Chapter 8: Shoe Test

I follow my best friend advice, cut iroko wood from back hill, make threshold.

Sun for afternoon hot die, but I still waka go bush. I use small cutlass, chop small iroko, my hand dey shake. I wrap am for my wrapper, carry go hostel.

But as I wan fix am for hostel, I remember old man talk. True true, iroko wood threshold fit be Spirit Gate Threshold. I confuse, no know who to trust.

I look my phone, check messages, see as my chest dey beat. For my head, na who go kill me first remain.

Last last, I decide to try old man method first. If my roommates be ghost, I go believe am. If dem be human, I go call police tomorrow, make dem arrest am.

I dey form James Bond, dey look everybody with corner eye. My mind dey do catarrh.

So I hide the threshold, sit for desk, pretend dey read, dey wait make dem come back.

I dey pretend dey solve chemistry assignment, but na fear dey inside my stomach. My pen no fit stay for hand.

As dem come, dem first check door before dem enter. My mind skip—dem dey fear threshold?

Dem act like say dem dey check for something. Big Sis eye sharp, Zainab dey whisper.

As dem enter, dem dey complain say e no easy to stay another person hostel. “Our own hostel sweet pass,” dem talk. Dem ask why I remove threshold—no be say I wan pursue ghost?

Dem face me like I be landlord. I just nod, say I wan mop floor.

I just wave am off. As dem dey change shoes, dey wash, I arrange their shoes as old man talk—one toe in, one toe out, hide for bed side. Then I wait for lights out.

I move like rat, arrange each shoe as e talk. My heart dey cut. If dem catch me, wahala go blow.

My hands dey tremble as I dey put shoe, and I whisper, “God abeg, make I no see wetin go make me run naked tonight.”

Normally, dem dey climb bed up and down, four, five times. Tonight, not even once.

Dem just waka round room, dey complain, but nobody touch bed. Na only me dey observe.

I begin fear, but I reason say maybe na coincidence. Dem dey laugh, dey play, no be like ghost. Maybe I dey think too much.

Dem even gist about Big Brother, dey drag who go marry first. My mind dey fly.

Finally, light out. Three of dem still dey giggle. I vex, shout for dem. Dem quiet.

I frown, “Una no dey ever tire?”

But the three just dey hang head, dey waka round their bed, no gree climb.

The air thick, the room cold. Their movement slow, like say dem dey find something dem forget.

Fear catch me.

My stomach twist, my mouth dry, I dey pray make light on come back.

I gather courage, ask Halima, “Why you no dey climb your bed?”

My voice low, I dey shake.

Suddenly, Halima begin cry. “Wetin dey happen? Where my bed dey?”

Her voice shake, her face lost. Tears dey her eye, e pain me.

My head blank. Old man no lie!

I nearly faint. This one pass Nollywood film.

But I try hold myself—if dem notice, I fit die tonight. I swallow, wan talk something to calm dem.

I open mouth, my tongue stiff. My body dey sweat.

But na that time, Big Sis grab Halima, “You no dey see? Your bed dey here!”

Her hand rough, e squeeze Halima arm. Halima dey shiver.

Halima still dey cry, wan talk, but Big Sis just bark, “Shut up!”

Her voice loud, sharp. Even Zainab flinch. The tension high.

My body cold. Big Sis fit see Halima bed? Or she know something?

My own hand dey tremble. I dey reason, if na set-up, which way I go run?

Before I fit reason, Halima run come my bed. “Ngozi, I dey fear, I wan sleep with you.”

She hold my leg, beg. Her eyes red. My heart dey beat kpim kpim.

She try climb my bed.

Her hand cold as ice. I nearly jump out from skin.

I jump, block her with pillow. “No, Halima, I dey fear pass you, abeg.”

My voice dey tremble, I no care. I push her small, my own fear pass her own.

Sharp sharp, Zainab grab my bed too. “Make we four sleep together. This our hostel dey somehow. If we sleep together, fear no go catch us. Big Sis, come join.”

Zainab voice soft, but e get that small echo. I dey feel am for back bone.

I fear so tey I kneel for bed, begin beg. “Zainab, abeg, no, no, I dey beg you...”

My tears dey form for eye. I dey shiver, dey bite lip.

But Big Sis no answer Zainab, she just dey look their three beds. My heart dey cut. If she find out say I arrange their shoes, na finish be that. My brain dey run fast.

I dey pray make thunder strike bulb so everybody go fear run.

Suddenly, Big Sis look up, face me. My spirit nearly fly.

Her eyes narrow, her voice deep. I dey reason if I fit jump from window and land well.

I stammer, “Big Sis, anything dey?”

My teeth dey click. I wan cry.

Next thing, Big Sis shout, “Run, ghost dey here!”

Her scream loud, e scatter my ear. Even mosquito wey dey buzz stop.

I shock. Ghost dey shout say ghost dey—wetin I go do?

My head blank, my body weak. Na only leg dey answer name.

The three run comot door sharp sharp. I jump down, lock door.

Dem waka like wind, I no see their back. I turn key, dey shake.

I turn, fall for ground, sigh.

My wrapper don shift, sweat full my body. I for thank God if no be say wahala dey.