**THE MIDNIGHT CALL**

The marketplace at Ogbada was a lively hub by day, filled with the chatter of buyers and the ringing of metal scales. But at night, it transformed into a place of whispers and shadows, where only the foolish or desperate dared to tread.

Everyone in the village knew of Adaku, the mysterious food seller. Her stall was unlike the others. By day, it was an unassuming wooden table piled high with freshly cooked jollof rice, spicy suya, and sweet akara. But her food had an addictive quality, a taste so unique that people would walk miles to buy from her. Adaku herself was peculiar—always dressed in flowing red wrappers and adorned with cowrie shells, her piercing eyes seemed to see through flesh and into the soul.

One night, as the moon hung low and full, Obinna, a young farmer, found himself in desperate need. His wife, Chioma, had fallen gravely ill, and the village herbalist had cryptically advised him to seek "the food that binds the living and the dead." The only place he could think of was Adaku’s stall.

As he approached the marketplace, the silence was deafening. The usual sounds of nocturnal animals were absent, and the air was thick with an eerie stillness. Obinna gripped his lantern tightly, its faint light barely cutting through the oppressive darkness.

When he reached Adaku’s stall, she was already there, as though she had been waiting for him. Her fire flickered unnaturally, casting long, dancing shadows that seemed to have minds of their own.

"You seek my food," she said without him uttering a word. Her voice was low, almost a growl, and her smile revealed teeth that were far too sharp.

Obinna hesitated, but his desperation outweighed his fear. "My wife is dying. I was told your food could help."

Adaku chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down his spine. "Oh, my food can do many things, young man. But the price... are you willing to pay?"

"What is the price?" Obinna asked, his voice trembling.

---