The New Apartment Episode One
It was Jane’s first night in her new apartment. She had laboured for a whole year to be able to pay for the house rent. Before now, she was living in a small room which was located in the trenches. But when she got a big job a year ago, she decided to save up money to move to Lekki, a highbrow area of Lagos. After she paid N3 million for the apartment, she was so happy that she moved her things the same day she was able to pay. Jane worked with a bank, before she got a job with an international company that paid her in dollars. That was what changed her life.
On her first night in the big apartment, she was overwhelmed with joy because she has suffered so much in Lagos due to where she lived. Before now, she had to come from Lagos Mainland to work in the Island. It was very difficult as she had to make the journey daily. Now, she has a beautiful apartment that was very close to where her office was located.
“This is one of my happiest days on earth. I’m so happy that I feel like drinking some good wine to celebrate this big achievement.” Jane said as she went to her fridge and picked a bottle of red wine. She was alone, so there was no one to click cups with her in celebration. But she still popped the wine in happiness.
“This is for a new beginning. In this house, I will achieve more good things of life. In this house, a man will see me and marry me. I this house, In will become a better person.” Jane said while raising her cup of wine and the bottle up in cheers.
“I never knew that one day I will be able to pay for an apartment that is big like this one. I never knew that a day would come when I would make enough money in this Lagos to be able to pay for a house in Lekki. This still feels like a dream. When I came to Lagos, my salary was N20,000 and I was squatting with my friend. Today, I’m earning so much money than I have ever imagined. God is too good and it is good to work very hard in life. I’m so happy tonight and I know my sleep will be so good and different. The other place I was staying in was not comfortable at all. This place is much better. I give all the glory to God for this achievement.” Jane said to herself. She poured some more wine into the glass cup and drank.
“Let me go and sleep. Tomorrow is work. My happiness is that I can even decide to walk to my place of work if I want to. I’m not going to be stuck in traffic ever again. This is one of the reasons I rented this house.” Jane said. She placed the glass cup on the table and moved into her bedroom. She wore her night gown and lay on her bed, ready to sleep. Jane was so tired that immediately she lay on her bed that night, she fell asleep. She went to bed around 10 pm.
After two hours of intense sleep, Jane woke up around 12 midnight. Actually, there was something that woke her up. She was hearing a strange and scary voice in the ceiling of the house. It was as if someone was talking from the ceiling. When Jane woke up, she had to listen very well to be sure her ears were not deceiving her. She was hearing the voice of a young girl who was talking sorrowfully and lamenting that someone killed her.
“I did not die a natural death. You killed me. Why did you kill me? I was 10 years old when you brought me into your room and killed me. My spirit will never leave you. I will continue to hunt you until I successfully kill you. You belong to a secret cult but I will kill you. Your cult will not protect you. I will also kill all the tenants in this house.” The voice said from the ceiling. Jane was so terrified when she heard the young girl’s sorrowful voice.
“I’m so scared. Are my ears deceiving me or what? What am I hearing? There is a ghost in the ceiling of this house or what? This is a haunted house?” Jane kept asking herself. She was shivering due to intense fear. Her body was shaking. She felt like coming out and running away, but the night was so dark and time was far spent.
Jane kept thinking of what to do and how to handle the situation. She rushed into the living room to see if the voice was also talking there too. She did not sit down, because she was so scared and terrified.
“You will die by my hand. And all the tenants in this house will die by my hand. I will kill everyone in revenge. You killed me and you think I will leave you alone? I’m going to kill you. All of you living in this house, your days are numbered. You are all dead people walking.” The little girl said from the ceiling. Jane rushed back to the bedroom because she was more scared in the living room.
“Oh my God! It is as if I have rented a haunted house. There is a spirit haunting this house.” Jane said to herself while trying to figure out what to do. She was so confused because she didn’t know who was talking or who the person was talking to. The little girl’s voice was so sorrowful that it pieced Jane’s heart. Throughout that night, she could not sleep again.
“Who is that girl and who killed her? I have to call my pastor to come here and pray.” Jane said. She stayed awake until daybreak. She prepared very early and left for work. In the evening when she closed from work, she came home with her pastor who told her what he saw in the spiritual realm. He told her who the girl was and why her spirit was haunting the new apartment.
To be continued…………
© Nabih Aben
