Paranoia #1

He is coming with a knife, not just any sort of knife.
The kind that is long (about 2meters). It has a wooden handle,I know this because of the way he is holding it, his firm grip left some part of the handle visible.
Like many other knives I've seen made in the same way, only one edge was sharp... ready for use. I think a cutlass is a better name, it must be a cutlass.

I'm getting afraid now as he comes closer. There's no different route to take, it is just a narrow street full of sand and few houses.
It is still very early in the morning and the deafening sound of voices and instruments that came from the church i passed two minutes ago left me feeling like shouting would be useless...if anything happened.

I moved to the right hand side of the road trying to look as normal and unafraid as i could. Thankfully, some pool of water close to my previous path would have made it look like i was avoiding the water but he remained on the same path, the left hand side.
His footsteps were steady and his face was devoid of the consolation i sought for, the type that says "I'm on my way to the farm" or some kind of facial expression that would have convinced me that he wasn't going to hurt me. It's just my usual paranoid self, I say in my mind. But it didn't change a thing.
My heart had started beating rapidly now so i start remembering some stories I've read in the past how some people were killed in villages like this.

Stories how some villages spare their own children and go to other villages to search for humans for sacrifice and a particular one I once read about a norm that if any one who was not part of the community was found on the road he would be killed in case of any emergency needs for sacrifices.
"Wake up young lady. We're not living in those times now." I tell myself.

But I am glued to my fear. "If something is wrong, someone in one of these houses would alert you." I can see another man sitting under a tree nearby with chewing stick in his mouth. "But wait what if they're all together in the plot. What if their king just died this morning?"

I began to wish that there was some sort of license to carry such a weapon or at least a law that said The weapon had to be sheathed and only be exposed when ready for use, so that, somehow between the seconds he would unsheathe the cutlass, I would have had a headstart.
But all these were useless now. I suddenly noticed I am walking faster now, not so absorbed in my thoughts not to notice that it would only be a moment now. I try not to look at him but I just kept turning in his direction by some kind of fear induced reflex which I doubt I learnt in biology.

Unable to dispel the fear that gripped me I tripped on a stone i hadn't seen. Dammit!
Did it have to be now? Hold on, it's my right foot and if superstition didn't mean anything to me before it did now. I have heard many people say that hitting your right foot against something mistakenly was a sign the day would turn out fine.

I look up not wanting to check for any wounds. And we are directly opposite each other. He is looking at me now (probably trying to figure out if I am what the village Chief priest wants) and then he passed!
His protruding stomach led the way and his feet followed. The slippers he was wearing had signs of faithful years of service written all over it. His slightly dirty 'up and down agbada cloth enjoyed the pomposity that came from being filled up with the morning breeze.

I greeted him...I had to. I needed to know he didn't just want to go to my back and carry out the mission my paronoid mind perceived he had, and reply he did! Such a relief. But it didn't make me slow down my footsteps.
It must be 7:00am now and my lecture is by 9:30am. I have to get my assignment done or forget about the class. Why my course mate chose to live in this area, I would never understand but one thing is certain, i need her help and I can see the compound that houses her room from here now.