It was a dark and stormy night as I made my way through the old abandoned mansion nestled near a river. The wind howled outside, rattling the windows and doors, making the entire house shake and feel as though it was alive. I shivered as I stepped into the mansion and was welcomed by fair darkness, immediately I felt a sense of unease wash over me.
I have never been in such a spacious mansion with squeaky floorboards and flickering lights. You could see the cobwebs in the corner and the spiders crawling on the ceiling. The chandelier above me was cracked, and literally hanging on a thin fibre line. You could hear the buzzing of the electricity as it transiently tried to light up the chandelier.
"Hello!" I called out aloud hoping to be heard. My voice bounced on the walls triggering distant chatters that sent shivers down my spine. "Is anyone there?"
Earlier that morning I received an invitation in the mail from my long-time friends to attend a Halloween costumed birthday party at BlueBirds mansion; and this was far from perfect.
For a moment I thought my tattered costume was somewhat too much coupled with a full life-like skull mask. My hands were covered with turmeric paste; that made me resemble a dead man walking. The turmeric sent a horrible stench wafting in the air.
"Alex!" I called out to the birthday planner, but there was no response. "Kimberly! Lucy!" I called out again.
The hallway was pitch black, I couldn't see a thing. Apparently, my costume was equipped with a lighter. I didn't think it would come in handy that day. I used it and managed to locate a peculiar lamp. It took me a while to breathe life into the lamp.
As I wandered through the dusty hallway looking for the party, my hand stretched out holding the lamp. I could hear distant whispers in the shadows and footsteps that lurked behind me. Ghostly chatters and synchronized hushed laughter echoed in the air. I tried to shake off the feeling of being watched, but it clung to me like a second skin.
Suddenly, a cold gust of wind blew out the lamp I was holding, plunging me into darkness.
"Who's there? I have a weapon and I’m not afraid to use it." I said in a tremulous tone, my voice echoing through the empty hallway. I clenched a fist with my one hand and stood in stance preparing myself for combat.
My palms were sweating, I couldn't firmly hold on to the lamp with my other hand anymore. My heart pounded against my chest, you could almost hear it-like drums playing in a concert.
I reached out my hand to steady myself against the wall when I felt something cold and clammy brush against my fingers. I recoiled in horror, only to see a ghostly figure standing in front of me. It was about the same height as mine. Apparently, it was clothed like me. Its glowing red eyes crept me to the bone.
"Welcome," it whispered, its voice echoing in the darkness. "We have been waiting for you..."
I stumbled back, tripping over my own feet as I attempted to escape. I felt my soul leaving my body. I was drained and unable to scream. It was as though my voice was sealed shut in my throat. My mind broadcasted blurry images that prevented me from any logical thinking.
"Hurry up, we'll be late," it said to me- extending its hand to help up to my knees. I collapsed.
#
"It is with great gratitude that I welcome you all," echoed a female voice in my head. I opened my eyes half-way and saw a mob of zombie-like figures seated in a circular formation. Amidst them was a woman clothed in a brown ancient cap that buried her body. It was decorated with peculiar ornaments, like glimmered. Her face was pale and scary; she had long hair that touched the floor.
I turned to my side and saw the figure that welcomed me earlier before I passed out. He saw the confusion written on my face.
"You look horrible," he said. "What kind of ghost?"
"Ghost?" I whimpered.
"Yes," he replied.
"You are ghosts?" I questioned tremulously.
"Yes," he replied. "But please call me Moon. And by the way, I couldn't find a jar on you; did you forget to bring a soul as requested?"
"What?" I was confused.
One of them on my other side pocked me and gasped. "You are a h-"
"Silence!" The woman yelled. "No one is allowed to talk when I'm talking!" She turned to the one next to me, and cast a spell that burned him out of existence right before my eyes. He had screamed in great agony before vanishing in mid-air.
She then glared at me with her malevolent blue eyes for a few seconds before she continued her speech.
"Every year we perform this ceremony to strengthen our existence. And this year is different from last year; I feel a strong energy circulating in this room. You know your state, and this year you must go bigger if you want me to grant your freedom. It is now time to perform the Death Day ceremony," she declared.
"Huh?" I whimpered for the second time. Moon pulled me over to a corner far from the woman and the others.
"Who are you?" He demanded glancing back at the mob.
I replied, "I'm Ekonwe." Furthermore, I unmasked myself revealing my human body. Little did I know that a suspicious ghost was ears dropping our conversation. Moon heard him when he tried to run towards the woman. Moon got hold of him before he could be in sight and bundled him into the closet.
"You are making a big mistake, Moon," he said before sealing his mouth shut.
Moon floated back to me. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. "Ekonwe or whatever you call yourself, put your mask back on if you want to live."
I quickly complied and slipped the mask back onto my face.
"What are you doing here? You are not supposed to be here."
I replied, "Yes you are right. I'm supposed to be at a costume party, but somehow I ended up here."
"Costume party? This is not good," he repeatedly said to himself as he paced back and forth, his ugly hand stroking his chin.
"Please I just want to go home," I pleaded with him.
He replied with a frown on his face, "I'm sorry but I can't help you. I have helped you enough by hiding you here. Claws are trapped, but I can't guarantee that Agatha won't find out who you are."
"Who is Agatha?" I inquired.
"Kid," he got furious. "Would you stop with the questions and get out of here before it is too late for you."
"How can I get out of here when you are the one who brought me to this room?"
Suddenly, a horrifying melody played, capturing everyone's attention. Moon glanced back and then back at me. He handed me his jar, "In 30 seconds we'll queue up before Agatha to hand her souls. Hand her this jar and head over to the door, once at the door, make a run for it and don't look back."
"Soul?" I was confused. "What soul are you talking about?"
He pointed towards Agatha's side. "You see that medium jar on her side? That is her heart jar, and that little glow inside is her heart. Whenever she gets a soul, she transfers it into her heart jar and then she gets stronger."
"You mean there's a soul in this jar I'm holding?" I said tremulously dropping the jar on the floor- jeopardizing my one chance of escape.
"Not anymore now," he said, staring down at the broken glass.
He grabbed two empty jars and handed me one. "Don't worry; I can still get you out of here. Just follow my lead and act natural."
He pushed me in front of him as we matched up to Agatha who was seated on a dark throne gazing upon us. But as more ghosts joined the queue I lost sight of Moon. I tried looking back for him but all was in vain. I avoided stepping out of the queue as that would raise suspicions.
With the empty jar clumped loosely in my sweaty hands, I strolled towards Agatha, who appeared to be chanting ancient incantations under her breath upon receiving a jar and pouring the souls into her heart jar.
It was now my turn to hand her the jar. My knees were shaking, my stomach was hollow, and adrenaline rushed through my veins. I stretched my hand towards her, and then gazed into her blue eyes; I saw fear and doom glowing in blaze.
She closed her eyes for her periodic chant. Hurriedly, I walked over to the door and was about to get hold of the handle when she yelled "Stop!"
Her voice resonated in the air shaking the floor and sending shivers down my spine. Every ghost ceased in their tracks. It became so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I looked back at her as I forced a grin on my terrified face.
Agatha spoke calmly, "Isn't it weird that I can't sense any energy in this jar." She glared at me. "What kind of soul is in here?"
I gulped down saliva as I thought of what to say. I glanced at the ghosts, hoping to find Moon. Luckily, I saw his head popping out of the formation, his hand gesturing to me to speak.
"I-i-it's a regular s-soul," I stammered.
"Regular?" She smirked. "Interesting. You smell different. I have never seen you before. Where did you come from?"
"I came from the land of ghosts, like everyone here," I said confidently. I glanced at Moon for feedback; he nodded his head.
Agatha whispered, "The line between darkness and light is blurred by perception and circumstance."
Just then, Claws stormed in and yelled while pointing at me, "Human! He's a human!" Everyone gasped as they turned back at me.
Moon yelled out, "Don't just stand there boy. Run!"
I darted out of the room in a blink of an eye. But the ghosts followed me, their cold, dead eyes boring into mine. I could feel their malevolent presence surrounding me, suffocating me with fear.
I panted hard as I manoeuvred through the hallway trying to get to safety. But as I ran through the mansion, the walls seemed to shift and change before my eyes. Doors appeared where there were none, leading me further into the depths of the mansion. I could hear the whispers growing louder, the footsteps drawing closer.
Finally, I reached a large, ornate door at the end of a hallway. I hesitated for a moment, my hand hovering over the handle. But something compelled me to open it, to step through into whatever lay beyond.
As the door swung open, I was greeted by a sight that chilled me to the bone. The room was filled with more ghosts, staring at me with glowing dead eyes. The air was thick with the scent of decay, and I could feel the weight of their gaze pressing down on me.
I tried to run but the ghosts got hold of my foot and pulled me inside.
I found myself seated before Agatha. I couldn't move a muscle because she cast a spell on me. I could only watch in despair.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Agatha demanded.
"This is just a big misunderstanding. I'm supposed to be at a costume party. Please allow me to go home," I pleaded with her.
"Sadly that's no longer an option," she replied. "Had you turned back when you first entered this place, then you wouldn't have been here. But you have crossed all lines and have been here long enough to know who we are-"
"I promise not to tell anyone," I interrupted her. "I'll be quiet. All this will be forgotten." Everyone gasped. I realized that interrupting her could make her burn me like she did with the last ghost that interrupted her.
She glared at me, "You have taken part in our ceremony. Haven't you? But it is not complete because you have not given me a soul. Lucky enough you are a human and you have a soul."
Terrifying chatters echoed as the ghosts began to circle me. I was terrified. I tried to speak but my voice was caught in my throat.
"And the one that will give me your soul is the one who brought you here," she said and pointed at Moon.
"What? No. No please."
Moon matched up to Agatha. He scooped a hand off of dust from a platter. "Pour this dust on his face. You know what to do later," she instructed.
I couldn't believe Moon would do such a thing. But then I could see in his eyes that he was being controlled.
"This isn't you, Moon," I tried to talk him out of the spell, but nothing was happening. From the look of things it only made it worse.
Agatha laughed. "The problem with you humans is that you trust blindly. No sooner does someone approach you with a fake heart than you open up your soul. Later on you cry victim that all humans are the same. Learn to play a villain once in a while."
Moon replied, "I'm sorry Ekonwe, but I also need my freedom."
I felt a chill run down my spine.
He continued, "You made one mistake by looking behind when I specifically warned you not to do so. I'll say it again, run and don't look back!" He shoved out his jar and threw it at Agatha's heart, falling into millions of pieces.
Suddenly I could move my body once again and was in control of my movements. I noticed that everyone, including Moon, became drained because of Agatha's broken heart. He had sacrificed himself to free me.
"For Pete’s sake, run!" He commanded.
I darted out of the room and had no idea where I was heading to. But no matter how fast I ran, the shadows seemed to be everywhere, their eyes watching me with an intensity that made my skin crawl.
In a panic, I made a run for the door, throwing it open and sprinting down the hallway. The whispers grew louder, the footsteps echoing in my ears as I ran faster and faster. I could feel something chasing me, something ancient and malevolent that wanted me dead.
Just as I thought I couldn't run any further, I burst through the front doors of the mansion and into the storm outside. The wind whipped around me, tearing at my clothes and hair as I stumbled down the steps and into the darkness.
And then, just as suddenly as it had all begun, everything went silent.
Bio:
Mubita Joseph Mubita is a writer by day and a programmer by night. His work has been published in Academy of the Heart and Mind. A 2022 StoryMirror Best Author of the Year nominee. He lives in Lusaka. Find his work on the website https://books2read.com/