The Witch's Irresistible Love

Chapter 1: My Grandma And I

“Adelaide.”My Grandmother called me one day.

“Yes, grandma.” I replied.

“Be strong in character. Let your integrity be your navigator. Don’t fall for cheap blackmail, but above all, let love and humility rule your life, because even the devil cannot resist love.” She said.

“Ah! Grandma, how did you know that? Devil cannot resist love?” I asked, my eyebrows furrowed together in unison.

“Sit down. Let me tell you this story.” She said, with her shaky voice pleaded, but there was delight in it.

I took a small wooden stool and sat right next to her, staring at her with full concentration.

“There was a woman who was a witch.” She started. “This woman was average in wealth but lost her husband, which is the major reason she joined the coven. She had only one child who happened to be a girl.” Grandma took a pause and hummed, as if she was actually remembering the scene.

My eyes searched hers, more concentrated. More interested. Knowing this might actually be a true life story.

“They trained her well, but she retrained herself.” My grandma continued. “She was humble, intelligent and always exhibited all lovely characters. As the practice was, all members of this coven had to, at a point in time, bring their first girl child to atonement. Especially when they hit the puberty stage. Immediately after their first menstruation, if it’s a girl. That was the oath they’ve all taken before joining the community. After a while, it was the turn of this woman to bring her only daughter. But because this girl was extremely nice and lovely, she didn’t have the boldness to use her. So, she requested for a favour from her coven mates.”

“Please, my colleagues, I know I’m obliged to bring my own sacrifice. I have collected from you all, so you have to collect mine too. But please do me this favour. I can’t bring my daughter by myself, so I will mystically put her soul inside calabash, and request you to come and pick it on a day that I won’t be around.”

Her colleagues accepted. They obliged her and gave her that honour. So, on the said day, the woman did as she had promised. Placed her daughter’s soul in a calabash, covered it up and gave it to the daughter with some instructions.

“Don’t try to open it. Some women will come looking for me, just give it to them.” She then left the house.

The lady kept the calabash under the bed and began to wait for their August visitors. At around midday, they arrived. As the lady spotted them from afar, she jumped up to meet them, knelt down, and greeted them warmly. She collected their bags and led them inside the house.

Immediately they got inside, she ran straight to bring cold water for them to drink. She also fetched water for them to wash their legs because their legs were dirty for the effect of the journey. She entered the kitchen and made them hot chicken soup that tasted like heaven.

They ate, and it satisfied them. Then she went inside to bring the calabash and knelt down to hand it to over them, she said. “My mother asked me to give you this calabash when you come.”

They both looked at themselves, shook their heads and replied, “Return the calabash. When your mother comes, tell her that ‘what is inside the calabash could not allow them to take it away’.”

“Mothers, are you angry? My mum will be angry if I don’t give this to you.” She passionately pleaded,

“No!” they chorused. “We are not. Just tell your mother what we said. She will understand.” They replied in sincerity and left with empty hands and clean bodies.