Abena's Adventure

"Put it down baby girl, put it down, you don't want to hurt me, do you?"

"Oh, not talking, are we? Listen sweetheart, we've been stuck in this cabin for how long? 5, 6 hours now? And judging by the looks of that snowstorm out there, we might be here for a while still. At least until the forest rangers come looking."

"Ah, silent treatment, huh? Well, honey, look at it this way, if you put down that gun you have pointed at me right now, I can promise to get us out of here safe and sound, okay?"

"Still not talking? Alright, sweetie, how 'bout we introduce ourselves- hey, woah there, easy with that. Honey, I have to say, the way your hands are shaking around that gun there, is not making me feel comfy at all. Sweetie, didn't your parents ever tell you not to play with 9mm semi-automatics, hmm?"

"Alright, fine, don't answer. My parents taught me to be polite and introduce myself when I meet someone new. My name is Obayifo, Yifo for short- you can call me Uncle Yifo if you like."

"Hey, hey there, no need to tighten your hands around that thing, my name rings a bell, does it? Well, let me tell you now honey, I'm not in the business of eating cornrowed 10 year old little girls; let's just say my parents indulged a little too much in the 70's, if you know what I mean."

"No, no, okay so shaking your head means no I presume, well I suppose you have no idea what I mean, do you?"

"Fine let's put it this way: I'm Ghanaian, you're Ghanaian too, and I know about the stories and all- big bad Obayifo, going around eating little children- but come on sweetie, let this adult tell you right now that this is America, and we're in the middle of a forest in Poekie, Michigan. Those silly African superstitions don't work here, 'kay?"

"Don't believe me? Okay look, I'm going to open my mouth and show you my teeth- easy there- see, no fangs, no horribly deformed features, perfectly normal, 'kay?"

"Now, honey, let's try this again- you don't have to put down the gun, just tell me your name and what in all he--ck, you're doing out here alone in a snowstorm."

"A-a-abena...g-got lost from m-my tour g-group."

"Abena, is it? Born on Tuesday, huh? Well now that's a pretty name, that wasn't so hard now, was it? And getting lost is no fun. I should know, I got lost hunting out there, lucky we found this cabin, eh?"

"...."

"Look sweetie, I didn't mean to shoot at you, thought you were a deer- heck of a tackle you got there though- so why don't you put the gun down on that table right over there- no? Well fine then. So Abena, not much of a talker are you?"

"…My m-mother s-said not to talk to s-strangers."

"Well, we're not strangers anymore. I'm Uncle Yifo and you're Abena, there, now we know each other. How about you put that gun awa- okay, still shaking your head. Fine then Abena, so since it would be boring to sit in this dark, cold, cabin without saying anything for the next few hours, how 'bout we play a game."

"A g-game?"

"Yes sweetheart, a game. I call it, 'who stole the meat from the cooking pot', d'you know that one honey?"

"N-no, dunno it."

"Okay then let me tell you how it goes- careful, careful with that gun now, steady, steady, good girl- now let's see, how does it go again- right, so I sing, 'who stole the meat from the cooking pot', and you reply 'Uncle Yifo stole the meat from the cooking pot."

"D-did you steal?"

"Steal what dear? Oh never mind that, just go with it sweets; and then, I say, 'oh me', and you say, 'yes you', to which I reply, 'it couldn't be',  and you ask, 'then who', and I accuse you of stealing and on and on, d'you get it honey?"

"That sounds like a s-stupid g-game."

"Haha, yes it does, doesn't it, haha- makes for a da--arn good song though, my favorite actually."

"Oh…w-whats that noise?"

"What noise, oh you mean that; that, my dear, would be the music of my stomach belting its song of hunger, all this talk of food is making me hungry."

"…I have c-candy. Here, it's a l-lifesaver. I only h-have the g-green ones though, c-cause they t-taste like cough m-medicine."

"Aw, thanks honey, but unfortunately, Uncle Yifo here has diabetes, so I'm somewhat allergic to sweets."

"Oh."

"Now, if you were to hand over my gun back to me, I might be able to get us out of here and find some real meat in a cooking pot, haha."

"…"

"That's it honey, good girl Abena, hand over the gun, slowly, slowly, you're doing well sweetheart, uuugh."

"W-w-what's the m-m-matter, w-w-what's wrong, w-w-why a-are y-y-you h-holding y-y-your s-s-stomach l-like that?"

"Never mind that, just hand over the gun quickly, now!"

"Y-y-your e-e-eyes, they're r-r-red and your t-t-teeth, w-w-what's wr-wr-wrong with your t-t-teeth?!"

"You little rat! You shitty little maggot! Hand over the gun right now, before I wring your tiny little neck, aaaargh!"



******************

"And then what happened?"

"Then I sh-shot him and he e-exploded."

"…And this all happened during your vacation in America?"

"Y-yes."

"….Abena, I'm telling Aunty Afua that you're making up stories again!"

"W-wait, Joa, c-c-come b-back I'm t-t-telling the t-t-truth, c-c-come b-b-baaack!"

"..."

"Ha! Silly little rat, she really should have listened to the rest of your story, huh sweetheart?"

"L-l-leave m-me a-a-alonee, g-g-get o-out of m-m-my h-h-heeead!"

"Sorry honey. Since, as you said, you destroyed my body, we're going to have to share this one for a very long while."

"N-noooooo!"

"Oh, hush. It's not that bad. In fact, how 'bout we pay your friend Joa a little visit? I'm getting a bit hungry, and I do believe it's time for lunch."