"No, I am not speaking with anyone," Shola replied to Doctor Collins, even though it took her a moment to respond.
"I could have sworn I heard a voice," Doctor Collins said, glancing around the hospital ward room for signs of someone else. After a brief moment, he dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand and redirected his attention back to Shola.
"My dearest Shola," Doctor Collins announced, "now is the time for your routine check-up. We need to get this injection done."
"The… the injection now?" Shola stammered, sitting upright on her bed. She stared at the medical ghost team, which was invisible to Doctor Collins. And the ghosts signaled her not to allow Doctor Collins to inject her, or she would die.
"Yes, it's time for your injection, Shola," Doctor Collins repeated. "Why are you suddenly feeling uneasy about it? Don't tell me you're now scared of injections. I will be gentle with you, so kindly roll up your sleeves."
Shola hesitated, gripping her bed blanket tightly. She turned to look at the medical ghost team in the corner of the room, and they all shook their heads sideways, indicating that she should not take the injection. This left Shola confused; and she had no idea whom to believe between the ghost team or Doctor Collins.
Meanwhile, Doctor Collins was busy preparing the injection. He drew the serum into a syringe and then turned his attention back to Shola. "Alright, Shola," he said, "your injection won't take long, and the sooner we do this, the better."
"I… I am not sure about this, doctor," Shola replied, raising her head to look at him.
"What do you mean, not sure?" Doctor Collins asked, surprised. "This is a routine injection. You need this to regain your strength."
"I know, but I don't think I am ready yet," Shola replied, glancing at the medical ghosts team, and the ghosts all nodded in support of her response to Doctor Collins.
"If you don't take your injection, Shola, you will remain weak," Doctor Collins tried to persuade her. "Remember, we are also meeting with your mom this evening. Do you expect to see her looking this unhealthy? So, roll up your sleeve and take your injection, everything I am doing is for your own good."
Shola turned to look at the medical ghost team again, which was invisible to Doctor Collins. One of the ghosts then pointed at the syringe in Doctor Collins' hand before dramatically collapsing to the ground. Although the ghost's act was a bit too dramatic, but the message the ghost was trying to convey was clear. 'If Shola agreed to the injection, she would collapse and die.'
With that warning in mind, Shola turned back to Doctor Collins, saying, "I… I haven't eaten this morning." "Isn't it recommended to eat something before taking drugs or injections?" she asked, trying to come up with an excuse to avoid the injection.
"Oh, you're right," Doctor Collins exclaimed. "I completely forgot about that. I'll arrange something for you to eat then."
"Alright Doctor, I need to eat something first," Shola said. "I cannot take an injection on an empty stomach."
"Okay, I'll return to my office now," Doctor Collins replied. "I will also call Emmanuel to get you something to eat. But once you've eaten, we will proceed with the injection. No excuses after that, understood?"
"Yes, doctor," Shola replied, nodding.
Doctor Collins set the syringe containing the serum back on the tray and stepped away with it. As soon as he exited the ward, Shola turned her attention to the medical ghost team.
"What was that all about?" she asked, looking at the ghost for answers.
"You've only bought yourself some time, Shola," replied Doctor Victor's ghost. "But time means nothing if you don't make the right choices. Doctor Collins must not inject you."
"But why do you think Doctor Collins wants me dead?" Shola asked, confused.
"Doctor Collins doesn't want you dead," another ghost in the team clarified. "In fact, he would be delighted to see you recover and live a normal life after he injects you."
"He will be delighted to see me live a normal life?" Shola repeated, looking confused. "Didn't you say he wanted to kill me with the injection? Why would he then be happy to see me live after injecting me? You ghosts are driving me completely crazy."
"That's because Dr. Collins is experimenting with the serum," Doctor Victor's ghost explained. "He will be happy to see you survive after injecting you, because his ultimate objective is to create a cure for Nyxin disease, a rare and deadly illness that is currently affecting his daughter. If you want to live, refuse the injection; it's the only way to ensure your survival."
Shola was shocked to realize she was about to be used for a medical experiment. She opened her mouth to ask more questions, but before she could speak, the medical ghosts team suddenly vanished, except for one ghost who chose to stay behind.
The ghost that stayed looked young, about Shola's age. For a moment, they stared at each other until Shola finally broke the silence.
"So, what am I supposed to do now?" Shola asked the lone ghost.
"You have to leave the hospital," the ghost said simply. "You've already bought time for yourself by deceiving Dr. Collins, so why don't you leave before he comes to pressure you again?"
"By the way, where did you and the other ghost come from?" Shola asked. "What's your name, too? And why are you haunting the hospital?"
"My name is Helen," the ghost replied. "Doctor Victor is my father, and the other ghosts are my family. We all loved the health profession, which is why we specialized in different areas of healthcare within our family."
"You're all family?" Shola repeated, surprised. "Then how did you end up roaming this hospital? Is Doctor Collins...is he the reason you and your family are dead?"
"Doctor Collins didn't kill us," Helen replied sadly. "We only started roaming this hospital a few weeks ago. My family and I were from Osogbo, but we met our untimely death in an accident on the Lagos highway. However, just because Doctor Collins wasn't responsible for our deaths doesn't mean he's a saint. He's been involved in the deaths of many others and will add you to the list if you don't make your decision."
Shola was about to respond when another ghost entered the room. It was Aminat's ghost, the young girl whom Shola had met the previous day in the hospital waiting area.
Aminat's ghost moved closer to Helen's ghost and grabbed her hand, saying, "Please, Helen, you have to help me with Shola," she pleaded desperately. "Shola is the only human who has ever seen me, and she can help me get justice and send Doctor Collins to jail."
"I'm sorry, Aminat," Helen's ghost replied. "Shola won't be able to get justice for you right now. She needs to run away as soon as possible in order to avoid becoming a ghost like us."
Aminat, who appeared to be about fourteen years old, spoke with a sincerity that triggered Shola's emotions. Shola felt a wave of sympathy within her, wishing there was something she could do to help Aminat get the justice she deserves.
Moved by Aminat's innocence, Shola turned to her ghost and said, "Don't worry, Aminat. I will help you get justice from doctor Collins.
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(BRIGHT FUTURE ACADEMY)
Meanwhile, the lunch bell rang at Bright Future Academy, and students eagerly filed out of their classrooms in pairs.
Nkechi knew exactly where she needed to be, and the thought of carrying out her friends' plan made her heart race with anticipation. She clutched her small purse tightly, glancing around nervously until Ajoke and Amaka finally joined her in the walkway.
"You need to freshen up first, Nkechi," Ajoke and Amaka said in unison upon their arrival. "You look a bit disorganized, and you don't want to approach Samuel looking like this."
"What's wrong with my school uniform?" Nkechi asked, looking down at her uniform to see if anything was out of place.
"We're not complaining about your uniform," Amaka said. "We just want to touch up a few things, like your lips and hair. You want to leave an impression on Samuel, don't you?"
Before Nkechi could protest, Ajoke and Amaka dragged her into the girls' restroom. Inside, Nkechi approached the mirror slowly, pulling out her compact and a n*ude-tone lipstick from her purse. She applied the lipstick lightly, ensuring it wasn't excessive to avoid getting into trouble with the senior prefect. Afterward, she leaned closer to examine her reflection, adjusting a few stray braids that had come loose.
Ajoke and Amaka stood beside her, impressed by the transformation. "You're good, Nkechi," Ajoke said, folding her arms. "Let's go do this."
The three friends exited the restroom and headed toward the basketball court, where they saw Samuel playing with his friends.
Nkechi's nerves returned as they approached. She then hesitated at the edge of the court and was not sure if she could do it. But after encouragement from Ajoke and Amaka, she gathered her courage and called out, "Samuel!"
Samuel turned around, wiping his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand, as he walked toward her. "Hey, Nkechi. What's up?" Samuel asked.
"Uh…can I talk to you for a minute?" Nkechi asked, keeping her gaze on the ground.
"Of course," Samuel said. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Can we, um, talk somewhere quiet?" Nkechi suggested, pointing to a corner of the basketball court.
"Alright," Samuel agreed and followed her in silence.
Ajoke and Amaka were also watching their friend from a distance, silently cheering her on.
"So…what's up, Nkechi?" Samuel asked once they reached the quiet spot. "What did you want to talk about?"
Nkechi hesitated and glanced toward the direction of her friends for support. She saw Amaka and Ajoke gesturing encouragingly and urging her to speak. She then took a deep breath and turned to Samuel, saying, "I…I wanted to tell you something."
"What is it?" Samuel asked, leaning slightly closer.
"I…I" Nkechi's voice trailed off. She nervously started twisting the hem of her skirt until she regained her composure. "I think I'm in love with you, Samuel." she said finally.
There was a moment of silence between them both, and Nkechi immediately looked down, staring at her sandals in embarrassment.
"Are you serious about being in love with me?" Samuel asked after a pause.
Nkechi nodded, still avoiding eye contact.
"Well, this is…unexpected," Samuel said. "But I also love you. You won't believe it, but I have been meaning to tell you that too."
"Really?" Nkechi asked as she finally looked at him.
"Yes, really," Samuel confirmed. "I guess that makes me your boyfriend now."
Nkechi stood frozen for a moment. This wasn't how she had imagined it would go. She had prepared herself for rejection, but everything had happened so quickly and easily. Her infatuation with Samuel clouded her ability to question the situation.
"Are you sure about loving me?" Nkechi asked, still seeking reassurance.
"Yeah," Samuel said and stepped closer. "You said you love me, right? So, let's give it a shot."
"Okay," Nkechi replied softly, still surprised. "I'm just shocked that you love me too."
"I do, and if we're going to do this, I guess I should prove it," Samuel said. He then moved closer and planted a soft kiss on Nkechi's cheek.
Nkechi's eyes widened in surprise, and in the distance, Ajoke and Amaka cheered with excitement.
"We'll talk more after school, yeah? Maybe we can hang out or something," Samuel said after the kiss, walking back to the basketball court to rejoin his friends.
As soon as he left, Ajoke and Amaka ran over to Nkechi, filled with excitement.
"What did Samuel say? What happened?" Amaka asked eagerly.
"He said yes to my proposal," Nkechi replied. "Didn't you see when he kissed me to prove it?"
"Oh my God!" Amaka exclaimed and grabbed Nkechi in excitement. "He's your boyfriend now! I told you my tactic would work. Boys love confident girls."
To be continued…..
@Berry Tyra