FICTION
Staying out late has never been my thing, aside the fact that I don't like being outside when I cannot see the face of the person coming towards me, I just hate the feeling of being outside in the dark. 7pm has always been my benchmark, if it's 7pm and I'm not yet home, I get nervous.
On this particular day, I was returning from Katsina to Kano. If not that I had things to do the next day, I would have waited and travelled the next day, but I was forced to leave Katsina around 4pm, well, was it not 2 and a half hour journey?
But you see, I've always said it. Anyone living in Katsina is not normal. Because you cannot be experiencing traffic congestion daily, sniffing smokes from different vehicles, and tell me you are not high on diesel and petrol.
Anyway, the congestion in Katsina was like the world had ended. We actually spent that 2 and half hours trying to navigate out of Katsina. It was a complete stand-still!
We finally found a way out of Katsina and started the journey to Kano.
I tried consoling myself that I wasn't alone in the bus and people were still outside of course.
But my village people had other plans.
Just when we got to Guru Maraji side, our bus decided it was time to break down. OMG! Imagine such place.
It was getting close to 9pm at this time.
There was no way to get another bus, so the male passengers in the bus joined the driver in finding a solution to the bus.
After about 45 minutes, the vehicle came back to life, it was all shouts of joy from us.
My heart was already beating fast.
This bus was meant to drop us all at Kano line which was just ₦70 cab to my bus stop.
Around 11pm we got to kano then I was left to face my life all alone.
The whole place was almost fully deserted, except for few cars,The Alimajiri and bikes.
There was no trycycles going my way anymore, guess they had closed for the day.
So I opted for a bike.
The bike agreed to collect ₦200 from me after so much plea. When I wasn't supposed to pay beyond ₦100.
As we were going, I started feeling somehow on the bike.
The cold was much, and it felt like the bike wasn't touching the ground.
I kept mute and just silently prayed to get home peacefully. I was sure my street would have been dead silent, but I had no choice.
We finally got to my bus stop, and I was meant to walk for another 20 minutes to get to my house.
15 minutes if I walk faster.
10 minutes if I run.
5 minutes if I could fly.
I thought of my chances, walking home alone. I couldn't. So I begged that he took me to my place. He agreed.
We got to my place, and as I climbed down from the bike and stretched ₦200 to the bike man, the cold increased.
I looked at him again, and he smiled.
He then asked, "so you see ghosts?"
I said, "what did you say?"
He asked again, "you do see ghosts?"
I got nervous, and I shook my head frantically.
He laughed and said, "but you can see me"
My heart almost popped out of my chest.
I swallowed hard without saying a word.
He was still there staring at me.
With the remaining courage in me, I walked towards the general door and banged severally until someone heard me
My neighbour finally opened after asking 1million times, who it was.
I looked back, the bike man was still there.
I faced my neighbour and asked her, "can you see anybody?"
She looked around and shook her head in the negative.
The bike man smiled at me again.
Oh well! I almost peed on myself.
I rushed into the passage and hurriedly opened my door, leaving my neighbour to wonder if I was alright.
I was looking around my room, scared like hell when I heard a knock on my door.
I moved back in fear, not saying a word.
Then I heard his voice again, he asked, "can we talk?"
I woke up with a start from the cra-zy dream which almost gave me an attack, I checked the time, it was 12:00am
I remembered the dream, the bike man was asking if we could talk when I woke up. I was glad it was a dream.