The Reappearing
The whistling breeze blew the curtains in the dark blue room where Ada had laid, waiting for dad and mum to be back. When she woke up this morning, only her aged grandmother was in the house with her. She loves grandma so much but she could be boring at times. It looks like it's going to rain tonight, the wind is an unusual occurrence.
Troubled Ada looked through the heavily framed window into the compound, at the gate laid Yakubu, the gate man, who has fallen asleep, snoring away in deep contrition to nature call. She turned to comfort herself on her bed but she couldn't do much of that. Grandma is her room, probably asleep like Yakubu. So, Ada is the only one awake in the whole mansion.
She decided to go to the living room where the breeze is blowing the huge art frame on the wall. Ada locked the window and tuned the lock. Everywhere seemed dark with a ray of the solar light from the compound, shining through the thick curtains into the pantry, kitchen and living room.
Into the kitchen, she went to pour for herself a cut of cold water from the refrigerator, maybe it could relieve her worries and bring sleep to her eyes. A little sip, her nerves calmed.
Then, her mind rings like the bell of her school bell. She heard the movement of Nneoma again. She has been trying to avoid a conversation with her.
Ada, I have missed you. I am lonely in the other world. Please, come with me. You can see that no one really cares what happens to you here. Not dad, not mum.
Nneoma is the ghost of Ada's younger sister who passed away after a fever. Their parents have been away on a business trip, leaving them to be alone at home. Without looking back, Ada replied her:
You don't belong here. Go away and don't lure me to the world of the dead. That is where you belong now. Life is the great chasm that separates us.
The ghost stood silent for a moment then continued luring the poor and frustrated Ada who had already started sweating due to the duress of having to talk with a ghost. Despite the heavy wind and cold atmosphere, her sweat was dripping from the beaded sweat that had gathered on her forehead.
Beloved sister. Look around you, there is no joy living in such a huge house, lush rug, expensive curtains and enough to eat and drink but without care and love.
She paused again. Ada felt the pain in her heart as she was beginning to reflect on what Nneoma was saying.
This was how everyone left me in the hands of death to a mere fever.
Her sweat turned to tears, Nneoma had hit her soft spot. She also has reasoned that her parents don't have enough time for her but would accepting to cross the chasm be the solution to this problem? Definitely, its a no. Ada looked into the roof to make her tears stop flowing.
Everything will be alright. I know it's not all well now, dad and mum don't see to have learned their lessons with your demise. But I want to be here, I want to be alive.
When Nneoma heard the reassuring statement of Ada, she decided to return to the great beyond and never to disturbed Ada anymore.
A heavy lightning flashed through the mansion as her ghost violently swam through the walls and the rain poured down, in memory of the final exit of Nneoma from the world.
Ada laid on the couch and slept off. Her parents, Mr and Mrs Ikeh came back in the middle of the night while the rain was still drizzling.
When Ada woke up, she was already in her bed. Her dad carried her to her room when they came home and found her sleeping on the couch. She seized the moment to narrate how Nneoma ghosts have been troubling her to join her in the other world.
They were so bewildered that they haven't awoken to the truth that their negligence was the primary cause for Nneoma's causality.
In a sincere appeal, they reassured never to leave Ada to herself again.
You know parents really do not understand that they're negligence affects others lives it's so sad sometimes but as such is life... good story really I like the way it flows.