Ghost invite

"It's a ghost!" "No, it's a demon, an evil spirit from hell!" "Both of you are wrong! Papa Ebuka said it's the spirit of our ancestors. It comes to watch over us at night," Nneka asserted, attempting to correct her two brothers. "If it truly is the spirit of our ancestors, then why does it frighten us when it visits and tries to harm us?" Arinze questioned. "Ariy (short for Arinze), I don't know. Maybe next time it comes, we can ask it," Nneka replied thoughtfully.

"Mama, where do spirits come from?" Azubuike inquired. "Shhhh! Don't talk about spirits in my house, especially when it's dark," Nneoma, their mother, cautioned, her eyes scanning the small room that served as their sitting area. She stood up, hurried to the window, and checked if it was securely locked. Despite already being locked, she unlocked and locked it again. Her fear of the night and paranoia were evident. She had witnessed things she couldn't bring herself to discuss with her four young children.

"Mama, you've locked that window three times tonight. Please stop, it's already locked," Nneka, her nine-year-old daughter, implored. "Oh, have I locked it that many times?" Nneoma asked. "Yes, you have!" echoed her children.

Walking over to the door, Nneoma made sure it was locked as well. "Mama, please stop. You're scaring us with all this locking. The door is locked, you locked it yourself," Nneka scolded her mother. Nneoma, however, ignored Nneka and double-checked the door. "Nneka, did you bring in your brothers' footwear?" "Look at them, they're right next to your feet," Nneka responded in frustration. "Good. Always make sure nothing we wear is left outside at night." "I already know that, Mama." "Okay," Nneoma conceded, returning to her seat.

"Mama, will you tell us stories before we pray and go to bed?" Arinze asked. "Ariy, no stories tonight. Mama isn't feeling very well. We'll pray and go to bed. Tomorrow evening, when I'm back from the market, I'll tell you lots of stories, alright?" "Alright, Mama," Arinze replied.

Among them was Nneoma's youngest child, Onyeka. He was the one who had encountered the ghost more often than anyone else. The night his father died, he had witnessed things. The ghost had appeared by their window three times and then departed. Each time it showed up, it hurled white stones at his father's chest and left. Later that night, his father began complaining of chest pain. Nneoma attributed it to overworking on their farm, thinking it was just common chest pain. She was mistaken.

Young as he was, Onyeka closely observed the ghost's frightful, monstrous appearance. It frightened him immensely. He had witnessed the spirit's fourth visit that night, when it had yanked his father's heart out of his chest. By morning, Nwaraka, the local healer, informed the elders that Nneoma's husband, Eloka, had succumbed to 'lock chest'. Onyeka knew better. He knew more than anyone else. The ghostly visitor that night had seized his father's heart and departed, but even Nwaraka couldn't discern that truth.

"Mama, did you say you're not feeling well?" Onyeka inquired with concern etched on his face. "Onyiy (short for Onyeka), there's nothing to worry about. Mama will be fine by morning." Onyeka, however, wasn't convinced by his mother's reassurance. This was how it began before his father's death. The ghost had lingered around their home for days, circling like a hawk seeking prey, until it started pelting white stones and eventually left with his father's heart. "Mama, the ghost has been coming to our house for a week now..." Onyeka began.

"Be quiet, child! It's nighttime! We don't speak of ghosts!" Nneoma scolded her little boy. Onyeka had been about to share what he had witnessed before his father's death, but his mother's prohibition silenced him. The boy was scared, fearing his mother might not survive the night. "Arrrgh!!!" he screamed sharply, his voice piercing the night. "I'm sorry, my son. Please stop crying," Nneoma said, moving towards him and embracing him. Onyeka abruptly halted his crying, not due to his mother's comforting arms, but because he felt the same ominous presence that always accompanied the ghost's arrival. His eyes darted around in fear and widened in shock. "What's wrong, Onyeka? What is it?" Nneoma asked, sensing something amiss. Onyeka remained silent, his eyes scanning for the ghost. And then he saw it, standing by the window with white stones in its hands. It was about to fling the stones at his mother! It was ready to claim another soul from their family! Onyeka kicked and tugged at his mother, bursting into tears once more. Nneoma pulled away from him, frustrated. "What's gotten into this boy?" she wondered aloud.