GHOST (The Shadow in the Dark)

Part Forty Four

I had already entered the last street that would lead me to the path to the river when I remembered I did not wear the gown, I did not pick my phone, I did not take the flowers, I did not pick the ring, I did not lock my door and I was bare footed, just the bead on my hand. I paused and turned to run back because my things were not safe but I stopped and turned back towards the river, then I stopped again and turn to run back but turned back towards the river. I did not care if thieves took everything in my room, running back would make Ibrahim believe I did not want to come and he would leave. In fact, the room could be bombed, I did not care. I needed to get to the river before Ibrahim changed his mind.
As I ran like my life depended on it, my mind took me back to the day we had the first contact, to that night I had dread and terror but I was no longer seeing it same way I saw things that day. Knowing he was Ibrahim made me realize I had really been protecting those that were sent to kill me. I remembered the night six of them tried escorting me to my hostel, they knew what they were doing and they were not confused, they were leading me to a dark area to kill me but Ghost had stopped them. The men at Engineering were not trying to protect me, they wanted to kill me at a dark secluded area but Ghost had intervened, then DPO and his gang had become desperate, they had thrown caution to the wind and they had tried shooting me from any position but Ghost kept stopping them. Then that day I had sent a message to the DPO, the message had prompted him to send those men I had seen inside the Hilux because he must have felt he was losing his grasp on me. Then the day Ghost had told me to remain in my class, I understood everything now. They had been stationed to shoot me on sight and even in the morning and at Ekosodin but Ghost had stopped them. He must have avoided my hostel for fear I would be suspicious after Ghost must have stopped them. He was not ready to take the risk that they might not succeed and I would have a lot of questions about how they knew my room and why they attacked me. The DPO was so smart and he had used my hatred for Fulanis and Hausas to play a game with me and I had fallen to his ploys. I had set Ghost up to be killed. I stopped running as fear took hold of me. The realization was horrifying. I had really set Ghost up to be killed and the DPO had wanted me to come out because someone was waiting to kill me.
I felt chills thinking of that night. It all made sense, the reason my body fought against my mind, the reason I almost committed suicide, I almost killed the only person that mattered to me. I could almost not breathe from fear. It held me to the ground as I panted thinking of the day Ghost took bullets for me. I did not even pause to think about him being Hausa could also mean he could be Ibrahim. The name gave me back my strength because a new dread took over forcing me to increase my speed.
I could not stop thinking he was all an illusion, I could not stop thinking that I might get to the river and not meet him, I could not stop thinking that he might really be the Ghost of Ibrahim and would disappear anytime soon. I doubled my speed and did not stop till I got to the river.
The river was clear and empty, it was on Sunday and I was not surprised indigenes were not at the river rather I was surprised Ghost was not there as he had promised. I could not even feel his presence. I was very right. He was Ibrahim's Ghost. Ibrahim was dead. I turned round hoping against hope but no sign of Ghost. I sat down on the ground and started crying. I was the foolish one to believe Ibrahim was still alive, to believe what I read. I was just confused on what to think. I just cried.
"No gown, no shoe, no flower. You look terrible Emmanuella."
I stopped crying and turned towards the voice. I felt his presence before I saw him.