THE SLAP THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

THE SLAP THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

“My daughters, please help me carry my firewood. I’m so tired.”

“Don’t you ever call me your daughter.”

Joy and Tracy were best friends in the village of Aduka. They were both 19 years old, both in secondary school, and everyone knew them as the two girls who were always together. Tracy was bold, sharp-tongued, and proud. Joy was quiet, kind, and always thinking about other people.

That morning, the sun was already bright. The road was red and dusty, and the school bell could ring any minute. They were walking fast, their school bags bouncing on their backs, breathing hard because they were almost late. Tracy kept complaining as they hurried.

“Joy, hurry up. If we enter late again, Madame Rose will disgrace us. I’m not kneeling today,” Tracy said, dragging Joy forward as if time were chasing them.

As they reached the big Iroko tree beside the road, they saw an old woman coming from the opposite direction. She was very weak, bent, and trembling, as if her bones were tired of life. A heavy bundle of firewood was tied on her head with rough rope, and her hands shook as she tried to balance it. Her feet were bare, her wrapper was old and patched, and sweat was already running down her face even though it was still morning.

She stopped in front of them, breathing heavily, and her voice came out thin, as if she were begging with the last of her strength.

“My daughters, please help me carry my firewood to my house. It’s not far from here.”

Tracy’s face changed immediately. She frowned as if insulted.

“No,” she snapped. “Old ugly woman, we can’t help you. We are going to school and we are already late. Why are you disturbing us? Go and find your children.”

The old woman blinked and lowered her eyes.

But Joy stepped closer with concern. “Mama, don’t worry,” she said softly. “I will help you carry it.”

Then Joy turned to Tracy. “Tracy, please go to school. I will join you later. Let me help her.”

Tracy shouted, “Joy, are you mad? Who is your mother? Is this your mother? You don’t even know this woman. Come, let’s go now. We are getting late.”

Joy shook her head. “I can’t leave her like this. She is weak and she might fall.”

Tracy grabbed Joy’s arm in anger. “So you want them to punish you because of a stranger? You like suffering too much. You always want to act like a saint.”

Joy gently removed her hand. “It’s not about acting. It’s about helping.”

Tracy’s eyes turned cold. “Fine. Carry the firewood. But don’t call me when you get punished. And listen, you will soon stop being my friend. I don’t follow stubborn people. Who does this kind of nonsense?”

Tracy turned and walked away quickly toward the school road, still angry, still talking to herself, not even looking back.

Joy watched her go for a second, feeling that painful tightness in her chest. But then she faced the old woman again. The woman looked at Joy as if she could not believe someone was still standing there.

“You really want to help me?” the old woman asked.

Joy nodded. “Yes, Mama.”

She knelt, arranged herself, and tried to lift the heavy bundle. The firewood pressed down on her head so hard that her knees shook, but she refused to cry. The old woman steadied it and pointed to a small path away from the main road.

“This way,” she said quietly.

Joy took her first step into the path—late for school, abandoned by her best friend, carrying a weight that felt too heavy for her age. Yet she still moved forward, not knowing that this small act of kindness was about to open a door that would change her life forever….

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Joy adjusted the heavy bundle on her head and followed the narrow path behind the old woman.

Each step felt like fire running through her neck and shoulders.

The road was no longer smooth. Stones pressed into her bare feet. Dry leaves cracked under her weight. Sweat rolled down her face, but she kept going.

“Are we close, Mama?” Joy asked softly, trying to hide her pain.

The old woman walked slowly ahead, her back still bent.

“We are almost there, my daughter… just a little more.”

Joy nodded, even though her legs were already trembling.

AT THE SCHOOL
Meanwhile, Tracy rushed into the school compound.

She was just in time.

Students were already lined up. The morning assembly had started.

Tracy quickly joined her class, trying to act normal, but her chest was still rising from the run.

Madame Rose stood in front, her sharp eyes scanning the students.

“Where is Joy?” she asked suddenly.

Tracy hesitated for a second.

Then she shrugged carelessly.
“I don’t know, ma. She decided to follow one useless old woman instead of coming to school.”

A murmur spread among the students.

Madame Rose frowned deeply.

“Follow an old woman? For what?”

“To carry firewood,” Tracy said, rolling her eyes. “She likes doing nonsense.”

Some students laughed quietly.

But Madame Rose didn’t.

Instead, her face hardened.

“We will deal with her when she comes.”

BACK ON THE PATH
Joy was breathing heavily now.

Her legs almost gave way as they finally reached a small compound hidden behind tall trees.

It didn’t look like a normal house.

The compound was quiet… too quiet.

No children.

No animals.

Just silence.

Joy carefully bent down and dropped the firewood.

She exhaled deeply, holding her waist.

“Mama… we are here…”

But when she lifted her head—

She froze.

The old woman was no longer bent.

No longer trembling.

She stood straight.

Strong.

Her eyes… were different.

Sharp. Bright. Powerful.

Joy’s heart skipped.

“Mama…?” she whispered.

The old woman smiled slowly.

“You have a good heart, Joy.”

Joy stepped back, confused. “What… what is happening?”

Before she could understand—

A sudden wind blew through the compound.

continue to the next page.The dry leaves began to swirl.

Joy’s eyes widened in fear.

AT THE SCHOOL – LATER
Assembly had ended.

Classes had started.

Still no sign of Joy.

Madame Rose was already angry.

“Tracy!” she called.

Tracy stood up lazily. “Yes, ma?”

“You said Joy followed an old woman?”

“Yes.”

Madame Rose picked up her cane.

“Go and find her. Bring her here immediately.”

Tracy frowned. “Me?”

“Yes, you!” Madame Rose snapped. “You were the last person with her.”

The class went silent.

Tracy hissed quietly but grabbed her bag.

“Fine,” she muttered. “Let me go and look for that village girl.”

BACK AT THE COMPOUND
Joy’s heart was pounding.

The old woman walked slowly toward her.

Each step felt… different.

Not weak.

Not slow.

But powerful.

“You chose kindness over comfort,” the woman said.

Joy swallowed hard. “Mama… who are you?”

The woman stopped in front of her.

Then—

“I am not who you think I am.”

Joy’s breath caught.

Before she could react—

Voices echoed from outside.

“JOY! JOY!”

It was Tracy.

She had followed the same path.

And now she stood at the entrance of the compound, breathing heavily.

“Joy, are you here?!” she shouted, stepping inside.

Then she saw them.

Joy.

And the old woman.

Tracy frowned immediately.

“So this is where you are wasting time?” she snapped. “Are you mad? Do you know they are waiting to punish you in school?”

Joy tried to speak. “Tracy… something is not—”

“Shut up!” Tracy shouted.

She turned to the old woman angrily.

“And you!” she barked. “What is wrong with you? Why are you disturbing students?!”

The old woman said nothing.

She only looked at Tracy quietly.

That silence… made Tracy even angrier.

“I’m talking to you!” Tracy yelled.

Then—

SLAP!

The sound echoed through the compound.

Joy gasped.

“MADNESS!” Joy cried. “Tracy, what have you done?!”

The old woman didn’t move.

continue to the next page.She didn’t touch her cheek.

She only slowly turned her face back to Tracy…

And smiled.

A strange… chilling smile.

The wind rose again.

Stronger this time.

Leaves swirled violently around them.

Tracy stepped back slightly.

“What… what is this?” she stammered.

The old woman’s voice changed—

Deeper.

Stronger.

Not weak anymore.

“You raised your hand… against me?”

Tracy’s confidence cracked.

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