The Dreaded Popobawa

One-Eyed Elf Attacks Only Men.

    “Help me,” Dr. Makan Ouzin cried weakly. He was alone in his bed, his wife and grown children late in returning from a village festival. The pummeling was like a torrential rain on his ribs and back, but worst of all was the sense that the last breath was being sucked from his lungs. And there was nothing to grab, nothing to fight, because whatever pinned Dr. Ouzin to the mattress was invisible.
Footsteps in the hallway.

     “Father!” A voice screamed and Dr. Ouzin’s strapping 25-year-old son Baba charged into the room. “It is Popobawa atop you!”

     The dreaded night creature, that’s what was trying to kill him, Dr Ouzin realized. Invisible to those it assaulted. Hideously ugly to those witnessing the carnage. In attacks throughout Zimbabwe, Popobawa had been described as a bizarre, elf-like entity with a single eye in the center of its head, small pointed ears, bat wings and talons.
 
     All of its victims were male and required hospital treatment for broken ribs, bruises and festering wounds where they had been raked by the monster’s talons.

     Baba grabbed a solid ebony stool by its leg and swung it against the Popobawa’s flank. A sickening crunch. The animal howled and bounded out an open window.
When Dr. Ouzin regained consciousness, he was in the same hospital where he usually made his rounds. Like most other men who had survived the Popobawa (Swahili for bat and wing), he reported the incident to the proper authorities. Because, as with each of its victims, Popobawa ordered Dr. Ouzin to reveal what had happened–or it would be back.

     There is no known defense against Popobawa attack, other than by banding together. Fearful villagers often sleep outside, locked arm-in-arm to prevent one of their number from being dragged away. It is estimated that there are about 125 living Popobawa and its range is expanding to include urban areas.


Doc Paranormal