Chapter 6: Payment and Paranoia

After ten minutes, I open the door, change the lock cylinder. The old one sef never spoil—I fit use am for another person next time. Na so small money dey turn big money.

I fit sell that old cylinder for spare part market, Abule-Egba. Money must enter.

I collect 7,000 naira—na correct price for the work. Other people for my line fit charge extra for night job. Maybe because she see as I dey try, the woman no talk anything—she just give me the money, enter house, lock door.

She just use left hand hand me the money, avoid my eye like say she no wan talk again. As she enter, she lock the door with quick hand, the bolt jam loud.

But as she wan close door finish, she pause. The woman stand inside, through the small space for the door, she lower her voice come ask me.

Her voice soft, almost like whisper, as if she dey fear to disturb the dead. Her hair still dey cover one side of her face, shadow deep for corridor.

"Sorry, when you dey come up, as you comot from stairs... you see anything?"

Her eye dey wide, glassy. For Lagos, person fit ask you anything, but this one strange.

As she dey talk, she point towards the corridor behind me.

Her finger long, nail painted white, e shake small as she point.

I surprise, turn look the dark corridor.

For night, that corridor dey fear person. Even the tile get one kain shine like water. My hand touch my chest small—na habit when I dey tense.

She continue, "I mean, for the stairwell wey dey directly opposite the landing."

As she talk, her voice low, like say she dey talk to herself more than me. The question enter my bone.

I look. True, for left side of the corridor, stairwell dey, face the landing. From where I stand, I fit just see the entrance. Everywhere dark, nothing show.

The darkness thick, only one orange security bulb dey blink far end. Na so Lagos estate dey be; after 12, light dey misbehave.

I no understand, so I say, "I rush come help you, just come up the stairs, turn left, see you. I no really look. Something dey there?"

I dey try smile, but e no reach my eye.

"You see... you see white shadow, just stand there?"

The way she talk am, my body begin cold. My mind fly go all the story dem dey tell for compound, how one woman disappear for block B last year.

Cold catch me. "White shadow? For stairwell?"

I swallow spit, rub my neck. My heart begin tap dance.

She nod. "Yes. Woman wey wear long white wrapper, hair cover her face. She just stand, dey face the landing, no dey move at all."

Her voice nearly break. I feel say she dey shiver, even though door dey between us. For Lagos, na juju story dey move fast pass WhatsApp message.

As I dey look her, she beg, "Abeg, fit help me check? See whether that thing still dey there? If not, I no fit sleep tonight."

Her talk give me goosebumps. I no look stairwell before, but I sure say I no see anybody. But I gats check—after all, na that place I go pass go house.

If I say I no dey fear, na lie. But na man I be. I adjust my shirt, spit small for ground, gather small courage.