Chapter 4: The Red High Heel

Musa dey whisper. His mouth dey move, no sound dey come out. The guy fit dey pray for inside, dey call Allah for help.

I quick send message to the guy for next room: [You hear the footsteps?] My hand dey shake, I type with one finger. Make e no be like say na only our room dey hear this wahala.

Guy: [All of them dey come up.]

For my mind, I dey imagine how person go dey count footsteps for night. The matter don pass my power.

Before he finish: The footsteps don reach third floor. The thing loud, like say dem dey use amplifier. My heart dey beat fast. Na our floor be that.

I hold breath, dey listen. My chest dey rise and fall, sweat dey drip for my forehead. Everybody for room just freeze, as if dem dey wait for judgment.

Suddenly, footsteps stop. The silence come thick, like say breeze no dey blow again. Na that kind silence wey swallow all sound.

I look others: "I tell una, na just person dey go toilet..."

I try form hard guy, but my voice dey shake small.

Before I finish, I see their face don change, fear just full everywhere. Their eyes big, even room leader mouth dey open. Nobody gree talk, nobody gree move. The fear real pass the dark.

Clack clack clack clack clack—

Suddenly, footsteps rush for corridor, like say person dey run madly. The worst part—

The footsteps stop right for our room door. The sound just choke the air, my brain dey turn yam. E be like say the wall dey shake. I fit swear say my spirit commot body that moment.

Halima and Musa dey sleep near door. Their face change sharp sharp. Halima cover face with wrapper, Musa don dey pray for inside. The guy dey mutter Quran, small small, dey shiver.

I see, under the corridor light outside the door, one long shadow stretch enter from under the door. That shadow long sotay e almost reach my bed. My heart skip. Na person or na spirit? Person... dey stand for door.

Nobody talk, nobody breathe. The shadow just dey shake small small, like say e dey dance with the light.

Na that time, the sound-activated light for corridor off. The whole room dark, silence thick, even my own breath dey loud for my ear. E be like say I dey inside well, nobody go hear you if you shout.

Everywhere just dark. My hand dey find phone for pillow, but I no fit move. E be like say hand dey press my chest.

This kind fear just dey choke person. I dey look the dark space under the door, just imagine say person dey outside, my body full with goosebumps.

E get as e be, ehn? My granny for village go say, "If spirit dey waka, make you no talk, just dey pray inside."

Na wa o.