The night was cold and dark, with an eerie stillness that seemed to swallow everything in its path. The house, shrouded in darkness, stood like a silent sentinel, its lights extinguished like candles in the wind. But outside, the wind whispered secrets, making the trees in the yard sway to the haunting melody of the bright, pale moon. Dry leaves rustled and danced in the misty air, their fragile forms swirling like ballerinas on stage.
For Nina, the night was a tapestry woven from memories she couldn't quite recall. Though she had never been to Ógozi before, the shadows seemed to hold a familiarity that tugged at her heartstrings. She tried to grasp the elusive threads of her past, but they slipped through her fingers like sand. Frustrated, she turned her gaze to the windows, where the world outside seemed to pulse with life.
The street was a canvas of twinkling lights, with houses that stood like sentinels, their brightly lit LED bulbs casting a warm glow. The see-through curtains revealed glimpses of lives lived, while passersby strolled along the road, their laughter and conversations carrying on the wind. Nina felt a pang of recognition, as if she had walked this street before, but the memories remained stubbornly out of reach.
Lost in the view, she felt a sudden chill as a cold, wet hand grazed her shoulder. She shrieked, startled, and spun around to face Michael, who stood behind her, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Babe, are you still awake?" he asked, wrapping his wet hands around her waist.
Nina broke free from his grasp, feeling a pang of irritation at the interruption. "I haven't showered yet," she said, turning away as Michael padded across the room, his bare feet making barely a sound on the floor. He disappeared into the wardrobe, leaving Nina to her thoughts, and the night, once again, held her captive.
"Did you see my purse?" Nina asked, her voice laced with a hint of accusation, as she slouched lazily on the bed, causing it to creak in protest. The sound echoed through the room, a testament to the worn wooden frame.
"The Versace brown purse?" Michael asked, his tone cautious, as he picked up his cellphone from the rack of shoes at the end of the room. His eyes darted towards Nina, anticipating her reaction.
"Yeah," Nina replied, her voice firm, as she turned sharply to face him, her eyes narrowing into a disgustful glare. The sudden movement made her hair swing around her face, framing her features like a halo.
"I think I saw it on the living room floor," Michael said, feeling a twinge of guilt, which he knew would soon balloon into a full-blown storm.
"And you didn't bother to bring your wife's property?" Nina asked, her mouth gaping open in false surprise, as if she couldn't fathom the audacity of his actions.
"I thought you left it there on purpose," Michael lied, knowing full well that Nina would make him feel guilty for weeks for what he had done. He had learned to recognize the signs – the raised eyebrow, the pursed lips, the accusatory tone.
"Why don't I believe you?" Nina asked, her face expressionless, a mask that had always made Michael plead guilty, even when he wasn't. It was a look that said, "I know you're hiding something, and I'll find out what it is."
"Fine," Michael groaned wearily, throwing up his hands in defeat. "I'm a terrible person for leaving my fiancée's bag on the living room floor." He knew he had never escaped Nina's guilt traps, and this time was no exception.
"Better," Nina grinned, walking backwards towards the door, her eyes fixed on Michael, making sure he wouldn't utter another word if she left. She knew she had won this round, and Michael knew it too.
Michael shook his head, chuckling wryly at the delusional behaviors of his beloved fiancée. He loved her, but sometimes her antics drove him crazy. Still, he wouldn't trade her for the world.
*. *. *.
Nina hummed a soft tune as she navigated the dark hallways, her footsteps echoing off the walls. She fumbled in the darkness, trying to locate the light switches, but they seemed to be nowhere to be found. "Stupid house," she cussed inwardly, frustration creeping into her voice. She flashed her torchlight down the hallway, the beam illuminating cobwebs and dust that danced in the faint light.
As she turned a corner, her torchlight landed on a dead, decaying rat lying motionless on the floor. Nina's nose wrinkled in distaste. The house seemed to be a treasure trove of unpleasant surprises.
Her mind wandered back to a night from her past, a night she and her best friends had spent in an abandoned girls' dormitory beside the Seventh Day Adventist morgue. They had hoped for a fun girls' night, but instead, their evening was ruined by heavy footsteps and loud voices that seemed to come from nowhere. The memories still sent shivers down her spine.
Nina shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts. She didn't want to think about that night, or this creepy house, but her mind seemed determined to linger on the eerie feelings.
Her thoughts drifted back to the petite lady in white she had seen on the stairs, staring at her with an unnerving intensity. A sudden chill ran down Nina's spine. Could the house be haunted? She asked herself, her heart racing with anticipation.
Nina quickened her pace, flashing her torchlight on the old wooden doors, trying to determine which rooms were occupied by her friends. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being followed, and the darkness seemed to be closing in around her. Every creak of the floorboards made her jump, and she found herself holding her breath, waiting for something to happen.
The ceilings made rattling sounds, causing Nina to flash her torchlight upwards, her heart racing with anticipation. But there was nothing strange, just the water-stained brown spot on the low ceiling, dropping droplets of water like tears from the sky. The cobwebs hung at the end of the ceilings like Halloween decorations, and the old light bulb attached to the dangling dusty lampholder seemed to sway in the faint breeze.
Almost lost in the sight before her, Nina felt very cold, rough hands touch her shoulders, making her jump. She turned sharply, her eyes wide with fear. "Nina, where have you been? I have been looking for you," Sonia's sweet voice brought Nina back from her thoughts, her words like a warm embrace.
"I-I ha-ha have been searching all round for your room," Nina stuttered, shuddering in fear, her voice barely above a whisper.
"It's the sixth door in the row, and the boys are in the eighth door because we needed our privacy," Sonia snickered, flashing her torchlight at her best friend, who looked like she had seen a ghost.
"You okay?" Sonia asked, concern etched on her face, but Nina nodded in reply, still trying to process what had just happened. Nina wasn't good with words, and Sonia understood. She was her best friend, after all, and knew almost everything about her.
Nina felt relieved as she followed Sonia's lead, her heart still racing from the sudden scare. "Here comes the bride," Sonia said with a chuckle, pushing the wooden door open.
"Where have you been?" Esther asked with a toothy smile as she sees Nina in the room, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"I almost got lost, but I'm here now," Nina replied with a forced smile, trying to look soft and composed, but her eyes still held a hint of fear.
The room was cozy, with flashlights casting eerie shadows on the walls, but Nina felt a sense of comfort wash over her as she saw her friends, their faces familiar and welcoming. She knew she was safe now, surrounded by people who cared about her.
Nina didn't particularly care for Esther, and they weren't exactly friends. In fact, they rarely spoke to each other at work or in other settings. So, Nina was surprised when she saw Esther at the park with their colleagues. It was an unusual gathering, and Nina felt out of her comfort zone.
"Oh my God, she looks more beautiful without makeup," Judy complimented, tearing her huge lips into a smile as she gazed at Esther. Nina smiled slightly, unsure of how to respond or act. She wasn't accustomed to being around so many people. As an introvert, she preferred keeping to herself, only speaking to a select few, like Michael, Sonia, and a handful of colleagues at work.
"Tonia, please pass me my phone," Sonia said, turning to Tonia, who was engrossed in a K-Drama series playing on her PC. Tonia's eyes remained glued to the screen, her fingers flying across the keyboard.
"Ask someone else, I have to pee like right now," Tonia said, springing upright from the low bed and hurrying to the bathroom. Sonia rolled her eyes at Tonia's abrupt response and proceeded to pick up her cellphone from the lamp stand.
"Has anyone seen Otitochukwu?" Nina asked, noticing that she wasn't in the room with them. The responses she received were mostly unhelpful and nonsensical, as everyone's attention was focused on their electronic devices.
"Aaaaaaaargh! Aaaaaaaargh!" Tonia's high-pitched voice screamed from the bathroom, piercing the air and making everyone jump. The sudden outburst broke the spell, and the room fell silent, with all eyes on the bathroom door, wondering what was happening.
*. *. *.
The girls stood in frozen terror, their eyes fixed on the gruesome scene before them. Otitochukwu's lifeless body lay on the blood-stained marble floor, her limbs twisted at unnatural angles. Her eyes bulged from their sockets, and her skull was cracked, revealing a gooey portion of her brain that seemed to be glued to the floor. Bloodied hair strands poked out from her hair follicles, creating a macabre halo around her head. The sight was something none of them could ever unsee, a haunting image that would be etched in their minds forever.
"Who could do this to Otitochukwu?" Nina croaked, her voice barely audible as she struggled to process the horror before her. She couldn't bear to look at the corpse anymore and turned away, her eyes scanning the room for answers.
"Is she really dead?" Judy asked, her gaze averted from the body, as if she couldn't bear to acknowledge the reality of the situation.
"Oh my God, we have to tell the boys!" Chisom suggested, but the others declined, fearing that they might be behind the gruesome murder.
"They could be behind it," Sonia quipped in sharply, her voice laced with suspicion. The others nodded in agreement, their minds racing with the possibility.
Nina stood petrified, her thoughts racing between the corpse, her wedding, the house, and then she remembered the petite lady from the stairs. She looked so innocent and sad... Could she be behind Otitochukwu's death? Nina reasoned. No, she looked so harmless... Nina thought, but she wasn't sure if she was real. The memory of the lady's ghostly apparition sent shivers down her spine.
Just then, a heavy knock on the door broke the spell, averting their attention towards the entrance. The sudden interruption made them all jump, their hearts racing with anticipation and fear. Who could be on the other side of the door? And what did they want?