Chapter 4: Storage Room Secrets

Same time, my stepmother begin form cry, tell Papa, “Chisom never ask me for anything before. This time as we dey move, na only her own room she talk say she want. But house get only two bedrooms…”

Her fake tears dey run. She dey act like say na Nollywood movie she dey. If to say dem give award for acting, na she go collect.

She just stop there.

She pause small, dey look if Papa go buy her story. I just dey shake head, but I no talk.

My stepsister rush talk, “No wahala, I go stay for storage room. Make big sister take the bigger bedroom. I sure say she sef want her own space.”

The girl voice sweet like sweet, but e dey bitter for ear. She dey talk like angel, but na devil dey inside. For this Naija, everybody sabi act when dem see oga.

The two of them dey act together, dey play script.

If dem put these two for Africa Magic, dem go collect award. I just dey look, no fit talk.

Papa just decide, “Chisom small pass. If she sleep for big room, she go grow tall. Ifunanya, you go stay for storage room.”

He just talk am, no look my face. Na so my chest just heavy. For my mind, I dey ask, "Who talk say big room dey make person tall?"

He no even ask me, just fling my load enter storage room. My bag jam ground. Even my shoes sef roll enter corner. Nobody reason say I dey tired.

He drop last one: “If you get sense like your sister, I for no dey worry myself.”

The insult pain me. For my mind, I dey talk, "One day go reach, everybody go hear my own side."

The bullet comments begin hail.

[Na so! Bad people go collect. All of them dey look down on this small girl, but na storage room wey dem dey shame for go save her.]

[If the small girl fit find that soul-capturing talisman for storage room, e go make sense. That thing fit control one hundred ghosts—she fit even save the whole family.]

[You too soft. After all dem do her, you still dey talk make she save them? She never suffer reach?]

I dey read am, my mind dey do yoyo. For Naija, person go dey suspect if e dey see vision after slap. But na so comments dey pop up, as if I dey inside WhatsApp group for spirits.

As I dey see these comments, my first mind say e no fit be true. I reason say maybe na stress or hunger dey worry me. Abi na this new place get something for air?

If na haunted house, why I no just run instead of dey find soul-capturing talisman?

But my leg dey weak. If I run, who go believe me? For this country, dem go say I dey mad.

Comments just reply me:

[Na 10pm. All the doors and windows for this house don lock.]

[Before the ghost parade start, anybody wey dey inside no fit run.]

My skin stand. Cold just grab me. Na so I dey wonder if na curse dey follow me from old house enter new one.

As dem finish, Papa voice just curse from the door: “Nonsense, first day we move, door don spoil.”

The man just dey vex, as if na me break door. For Naija, na person wey no get power dem dey blame for everything.

He throw dirt for ground. “I go throw am tomorrow.”

Even the dirt smell reach my nose. For my mind, I dey curse the day dem born me.

Stepmother dey mutter for bathroom, “Why this window no dey open?”

Her voice sound like person wey dey quarrel with air. For this house, nothing dey work.

Few seconds, her voice land for kitchen: “Why nothing dey open for this house?”

I dey hear plates jam for sink. She dey vex. Me, my spirit just dey shake. Wetin I go do now?

Cold sweat just full my body. My whole shirt just dey soak. My mind dey run marathon. E be like say one kind shadow dey pass my back.

I rush enter storage room, slam the door. If to say this house get prayer warrior, now na time for deliverance. I dey beg God for silent prayer. "Make this night pass, abeg."

The place full with different rubbish. I no even get space to stand well. Everywhere choke. Old carton, broken fan, suitcase wey rat don chop, old newspaper wey even Independence Day story still dey for am. For corner, dust just dey fly.

But the bullet comments just dey flash for my eye. E be like say I dey inside cinema for spirit world. My heart dey beat like say I thief.

[How these people go take die tonight?]

[A week ago, one gym coach wey waka enter here, doctor ghost peel him skin. Him scream fill the whole compound.]

[I remember one guy wey dey do live video for Facebook, hungry ghost tear am into pieces before one minute pass.]

[Plus one couple wey dey cheat—the ghosts force them swallow 50 Agbo Jedi, dem die for the matter.]

The stories dey heavy. For my mind, I dey pray say make dem dey joke. Na only for Naija you go hear say ghost get beef for Facebook live.

Fear just catch me, I kneel down for ground. My body dey shake. Na so tears begin run for my face. I dey remember church prayer, "No weapon fashioned against me shall prosper," but my voice dey low.

This house na because of my stepsister school matter dem buy am. Dem say make she fit go best school for this area. My own matter no enter anybody mind. For Naija, if your mama no get mouth, na suffer you go chop.

Even though the house old and dey up, na school district property—people dey rush am. Dem dey value catchment area for here. Some people go dey manage for inside, just for school.

Stepmother tell Papa say na 25 million naira she use buy am, all cash. She brag for street say she get money pass people. But na haunted house she carry us enter. My mind dey pain me.

Na so our family sell house for the next state, all of us move come together. I dey miss my old room, my old neighbour Mama Basira wey dey always give me puff-puff. Here, na only me and this family wahala.

But now I see say, to save money, stepmother just use small money buy haunted house. For my mind, I dey curse her village people. See wetin greed dey cause for this life.

As moon dey shine, I dey rush find the soul-capturing talisman wey dem talk for comments. Moonlight just dey shine through dust. My heart dey do me one kind. Na so I dey dig carton, open old Ghana-Must-Go bag, dey find anything wey resemble juju or talisman. Dust enter my nose, I sneeze, but I still dey search—fear no dey let me stop.

I no fit die now. I never jail the person wey kill my mama.

Every time my mind remember my mama, my body dey get fresh anger. I promise her for grave say I go find truth. I fit still remember the day, Mama perfume mix with fried akara for air.

Stepmother sef no fit die yet. Na only her dey there when Mama jump. I still need her to talk for chief’s court. If I let her die now, who go talk truth? My mind dey heavy.

But before I fit search finish, stepmother burst open storage room door, hiss, “Nobody chop since. You no go cook, you wan kill us with hunger?” Her voice sharp, like person wey no fear God. For this life, hunger no dey ever catch wicked person.

I sharply check my phone. 22:30. One hour thirty minutes before ghost parade start. For my mind, time dey fly. My mouth dry. I dey calculate, but I no fit talk am out. For Naija, dem no dey believe children. If I talk say ghost dey come, dem go say I don mad.

My whole body dey sweat, but I no fit talk the truth—dem no go believe me. I just dey look ground. E get as my body dey. I dey reason if I go just escape or stand my ground.

Before I talk more, Papa rush enter, drag my collar go kitchen. If to say no be night, neighbours for don hear shout. My neck dey pain me as him grip strong.

He vex, “Because you dey stay storage room, you wan dey form stubborn abi?”

I wan reply, but my tongue heavy. For my mind, I dey beg God make my mama spirit protect me.

“If your mama no die early, see as you dey behave, she for die of vex.”

The insult bite me for bone. My mind just dark. I dey look am, no fit believe say na my own papa dey talk like this. For my mind, I dey say, "God go judge una."

As he mention my mama, my eye turn red. Na so my heart burst. All the pain I dey hold since just pour out. If I get power, I for turn lion.

Three years ago, when Mama get eight months belle, dem push her from up, kill her and the baby. Every time I remember that day, my chest dey burn. I dey wish I fit turn back time.

Papa insist say Mama get depression, say na she jump. But for my mind, I know say na lie. The story no ever gel. Even people for compound talk say dem hear quarrel that day. But I know say na lie.

If to say God dey answer prayer fast-fast, thunder for don fire person for this house. But na so life be.

That morning, Mama carry me go school, promise say she go buy me meat pie because I get perfect score. I fit still remember her perfume, her laughter. How person go just throw all that away? How she go just jump like that?

Tears dey my eye. My body dey shake. For my mind, I dey vow say one day, truth go come out.

Somebody push her. I don dey plan how to expose everybody. Na just small time remain. No matter how I cry, Papa say na suicide. E pain me say even my own blood dey doubt me. Na why I dey pray say make justice fall for this house.

The next month, he bring stepmother and stepsister come house. For my mind, I dey wonder if na dem plan am from beginning. Since that day, my world scatter.