The Ghost

On my way to the Northern of Namibia,

between Kalkveld and Otjiwarongo,

I saw a woman next to the road,

a tall, battered figure, with blood-stained cloths,

eyes glows yellow in the light of moon,

long pointed teeth in a red colored mouth,

feet that ended in claws rather than toes.

 

Frightened, I start praying,

met by an unnatural cold,

sweating profusely, unable to stop shaking,

the temperature around me plummeted,

my heart hammered so hard it hurt my ribs,

I shrieked in fright and slammed on my brakes,

 

I screamed as she leapt at my window,

her clawed hands striking the glass,

I put my foot down on the accelerator,

and the car leapt forward,

she ran alongside the car,

keeping up easily and striking at me again and again.

 

Red light swirled around her like mist,

and she pointed after me,

her mouth moving though I could not make out the words.

I jerked my attention back to the road,

afraid what might happen to me if my car ran off the road.

 

I made it to Otjiwarongo in record time

and flung myself out of the car,

pounding on my uncles door frantically,

looking behind me to see if the demon-faced woman had followed me.

 

By Seth Yuhi Musinga