Because my father protected me with magic, my cousin sent me packing

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“My father is a native doctor in my hometown and he was initiated by his grandfather. Because we didn’t have any money, I was sent to live with one of my older cousins in the city. In my cousin’s home, they prayed every morning and evening as a family. I didn’t mind because I noticed that their type of prayer was also the type of prayer my father said, except that he said it to a different god from theirs. My father’s god was a female deity who gave us protection in exchange for our adoration and worship of her but my aunt’s God is the one they talk about in church. But still, the prayers were the same – praise, worship, adoration and requests for protection from the evils of the world.

One day, as we were saying the morning prayers, I felt someone come close and when I opened my eyes, I noticed a woman wearing black, with very long nails, standing next to me.

She asked me to follow her but I didn’t because my cousin didn’t like interruptions during prayers.  When we were done, I opened my eyes but didn’t see her again. I asked my cousin where the woman was so I could attend to her but my cousin didn’t know what I was talking about. She said that I probably dozed off and had a small dream.

Days later, at the market, I noticed the same woman following me silently from a distance. I became afraid because she simply stood a few feet away and stared at me. Also, I didn’t understand why no one stopped to look at her considering her bizarre outfit.

For weeks, this woman would follow me around but always from a distance. I didn’t know what to make of it so I didn’t tell my cousin. One day finally, the woman called out to me and I got very scared and worried. Immediately I got home, I told my cousin about the strange lady and we agreed that she would go out with me the next time I needed to step out.

The next day, my cousin and I went out together. As we walked, I saw the strange lady again and quickly called my cousin’s attention. However, despite the fact that my cousin was staring directly at the point where the lady was standing, she saw nothing. I didn’t understand why because I was staring right at her. But then, I noticed that like before, no one was paying any attention to the strangely dressed woman and seeing how they walked past her, it became obvious that they were not seeing her. And I freaked.

Quickly, my cousin called my father to tell him what was going on; he laughed happily and said we had nothing to worry about. He explained that it was the physical manifestation of his deity whom he’d asked to protect me while I was in the city.

That week, my cousin took me back to my father’s house. I was crying because I wanted to stay with her in the city but she said it was not possible as her God and my father’s god were enemies.  But she promised that she’d continue with her financial support of my education. I pleaded but my cousin would not budge. That’s how I came back home. "