One Picture And One Story Week #47

INTRODUCTION

Good day my fellow steemian, hope you guys are doing great . All thanks to God almighty.
Today I bring you guys a story titled THE MISSING NEIGHBOUR
Read any enjoy the story and also don't forget to comment ❤️🤗.
Thanks to @suboohi for organising this wonderful contest.

Source

THE MISSING NEIGHBOUR

My neighbour by name Favour got missing in 2014. She was preparing for her traditional marriage. On that fateful day she got missing, she was on her way to Ariaria International Market to buy her clothes. She didn't come home that day, and her family became worried. They put a call to her husband to be, and he replied that he didn't see her. A day turned to two days, and two days turned to a week, yet no sign of her. Police were not coming with any news.

Everyone knew her as a homely girl, so her disappearance really put us all in a frenzy. Her husband to be became a shadow of himself; he was running Helter Skelter looking for her, but no one had seen her.

A month later I was at our junction trying to buy some fruits when I saw Favour, but she looked different; her head was shave bald, she looked very lean, and she was carrying a baby on her back. She was accompanied by two people, a man and a woman. I quickly rushed to her and held her hand. "Favour," I screamed. She looked at me and smiled and held my hand. She placed a finger on her lips and signalled me to shush up. Hand in hand, we walked inside the estate. Those who passed by didn't recognise her; I wouldn't have recognised her if not that she was my close-door neighbor. She looked like a character in a horror movie.

On getting to their house, I knocked, and her mother came out.
"Favour ma," I screamed.
Her mom rushed out andran straight to Favour, held her, and began weeping.
"Favour, where have you been, what happened to you... She was asking many questions at the same time.

"Mummy, hold yourself; thank God for her. She came out of the lion's den." That was the voice of the man who came with her.
"Take her inside, said the woman.

We all went inside. Favour's mom called her husband to be, and her sisters and brothers, including her father, came home that Favour had returned. A few minutes later, the house was filled to the brim with family and friends gathered. We were all looking at her but still surprised why she has a baby with her. We all knew she was not pregnant, so why the baby? This was the thought on everyone's mind, but we all kept calm, knowing that the answer would come out before the end of the day.

Her husband-to-be was overwhelmed with joy, even though the marriage has been cancelled due to her disappearance. Her family was all praising God for the life of Favour. We all waited for her to tell her what happened to her.

Her parents offered soft drinks to the man and woman who came with Favour. We all sat down quietly and allowed them to digest the soft drinks. Favour, on the other hand, was busy trying to pacify the crying baby in her hand. She brought out a baby feeding bottle and gave it to the crying baby; the baby began sucking on the feeding bottle and stopped crying.Thus Favour began her story.

• On that fateful day after I had finished buying the items, I came out and boarded a bus coming back home. The conductor asked us to gather our money; we did, and that was the last thing I remembered. When I woke up, I saw myself in a very big compound with many women, children, and men. We were more than three hundred there. There were boys, young men, elderly men, girls, young women, and elderly women. I asked questions, but no one could answer me. Many of the people there were so weak and couldn't speak. I recognised some of the people in the bus with me. No one had the answer to where we are.
  Few hours later, a man came out and separated us according to our gender. We were kept separated from the men, so whatever transpired on the men's side we don't know. We were there for one week, and they fed us with rice and chicken.
  I ate for three days but stopped because I noticed that the food makes us weak and sleepy after eating it.
  After one week, a man would come and take one of us, and the person would not come back.
  This continued until it was my turn. When I got inside the room, I discovered dead bodies piled up, but with their heads and some body parts missing.
  Before they take you inside the room, you must have your hair shaved off completely.
  They took five of us, and I watched as they were slaughtered one by one. I screamed and pleaded for my life.
  I screamed with all my strength, and their boss, who was a woman, told them to take me out because I'm disturbing the process.

I was brought out and rescheduled in three days, making it my three weeks of staying there.

I refused eating their food; I cried to God to save me. I saw my death with my own eyes. I kept praying nonstop.

I told myself that I would rather starve to death than die in such a manner.

More people were brought in to join us. That was how I met the mother of the child I was carrying.

She was selected, and she never came out. Before she entered, she cried and pleaded that I should hold her baby and told me if I find myself out of here, I should take care of her child. She even gave me the address of her family.

This baby I am holding here is my saviour. Her cries alone reached heaven. Since there was no breast milk to feed on, she kept crying uncontrollably.

On the day I was scheduled to die, I went in with the baby, and their boss instructed them to kill the baby once they were done with me.

My head was laid on the table, I saw him lift the matchete, and I prayed my last prayer. I saw the knife go up and felt it on my neck, but miraculously my head was still intact.

Meanwhile, the baby was crying too, but there was nothing I could do. For more than ten times he tried the knife on my neck, yet I was still standing.

"The boss instructed I was taken out before I destroy their plans. I was taken out, and they handed over the child to me. It was late in the night; I was pushed out of the bus naked inside the Bush. I trekked through out the night until early morning, when I stumbled upon this gentleman here on his farm. I pleaded for his help after telling him my story. He called his wife, and she used her wrapper to cover my nakedness, and they took me home. They took care of me and the baby and promised to bring us home.".

After listening to her story, her parents embraced the two couples and thanked them for helping their daughter. We were all grateful to them. We thanked God for saving her life.

Favour has been taking care of the baby till now; she's nine years old now. Favour got married six months later, and she already has three kids.

Favour was saved, but others weren't. Many have died through this means.

I pray God almighty continues to save it from the hands of ritualists and organ traffickers. Amen.

Thanks for reading.

I will like to invite my friends @ruthjoe @victorlives @mesola to join this contest.