Bisi sighed. It had been a long day at school. Longer than usual. And tiring too.
All she could think about was going back home to sleep and going back to the wonderful dream she had been having.
Tobi was thankfully at the school gate, staring at her as she made her way out of the school.
"Are mummy and daddy at home?", Bisi asked immediately she was close enough for Tobi to hear her.
"Would I be here if they were?", Tobi questioned back. He rolled his eyes and went to sit in the driver's seat of their old Lexus.
Bisi grimaced. The last time she had been in the car with Tobi driving, it had been nothing less than a nightmare. He had nearly made the car tumble down a hilly road. They had missed death by that much.
It had been a traumatic experience for Bisi. "What if the road safety catches us? You don't have your driver's license yet, do you?"
"I'll have it once I take the test in March. Now unless you plan to walk home, get in the car", Tobi told her, his tone, indifferent. "Besides, the road safety people are rarely ever working by this time"
In short, Bisi was forced to relive her trauma and sit in the car while Tobi drove.
When the siblings got home, their mother was leaving for work.
"You're just in time. Bisi, i brought out the egusi from the freezer, make the soup and make some pounded yam", her mother hurriedly instructed. "Your father will return earlier than I will so make sure not to forget...or burn down the house like last time"
"I won't forget", Bisi replied.
"Don't stay up late and lock the gate when i go out", her mother instructed finally before rushing into the car and leaving hurriedly.
☆
Bisi sat down at the dining table to begin studying the subjects for the next day. She wasn't a top student but she wasn't a back bencher either. If anything, she was slightly above average.
This didn't change the fact that she didn't enjoy studying and that soon enough, she was lulled to sleep.
Bisi found herself standing in a significantly dark area, a room, to be precise. There was nothing but darkness around. Pitch black, hollow darkness.
"What is this?", she muttered to herself, feeling creeped out and on edge.
Even with how low she spoke, her voice echoed. And as her words disappeared into the echoes, Bisi heard a quiet whispering.
It sounded like when a group of people were speaking quietly among themselves. The sounds of incoherent words filled Bisi's ears.
She frowned, noticing the whispers were getting louder. Yet, the words were still incoherent.
It got louder and louder and louder and began to come from different directions all around Bisi.
Bisi moved her hands and covered her ears tightly but it seemed to do nothing to help her situation. It almost seemed like the whispers were in her head.
The whispers began to take form.
'This is her?'
'This is what I've been sent after?'
'How humiliating'
'A little girl wields the sacred power?'
'The Creator must have made a bloody mistake'
The words were unending, annoying, tormenting. The voices began to yell and Bisi sank to the floor, afraid and almost in tears.
"Who are these people?", Bisi shut her eyes tight as the voices continued yelling. The yelling didn't stop until the many voices merged into one, distorted deep voice.
'This is who disturbs the mistress' rest? Pathetic'
The voice of the creature was deep, distorted and scratchy. It made the hair of Bisi's neck stand on end.
'Open your eyes, mortal'
Bisi didn't obey. Her eyes remained shut, afraid of what she might see if she opened it.
The distorted voice began to laugh. A maniacal, villainous one. Loud and condescending.
Bisi suddenly felt the air around her change. It turned colder. Loud wooshes of air could be heard as if things were flying all around her.
She panicked. The air seemed to be getting colder with each gust of wind.
Tears began to flow down her cheek. She was frightened out of her wits.
And just as she was about to give in and open her eyes to search for a place to escape, she heard another voice.
This one was different. Unlike the cold distorted voice of the creature, this one was calm and gentle and brought with it, a feeling of reassurance and peace.
'Sing', the voice coaxed gently. 'You need to sing'
Bisi was confused. "Who are you? What is that creature?"
'That is a spawn of a corrupted creation. It is here to harm you, Bisi'
"How do you know my name?", Bisi asked, breaking out in cold sweat.
'It's because i know you. I've known you from the moment you were born', the strange entity told Bisi. 'I need you to survive, Bisi. You need to sing'
Bisi was confused. What would singing do to help her out of this situation? And what did the entity mean by 'survive'? Was she going to die? The creature wanted to kill her?
The air turned colder.
'Sing', the entity's voice sounded more urgent. 'Sing'
Still confused, Bisi opened her mouth to make a sound. But found her voice stuck in her throat. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Why can't I sing?", Bisi asked the entity, shakily .
'The creature', was the only explanation the entity offered. 'Force it. Bisi, force it!'
Bisi suddenly felt a cold, hard hand touch her. Panic surged through her whole being and with one desperate thought to continue living, she opened her mouth, and with all her might, screamed at the top of her lungs.
A high pitched siren-like cry emerged from Bisi's parted lips. It was so high pitched, it sounded like a pained whistle.
The area around Bisi instantly stilled. Quietness surrounded her. The cold was gone. The voices were gone.
Everything seemed to be gone.