A ghost in my house

Mr Ngwa is my husband’s intimate friend and a family friend to us. He lives in the neighbouring quarter some 20 kms away from ours. He visits us often and we spend quality time together and at times he will tarry till late in the night before leaving to his residence. My entire house hold has become so fun of Mr. Ngwa. Whenever he visits, we take dinner together and share some fun time with the family. The children particularly have become very fun of him as they like the nice stories he often share whenever he visits. It’s been a forth night since Mr Ngwa lastly visited. I can remember that he wasn’t feeling too well. He complained of common cold. It was mid July and the weather for the past two weeks has been so rainy and cold. We got up this faithful Tuesday morning and after our morning devotion, we had breakfast and were set out for work. Tuesdays have become the first working days of the week in this part of the country as Mondays have been declared perpetual lockdown days. I assigned the children on their days chores and was about to leave for my office when my brother in-law bombed on me on my way out of the house with the sad news of Mr Ngwa’s death. I and my husband were dumfounded. The children were saddened by this shocking news. “What a sad news this early Tuesday morning”…I asked rhetorically. “Was he that sick…? Darling, have you gotten to Mr. Ngwa since he left here”? “No.” my husband replied. “I tried getting to him by phone twice last weekend but his phone was not reachable. I equally intended visiting him yesterday that was lock down but did not because I tried his number again twice and it wasn’t still going through”. We did some further inquiries about the cause of Mr Ngwa’s death and the detailed burial program and were rightly informed that he was found dead on Saturday 16th July 2022 at the entrance to his house probably after being assaulted by some unknown assailants. The burial as we were rightly informed has been scheduled for Saturday 24th July 2022 at his Ngomgham residence. I left for the office that fateful day feeling very sad and worried about Mr Ngwa’s sudden death. “He was such a good man”... I kept reminding myself. In the evening I asked my husband if he had paid a condolence visit to the Mr Ngwas ? . He said he was still suffering from the shock and couldn’t stop there just yet. He however promised to do that first thing in the morning when he must have put himself together. Just as we were still discussing about the sad news, we heard a knock at the door “Kwah!!!…Kwah!!! It was already getting late in the evening. As the custom holds now in Bamenda, because of the insecurity all doors are locked after 6pm. No body dares opens the door to any stranger without knowing who he /she is. The knock came again Kwa!! Kwah!!... Kwa!!! Kwa!!! “Please check who is at the door”. I shouted, walking from the sleeping room to the sitting room. Just then my younger son, Junior got up in a rush to get the door. Coincidentally, the door was closed but not bolted. Suddenly the door opened gently and the blind tilted to the side, then behold the “ghost” of Mr. Ngwa gently walked in, head first and stood by the door way. I and my son immediately stopped at opposite directions. “Good evening madam,” the ghost greeted. Still confused and overwhelmed with fear and fright, no one was able to respond to the “ghost’s” greetings. Surprised by the grave yard silence and the cool reception received from his host, the ghost softly retorted further… “What is going on here?”… Why is every one staring at me as if you people have seen a “ghost?” With these words my heart dropped into my stomach. I stood still numbed and frozen, unable to utter a word. Equally so was my son who stood still on the opposite side of the sitting room gazing at me. My husband and the other sons who were sitting on the sofa were equally mute and did not utter a word but kept staring at the “ghost” ’’ahh!!!, the ghost stammered once more “Mad-dam!!!…, Maitre!!!…” I think I could hear my husband as he summoned courage and greeted “Mr Ngwa welcome”. My youngest son, out of ignorance and infantile innocence jumped down and ran towards him and embraced the” ghost”. He greeted him as usual hocking the young innocent boy into his bosom “yaya yoo!!!”. Still carrying the young boy into his hands, he selected his favourite seat and sat down and continue talking. “Maitre I am so disappointed in you… Its been a fought night since I left here not feeling too well, yet you did not call nor check on me to see how am faring”. That’s why I’ve decided to come to visit you this nigh. It’s often said that,” If the mountain refuse to come to Abraham, let Abraham go to the mountain.” As he was still discussing with my husband, I sneaked out of the house through the back door to inform my sister in-law and neighbours that there is a ghost in my sitting room. In the course of their discussion with my husband he later on revealed to him that his junior brother was found dead at the entrance to his house last Saturday probably killed by unknown assailants. Burial as he said has been scheduled for next Saturday.