🪘 Chapter One – The Drum Nobody Must Touch
Long ago, there was a small place called Kafira Village.
People there worked hard. They farmed. They fished. They laughed together every evening.
But there was one place nobody went.
It was an old hut at the edge of the village.
Inside that hut sat one very old drum.
The drum was bigger than a man.
It was covered with old skins, strange ropes, and little white shells.
Nobody knew who made it.
Nobody knew how old it was.
The old people only said one thing.
"Never touch that drum."
Children heard the warning from the day they could walk.
Even grown men stayed far away.
When the wind blew at night...
People said they could hear...
Boom...
Boom...
Boom...
Nobody was beating it.
Still...
The sound came.
One old woman whispered,
"The drum is breathing again."
Another old man shook his head.
"No..."
"It is calling."
Nobody asked what it was calling.
Because everyone already knew.
It was calling for the next person.
Every year, one person disappeared.
No body.
No footprints.
Nothing.
Only the drum sound.
Boom...
Boom...
Boom...
People stopped talking whenever they heard it.
Doors were locked.
Fires were put out.
Even dogs hid under beds.
Nobody wanted the drum to know they were awake.
One evening, a young hunter came back to the village.
His name was Tayo.
He was brave.
He feared nothing.
When the old people warned him about the drum...
He laughed.
"A drum cannot kill anybody."
The three old women looked at each other.
One of them slowly stood up.
She looked straight into Tayo's eyes.
Then she said,
"The last man who said those same words..."
"...never came back."
Tayo smiled anyway.
He picked up his spear.
"I will go and see this drum tomorrow."
The whole village became silent.
Even the birds stopped singing.
Far away...
From inside the old hut...
Boom...
Boom...
Boom...
The drum had just heard his promise.
🌙 End of Chapter One
🌙 End of Chapter One
🌫 Chapter Two – The Beating in the Dark
The next morning came.
Nobody saw Tayo.
His mother knocked on his door.
No answer.
She pushed the door open.
His bed was empty.
His spear was gone.
His sandals were gone too.
The whole village knew where he had gone.
Nobody said it.
But everybody knew.
The old women were already sitting under the big tree.
Their eyes were closed.
One of them spoke.
"He has gone to wake it."
The other two nodded slowly.
Far away...
Tayo climbed the narrow path to the old hut.
The air felt heavy.
Even the trees looked dead.
No birds sang.
No insects made a sound.
He laughed to himself.
"They scared themselves for nothing."
Soon...
He saw the hut.
It looked older than before.
The roof was falling apart.
The door was hanging on one rope.
Tayo walked closer.
His smile slowly disappeared.
The drum was there.
Just as the old people had said.
It was huge.
Its black skin looked fresh.
Like somebody had just made it.
The little white shells around it moved.
But...
There was no wind.
Tayo frowned.
He reached out his hand.
Just before his fingers touched the drum...
Boom...
The sound came again.
Very loud.
Tayo quickly pulled back.
He looked around.
Nobody.
The hut was empty.
He laughed again.
"Who's trying to scare me?"
No answer.
So...
He hit the drum with his hand.
Boom!!
The ground shook.
The trees bent.
Birds flew into the sky.
Back in Kafira Village...
Everyone froze.
The old women slowly opened their eyes.
One of them whispered,
"He has done it."
Then...
A deep voice came from inside the hut.
It was not loud.
But it sounded close.
"Tayo..."
He turned quickly.
Nobody.
The voice came again.
"Tayo..."
This time...
It sounded like it was coming...
From inside the drum.
🌙 End of Chapter Two
🌳 Chapter Three – The Voice Inside the Drum
Tayo slowly stepped back.
His heart was beating fast.
He looked around again.
Nobody.
The hut was still empty.
Only the old drum stood before him.
Then...
Boom...
The drum beat by itself.
Tayo did not touch it.
Still...
It beat again.
Boom...
Boom...
The voice returned.
"Tayo..."
This time it sounded sad.
Like someone who had been waiting for many years.
Tayo swallowed hard.
"Who's there?"
The hut became quiet.
Then the drum answered.
"I have waited for you."
Tayo's eyes grew wide.
His legs wanted to run.
But they refused to move.
The shells hanging on the drum began to shake.
One by one...
They started falling to the ground.
Click...
Click...
Click...
The ropes around the drum slowly untied themselves.
The black skin stretched tighter.
It looked alive.
Suddenly...
A dark hand pushed out from the middle of the drum.
Tayo jumped back.
Then another hand appeared.
Then a face.
It was covered with black ash.
Its eyes were white.
It smiled.
A smile that made Tayo's whole body shake.
"Thank you..."
"You woke me."
Tayo grabbed his spear.
He pointed it at the strange figure.
"Stay back!"
The figure laughed.
Its laugh echoed across the forest.
The trees shook.
The sky became dark.
Back in Kafira Village...
People looked toward the forest.
They could hear the laugh.
Children started crying.
The three old women stood together.
One of them closed her eyes.
"It has left the drum."
Another whispered,
"Now it will come for the village."
Inside the hut...
The dark figure slowly stepped out of the drum.
It looked straight at Tayo.
Then it smiled again.
"You are the first..."
"But you will not be the last."
Suddenly...
It disappeared.
Just like smoke.
Tayo stood there alone.
The drum was silent again.
But outside...
Something was walking toward Kafira Village.
🌙 End of Chapter Three
🔥 Chapter Four – The First Night of Fear
Tayo ran as fast as he could.
He did not stop.
He did not look back.
Branches hit his face.
Sharp stones cut his feet.
Still...
He kept running.
When he finally reached Kafira Village...
Everybody was waiting.
Nobody asked where he had been.
They already knew.
The three old women walked toward him.
One looked into his eyes.
Another touched his forehead.
The last one whispered,
"You saw it."
Tayo nodded slowly.
His lips were shaking.
"It came out of the drum."
"It spoke to me."
The old women closed their eyes.
Nobody said another word.
The village chief stepped forward.
His face was full of fear.
"Lock every door."
"Nobody goes outside tonight."
Before the sun disappeared...
Every house was closed.
Even the cooking fires were put out.
The whole village became dark.
Children stayed close to their mothers.
Nobody laughed.
Nobody talked loudly.
Then...
Night came.
For a long time...
Nothing happened.
Some people started thinking...
Maybe it was over.
Then...
Boom...
The drum beat again.
But this time...
It was not coming from the forest.
It was much closer.
Boom...
Boom...
Boom...
The sound moved through the village.
Like somebody was carrying the drum.
A little girl looked through a small hole in her window.
She gasped.
"Mama..."
"Someone is outside."
Her mother quickly covered her mouth.
"Don't look."
"Whatever you hear..."
"Don't open the door."
Outside...
Slow footsteps echoed.
Step...
Step...
Step...
Then...
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Someone knocked on Tayo's door.
He held his breath.
Nobody in the house moved.
Then a voice came.
It sounded exactly like his late father.
"Tayo..."
"My son..."
"Open the door."
Tayo's eyes filled with tears.
His father had died five years ago.
But the voice...
It sounded real.
Very real.
He slowly stood up.
He began walking toward the door.
His hand reached for the wooden lock.
Just as he was about to open it...
One of the old women screamed from outside the house,
"Tayo!!"
"That is NOT your father!"
🌙 End of Chapter Four
👣 Chapter Five – The Thing at the Door
Tayo froze.
His hand stopped on the wooden lock.
The voice outside became softer.
"My son..."
"Why are you afraid of me?"
Tayo closed his eyes.
His father's voice sounded so real.
It even called him the same way.
Slowly...
He stepped away from the door.
Outside...
Everything became quiet.
No footsteps.
No drum.
Nothing.
Then...
The knocking came again.
This time...
Much harder.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
The whole house shook.
Tayo's mother held him tightly.
"Don't answer."
"It wants you."
Suddenly...
The roof started making strange sounds.
Scratch...
Scratch...
Scratch...
Something was crawling above them.
Very slowly.
It stopped right above Tayo.
Dust fell from the roof.
Everybody looked up.
Nobody breathed.
Then...
Two long fingers pushed through the roof.
Black fingers.
Thin like dry sticks.
They slowly reached down.
Looking for someone.
Looking for...
Tayo.
His mother screamed.
The fingers quickly disappeared.
Outside...
The drum beat again.
Boom...
Boom...
Boom...
The old women ran into the house.
One carried a small clay pot.
Another carried white powder.
The last one carried a burning stick.
Without saying a word...
They drew a circle around Tayo.
The white powder formed a complete ring.
The oldest woman looked at him.
"Do not step outside this circle."
"No matter what you see."
"No matter who calls your name."
Tayo nodded.
The old woman threw something into the fire.
A thick blue smoke filled the room.
The drum suddenly stopped.
Everyone smiled.
Maybe...
It had gone.
Then...
Someone laughed.
Not outside.
Not on the roof.
The laugh came...
From inside the white circle.
🌙 End of Chapter Five
💀 Chapter Six – The Thing Inside the Circle
Nobody moved.
The laugh came again.
Soft.
Slow.
Very close.
The three old women looked at each other.
Fear filled their faces.
One of them whispered,
"It is already inside."
Tayo looked around the white circle.
There was nobody there.
Only him.
The blue smoke slowly became thicker.
Soon...
He could hardly see his own hands.
Then...
A shadow appeared.
Right in front of him.
It had no face.
No eyes.
Only darkness.
The shadow slowly began to change.
Its body became clearer.
Its face appeared.
Tayo's heart almost stopped.
The shadow now looked exactly like him.
Same face.
Same clothes.
Same voice.
"Leave the circle."
The fake Tayo smiled.
"They cannot save you."
The real Tayo stepped back.
His legs were shaking.
"Who are you?"
The copy laughed.
"I am you."
"And soon..."
"I will take your place."
Outside...
The wind suddenly became wild.
The hut shook.
The fire almost went out.
One of the old women quickly threw more herbs into it.
The blue smoke became brighter.
The fake Tayo screamed.
Its skin began to crack.
Black smoke came out from inside it.
For one second...
Everyone thought it was over.
Then the copy smiled again.
"You are too late."
It pointed toward the village.
The old women rushed outside.
Tayo followed them.
Far away...
Near the big tree...
The cursed drum was standing.
Nobody had moved it.
Yet...
There it was.
Right in the middle of Kafira Village.
Then...
Without anybody touching it...
It beat once.
BOOM!!
Every person in the village fell to the ground.
Only Tayo...
Was still standing.
🌙 End of Chapter Six
⚡ Chapter Seven – The Drummer Without a Face
Tayo looked around.
Everybody was lying on the ground.
His mother.
The village chief.
The children.
Even the three old women.
Nobody moved.
Only Tayo was standing.
His heart beat faster.
"What have you done?"
The drum answered with another beat.
BOOM!!
The ground shook.
The air became cold.
Very cold.
Then...
A dark hand came out of the drum.
Then another.
Slowly...
A tall man climbed out.
He wore a long black cloth.
His body looked thin.
His feet never touched the ground.
He floated.
Tayo looked at his face.
Then he stepped back.
The man had no face.
Nothing.
Only smooth black skin.
Yet...
He was smiling.
Tayo could hear the smile.
"Thank you..."
"You opened my prison."
Tayo held his spear tightly.
"Leave these people alone!"
The spirit laughed.
The sound made the trees bend.
"They are already mine."
Tayo looked around.
One by one...
The villagers slowly stood up.
But something was wrong.
Their eyes were completely white.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody blinked.
They all turned...
And looked at Tayo.
Even his own mother.
She stretched out her hands.
"Tayo..."
"Come to us."
Her voice sounded strange.
It was not her voice.
It sounded like many people speaking together.
The three old women suddenly opened their eyes.
Unlike the others...
Their eyes were normal.
The oldest woman shouted,
"Run!"
"Do not let them touch you!"
Tayo turned and ran.
Behind him...
The whole village followed.
Slowly.
Silently.
Like walking shadows.
The faceless spirit did not chase him.
It only stood beside the drum.
Watching.
Then it whispered,
"You can run today..."
"...but before the next full moon..."
"...you will beat my drum yourself."
🌙 End of Chapter Seven
🌑 Chapter Eight – The Last Beat
Tayo did not stop running.
His legs hurt.
His chest burned.
Still...
He kept going.
Behind him...
The people of Kafira Village kept walking.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Like they were no longer human.
The three old women finally caught up with Tayo.
They were breathing hard.
The oldest one grabbed his arm.
"It is time."
Tayo looked at her.
"Time for what?"
She pointed at the drum far behind them.
"The curse cannot be hidden."
"It must be ended."
Tayo looked at the villagers.
His mother was still among them.
She kept calling his name.
But her voice was not hers anymore.
Tears filled his eyes.
"I can't leave them."
The old woman nodded.
"You won't."
"But someone must beat the drum..."
"...one last time."
Tayo stared at her.
He did not understand.
The second old woman opened a small cloth.
Inside was an old wooden drumstick.
It was cracked.
Very old.
She placed it in Tayo's hand.
"This is the First Stick."
"It can end what it started."
Tayo slowly walked back.
Every step felt heavier.
The faceless spirit was waiting beside the drum.
It smiled.
"I knew you would return."
Tayo did not answer.
He stood before the drum.
The spirit moved closer.
"Beat it."
"And the whole world will be mine."
Tayo lifted the old drumstick.
The villagers stopped walking.
The wind stopped blowing.
Even the birds became silent.
The spirit laughed.
It thought it had won.
Then...
Tayo turned the drumstick around.
Instead of striking the front...
He hit the back of the drum with all his strength.
CRACK!!
A loud sound shook the whole village.
The drum split into two.
Bright white light burst out.
The faceless spirit screamed.
Its body began to break apart.
Piece by piece.
"No..."
"This cannot be!"
The white light covered everything.
When it finally disappeared...
The drum was gone.
The spirit was gone.
The villagers slowly opened their eyes.
They looked around.
Confused.
Tayo's mother ran to him.
She hugged him tightly.
Nobody remembered what had happened.
Only the three old women remembered.
They smiled at Tayo.
Then...
They slowly disappeared into the morning mist.
Nobody in Kafira Village ever saw them again.
🌿 Moral of the Story
Bravery is not about fighting. Sometimes, real courage is doing the right thing, even when you are the only one who can do it.
📖 The End
🌙 End of Chapter Eight