, Chinedu quickly got ready for his lecture. The rain showed no signs of stopping, and he was already worried about his clothes drying in such weather. But with no time to waste, he dashed off to campus, hoping for the best.

The lecture was engaging, but Chinedu found it hard to concentrate fully. His thoughts kept drifting back to his laundry. He imagined his clothes drying perfectly despite the rain. But deep down, he had a nagging feeling that things might not go as planned.

When the lecture finally ended, Chinedu hurried back home, his heart pounding with anxiety. As he turned the corner to his apartment, he saw the aftermath of the heavy rain. His clothes were nowhere to be seen on the drying line.

Rushing to the backyard, Chinedu's heart sank. The wind had blown his clothes all over the muddy ground. Shirts, trousers, and socks lay scattered, soaked, and dirty. Some pieces were even missing without a trace.

Chinedu stood there in the rain, feeling a mix of frustration and regret. If only he had listened to Ifeanyi's advice. Slowly, he began to pick up the clothes, mud clinging to his hands and clothes. The reality of the situation hit him hard.

Just then, Ifeanyi appeared, holding an umbrella over both of them. "Nna, I warned you," he said, trying to lighten the mood with a smile. "Come, let’s gather these clothes. We can wash them again."

Chinedu couldn’t help but chuckle despite the mess. "You were right, Ifeanyi. Next time, I’ll be more flexible."

Together, they collected the scattered clothes and brought them inside. Ifeanyi helped Chinedu wash the clothes again.

As he prepared for another day at the University of Lagos, Chinedu knew he was not alone in his journey. He had friends who had his back, and sometimes, listening to their advice was the best course of action.

On a sunny day at the animal farm, a bustling gathering of creatures took place by the ocean's edge. The air was electric with excitement as animals from far and wide came to witness a historic encounter. The mighty elephant, renowned for its strength and wisdom, stood face to face with the majestic blue-green whale, celebrated for its enormity and aquatic prowess.

The two giants engaged in a boisterous meeting, their voices echoing across the landscape. The elephant, with its trunk held high, proclaimed, "I am the master of the land, and none can match my strength!" The whale, its fin slicing the air, retorted, "But I rule the seas, and my power is unmatched!"

The debate raged on, with neither side willing to yield. Finally, they agreed to settle the dispute with a challenge: a battle of strength and wit. The farm animals cheered and chattered, eager to witness the spectacle.

The day of the challenge arrived, and the farm was abuzz with anticipation. The elephant, with a confident stride, approached the ocean's edge. The whale, its massive body breaching the surface, swam closer to the shore. The two opponents faced each other, their eyes locked in a fierce stare.

The whale, with a sly smile, declared, "If you want to prove your strength, elephant, you must come into my domain – the sea!" The elephant, unfazed, replied, "Very well, but if you want to prove yours, whale, you must come onto my turf – the land!"

The crowd gasped in disbelief. How could an elephant survive in the water, and how could a whale move on land? The two opponents, however, were determined to prove their prowess.

With a mighty roar, the elephant charged into the ocean, its massive body creating a huge splash. The whale, with a graceful glide, swam towards the shore, its fins slapping the water. The two giants clashed in the shallow waters, their strength and agility on full display.

The battle raged on, with the elephant using its trunk to spray water and the whale using its tail to create powerful waves. The farm animals watched in awe, cheering and chanting for their favorite contender.

As the fight continued, it became clear that neither the elephant nor the whale could gain the upper hand. They were evenly matched, their strength and cunning perfectly balanced. Just when it seemed that the battle would never end, the two opponents suddenly stopped, looked at each other, and burst out laughing.

The farm animals cheered and applauded, realizing that the true victory was not in winning or losing, but in the friendship and respect that the elephant and the whale had developed. From that day forward, the two giants roamed the land and sea together, exploring new horizons and proving that even the most unlikely of friends could become the closest of companions.

The animal farm celebrated the newfound friendship with feasts and festivities, and the legend of the elephant and the blue-green whale lived on, inspiring generations to come.

There lived a bright and determined young woman named Grace. Grace had always dreamed of pursuing her passion for science and making a difference in the world through her research. However, her family faced financial challenges that made it difficult for her to afford college.

Despite the obstacles in her path, Grace never gave up on her dreams. She poured her heart and soul into her studies, excelling in her classes and dedicating countless hours to conducting research projects in her spare time. Her hard work and perseverance caught the attention of her teachers and mentors, who saw her potential and encouraged her to apply for scholarships.

One day, Grace received an email that would change her life forever. It was a notification that she had been awarded a prestigious scholarship that would cover the cost of her tuition and living expenses for the duration of her studies. Overwhelmed with gratitude and joy, Grace couldn't believe that her dream was finally within reach.

With the weight of financial burden lifted off her shoulders, Grace threw herself into her studies with renewed determination and passion. She embraced every opportunity that came her way, seizing the chance to learn from renowned professors, collaborate with fellow students on groundbreaking research projects, and attend conferences where she could share her findings with the world.

As she walked across the stage on graduation day, wearing a cap and gown adorned with honors cords, Grace couldn't help but reflect on the journey that had brought her to this moment. She knew that without the scholarship that had changed her life, none of this would have been possible. With tears of gratitude in her eyes, she vowed to pay it forward by helping other students achieve their dreams, just as she had.

When I was little, playing under the rain was something I yearned for but was constantly denied. My parents forbid us from stepping out into the downpour, cautioning us about the dangers of catching a cold or getting sick. At the time, I thought they were just being overly strict, prohibiting us from having the natural, carefree fun of running in the rain. I couldn't understand why they were so determined to keep us sheltered from this simple pleasure.

One day, when both of our parents were away at work, my siblings and I made a secret pact to finally experience the joy of playing under the rain. As soon as they left, we dashed outside, laughing and giddy with excitement. The sensation of raindrops drenching us was exhilarating beyond words. We frolicked, danced, dove, and even turned the rain into our own little swimming pool. It was an absolutely remarkable, unforgettable experience.

For a couple of days, we celebrated our escapade, reliving the excitement and joy of that rainy adventure. However, the euphoria soon came to an abrupt end. Suddenly, one by one, my siblings and I fell ill. Our feverish bodies and weary spirits were at war with a malicious sickness.

When we finally sought medical help, the doctor diagnosed us with an illness caused by waterborne pathogens. We were questioned about any exposure to dirty water or unsanitary conditions, and we had to confess our secret escapade under the rain. It was a difficult moment; we realized that our parents had been trying to shield us from exactly this kind of danger.

On that fateful Easter Sunday, I found myself stranded at school due to unyielding exams and the impending festive season. Deciding not to waste time and energy on trekking back home, I embraced the idea of celebrating my Easter festivities right within the school grounds. My chosen lodging was located in the outskirts, a little away from the hustle and bustle of the main campus.

Rather than bemoan my situation, I took charge of my fate and decided to whip up a celebratory meal. Fried rice was on the menu, and after procuring the necessary condiments, I got to work. To my dismay, the resulting rice wasn't the vibrant green I had anticipated; evidently, my culinary skills did not extend to color coordination. However, upon tasting my creation, I was pleasantly surprised! The dish was a triumph, and I couldn't help but be proud of my accomplishment. With the addition of some garnished chicken, my Easter feast was complete.

Later, a friend from the same school paid me a visit, and together we enjoyed the impromptu Easter celebration, feasting on the unexpectedly green-less but delicious fried rice. It was a delightful and unexpected turn of events, turning a potential underwhelming Easter into a delightful mini adventure. It just goes to show that sometimes, the best experiences come when you least expect them.

As a youngster, I was infatuated with wrestling matches. The world of WWE and its larger-than-life characters enthralled me, and I eagerly devoured every match, buying CDs and spending a small fortune on my devotion to the sport. I was captivated by the dramatic plots, the acrobatic stunts, and what I believed were hard-hitting punches; it was my ultimate form of entertainment.

However, as I grew older, a realization slowly began to dawn on me, and it was a tough pill to swallow. I came to understand that what I had thought were bone-crushing punches were, in fact, meticulously choreographed maneuvers. The entire wrestling spectacle was meticulously planned out beforehand. It was a revelation that shook the foundations of my passion for wrestling, and I could feel my fervor fading away.

With each match, my interest steadily waned until I lost all enthusiasm for wrestling. I couldn't help but feel a tinge of pity for the younger fans who still believed in the authenticity of it all, unaware that the thunderous blows and awe-inspiring stunts were nothing more than smoke and mirrors. I longed for them to see through the manufactured ruse, to recognize that my beloved sport was more performance art than genuine competition.

Despite this disillusionment, I still maintain a respect for the wrestlers and their incredible stunts and strategizing. Their athleticism and showmanship are undeniable, and I can appreciate the talents and hard work that go into their performances. It's just that I wish others would come to see wrestling for what it truly is.
But I must add that wrestling was my favourite sports until I looked closer.

As a small child , I was very selfish, always grabbing the best for myself.
Slowly, everyone left me and I had no friends. I didn’t think it was my fault and I criticized others. But my father gave me 3 sentences to help me in life. One day, my father cooked 2 bowls of noodles and put them on the table. One had an egg on top while the other bowl had none on top.
Then he asked me to choose a bowl of noodles. Because eggs were hard to come by those days, I chose the bowl with egg! I was congratulating myself on my wise choice/decision and decided to wallop the egg . To my surprise, I saw that my father's bowl of noodles had two eggs at the bottom beneath the noodles!
With much regret, I scolded myself for being too hasty in my decision. My father smiled and taught me to remember that what your eyes see may not be true. He added that, If you make a habit of taking advantage of people, you will end up losing.
The next day, my father again cooked 2 bowls of noodles: one bowl with an egg on top and the other bowl with no egg on top. Again, he asked to choose the bowl I wanted. This time, I felt smarter so I chose the bowl without any egg on top.
Hmmm to my surprise, there was not even a single egg at the bottom of the bowl! Again, my father smiled and said to me, My child, you must not always rely on experiences because sometimes, life can cheat you or play tricks on you. Never be too annoyed or sad, with situations, just treat experience as learning a lesson that cannot be gotten from any textbooks.
The third day, my father again cooked 2 bowls of noodles, one bowl with an egg on top and the other with no egg on top. He asked me to choose the bowl I wanted. But this time, I told my father, Dad, you choose first. You are the head of the family and you contribute the most to the family.
My father was very happy and he chose for me.
He chose the bowl with one egg on top. But as I ate my bowl of noodles, to my surprise, there were two eggs at the bottom of the bowl.
My father smiled at me with love in his eyes. He said, my child, you must remember that when you think for the good of others, good things will always naturally happen to you.
I always remember these 3 sentences of my father.
As we continue on the remaining journey of 2024, think for the good of others. Don't be selfish, Put others first and your joy will be completed. Don't run after post, position, wealth, fame etc and bruise others to get it.
God Bless you as you wish others well.

Sylvia, my dear friend, is a free-spirited girl who has a penchant for wearing tight gowns and short, skimpy skirts. No matter how many times I tried to advise her on her fashion choices, she just couldn't resist the temptation to wear these attention-grabbing outfits. I must admit, they always created an interesting impression, to say the least.

Now, one fateful day, as we were making our way to the minimarket in school, the heavens decided to open, and a harsh wind accompanied the rain. And wouldn't you know it, disaster struck! As the wind whipped around us, it caught Sylvia's short, skimpy gown and lifted it skyward, much to her dismay. Poor Sylvia looked utterly mortified as her dress billowed around her.

Doing my best to shield my friend from the intrusive gaze of onlookers, I guided her to a more sheltered area, and we managed to exchange her outfit for something more weather-appropriate. As I comforted her that day, I knew that this comical incident would serve as a turning point. I was confident that Sylvia, despite her love for unconventional fashion, would finally wave goodbye to her skimpy skirt collection.

Once upon a time they lived a girl called Deborah.who lived with her parents in a village called asia village.

She's a very obedient and talented child.

One day her parents went to the farm and they never returned.

She and the villagers all wanted for two days but yet they never showed up.

So the villagers all began to search but instead they never found them.

Deborah got up angrily and then decided to go to the that particular farm where her parents do fetch firewood.

On she getting there,her eye's could not believe what she saw.

Her parents had already been devoured into pieces by an unknown creature.

To be continue ,..,

The school bus always came as early as 7a.m to pick my kids up for school.

So I usually woke up as early as 5a.m to start getting them prepared for school and also get ready for work since I equally left home for work at that time too.

On this particular day, I had woken up very late. I ran a very high temperature in the night.

Since it was glaring that they were going to miss the school bus that morning, I decided to take permission from my work place to be a few minutes late to work.

That was the only way to avoid my salary getting slashed by month end.

I quickly took them to school before heading to work that morning.

I was still at work when a staff at my children's school called telling me to come pick my kids up from school.
From the tone of her voice, I could sense that she was very angry with me for keeping her in school by that time.

It was already 5p.m, I was already an hour late.

"Please madam, don't be annoyed. I'm coming now" I said as I packed the files in front of me

I still had piles of work in front of me but at that moment, I needed to pick my kids up from school first.

That was the hardest part of being a single mum!

After spending almost an extra one hour on the road because of the terrible traffic jam, I finally got to their school but met it locked!

I quickly dialed the number that had called me earlier;

"Hello madam, please I'm in school now. Where are you?" I asked feeling sorry for the poor woman.

"I left school thirty minutes ago. They should be with the school security man. Just knock on the gate." She said.

"Okay, thank you very much and I'm really sorry for keeping you in school till that time" I apologized before I ended the call.

After standing in front of the gate knocking for over 5 minutes, the security man finally opened the gate.
He must have been deeply in sleep seeing how drowsy he looked.

"Good evening...Please I came to pick my kids" I said

"Your pikins still dey school?" he asked looking confused as he walked towards the waiting room.

"No child dey inside there oh" he said walking towards the hate

"Those two children one madam wey dey teach here drop for you" I tried explaining to him.

"Oh!...Oh!...Oh!...i don remember...They don go since na" he said

"I don't understand...go how?" I asked confused

"Look at it here na...your husband name no be Stephen?
He don come carry them...He no tell you?" he said pointing at the student's sign out register.

The handwriting looked exactly like my late husband's writing😱

I did not know whether I should run away or scream. I felt my legs trembling profusely. This man was huge, he looked like a Dwayne Johnson in a black skin .

I looked at him straight in the eyes and met his gaze. I noticed his eyes were fixed on my chest. I was about to asked him who the heck he was when I heard footsteps again, this time it was the woman who brought me here that was coming down from the stairs with a tray in her hands. It must be food I guess, I really needed to eat because I was d.ead famished.

"Oh!" She uttered as she headed for the dinning table..." Honey I'm so sorry for not informing you about our guest; I picked her up today at the motor park"

The man did not even move a muscle, he just smiled at me and made his way to the dinning table. ..." Join us for lunch" he said in his thick voice as he hanged his coat at the back of the chair he was sitting on.

"Yes come and join us" the woman beckoned too.

I dropped my bag by the corner of the sofa and gently walked towards the dining table. They were both looking at me as I walked to join them. The woman took out a plate and dished out food for me. It was egusi and eba. I really needed something like this and I was hallucinating already.

When she placed the food in front of me, I hurriedly washed my hands and dug into it like a hungry soul who hasn't eaten for five years. My gosh! the food was tasty, who ever made this meal must be very good at it. I have never in my life had something like this to eat. Thick egusi soup with two large pieces of goat meat garnished with small small pieces of fish ; where I come from, soups are often times very watery and you would hardly find meat in our meals,

They let me eat to my full. The woman even added extra when I was done...." Eat my dear" she said smiling......" You are really hungry I guess"

I did not even respond to her, I was busy with the food, my worry was just the man who has not touched his food yet. He was just looking at me with a face void of emotions. "Should I be concerned?" I asked myself in whispers as I swallowed the eba I had in my mouth. That was the last of it and I made sure to lick my plate clean.

"Drink water" the man said. "You might choke" he added.

I looked at him for a while and then shifted my gaze to the woman who nodded in agreement. I reach out my hand and grabbed the bottle of water and drank cautiously.

Something is not right, I could feel it in my spirit. There's something fishy about this people.

"Did you say you are a pastor's wife?" I asked boldly like an investigative journalist.

" Oh yes" she replied wearing a smile on her face. " I'm so sorry I did not introduce myself earlier on, you never did too, but by the way, I'm Mrs jala aguiche and this is my husband Ian aguiche the senior pastor of word of life international"

"I'm sure you must have heard about word of life before " the man said as he began to eat his food.

"Not at all" I responded....."my first time actually "

"Really?" He said as he raised a ball of eba to his mouth.

"Tell us about yourself too" Mrs jala requested. " We have to know you too if you must stay with us"

"Stay with us?" Ian asked, almost choking. He quickly reached out for a bottle of water filled his cup to drink.

I looked at him and he was looking at me too while he drank the water.

When he was done drinking, he cleared his throat and turned to his wife.

"Honey we cannot just bring up a stranger from the street and house them under our roof just like that. The world has become something else lately"

"But she is stranded " she replied him compassionately

They kept at it for a while and I just sat there looking at them both as they argued about whether to let me stay or let me go. Clearly, the man was scared, but how can huge man like this be scared of what a fifteen years old girl could do. Is he that weak?

"It's fine " I screamed at them both....." It's okay, you don't have to argue about whether I'm staying or not, I'm a stranger and I don't belong here so I guess I'd have to go. Thanks for the meal"

I stood up to go but the woman dragged me back and asked me to sit down for a minute. She then beckoned on her husband to follow her. He stood up swiftly and I sensed a form of agitation. They both disappeared into a room just by the corner of the dinning area.

I just sat there with my eyes fixed on the door. It was now that It was beginning to hit me that I made a mistake to just run away to the city without connection. What if they don't allow me to stay with them here tonight, how would I do this night? Where would I sleep? Ian has afore mentioned that it is terrible out there in the streets. How would a fifteen years old girl like me survive out there in the dark?........"i won't survive a night " i whispered as tears began to roll down my face.

Tbc.....

I was trekking to work very early this morning holding 100naira with my face looking like bread wey them squeeze.

I tried looking for bus to take me to work but all of them were charging 150 due to the hike in fuel and 100naira was all I had if you combine my opay, palmpay, access bank, phantom wallet, telegram wallet and okx wallet. I no even get wetin to use chop.

While i was trekking, one little boy walked up to me in tears with serious catarrh coming out from his nose...

The boy: good morning sir. Sir please help me, I haven't eaten for the past 2days and nobody wants to help me.

I looked at the boy and the big quantity of catarrh coming out from his nose, I had compassion on him...

Me: you get 50naira, make I give you 100naira.

The boy: yes sir.

(he brought out small bundle of money from his pocket enough to feed me for 3days. He selected 50naira...)

The boy: stretched his hand sir look at it.

Me: snatched the 50naira and started running