Everybody was confused. Those who were asleep before were now wide awake. Everybody turned to the mumbling boy who was now was sitting quietly on his seat.“The devil is coming” he repeatedly said under his breath.
“What the fuck is going on?” one of the guys asked. Suki looked out the window. Pitch darkness covered everywhere. The driver was already outside, trying to find out what was wrong with the bus. A few of the guys went to join him.
“Stay here. Don’t leave the bus. And keep an eye on that boy” Suki instructed Lucy as he goes out to join the other guys and the driver.
Outside the driver was doing everything possible to fix the problem. He checked the engine and almost everything. Everything seems to be in the right place but the bus simply refused to move. After several attempts he gave up and sat on the tarred road. Suki brought out his phone and dialed his mom’s number. “Shit. No network in the damn area!”, he blurted out.
“What are we going to do now?” Suki asked the driver.
“I don’t know what else to do. Maybe you should ask your mumbling friend?”
“What do you mean?”
“Hey, I have a beautiful family at home. My wife just gave birth to our seventh child and I need to be home to see them. I love my family.”
The guys and Suki just stared at him perplexed with a look that says ‘what on earth is he saying.’
“What is your name?” the elderly driver asked.
“Suki. Suki Donatus.”
“Well Suki I hope you and your friends will forgive me for what I am about to do. This thing that is happening right now is called Nakada.”
“What is Nakada?” The tall guy from the rear asked.
“It is Nakada. There is no doubt about it. I have to go now.”
“Wait. Where the hell do you think you are going?” Darius the short and tough looking guy asked in a strong voice. Everyone was now out of the bus including Lucy and the mumbling guy.
“I have to go now,” continued the driver. “There is a gun at the back of the bus. Just under the last seat. You will need it. God help you.”. With that, before anybody could say another word, the driver brought out an amulet wrapped in a small black cloth, muttered some incomprehensible words and poof he vanished into the dark night like smoke. Shouts of ‘Jesus Christ’ and ‘my mother’ almost tore the night apart. The mumbling boy said nothing. He merely smiled and sat down. The other passengers were looking under the bus as if they will magically find the driver there. They knew deep in their hearts that it was going to be a long night.

There was panic everywhere. Passengers brought out their phones but there were no networks available in their vicinity. Some of the girls were already sobbing. One of the guys just slumped to the ground and started telling his life story to no one in particular.
“I am too young to die—after all those years in school and national service. I cannot die now.”
“No one is going to die” Suki tried to reassure him.
“Really? Our fucking driver just vanished before our very eyes and you think all is going to be fine? The witches in my village have finally found me!”
“Calm down brother. Everything is going to be fine. I don’t think anyone can really explain what is going on right now but we have to stay together as one family now.”
“I know what is happening.” The mumbling guy said.
He has everybody’s full attention.
“It is the devil. He is coming for us all. He is coming for us!”

Did the devil really come for them? Find out next week!

                                                                         BY UMUKORO ISAAC