In a quaint village named Idanre, where lush hills kissed the sky and clear streams flowed gently, lived a young girl named Kemi.
With her father as a vegetable farmer, her mother selling their produce at the market, and her younger brother Rotimi often chasing goats in the fields, life was a modest yet fulfilling struggle.
However, everything changed when Kemi’s father fell gravely ill, plunging the family into despair.
Initially, it seemed like a simple fever, but soon it escalated.
Kemi watched helplessly as her father’s condition deteriorated; his breathing grew labored, and his skin burned with fever.
The family’s financial woes left them unable to afford proper medicine, and the herbal remedies her mother tried were of no help.
Each passing day felt heavier for Kemi, burdened by the sight of her father’s suffering.
One fateful evening, after fetching water from the stream, Kemi found solace by its edge.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pink and orange, she let her emotions flow.
Tears mingled with the water as she sang a melancholic tune, a song her mother used to sing during tough times.
Exhaustion soon overcame her, and she drifted into sleep beneath the tree.
Under the cloak of darkness, Kemi was startled awake by a cold, smooth sensation against her skin.
A snake, glistening under the moonlight, was slithering over her.
Initially frightened, she soon found herself entranced by the creature.
When the snake spoke, introducing itself as Aire, Kemi was taken aback.
Aire had heard her sorrowful song and wanted to help her.
“What can a snake do for me?” Kemi asked, skepticism lacing her voice.
Aire proposed a deal: if Kemi sang for him every time she fetched water, he would reward her with money in a calabash.
Kemi hesitated, torn between disbelief and desperation.
They needed money for her father’s medicine, but could she trust a snake?
Despite her initial reluctance, Kemi returned to the stream the following day, driven by the urgency of her father’s condition.
After singing her sad song, Aire appeared and offered her a calabash filled with cash.
Overwhelmed with joy and disbelief, Kemi rushed home to share the news with her mother, claiming she had found work as a maid for the queen.
With the newfound money, they bought the medicine, and slowly, her father’s health began to improve.
As days turned into weeks, Kemi continued her visits to the stream, singing for Aire and receiving money in return.
Her family remained oblivious to the true source of their fortune, but Kemi felt a growing sense of unease.
Each encounter with the snake left her feeling more trapped, especially when her father’s health took a sudden downturn.
Desperate for more money, Kemi approached Aire once again.
This time, however, the snake demanded something far more sinister in return: Kemi must allow it to share her bed.
Torn between her father’s life and her own dignity, Kemi reluctantly agreed, believing there was no other choice.
What followed was a painful experience that left her feeling ashamed and dirty.
Despite her father’s recovery, Kemi’s emotional turmoil deepened.
She felt as though she had sold her soul for a handful of coins.
Each night, she returned to the stream, singing for Aire and enduring the snake’s cold embrace, all while hiding her pain from her family.
The weight of her secret grew heavier, and she longed for a way out.
One evening, as Kemi prepared for another dreadful meeting with Aire, her younger brother Rotimi sensed something was amiss.
Concerned for his sister, he decided to follow her to the stream, hoping to uncover the truth.
Hidden behind a rock, he witnessed a shocking scene—Kemi, vulnerable and sorrowful, allowing the snake to slither between her legs.
Rotimi’s heart raced with fear, and he couldn’t contain himself.
His scream pierced the air, startling Kemi and sending the snake retreating into the shadows.
As Kemi faced her brother, tears streamed down her cheeks.
How could she explain the horrifying truth?
Before she could utter a word, Rotimi fled, leaving Kemi alone with her shame.
Now, the fragile secret that Kemi had carried was at risk of being exposed.
Would Rotimi protect his sister, or would he reveal her dark dealings?
As Kemi stood by the stream, her heart heavy with regret and uncertainty, she realized that her dangerous bargain had far-reaching consequences, not just for her, but for her entire family.
The question loomed: could she find a way to break free from this curse and reclaim her life?
