Ikumapayi left the Baale’s office with more questions than answers. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off in Odeodunbi. As she walked down the main street, she noticed that the locals were peeking at her, their eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
She decided to pay a visit to the local canteen, hoping to gather more information about the strange occurences in Odeodunbi. As she entered the canteen, she was greeted by the friendly face of Ibironke, the canteen attendant. “Welcome. What would like to order? We have amala, pounded yam, rice…” she went on about the list of the varieties of food available. Ikumapayi ordered for amala.
Few moments, her food is ready. As Ikumapayi swallowed morsels of Amala, she struck up a conversation with a local man, sitting close by. “What’s going on in this town?” she asked, her eyes scanning the canteen. “The Baale seems to think it’s something supernatural.”
The local man leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. “There’s an old legend about Odeodunbi,” he said. “They say that back in the 1950s, a group of scientists conducted some kind of experiment in the forest just outside of town.”
Ikumapayi’s ears perked up. “What kind of experiment?” she asked. The man hesitated, glancing around the canteen nervously. “I don’t know if I should be telling you this,” he said. “But they say that the scientists opened up some kind of portal to another dimension.” Ikumapayi’s eyes widened in shock. “A portal?” she repeated. Ibironke butts in. “Yeah. And they say that ever since then, Odeodunbi has been… different. Like, the fabric of reality is thin here or something.”Ikumapayi’s mind was racing with possibilities. She knew that she had to investigate further.
Ibironke leaned closer, “I know what you might be thinking. Don’t near there; those who did, never returned.” Ikumapayi looks on. “Well I’m known for never going by the rules.” She mumbled to herself.
