THE KNIFE THAT WAS DROPPED ON PURPOSE __DAILY PROMPT 3RD NOVEMBER

The knife was lying in the middle of the bush path.

Not rusty. Not dirty. It was shining, like someone just dropped it 2 minutes ago. Black handle, silver blade, clean.

Chidi saw it first. We were cutting through that short-cut behind Community Secondary School, Awka. To go to our house faster.

Chidi wanted to pick it.

I said "leave am."

He said "why? Na fine knife o. I fit use am for house."

I don't know why, but my stomach turned. Something in my head was shouting - don't pick up that knife!

The air around that knife was cold. The birds were not making noise again. Even the crickets kept quiet.

Chidi bent down. He touched the handle.

Immediately, a woman shouted from the cassava farm nearby - "DON'T PICK UP THAT KNIFE!"

We jumped.

She ran to us, breathing hard. Old woman, wrapper tied on chest. She carried her own cutlass.

She said "my son dropped that knife there this morning after he fought his brother. He swore with it. He said whoever picks it will carry his curse. We are looking for native doctor to cleanse it. Don't touch it!"

Chidi left it sharply. His hand was shaking.

The woman used two big leaves to carry the knife, like it was poison. She carried it away, cursing and praying as she walked.

We stood on that path for like 5 minutes, we couldn't move.

Chidi looked at me and said "Guy, you save me."

I did not save him. Something else told me not to pick it.

Since that day, I don't pick anything that is not mine on the road. Not knife, not money, not phone. If it is lying too clean, too perfect, I waka pass.

Because some things are not lost. They are dropped on purpose.

Don't pick up that knife!

IMAGE IS AI GENERATED