Chapter 6: Threshold Trap

As I reach hostel, I find tool, start to fix the threshold.

Sweat dey my forehead as I dey hammer the old wood for door. My heart dey beat—this thing go work?

Na there my three roommates show, dey ask wetin I dey do.

Dem stand for corridor, dey look me with fear and small gist for mouth. Zainab even dey frown, “You wan break door?”

I tell them everything, say once I put threshold, ghost no fit enter again.

Their mouth open like person wey swallow dry fufu. The more I talk, the more fear dey show for their eye.

As dem hear say ghost really dey, fear catch dem, dem no gree enter room—dem just run.

Dem scatter for corridor, dey shout my name like say dem no sabi me again. One even say she go sleep for chapel.

I no even send them.

I hiss, drag my wrapper, lie down. If dem like, make dem sleep for roof.

Just as I dey fix am, PHCN take light. Everywhere dark, only my phone torch dey shine.

I lie down, turn here and there, sleep no gree come.

Mosquito dey buzz, my skin dey hot. I count ceiling lines till my eyes pain.

Suddenly, I hear gbam, gbam, gbam for the door.

The sound loud like say na plank dey hit. My heart fly reach mouth.

My body just stand, hair stand for my head.

My skin cold, my leg stiff for bed. I no fit shout, I no fit move.

The air cold, smell like burnt kerosene. Even cockroach wey dey run before, freeze for wall.

I listen—no be knock. Na like feet dey kick the threshold.

I listen again—e be like say wetin dey outside dey use leg try jam wood. Each kick heavy, like when pikin dey stubborn.

E be like say leg dey try jump cross threshold, but e no fit, so e toe just dey jam am.

I imagine ghost dey outside, dey vex, dey jump but e leg just dey knock wood. My mind dey race.

Fear hold me, I dive under my wrapper, cover ear, no even wan move.

I press my body flat, dey pray under breath. “Abeg o, abeg, make e no enter!”

Na that time my phone vibrate, I shock.

My hand shake, my mind nearly fly. If no be say na WhatsApp, I for shout die.

Na my best friend dey message me for WhatsApp, dey ask how e be.

I quick type, my finger dey shake. 'Babe, wahala dey! Sometin dey knock door!'

She reply me with voice note, her voice rush: 'No dull! Remove am now now!'

She send another one, her voice dey tremble. “Ngozi! Remove am! E get as e be!”

“No be ghost leg dey kick threshold o, na ghost head dey knock am! If na true, this threshold na Spirit Gate Threshold, e dey open Spirit Gate. If the ghost wey lead others knock head for three days, everywhere go open, una four go die finish!”

I reread am, my mouth dry. This one pass my power.

Fear wan kill me, I ask my best friend wetin make I do.

I dey type quick quick, 'Abeg, na which kind wahala be this?!'

She ask me where I meet the old man. I yarn her everything.

She just hiss, “Ngozi, na setup dem setup you o!” Her voice dey shake, I fit imagine her dey walk round her small room.

She vex, “How you go believe say old man just happen get the exact threshold wey you need?”

She call me mumu, say make I shine eye next time. My head dey spin.

I shock, ask her wetin I go do.

I bite finger, dey wait reply. If she say make I jump window, I go jump.

She say make I remove the threshold sharp sharp.

I look my leg—e weak. Na so I dey for bed, dey shiver, I no fit stand. My spirit dey outside body.

But fear no gree me stand up—my leg dey shake.

I dey beg my body to move, but na only my teeth dey shake.

She come say make I download dynamic picture of three burning candles for my phone, hold am face door, bow three times. That one go hold the matter for tonight.

I rush open phone, search candle video. The network dey drag but I still manage download one gif wey candle dey burn. I close eye, kneel, bow three times, whisper Psalm 23 join.

True true, after I bow, the banging stop.

Na small courage remain before I faint. I just lie flat, dey thank God. Mosquito bite me, I no even feel.