UNIVERSITY SERIES, EPISODE TWO; HAUNTED HOUSE!

My new apartment, house number 31, opened me up to bizarre noises and experiences that led me to believe I was living in a haunted house.

There was this mysterious door in my room, leading to an unknown destination that I never quite managed to explore, perhaps because curiosity is not my strong suit.

As I strolled along the street, getting acquainted with local vendors and neighbors, my small stature and noticeable newcomer appearance caught almost everyone’s attention. Upon mentioning my place of residence, they'd inevitably express surprise at my choice to live in the ‘haunted house’, questioning whether I had not heard eerie noises in the night. Their remarks only heightened my anxiety, prompting me to call my mom and, as you might expect, cry. It was quite a surreal experience!

 

For weeks, I would often hear footsteps on my roof and on the floor of my house, which made me so scared that I felt like I was about to wet myself because this mysterious creature would seem to stand outside my front door for hours every Tuesday night.

My neighbor even recounted how she saw a shadow near her outdoor toilet and when she cast and bound, the shadow struggled and fell, only for her to discover that her toilet was broken the following day – a clear indication that some kind of supernatural being was haunting us both.

Rumors had long swirled that the cashew tree in our compound was a burial site for animals and other unknown things. Initially, I dismissed these stories as sheer superstition, the strange sound of animal noises coming from the tree corroborated the stories, and as the eerie sounds became more frequent and unsettling, we decided that the tree should be cut down to put an end to this mysterious sensation that comes from hearing these voices in our heads.

My fear was further intensified when the other tenant was preparing to move out due to unending sleep paralysis which she believed to be principalities and powers, leaving me as the sole occupant, aside from the security guard.


You may wonder why I didn't move out immediately, given these unsettling revelations and experiences. My mother, a deeply spiritual and faith-filled woman, never pays much attention to supernatural phenomena such as evil spirits or witchcraft. Her unwavering belief in the power of faith instilled hope in me, and she shared guidance on maintaining my sanity and strength. Moreover, she genuinely believed the compound was a suitable place for me to live.

To cope with my fear of being alone in the house, I developed the habit of leaving every morning, whether or not I had classes to attend. Moreover, the lack of electricity in the house provided an additional incentive to allow me to spend more time away from home. This routine not only allowed me to socialize and charge my electronic devices but also ensured that my precious lamp, a constant companion during the scary nights, remained charged.


The thought of returning to the big, empty, terrifying house was draining but the unsettling atmosphere of the dangerously lonely road far outweighed it, so I was always sure to finish all my tasks outside and return home before 6:30 pm. While at home, my door was always locked so to reduce my exposure to potentially unnerving external situations or experiences.

Just when I thought I had developed a thick skin, my fear worsened when I heard distinct noises emanating from my wardrobe, loud enough to disrupt my sleep for three consecutive nights. I mustered up the courage to investigate the wardrobe, only to discover that the sounds were from rats. Thankfully, my security guard exterminated them.


That little courage grew and I stopped paying attention to the unexplained noises, and even when new neighbors moved in and shared weird experiences—including hearing knocks on their doors at night—I was unable to relate, as I had stopped believing in their existence. Numerous tenants came and went, but staying there until my graduation made me the longest-lasting occupant of that house.

 

As a necessity, I religiously committed to returning home early until the day I attended the freshers’ induction and the after-party which lasted much longer than expected, so, my three friends who also live off campus decided to spend the night at my house - the closest and surest option at the time.


Out of fear, we held hands and recited the famous Psalm 23, walking as quickly as we could since we were walking in the valley of the shadow of death, and just as we approached my house, we were expressing gratitude for our safe journey when we suddenly heard a voice calling out, "Hey, Who goes you?!”


The speed at which we ran that night could only be compared to a heavenly race because...

 

 

… To be continued

 

                                                         …..Sweet Lilian