: The Whispering Sands of Warri

Episode 1: The River's SecretThe early morning sun, still soft and hazy, painted the Warri River in strokes of gold and amber. The air, thick with the scent of damp earth and the distant aroma of frying akara, hummed with the quiet energy of a city waking. For Ejiro, however, the morning held a disquieting stillness.She stood on the familiar banks, the muddy water lapping gently at her bare feet. This stretch of the river, near her family’s small fishing compound, had always been a place of solace. But lately, a subtle unease had settled over it, like a thin film of oil on the water's surface.It wasn't anything tangible. The fishermen still cast their nets, their rhythmic calls echoing across the water. The market women still haggled over prices near the jetty. Life in Warri, on the surface, flowed as predictably as the river itself. Yet, Ejiro, a young woman with eyes that seemed to hold the wisdom of generations, felt a shift.It started with the whispers. Faint, almost imperceptible sounds carried on the breeze, too soft to be human voices, too rhythmic to be the rustling of leaves. They seemed to emanate from the river itself, a low, murmuring susurrus that prickled the hairs on the back of her neck.At first, she dismissed it as her imagination, the product of a restless night. But the whispers persisted, growing slightly louder each day, their cadence hinting at something ancient and unknown.Today, they were stronger than ever. As she gazed at the swirling currents, a single word seemed to detach itself from the murmur, clear yet ethereal: "Beware."Ejiro shivered, despite the warmth of the morning air. She had heard stories growing up, tales whispered by the elders around crackling fires – stories of the river spirits, of ancient pacts, and of the consequences of disturbing the delicate balance of their world. She had always considered them folklore, meant to keep children away from dangerous waters. Now, a seed of doubt, cold and sharp, began to sprout in her heart.Her younger brother, Itse, a boisterous boy of ten, came bounding towards her, a mischievous grin on his face. "Ejiro! Mama says you're needed to sort the fish."Ejiro forced a smile, trying to banish the unsettling feeling. "Coming, Itse."As she turned to follow him, she glanced back at the river. The sunlight danced on its surface, obscuring whatever secrets lay beneath. But the whispering sound, though fainter now, lingered in the air, a constant, subtle reminder of the warning she had received. The peace of the Warri River, for Ejiro, had begun to unravel.End of Episode 1