GHOST (The Shadow in the Dark)

Part Twelve

          I woke up a bit distorted about my environment but I immediately  recovered. I was still wrapped up in his arms and he was staring at me.
“It’s almost 4:AM.”
I did not answer, I just stared at his covered face. I wished I knew who he was, what he looked like. I wished I could understand him and I wished I could change him but that was impossible, he was already a lost soul.
“Let’s go.”
He gently pulled me away from him and I felt cold and empty, my body was literally screaming for me to go back to his warmth.
              He did not say anything else, he just drove off after dropping me. I had listened to the other guy and I had my own keys. As soon as I entered my room, I used my palms to check my temperature and my body once again had betrayed me. It was back to normal. I had lectures by 9:AM.
          I felt his presence immediately I stepped out of my gate. I turned round but did not see anything suspicious. My phone blinked.
‘You really can feel my presence, you’re looking good. I like the jeans.’
   I did not answer but continued my movement. Suddenly, I stopped. I just did not know why I stopped but something was definitely wrong.
The first thing I noticed was the cult boys including the ones who were not my course mates. They were standing close to the first entrance door. I ignored them and entered through the second door.
“Hi Ella.”
It was Ken, it was as if he was waiting for me by the door.
“Ken.”
I forced out a smile and allowed him lead me to a seat at the middle of the class amidst the heavy glares from so many feminine eyes.
“You are giving people the wrong idea.”
We were already sitting down.
“You are looking good and your hair is so beautiful. This is the longest hair I’ve seen on an African lady.”
“Thanks.”
I would have preferred he did not talk but I would never give Ghost the satisfaction that he was right.
“So what course do you want to read after this class?”
“I need to update my note on Dr. Bright’s class.”
“Okay, but I don’t think the one hour break is enough.”
I was not allowed to respond because the lecturer was already in class.
       I could concentrate a little but I was still distracted because he was very much around. As the lecturer left the class, my phone blinked.
‘Don’t move till I say so.’
“Ella let’s go.”
I remained sitting staring at his message. I really wanted to ignore him but I remembered what he had said about the repercussion.
“Hey Ella.”
He was almost looking at my phone. I quickly locked it at looked at him.
“Can’t we read here? I don’t think there will be a class.”
He raised his head to confirm my statement. There were no students trooping into the class which was the normal thing if there was going to be another class. He sat back and shifted very close to me. I wanted to move away but I forced myself to remain still.  I needed to win against Ghost.
     I never knew time had gone far until students started rushing into the class. Ken was really good and I had almost forgotten my predicament, if not for his constant presence I would have forgotten I was in a mess. He had put me through what Dr. Bright taught the day I was walked out of the class.
“I guess it’s time up.”
“Thanks Ken.”
We packed our books and was out of the class in less than thirty seconds.
“I have an art class now” Ken said.
“Me too, Education class.”
I knew there was something more. We were already close to 1000LT, the road to Education Faculty when he spoke again.
“Ella what about dinner this night?”
Then I remembered I was not supposed to come out. I stopped walking fear holding me pinned to the ground.
“What is …”
His question was cut off by numerous gunshots.  Students  started running towards  different directions and I let Ken pull me to take cover at 100lt where crowd were already taking shelter. I was shaking seriously and Ken had misinterpreted the reason.
“Ella, the shootings have stopped. You are shaking badly.”
He pulled me to him and I allowed him. I was expecting to feel warm but I felt chillier making me bite my teeth. Ken pulled me closer and started rubbing my back.
“It’s okay, we are safe. Ella people are already moving out, it’s safe now” Ken whispered to my ears.
I gently pulled away from him.
“You are still shaking, are you that scared?”
He held my hand but it felt like ice on my skin. My phone blinked making me pull my hand away.
‘You can continue to your class.’
I had no idea what to expect but definitely not the message he sent. My cold disappeared and was quickly replaced with anger.
‘I thought you are among the dead.’
He replied immediately.
‘See you this night.’
I felt like throwing my phone and smashing it on the ground.
“Ella.”
I had almost forgotten about Ken.
“I’m sorry, I need to go now.”
“You think your class will still hold?”
That was a good question but I had no answer.
“I don’t know.”
“What if we go somewhere else to read because from what I’m seeing these shootings have destabilized many things. It is getting out of hand.”
“I still have to go to…” My phone blinked.
‘You can go with him, do whatever you want.’
‘I will make sure I maximize this freedom, probably fall in love’ but the message bounced back as not sent.
“Let’s go” I said before he made inquiry of who I was chatting with.
I followed his lead back to Faculty but we stopped at where a large crowd were gathering with students  taking photos of two dead men.
“Four in total for today. I think I will run back to Lagos” one of the students around the bodies shouted.
Others were also talking and I could read the fear in their eyes.  UNIBEN security were coming to the scene when Ken pulled me away. I did not really see their bodies so I had no idea if they were new or the old ones I had been seeing.
   I let Ken take me to the mobile restaurant behind my favorite seat at the Park. He bought two take-away fried rice and chicken, then two coke drinks. I allowed him pull me towards the orchard. I could still feel his presence so I held Ken’s arms and he must have taken it that I was still afraid because he pulled me closer. The grasses were clean and dry enough to sit down and the trees were enough shade. He sat down close to me and brought out the foods. I took mine but opened the chilled coke. I took a sip and rested my head on Ken’s shoulder.
“I wish I can make your fears go away but you won’t talk to me.”
I did not answer but closed my eyes. I wished Ghost could see me.
“Won’t you study again?’
“I’m too shaken to. Please can I just rest?”
He did not answer but placed his arms on my shoulder. I felt so cold to his touch but I did not push his hand away. As soon as I stopped feeling his presence, I raised my head and gently pulled away from him.
“Thanks for the food. I’m ready to study.”
Ken looked at me like he was trying to figure me out.
    It turned out that Ken was fun to be with. Apart from his icy touch, I enjoyed his company. He was a combination of beauty, wealth and brain. He put me through all the courses I was struggling with and he never made any sexual advances like Ghost. For the three hours we spent at the Orchard, I felt human and normal. We would have continued if not for the rain. We had to run into his car. I became tensed once his car was closed.
“Hey I am not going to pounce on you Ella.”
I looked at him.
“It’s written all over your face. I’m not that kind of guy. I have liked you the very day I saw you but I won’t force you. I’m happy you allowed me to be your friend.”
“So what about the rumor that you are dating Mabel?”
“I am very single, I won’t deny I have a lot of girls throwing themselves at me but it’s you I want.”
I did not answer because I was debating on allowing myself to be normal. I had read stories of those who started as friends and developed feelings for each other. Ghost had said it was dangerous to separate the mind from the body. I could use my mind to force my body to love Ken. He was not that bad.
“Ken even if I date you, you won’t like me because it will look like we are friends.”
“Why?”
“I am a Christian and the bible is against sexual immorality and I don’t joke with my Christianity.”
My brain was screaming ‘liar’ and I felt so ashamed, I wondered if Ghost was laughing.
Ken did not answer but smiled at me.
“What?”
“The fact that you are considering it is enough for me.”
He moved closer to me.
“I’m okay with your principle, in fact it’s making me fall in love with you. You are the first girl to ever tell me that. I promise I won’t touch you unless you say so and I will like to follow you to church.”
I was pretty messed up because I was thinking about Ghost instead of concentrating on the real human before me, my memory had to betray me.
“So what do you say Ella?”
“I will think about it.”
I opened the door before he could say anything else and I was running home but the rain started again just when I had crossed the road. I ran to take cover by the ATM machine at my right. I had already entered when I noticed Mabel. It was not just Mabel but some of the cultists. No wonder students were stopping midway and running back. I should have noticed them. I was not surprised to see Mabel with them. There were rumors that she was Dr. Bright’s special mistress. I tried to run back but I was blocked and pushed back by one of the boys.
“Are you having fun?” Mabel asked moving close to me.
She had to put enough scorn in her voice.
“Everybody knows Ken is off the market. Are you so dumb that you want to dare me?” she shouted.
I tried to move away but I was blocked.
“See the way this nonentity is ignoring me.”
She slapped me and I felt the sting down to my teeth.
“Wait Mabel, your own na second, we never finish the first issue. This girl why you dey use us play? I dey ves. I am angry. There is nobody like Ghost” the one I had named Leader said.
“Let me go” I shouted.
“You get luck say here too open, I for don show you how to respect. I won give you one last chance to take us to meet your boyfriend. As this rain dey end so, you are taking us to him. As for Ken, forget am, I nor won see you near am again.”
“You have no idea who you want to meet.”
I wished I could tell them that the man they were looking for was behind the massive killings. I wished I could tell them that to see him meant to die but I could not. They were assholes but not enough to die.
“I go decide that.”
My phone blinked but he prevented me from bringing it out of my bag. It started ringing.
“If na who we dey find, pick am put am for loud speaker.”
I brought out the phone and it was really Ghost. I picked it and put it on loudspeaker.
“I have just one question to ask you, think before you answer. I have no problem with you wanting to see me, but to see me means death. Do you still want to see me?”
His voice was too calm. I shook my head at the leader, I mouthed for him to say no.
“Fix place and time and know say if we nor see you, your girl go suffer.”
He did not listen. They always believed they were the powerful ones until they discovered they were the prey of a bigger predator when it was too late. They should have even been worried that Ghost spoke to them directly when I did not tell him what was going on, but I was sure none of them noticed. The call had distracted him enough to move a bit away from me. I needed to save them before Ghost gave them an address. I took the opportunity created by their distraction and zoomed off.
      I ran faster than I had ever ran before. I did not stop until I crossed Back Gate. Just when I was about to enter my street, my body already wet, I felt his presence but it was followed by gunshots. One sounded too close to me making me to turn. I saw one of the familiar faces who had always followed me from the beginning. He was even among the six men Ghost had knocked down while trying to escort me to my hostel. He was very dead.
   I could not take the sight before me, so I ran all the way to my hostel gate, to my room. I threw myself on the bed and cried my eyes out.
(Your comments are welcomed)