The Malediction

Chapter Two

The news about Daniel Ayibatari spread across the school like wild fire. He went from the kid that no one knew, to the student that everyone talked about. The story about why he was found unconscious differed from mouth to mouth, the most outrageous being that he belonged to some secret cult, that the injury on his arm was probably a sign of initiation. Nevertheless, he was penalized for being outside after lights out.

Esther Edwards was one of the first people who heard about the incident. At first, she was scared. She thought her dear Bayo was the one who was caught. Then she found out it wasn't him but someone else. She was still clueless on who it was, until she saw Daniel scrubbing one of the toilets belonging to the staff.

So that's the guy, Esther thought. She remembered that he was the impatient guy who accompanied Bayo that night.

Serves him right, she concluded.

Esther didn't have time to think about Daniel's predicament, she already had hers to worry about. She was currently facing a 2-week suspension, all because she was guilty of was a mere squabble with a teacher. Ok, maybe it was more than a mere squabble. Esther had fought with her Physics teacher, which ended with her ripping off the poor lady's wig in front of the class. Esther smiled broadly that day, holding the wig like a trophy while the young teacher knelt in shame. The entire senior secondary section had nothing but pure hatred for the woman, so even if Esther wasn't involved this time, someone else would have definitely done it later. And Esther was only too glad to show the notorious teacher that she wasn't to be messed around with. Her actions came with costly consequences though.

In Emerald Secondary School, the most common punishment for unruly behavior was suspension. Suspension didn't mean sending a student home; suspension meant the student was forbidden from attending classes while they worked their butts off on some labour or another, depending on how long the suspension lasted. And since it was a really big school, there was always work lying around waiting for an unfortunate student.

It was no different in Esther's case. When she got out of bed in the morning, the first thing she had to do was help with washing the dishes used to serve breakfast for the other students; then she helped with clearing the tables afterwards. Then, she was involved in scrubbing the bathrooms stalls in the girls hostel; and there were more than 20 stalls. Afterwards, she proceeded to mopping the tiled corridors that branched off to the classrooms. All this for two stupid weeks. She was already losing her mind.

But, did she regret it? Hell no. She'd do it again if she had to.

At least, she had two days left two endure. What could possibly go wrong?

Esther woke up right before dawn. She blinked in the darkness, rubbing her eyes tiredly. Something had woken her up, something loud. It sounded like footsteps. She sat up in her bunk bed and looked around her dorm. It was relatively neat; relatively because of the fact that she shared it with three others, and keeping a room tidy while sharing it with people proved to be hard. But she had roommates who were understanding, so it wasn't as difficult as expected. She could hear them snoring; one above her bed, two others in another bunk bed adjacent to hers. She was surprised they weren't awoken by the loud steps.

Were they even real, Esther asked herself. Maybe it was just a dream that seemed so real. Esther shrugged it off and laid back on her bed. She didn't want anything to dampen her excitement. It was Friday, the last day of her dreadful suspension. She was happy to be free from the horrible chores, and, most surprising of all, she actually looked forward to attending classes. Not that she was a dull student, she was actually very brilliant. But she wasn't the type that went crazy over books. She was one of those people who wouldn't read for a test but would pass it anyway. She was really blessed with a magnetic brain.

As she laid awake thinking of how freedom would feel, she heard them again. The loud footsteps were back. She strained her ears and rubbed her eyes harder, thinking it was still a dream. The footsteps were real, it wasn't a dream. Whoever it was wore high heels; she could hear the familiar "koi koi" sound. She sat up, confused.

Who would wear heels this early in the morning?

The steps became louder; it was as if the person walked towards her dorm. She sat on her bed, facing a window opposite. Then, in a very creepy way, a figure walked past the window very slowly.

Esther had her heart in her throat as she watched. She couldn't make out who it was, although she could tell from the silhouette that it was a lady. The footsteps were really loud now as the lady walked sluggishly but deliberately...until she walked past. Then all was quiet. Esther still didn't know why she was petrified. It could have been a teacher who was making her way to the bathroom.

No. That can't be right, Esther thought. No one in their right mind would wear shoes very early in the morning. Besides, her dorm wasn't even close to the bathroom. Something was off, Esther could feel it.

Suddenly, something creaked in the room. Esther froze, her eyes wide with fresh fear. The sound had come from her right, towards the middle of the room. With her heart beating like a runway train, she slowly turned her head to the direction of the noise.

Right in the middle of the room stood the silhouette of a lady.

It was too dark to see who it was, but that didn't matter. Something glowed from the figure, like embers from burning wood. Possibly an eye, the right eye. Then it spoke:

"You've not been a good girl, Esther."

Esther was already shaking, and hearing it call her name only made things worse.

"You need to be cleansed of your wrong doings," the shadow continued. "And I know the perfect way."

Then it moved towards her.

Esther couldn't take it anymore. A feverish scream tore from her throat.

"What the...?"

The girl who slept above Esther was rudely awoken by loud screaming. She sat up half awake, wondering who had yelled.

"What's happening? Who shouted like that?" The oldest girl in the room, named Coco, demanded from the other bed rather angrily. She wasn't pleased that her sleep was interrupted.

"I don't know," a sleepy voice sounded from the bunk below Coco's. It was Victory, another of Esther's roommates.

"It sounded like it came from..."

They all looked at Esther's bunk. She was shaking all over, with her hands covering her face protectively.

The girls rushed over to her bed.

"Esther? Are you ok?" Gift, the girl who slept above Esther, was the first to get to the spooked girl.

"What happened?" Victory asked. "Why did you scream like that? And, more importantly, why did you wake me up?"

"Don't start oh," warned Coco. The two didn't really get along.

"That's too many questions to begin with. And you're not the only one who woke up."

"I'm even surprised you did," retorted Victory. "I always thought you slept like a log."

Coco looked like she was going to say something hateful when Gift came in.

"Will you guys stop?" She said. "Something's wrong with Esther and the both of you are fighting. Can't you just put your differences aside for once?"

The look the two girls gave each other was an obvious no.

Gift sighed and turned to Esther, who was mute through out.

"Esther," Gift said softly. She placed her hand on Esther's shoulder.

"What happened? Please tell me."

Esther managed to drop her hands from her face. She peered around her cautiously with wide eyes, totally ignoring her friends.

"Esther?"

Esther looked at her worried roommates for the first time. She didn't even notice them. She was glad that actual people were around her, it gave her a sense of protection. As for an answer to their question, she didn't know what to say.

As much as she wanted to tell them, she couldn't. She wasn't even sure if she was dreaming or not. It seemed so real and surreal at the same time.

It was just a bad dream, her thoughts rang out.

A bad dream...

"It was nothing serious," she finally replied. She even managed a smile.

"I had a nightmare. It seemed so real, but it was just a dream."

Coco frowned.

"I don't understand. You mean to tell me that you shouted like that because you had a bad dream?"

"Leave her alone." Victory hit back.

"You're not the only she woke up."

"I'm really sorry for waking you guys." Esther said apologetically.

"I'm ok now. You guys don't have to worry."

"You're sure?" Gift asked. Of all her roommates, Gift looked more concerned. And it warmed Esther's heart that someone cared. Not that Coco and Victory didn't, but sometimes they were too consumed by their arguments to notice anything else.

"I'm sure." Esther confirmed.

"You guys need to get ready for school. It's already dawn."

When they all left, Esther sat alone on her bed overwhelmed.

Her perfect day started in the worst way possible.

9:35pm, Friday night.

Esther hit the shower for an evening bath to wash off the stress of the day.

Despite her morning starting off rocky, the rest of her day went according to plan. For the first time since her suspension, she looked forward to doing her chores. After her round of work, she was summoned to the Principal's office where he gave the usual speech she was expecting.

He warned her to control her impulses and respect her teachers and blah blah blah...or else she'd be in big trouble. Now, she celebrated her freedom with a cool evening shower.

"You know, there's a huge possiblity that you could get suspended again as long as that woman remains your teacher."

Her best friend, Oye Brown, reminded her of the obvious fact.

Oye was the only one, apart from Bayo, that Esther really trusted and considered a true friend. She had often risked herself and kept her company during her suspension; sometimes even helping Esther with her chores when no one was looking. Now she was also with Esther to celebrate her freedom.

"I know," replied Esther.

"The truth is, if she provokes me again, I won't hesitate to beat her to a pulp."

"I believe you na. Warri girl like you." Oye hailed. She folded her arms as she rested on the wall opposite Esther's shower stall.

"This time, crack her head open with her shoes. I want to see if she really has a brain."

Esther laughed.

"Naturally, good friends would advise me not to get into trouble. But here you are, telling me to kill her next time."

"See oh," laughed Oye.

"Let me be honest with you. If you didn't get involved today, I would have definitely done it later. That woman deserves all the beating she could get."

"I swear," agreed Esther.

She closed her eyes as the water ran over her face and hair. She always enjoyed having a bath, although here in school she didn't always have the opportunity to take as long as she wanted. That's why she craved evening baths. With no one rushing her out, she could literally stay there for hours. Oye, on the other hand, was already tired.

"Young lady," she called.

"Are you sleeping in there? I'm already tired." Oye yawned right on cue.

"You should go then." Esther answered from behind the door to her stall.

"I might not come out any time soon."

"Ok oh, Aqua-woman," joked Oye.

"By the way, I've already compiled the notes you missed. When you're ready we'll need to start copying. 'Cause you have a lot to cover."

"Awwwn," Esther crooned.

"You really are a good friend."

"Not what you said earlier," Oye called out as she walked out of the bathroom.

"You know what I meant, Oye."

"Yeah, I know. Goodnight, and get out of that shower before you turn white."

Esther laughed.

"Goodnight, Oye." She called out.

The bathroom was really quiet after Oye left. So quiet that Esther could hear the wind blowing violently outside. An hour later, she finally decided to step out of the shower. She had had enough water for one night.

Immediately she turned off the shower, the lights went out. The entire bathroom in complete darkness. The only source of illumination was the moonlight streaming through from the high windows.

Esther frowned as she slowly wrapped her towel around her wet body. Power outage in E.S.S. was very rare, although she remembered one occurred a few days ago. She was about to step out of her stall when she heard the bathroom door open.

Oye must have come back for me, she thought. She's really a good friend.

"Oye? I thought you were asleep." She called out. The silence that followed felt strange to Esther.

"Oye? Is that you?".

No reply.

Then, she heard footsteps. They were all too familiar. It was the same "koi koi" she heard early in the morning. Esther's heart skipped a beat.

Could it be...?

The steps got louder and louder. It was as if they were making their way towards her stall.

"Shit!" Esther whispered fiercely. With the door closed, she backed up until her back touched the cold wall. The footsteps were really slow...then she saw red shoes underneath the door.

Esther clasped her mouth with her hand to keep her from screaming. The red high heels stood at her door for a few seconds...then moved ahead.

Esther couldn't believe it. She realized that she was holding her breath and exhaled slowly. She felt relieved, like she had just escaped death.

Then the lights came back on.

Esther looked up at the bulb wedged in the ceiling with immense gratitude. She promised never to take the light for granted.

Ok, she thought. Time to get the hell out of here.

Just as she looked down, a lady in a red dress was suddenly in the stall, right in front of her.

Esther gasped. She almost fainted at the sight of the woman.

The left side of her face was horribly injured; so bad that her left eye was missing. Her other eye, however, glowed like lava in a volcano. Her wicked smile didn't help a bit. It only made her appearance all the more grotesque.

Esther's terrified eyes moved to the long object in her left hand. It was a machete that was already dripping with blood. At the sight of the weapon, she tried to scream.

Nothing came out. She couldn't even move her mouth.

"You thought you had escaped?" The ghostly apparition spoke in a hoarse voice, with the smile on her face getting unnaturally wider.

Tears dribbled down Esther's face.

"Your tears can't save you. No one can."

With unthinkable speed, she rushed at the despondent Esther.