THE WATER SPIRIT

GENERATED USING META AI

The rumours began one faithful morning when a body was seen lifeless near the river bank just afloat in the water.

It was the rainy season in Akunda village. And very often, floods were common this time of the year. So no one took it seriously how fast the river was rising beyond its banks. But when the fisher men’s canoe began to come back empty with blood stained on it and no individuals in sight. People began to panic. Then every morning, one body would be spotted lifeless, floating near the river banks. No sign of injuries or struggles. Just dead. This continued for a week in the village of Akunda, and fear began to take roots in the minds of the villagers.

Mr Adams, a doctor and the one in charge of the village health care services never believed in curses. He believes in facts, science and logic. After all it was what he was trained for in the university where he studied. However, the series of Victims he had come across so far got him worried. Something was amiss. All the victims had their mouths wide open and eyes missing, like something had plucked their eyes out before draining the life out of them.

This was unlike anything he had ever seen.

The chiefs of the village drew a conclusion that the river was angry.

“The water spirit has cursed our land” one said

“A sacrifice must be made to appease it,” another said.

All this sounded almost ridiculous. Some flagged it as village gossip and rumours by the end of the second week, a total of ten bodies were found afloat in the water, making it ten victims.

The tenth body this time was a child. A little boy barely five years old was found. No signs of struggles or injuries. Just lifeless with his mouth open ajar and eyes missing.

Mr Adams began investigating. He retraced the steps of all the ten victims and found one thing in common. All of them had been on the river bank past 6pm. All of them had passed the spot where the water deity was believed to dwell. A small old abandoned hut that housed the great water spirit, believed to be the guardian of the river. This hut had however been long forgotten after the rise of the new catholic church in the village. The pastor destroyed the hut, and condemned the sacrifices the villagers offered to it annually.

Now it's been ten years since any sacrifice was offered. The villagers believed the water was angry and calamity had befell their land.

……..

One stormy night, Mr Adams couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned in his bed, uncomfortable. It was raining cats and dogs outside. Thunder striked uncontrollable, the wind was wild and air thick. Then he heard the sound of water, dripping slowly. Only it wasn't outside but inside his small house. He turned on the light, and made his way to the bathroom. The tap was off, there were no pipe leaking. All the buckets were dry but it continued.

“Drip”

“Drip”

“Drip”

Then a whisper followed suit

“Adam”

He froze on his spot. Soon the sound changed into a violent gurgling of water. Mr Adams took off immediately, running out for his dear life.

The next morning he met with the chiefs and told them what happened.

“The water has chosen you as the sacrifice” they said but Mr Adams scoffed, not believing any of it

“You must go to the old abandoned hut, and present yourself or more harm will befall us all”.

Three nights passed and no body was found. The villagers began to think it had stopped until the fourth night, another victim. An elderly woman, Mr Adams mum.

Mr Adams was full of rage. He matched down to the old abandoned hut.

“What do you want?” he shouted.

There was silence.

Then suddenly water from nowhere pooled at his leg, and formed something like a hand, gripping his legs tightly.

“You know what I want” it whispered.

“Then why all these” he asked a little lower this time

“Because they forgot and abandoned me” the water spoke angrily.

At that point, Mr Adams remembered the chief's words, “ present yourself to it or more harm will befall us all”. His face fell, he squeezed his hands tightly, tears dropping down his eyes. His mother was already gone, and she was all he had left.

“Then take me and leave the villagers alone” he suddenly said with a voice filled with pain

“Very well.”

The water wrapped up around him, forming a bubble, then he disappeared.

Mr Adams was never seen again, but the deaths and chaos finally stopped.