The door banged loudly, the sound echoing through the room like a drumbeat, as whatever was on the other side refused to stop. The girls were paralyzed with fear, unsure of what to do next. They clutched their makeshift weapons, standing behind Judy, who stood tall and fearless, her tripod at the ready.
Judy tiptoed quietly towards the door, her heart racing with anticipation. She twisted the knob open, but before she could even peek outside, a forceful push sent her crashing to the ground. The door burst open, and the room was filled with the sound of rushing footsteps.
"What is happening?" Jayjay exclaimed, as he rushed into the room, followed by the other three men, who held clubs high above their shoulders, ready for battle.
The girls breathed a collective sigh of relief as they saw the men, realizing they weren't being attacked or worse. "Phew," Nina exhaled, her shoulders sagging in relief.
But the reprieve was short-lived, as Chisom's words cut through the air like a knife. "Otitochukwu is dead."
Jayjay scoffed in disbelief, but his expression faltered as he took in the fear and seriousness etched on the girls' faces. "Tell me you're lying," Kevin asked, echoing Jayjay's unspoken words.
Sonia's voice trembled as she spoke, tears streaming down her face. "We found her dead in the bathroom just minutes ago. She was...she was mutilated beyond recognition."
The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the group. The men's faces turned ashen, their eyes wide with shock and horror.
"Who could have done this?" Frank, the camera guy, asked, but his question was met with an unsettling silence. The evil that had unfolded before them was a mystery, and no one had any idea who might have committed such a heinous crime. But one thing was certain - they all suspected each other.
"The murderer is in the room with us," Kevin said, his voice low and ominous. The room grew quiet, as if the weight of his words had sucked the air out of the space. Could he be right? They asked themselves, their minds racing with the possibility that one of their own might be involved in Otitochukwu's brutal murder.
Soon, the room erupted into chaos. The petrified adults began yelling and cussing at each other, their fear and suspicion boiling over. Gadgets, clothes, and objects were thrown through the air, leaving the room in disarray. Nina remained mute, her eyes clouded with unshed tears that blurred her vision. She clung tightly to the bed stand, hoping that this was all just a terrible nightmare.
Desperate for a lifeline, Nina stretched out her hand, searching the bed for her cellphone, which she had misplaced earlier. Her fingers finally closed around it, and she proceeded to dial a number. Michael? She hoped he would answer, that he would be able to make sense of this madness.
As she turned her gaze towards the door, she saw something that made her blood run cold. A young female child, dressed in old, faded clothes and a pair of dirty sandals, stood grinning at her. The child's skin was pale as ash, and her eyes were black and beady. Nina stared closely, hoping she wasn't imagining things, but the vision was too vivid to be just a product of her imagination.
The little girl tittered, a sound that sent shivers down Nina's spine, and then ran down the hallway, humming loudly - a sound that only Nina could hear. The child's footsteps echoed through the corridor, leaving Nina with more questions than answers. Who was this child? And what did she have to do with Otitochukwu's murder?
Nina sprang from the bed and headed towards the exit, her heart racing with fear. She looked both sides of the hallway, but the little girl was nowhere to be seen. Where had she gone? Nina's mind was reeling with questions. She didn't understand what had just happened. She sighed and turned to walk away, but her feet felt heavy, as if rooted to the spot.
And then, she saw her again. The little girl was standing right in front of her, their eyes locked in a terrifying stare. Nina's heart skipped a beat as she gazed into the little girl's beady black eyes. She stood frozen in shock, unable to look away.
"Hi," the little girl croaked, her voice like a rusty gate. Nina's teeth were gritted in fear, her mind racing with questions. What was happening in this house? Who was this little girl? Could the house be haunted? But there were no answers, only an eerie silence that seemed to swallow her whole.
The little girl ran off with an unnatural speed, her tiny legs thumping noisily on the floor. Nina gaped in horror, begging her memory to erase what she had just seen. She stepped silently backwards, her eyes fixed on the spot where the little girl had vanished.
And then, she heard it. A soft, squeaky voice singing a haunting melody. "Who has seen the bride? She is so pretty. Mother said watch the bride. Father said find the bride. And Trish said kill the bride." The little girl's song sent shivers down Nina's spine.
She looked over to the stairs and saw the little girl dancing and clapping her tiny, rotting hands. Nina quivered in fear, her heart racing with terror. What did the song mean? Who was the bride? And who was Trish? The questions swirled in her mind like a vortex, pulling her down into a dark abyss of fear and uncertainty.
She walked backwards into the room, her eyes fixed on the door as she locked it behind her. This was too much for one night. First, the murder, and now a dead-looking little girl singing a haunting song that made no sense. "Guys, stop!" she screamed at the angry adults, her voice piercing the air and resulting in a total silence in the room.
"I saw a dreadful-looking little girl, and I think she has something to do with this," Nina explained, trying to catch her breath. But her words were met with skepticism.
"What do you mean, a little girl?" Kalu queried, his voice laced with confusion.
"Hmmf," Vicky huffed, rolling her eyes in disappointment. "Was she crazy or was she seeing things?" Nina wondered. Whatever it was, she needed to leave the house that instant. The last thing she imagined was getting in the middle of a brutal murder and having no hands in it.
"I swear, I saw something," Nina explained further, her voice shaking. "A little girl."
"A little girl?" Tonia repeated, her voice barely above a whisper, with an unbelieving soft chuckle.
"Yes, in the hallway," Nina said, wearing a convincing look on her face.
"Stop being delusional, there is no little girl in the hallway," Frank yelled in a frustrating tone.
But then, Sonia croaked, her voice trembling, "Guys, there is a little girl standing at the door." She pointed at the short, dwarfy figure leaning on the door, its presence seeming to suck the air out of the room.
Petrified screams filled the air as everyone stared in fear and horror at the ghoulish-looking being. Who was she? How did she get into the room?
"Who has seen the bride?" her tiny, undead voice shrieked inaudibly, the words sending shivers down their spines.
They kept mute, watching as her rotting, ashy eyes glared at them, watching as they trembled in fear.
"Massacre and bloodbath await all..." she said dryly, her voice dripping with malevolence. And then, there was a blackout.