The day my friend’s father’s ghost locked us in the room
The day my friend’s father’s ghost locked us in the room.
That was when I knew some beliefs and Traditions are real. Very real.
So I remember the day Pius father died.
I was the first person he called to break the news of his father’s death. His dad had been sick for over a year plus so the death didn’t come as a surprise, but it was a painful one.
On the day of the burial, we were all at his village for the first time. It was also the first time Pius would be visiting his village. So we didn’t know the traditions there.
The casket containing the body of Pius Father was brought and kept in an empty room. One by one people went inside to see the body of Pius father to pay their last respect.
Since Pius was my friend I made sure I went everywhere with him. And so our turn came, and we also went inside the room.
Door that was usually left open, Pius asked me to close the door because he needed a quiet time with his father.
I closed the door and this was how I was in the room with Pius and the dead body of his father.
Fear gripped me when Pius opened the casket.
I saw a dead body life for the first time in my life.
The man was just lying inside the casket, eyes closed.
“Pius, I think I should wait for you outside while you have the quiet time with your father.”
Pius looked at me.
“Are you scared?”
“No o. But I just feel like your father and you should be left alone to have your quiet time. I mean this is a father and son relationship something.”
Pius nodded his head and told me to go if I was not comfortable.
I knew he wanted me to stay. But I wasn’t going to give in to such emotional blackmail. So I turned to the door and tried to open the door I had closed.
The door refused to open.
I turned the door handle several times. Dragged the door and turned to Pius when I realized I had failed.
“What is it?”
“The door has refused to open.”
Pius stood up and decided to try it too. He pushed the door, hit it, and turned the handle. But the door still refused to open.
We peeped and realized nothing was holding the door. It was not locked. It was only closed. There was no key on the door.
That was when Pius shouted.
“Mummy!”
No one answered.
I didn’t have anybody’s name to shout.
Kept looking at Pius father’s body which was still there.
At that moment, a woman who had heard us screaming inside called some of the elders.
And I could hear one of the elders shout “chai” on seeing the door closed.
“Did you open his casket?”
“Yes.” Pius replied.
“But why na? Why will you open his casket? Didn’t they tell you that you don’t close the door and open a casket containing the corpse of a person? Now you have let the spirit of the dead out.”
At that moment Pius who wanted a quiet time with his father became scared and started shouting and screaming for the door to open.
I sat on the floor with my hands on my head.
It was said that the spirit of Pius father was the one hunting Pius.
My name is Praises Chidera Obiora and I am the best at what I do.
