MY SOUTH AFRICAN BOYFRIEND HAS A FORBIDDEN ROOM WITH A WEIRD SMELL
I thought I knew him. My boyfriend was rich, handsome, and kind—or at least, he pretended to be. I never imagined that the man I loved could want to hurt me.
It started with small things. He would disappear for hours, talking to people I didn’t know. Then, he began insisting I wear certain clothes, come to “special dinners,” and stay quiet when he made strange phone calls. I thought it was just him being private, but it was more than that.
One night, he told me he had a surprise. I followed him through the mansion, up a hidden staircase I had never noticed. At the top was a heavy door, carved with symbols I didn’t understand. He smiled, the kind of smile that should have felt safe—but didn’t.
When the door opened, I froze. Smoke filled the room, carrying the sharp smell of herbs and something sweet I couldn’t name. Candles burned in odd shapes, casting shadows that moved like living things. And then I saw it.
A huge snake, easily as long as a person, sat at a small table. It was drinking tea from a gold cup. Gold beads draped its neck, and tiny gold earrings dangled from its head. Its eyes were terrifyingly bright, as if it could see every fear in me.
My boyfriend whispered that this was a ritual to make him richer. He said I could help. I didn’t understand at first. Then I realized—he wanted to offer me to this creature, to the sangoma, to gain wealth. My blood ran cold.
The snake hissed softly. It moved closer, its tongue flicking out like it was tasting the air around me. I tried to step back, but the walls seemed to close in. He laughed quietly, calling the snake by a strange name, and I felt trapped, as if the shadows themselves were alive, waiting for me.
I waited for hours, trembling. Every instinct screamed at me to run, but I knew one wrong move could mean I wouldn’t escape. Finally, he left the mansion for the night. I waited until his car disappeared down the road, then packed a small bag. My hands shook so badly I dropped things. I had to move quietly—one sound could alert him, or worse, the snake.
I slipped out of the mansion into the dark streets, heart pounding in my chest. I didn’t stop running until I found strangers who could hide me. That night, I learned a terrible truth: wealth can hide evil, and love can be a trap.
Even now, I remember the snake. Sitting at the table, drinking tea, wearing gold beads and earrings, staring at me like it wanted my soul. I survived because I trusted my fear. I ran. And I will never forget.
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