Ghost 2

"I see you! I know you killed my father! I saw you the day you took his heart. I saw you when you threw white stones at him! I know you're there! I can see you. I can see the white stones in your hands!" Onyeka's voice reverberated through the room as he shouted at the ghost outside the window. Nneoma, his mother, and his siblings watched in astonishment as Onyeka confronted an invisible presence, one that only he could perceive. "Onyiy, who are you talking to? There's no one at the window!" Nneka exclaimed. "No, there is someone there! The ghost who killed Papa is standing there! He's been coming around our house for a week now!" Onyeka insisted. "Stop! Onyeka, stop! Please, I beg you, stop talking about ghosts!" Nneoma pleaded urgently.

The ghost by the window stood frozen, taken aback. It was unaware that anyone in the household possessed the ability to see it, just as one human can see another. While many members of the family had glimpsed it, it had only been in their dreams. As the spirit pondered how a young boy like Onyeka could perceive its presence, Onyeka scurried around the house in search of something specific—a bunch of broom. According to their cultural beliefs, an old bunch of broom could repel spirits. In the absence of broom, sand collected from between a woman's legs could serve the same purpose. However, since they were inside the house, there was no way for Onyeka to gather sand from between his mother's or Nneka's legs. He eventually found a bunch of broom and dashed toward the window, swinging the broom as if to strike. Before the broom could make contact with the window, Nneka collapsed to the floor with a piercing cry, "Arrrgh! Mama m o!!!" That was the last sound she made that night.

At the window, a brilliant white light erupted, and the ghost vanished. Onyeka was convinced that the broom had made contact with the spirit. "The broom touched it! Mama, the broom touched it!" Onyeka exclaimed excitedly. Nneoma, consumed by her worry for Nneka, paid little attention to her son's declarations. "Nneka! Nneka! Please wake up, Nneka!" Nneoma pleaded desperately. "Onyeka, what have you done?! I told you not to mention ghosts, but you wouldn't listen! Look at the mess you've caused!" "I didn't cause anything, Mama! The ghost has been coming to our house for days. It was going to kill you tonight! It was going to hurl those white stones at you and leave with your heart in the morning." "I said stop! Stop!" Nneoma's voice escalated into a scream as her frustration grew. She rose to her feet in agitation. When she reached Onyeka, she slapped him across the face. To her surprise, Onyeka absorbed the slap bravely, refusing to shed a tear. "Why aren't you crying? Have you turned into a wizard?" Nneoma taunted. Onyeka remained silent, aware that if he uttered a word, his tears would flow uncontrollably. "Mama, Onyiy might be right. I saw something by the window. It threw three white stones at Nneka," Azubuike chimed in. "What's gotten into these children? There was nothing by the window, and no one threw white stones at Nneka!" Nneoma snapped at Azubuike. "I'm certain I saw something near the window when Onyeka was searching for a broom. Mama, believe me, I saw something. The ghost was standing there!" Azubuike asserted.

"Gbam! Gbam!! Gbam!!!" a forceful knock at the door jolted them all into fear. "Nneoma! Nneoma!! What's happening inside your house? Is everything alright?" The voice belonged to Uncle Chukwudi, Nneoma's late husband's younger brother. Nneoma rushed to the door and unlocked it. Chukwudi, accompanied by two men brandishing machetes, entered the room in a hurry. "Who's after you and the children?" Chukwudi asked, his gaze darting around the room. Spotting Nneka foaming at the mouth on the floor, he immediately dropped his machete, scooped her up, and rushed out of the house. Onyeka followed closely behind.

Nneoma didn't want her young son to divulge his ability to see the ghost to Chukwudi. "Onyeka! Onyeka!! Come back, Onyeka!!" Nneoma cried out, chasing after her son. One of the men who had arrived with Chukwudi managed to catch hold of Onyeka and pulled him back towards his mother. "Uncle Adiele, please don't take me back to my mother. She doesn't believe what I saw!" "What did you see, Onyeka?" Adiele inquired. "I saw a ghrrr…" Onyeka began coughing violently before collapsing onto the ground. Adiele quickly lifted him and followed in Chukwudi's direction, heading towards Nwaraka's shrine.

The scene outside was chaotic, with Nneoma rolling on the ground in distress while concerned neighbors gathered around her, trying to console her and figure out what had happened. Inside the house, Azubuike clutched his younger brother, Arinze, tightly, holding a broom defensively against a looming shadow at the door. He attempted to scream for help, but his voice was stifled. Gradually, the enormous shadow crept into the room. Azubuike clung to the broom with all his might, trying to call for assistance, but his voice remained mute. From the heart of the shadow, broken strands of broom emerged. Ghosts never reacted this way when confronted with brooms. Dear God, what is unfolding here? Papa, if you can see from beyond the grave, please rise and aid us, Azubuike pleaded within his heart.

THE STORY CONTINUES...