Chapter 3: Three Buckets

Soon, she come out, dey curse, "Baba Musa, you dey find wahala!"

She come back, face red, sweat for forehead despite cold. Her mouth dey run, and every word na fire. She slam small door, make the latch shake.

Na so the woman waka come, smile, "Mama, Baba Musa na mumu, e dey treat you bad. If na me, I for just finish am."

Her voice now soft, but sly. She touch grandma shoulder, eyes narrow. Her laughter short, but inside e, you fit sense snake dey coil. Nobody for village fit hear this one and no shiver.

From nowhere, she bring out sharp knife, give grandma.

The knife shine, even for half light, and I see blood stain for handle. Grandma collect am, hand dey shake, but her eye dey fixed on grandpa, as if she dey weigh wetin to do next.

Her hand shake, sweat prick her palm, but hate still dey boil inside. For her mind, she dey reason if she fit do am or just run.

Grandma collect the knife, glare grandpa, hate full her eye.

She no talk, but her lips dey move. The hate strong, for that moment, I fear say she fit really use am. Na only spirit sabi wetin dey her mind.

The woman laugh again, the laugh sharp and cold, she dey waka round grandma, dey talk, "Finish am… finish am. Man wey be like that, na wahala."

Her feet no dey touch ground, her voice dey enter corner, as if she dey talk to both grandma and the wall. Every time she pass, cold go touch my neck, and my heart go skip.

Her voice come dey wicked, her eyes red like demon own.

I never see woman eye red like that, except for masquerade festival when dem dey wear red cloth. For this one, na real demon dey inside.

Grandpa look her with dark face. "The west room don ready. You fit stay one night, but by daybreak, you must commot."

He no blink, just talk like chief priest for shrine. For Igbo house, guest no dey overstay, especially strange one. Grandpa's face dark pass burnt yam. Nobody fit argue.

The woman throw him wicked eye, waka enter west room.

She hiss, tongue flick out, and she just disappear inside. The way she waka, you go know say she no get respect for anybody. I hold grandma wrapper, dey shiver.

Grandma hand shake, the knife fall for ground.

The sound sharp, echo. She bend pick am, then look at me, eyes glassy. For that moment, she old pass her age.

She frown, confuse, "Wetin just happen now?"

Her voice low, as if she dey beg answer from air. She rub her head, try clear confusion. For her mind, she dey pray say all this na dream.

Before she finish, grandpa talk, "Make we yarn inside."

His voice come soft, as if he dey beg, but pride no let am look grandma face. He turn key, open door, beckon us with hand.

All of us enter house. Grandpa lock door, whisper, "This night, that woman for west room go knock three times. First one, she go call Chisom, say make e fill water for vat inside west room…"

He pause, his hand shake small. The way he talk, you go know say na matter of life and death. Even the air inside house get weight.

Before he finish, grandma cut am, "No! Chisom no fit go outside this night! Who be that woman? Wetin she dey find? If na me, I go drive her commot—she get evil for body!"

Her voice loud, she stand between me and door. Her face strong, tears dey her eye, but she dey stubborn. The way she dey shake, you go know say love fit make person mad.

Grandpa sigh, "Old woman, if you wan live, do as I talk."

He rub forehead, his eyes hollow, as if he dey see ancestors for ceiling. His voice low, and for the first time, I pity am.

He turn to me, "Chisom, if the woman for west room call you make you fetch water, just fill the vat. No matter wetin you see or hear, no talk anything. Remember, na three buckets dey fill am. After three, come back straight—no matter wetin she talk or do, just return. You hear?"

His voice steady, but for his hand, sweat dey. The kind seriousness wey dey his eye, I never see am before. I just dey shake my head, afraid to ask questions.

I nod, "I hear."

For my mind, I dey pray make morning quick reach. Grandma squeeze my hand, her nails bite my skin, but I no complain.

As I talk finish, three knocks land for door.

The sound heavy—bam, bam, bam. Even ground shake. Lamp for table nearly fall. Harmattan wind blow, whistle pass window, as if spirit dey announce arrival.

Outside, the woman voice sharp: "Papa, I dey thirsty. No water for vat. I want Chisom make e fetch am for me."

Her voice pass through door, sharp like broken bottle. I look grandma, see say her lips dey move, she dey pray under breath.

Grandma face change. She hug me, "No! Chisom no fit go. I no go gree!"

She kneel, hold my waist, her face press for my belly. Her hair dey scratch my stomach, but I no fit talk. For her grip, you go know say she fit fight lion.

Grandpa frown. "Leave am. If Chisom no go, she go break enter and all of us go see wahala."

He voice cold, no shake. The kind warning wey dey there, na only man wey see real wahala fit talk am.

Grandma begin cry, dey curse, "You this old fool, you no get heart? Chisom na your pikin pikin! That woman outside na evil, and you wan send am go die? You don craze!"

Her tears dey fall, voice high. She beat ground, curse all the ancestors wey allow grandpa dey stubborn. The pain for her voice choke air.

The woman voice come again, this time e sharp: "Papa, I dey thirsty. Let Chisom fetch water!"

Her tone now carry threat. Even wall dey vibrate. My own fear don reach my leg—dey shake.

Grandpa strong pass grandma, drag me from her hand. "Chisom, remember wetin I talk. Go."

His hand rough, grip my arm, pull me up. His eyes meet mine, no blink, just cold. For that moment, I see small fear for his face too.

He carry me from the bed, open east room door, push me out.

Door creak, harmattan breeze enter, slap my face. I nearly stumble, but I hold wall. Grandpa close door, the latch loud, and I stand alone for corridor.

Outside cold scatter. The woman hand grab my neck. She bend down, smile, "Chisom, how old you be?"

Her fingers cold like morning dew on stone, her smile wide like market thief wey police no catch. For her breath, I smell goat, blood, and something wey resemble burnt cassava.

As she talk, the goat smell choke everywhere—thick, dirty.

I try hold breath, but my nose betray me. The kind smell, e fit make person forget own name. I close eyes, try remember grandma warning.

As I look her, her eyes don turn horizontal—just like that old goat—dey look me strong.

Her eyes long, slit for middle, yellow light inside. She dey see me finish. I remember old stories say sometimes, spirit fit borrow animal body, and if dem catch your eye, na problem.

My leg weak, I fall for ground.

My knees scratch sand, but pain no dey reach my mind. Fear hold me for throat, I no fit talk, I no fit cry.

As she see say fear catch me, she smile, ask again, "Chisom, how old you be?"

Her teeth flash, long and pointed, no be normal human teeth. She kneel near me, her knee no touch ground. I dey look her leg, but shadow cover am.

She wan make I talk. I quickly cover my mouth, make word no come out.

I press lips, shake head. For my mind, I dey remember grandma say make I no talk anything. My hand dey sweat, heart dey jump.

As she see say I no talk, her smile freeze, she look me with cold eye, fear grip me.

She lean closer, her eyes dey search my own, as if she dey try draw voice from my chest. I shiver, hold ground, dey hope say ground go swallow me.

I no fit look her, I fear say I go see worse thing.

I close eyes, breath slow. I pray for protection, even as I no sabi the correct words. The darkness cover me like wrapper.

I turn face, force myself stand, waka go well.

Each step heavy. My leg dey shake, but I gather strength. For my mind, na only grandma voice I dey hear—no talk, just fetch water.

As I reach, she grab my shoulder from back. Her hand cold like dead body.

I freeze, but I no gree shout. Her grip no strong, but the cold run through my bone. For my mind, I dey beg God make nothing bad happen.

She smile, "Chisom, no fetch water yet. Come inside come sit with me. I get sweet for you. No fear, I no go harm you."

Her voice now soft, as if she dey beg. The way she talk, e resemble snake wey dey charm rat. I dey look ground, no gree answer.

My heart dey beat anyhow, sweat full my body.

Sweat run for my back, soak my shirt. Even harmattan cold no fit stop am. I dey use leg dig sand, just to hold myself.

As I no talk, she tap my shoulder, dey beg, "Chisom, I get milk sweet for hand. Turn see am."

Her voice dey sweet, but for my mind, I dey see her hand—long, thin, nail sharp like razor. I close my eye, just dey shake head, refuse to turn. For my mind, I remember city sweet, but this one no fit be the same—spirit sweet dey turn tongue bitter.

I ignore her, drop bucket inside well.

The sound loud, water splash, echo for night. I hold rope tight, hand dey shake, but I gree do wetin grandpa talk.

As I no answer, she come near. I close my eye tight, no wan see her face. Just now, I see her reflection for well—face bend, blood tears for eyes, hate and fear full am. I remember say elders talk, if you see evil for well water, close eye quick or your spirit go waka lost.

The image dey bend, as if well dey show true face. Blood drop for her cheek, mouth open. My heart fly, but I hold mouth, no shout.

I no fit look her for face, I fear say I go shout or lose control.

I turn head, hold rope with both hands, just dey drag bucket up. My chest dey drum, air dey heavy for my throat.

I know say she dey my front, dey look me. I just close eye, use memory carry bucket come out.

Even as my hand dey pain, I no let go. The water heavy, but my fear strong pass. I drag am, no gree look her face.

I carry water, waka go west room, the woman dey follow me. Near the door, I open eye.

Her feet silent, but I feel her presence. The path long, every shadow dey long. When I reach door, I swallow spit, prepare mind.

West room dark like say light no dey anywhere.

Na true darkness, even moonlight fear to enter. The kind darkness wey dey inside that room fit swallow person shadow. My own heart nearly stop.

Moonlight dey outside, but e no enter that room.

I dey see the light for corridor, but for inside, nothing. Na only smell of goat and old dust dey inside. For small second, I dey pray make room just vanish.

I remember say vat dey near mud bed—so I must enter.

My mind dey run, but I gree move. I fit see small outline for wall, but the fear no let me reason well. I remember grandpa say make I no talk, just fill vat.

Fear grip me, I dey shake, no know wetin I go see inside.

My leg dey knock each other, hand dey sweat. My mind dey tell me run, but my body no move.

As she feel my fear, the woman talk behind me, "Chisom, e too dark. Make I on light for you?"

Her voice soft, but inside I hear mockery. I dey sure say if I gree, wahala go happen. My lips dey tight, no answer.

She still dey try make I talk. I hold myself, carry bucket enter west room.

For my mind, I dey recite every prayer I sabi. My feet dey touch ground slow, like person dey enter shrine. The darkness thick, my ears dey hear my own breath.

Everywhere just black. I dey use hand feel road, but wetin suppose be small distance, come long like say I dey fall inside pit. I waka, waka, vat no dey.

My hand dey stretch, I dey feel wall. The floor dey cold, my legs dey shake. The kind journey from door to vat wey dey near bed, e be like whole mile.

My fear dey grow. I dey panic.

My mouth dry, I wan cry but voice no come out. I dey tell myself say after three buckets, I go run commot.

Suddenly, the woman voice come behind me: "Chisom, I dey thirsty. Give me water."

Her breath dey my ear, cold, wet. Her voice now sharp, command like soldier. My whole body freeze.

Her voice sharp, like say if I no give am, she go collect by force.

I remember grandpa warning. I gree, no talk, just find vat. My hand dey find edge, I dey feel for cover.

Grandpa talk say na three buckets go fill vat, I no fit let her drink.

I hold my breath, calculate step. My finger touch something round, cold—vat. My heart nearly burst.

I no talk, I just dey find vat.

I hold edge, open cover, pour first water inside. The sound loud, echo for room. I dey count in my mind: one.

Suddenly, my hand touch light switch.

My hand hit the wall, I find small plastic—light switch. For a second, I forget fear, just wan see wetin dey happen.

Relief wash me. If I on light, I go see vat.

I take deep breath, finger press switch. I pray say nothing bad go happen.

Click. Light come on.

As bulb shine, my eye clear. I see the room proper, see vat, see bed. But na wetin dey top vat shock me.

Na that time I see am—the woman dey sit on top vat, her eye dey red, hunger full her face—like say she wan swallow me whole.

Her face close, tongue lick lips, eyes burn. The hunger inside her no be normal hunger. Her shadow long reach ceiling, and her teeth dey sharp. I freeze for door, bucket still dey my hand, and I dey wonder if night go ever end. Her shadow reach my leg, her eyes dey shine like cat for midnight. My heart dey wait, but I no know if morning fit come.