I stepped up to the podium, taking deep breaths because what I was about to say was impossible. This was not what I had planned for my master’s students in the English department, but something within me wanted me to be brave and speak about my own experience as a lecturer. It’s been four years since I have been living with this mystery, hoping that one day it might turn out that everything was just a dream…

In Africa and Nigeria, there is a common belief in Ogbanje, Mami water, and Witchcraft.

And everything else that does not fall into this category is unheard of, or so I thought until I started dating Yemi…

Yemi and I sat on the blanket he had spread out on the floor. We arranged the snacks and drinks in the picnic basket. My brown hair was shiny, and Yemi couldn’t resist twirling it in his hands. I smelled like vanilla. “There’s no water, babe. I forgot to pack that,” I said, looking at Yemi.

“That’s not a problem,” Yemi said. He could hear the sound of water rushing against rocks somewhere in the nearby woods, “I think there’s a waterfall nearby. Remember, we were still planning on going skinny-dipping.” “Will the water be safe to drink, though?”

“Relax, babe. I’ll just be gone for a few minutes,” Yemi said as he stood up. He grabbed an empty bottle of an energy drink and planted a light kiss on my lips.

“Don’t you think I should come with you? There’s no one else around, and without you, I’ll feel a bit creeped out. We should have brought Kate and her boyfriend with us… You know, I mentioned it with a pout.

“Chill. I don’t like that girl, and her boyfriend is too much of a pushover for his own good. She’s not your friend, but you’re too blind to see it,” Yemi said, running his fingers through his mass of black curly hair.

“I don’t like how you keep saying that. She’s had my back since sixth grade. You know…”

“Let’s not argue about her. This Saturday is just about us, alone in the woods. Trust me, you’ll love it. Plus, later this evening, Sam, Philip, John, and Roy will join us. They’re coming, and there’s enough space in the bus for all of us to party. If things go well, we could even stay until tomorrow,” Yemi said, planting seductive kisses on my shoulder. “No need to be upset or scared. I’ll be back.”

I nodded, and Yemi walked into the woods. I stretched my back a bit and lay on the ground with the book ‘The Witness’ by Sandra Brown in my hands.

In the woods, Yemi spotted the waterfall and noticed a clearing on the other side of the water. A few wood embers lay there beside a pile of used water bottles. But they weren’t alone.

He quickly placed the energy drink bottle under the waterfall and waited for it to fill. After it was full, he sealed the bottle and started heading back to the bus when he heard leaves rustling behind him. He turned around swiftly, and to his surprise, Kate was standing there. “What are you doing here?” Yemi asked, surprised. “Well, I wanted to join in the fun. You didn’t invite me, so I invited myself. Denise can’t keep even the smallest secrets from her best friend,” Kate said, playing with the fabric of his shirt that clung to his body. “I could treat you better than her. She’s got a memory like a sieve, you know.”

Yemi ignored her and was about to walk away when she grabbed his hand and provocatively put it in her mouth. “I wouldn’t walk away from me if I were you,” Kate said.

Yemi pulled his hand away from her mouth and continued walking. Kate was clearly annoyed, so she chased after him and tackled him. She started kissing him and attempting to undo his belt. However, she wasn’t strong enough, so Yemi pushed her away.

“I don’t know how you got here, but you need to leave. Denise is my woman, and I don’t care about you. Get it together,” Yemi said as he brushed himself off. Just as he was about to leave, he heard bones cracking. He turned around and saw Kate with fur sprouting all over her body, her muscles pulsating and tearing her clothes. Her green eyes glowed, and her fangs were ready to bite. He cursed under his breath, noticing a wicked grin on her face.

He took a step back, and Kate lunged at him. Irritated, he transformed into a wolf, catching Kate off guard. He engaged her in a fight, clawing her face, and she started bleeding. Angry, she bit into his flank, and he sank his teeth into her neck. She flinched, moving away as blood trickled down her fur. “Oh my God…” I whispered in fear from behind the tree where I had been hiding.

Yemi and Kate heard me, and Kate charged towards me. I fainted out of fear. Yemi intervened before Kate reached me. They fought fiercely for dominance, and he ended up digging his teeth deeper into her neck. Kate was already weakened, so she fell onto her side, clutching her neck. Her naked body seemed small against Yemi as he transformed back into his human form. His hands and legs were bleeding, but he didn’t seem to mind. He rushed over to me and carried me to the bus.

Kate lay on the forest floor, her life flashing before her eyes. As she felt herself nearing death, strong hands gripped her. Yemi placed a piece of cloth on her neck and wrapped her in it before taking her to the bus. Kate was too embarrassed to meet my gaze.

“I’ve called John. He’s on his way. He’ll take her to a doctor friend of ours,” Yemi said as he sat down on a chair, wearing a burgundy shirt and shorts.

“Does John know about all of this?” I asked, and Yemi nodded in response. I couldn’t believe what I had witnessed. I thought it was a bad dream, but it wasn’t. I needed to understand what was happening, and I needed answers quickly. Then I asked again, “So you’re not human? Why did you keep that from me? What are you?” I was clearly shocked by everything I had seen. I had grown tired of sitting alone, and when I heard a faint argument from the bushes, I had gone to check on Yemi, only to witness him turning into a wolf. I hadn’t expected the other person to be my friend, Kate. “Talk to me!” I shouted, frustrated and confused.

“Fine. I’m a werewolf. I always have been. I couldn’t tell you because you wouldn’t understand how these things work,” he said, slightly irritated and annoyed. “I’ve always known Kate was a wolf, and I knew she didn’t like you. She’s always wanted to be my mate. Technically, we’re betrothed, but my wolf rejects her, and we can’t stand her. But the moment I saw you, I knew you were meant for me.”

“What the heck? I don’t understand any of this…”

A car honked outside. Yemi stood up and looked at the car before gently picking up Kate, who was wrapped in a blanket, and carrying her out of the bus.

It was John. I hadn’t realized that he was part of all this. “A shapeshifter,” a “werewolf,” as Yemi had called himself.

They exchanged a few words before Yemi returned to the bus and joined me. “So, all this time…” I started to say, still trying to process it all.

As we drove back home, Yemi tried to explain, but the more he talked, the more I felt disconnected from our relationship. Our worlds seemed irreconcilable, unless I chose to deny my reality and become one of them.

“It’s been four years since I saw him, and now I believe that other beings share this planet with us,” I shared my experience.

Some people in the audience hissed, while others clapped to encourage me, realizing that I was their lecturer and they had little choice.

One of my students, Mike, walked up to the stage, still applauding. They called him “Mike the weird” due to his life’s unusual events. “I believe you,” he whispered into my ear, making me smile nervously.

As expected, Mike took the microphone, looking serious. He cleared his throat and said, “My name is Akindayom Mike. I actually witnessed our lecturer’s story that fateful day. I’m telling you, these creatures exist.”

The hall erupted into chaos when a student let out a painful cry. Brown eyes glared, and fangs sank into his neck. A pregnant woman fainted, and panic spread through the room.

I rushed to help the student, dragging him to a corner and urging him to stay alive, before darting into the crowd.

Do you believe that shapeshifters coexist with us in this world we live in? Or is it just another fairy tale?

Story by the author: Hunted Date