The funeral episode 1

⚰⚰THE FUNERAL⚰⚰
⚰⚰EPISODE 1⚰⚰

Clashing and crashing of plates and utensils could be heard from afar. Some little kids can also be seen dragging and pulling pots bigger than them, either to be washed or to be used while some were going to the stream to fetch water, the water to be used for the big occasion.

It was my grandfather's funeral and we came all the way from Lagos to attend the befitting burial. My Dad made sure we all attend the burial, even my little sister.

We were all expecting a big celebration after all because my grandfather was the village chief.

So, there were lot of wines and meats from palmwine tappers and hunters scattered everywhere. I guess he was so much loved by the village folks during his life time, I can't say myself because I have never seen the man in my life. My father has never allowed us to visit his village of origin until his father's death.

My grandfather's compound in the village was quite huge, both in width and breadth, it contains more than 40 huts which was situated at every corner of the compound.

The children and we grandchildren were allocated into different huts. I got allocated into a room that contains my two closet cousins, Peace and Isaac. We are agemates, so we interacted with each other pretty well.

Our hut was directly situated beside my grandfather's hut, where his body was embalmed and placed in a coffin.

This was unknown to the three of us because we are always in our hut and if we are not, we'll be strolling around the village to admire the village girls. We did little or nothing towards the burial arrangements in terms of physical help.

The is my second day in the village and the burial celebration and burying is supposed to take place tomorrow, this doesn't hinder the daily activities of the villagers which was listening to moonlight stories.

The moon is now creeping slowly out of his abode, the village kids and the city kids were all gathered around grandma to listen to the night's story. The adults too were all gathered in another group talking over a keg of palmwine with bush meat. My father was there too.

I was still in the hut allocated to us pressing when Peace and Isaac barged into the room, I guess they were drinking with the adults too.

"Elishaaa", Peace screamed out my name as if I just won a billion worth lottery and he wants his share

"What's it guy. Why are you shouting my name nahh", I replied in annoyance. I adjusted the headset I was listening too and tried to concentrate to what he was trying to tell.

"We just spotted two hot chicks entering that hut right now. Are you interested bro" Isaac cuts in immediately.

"You mean two young cooked chickens", I answered intentionally to disrupt what they were happy about.

"No nau. We mean human chicks. Hot girls", Isaac answered while grinning like a lost hyena.

"We are going to meet them now bro" Peace chipped in.

"Go ahead, I no get interest", I answered momentarily as I concentrated more on the game i was playing.

It wasn't up to 15 minutes after there departure that my phone shut down, apparently, i have been playing this combat game since evening and my power bank is dead too.

I got up from bed, wore a slippers and proceeded outside to meet my cousins. Apparently, they didn't specify the room they were going too, I just decided to follow the direction leading to where the adults were having fun with wines and meats.

I hadn't taken more than two steps when I noticed something obnoxious in the room beside ours. It was opened, empty and dark.

There was no coffin there, neither was a body, so I wouldn't say that the room was the place in which my grandfather was placed. It was weird and surprising. Maybe I was the only one seeing that.

I started walking steadily towards the direction of the room without any hint of fear.

As a city boy that I am, I don't believe in superstition and spiritualities neither was I afraid of it. I just wanted to check if there's nothing wrong with the room.

I dropped my headphone at the entrance of the room and when I was about to take my last feet into the room, I felt a sharp grab from behind. The grab was so sharp and tight and it was as if I was grabbed by a robot.

My soul left my body at that moment and I slowly turned my head to check who it was.

It was Peace again. I wanted to curse the guy at that moment and takes the peace in his life away from him but I just withheld the curse.

I wanted to scold him when this guy just kept pulling me that we should go to another hut nearby.

"Come guy. Something interesting is happening their right now", he said grinning.

"What's happening there", I asked without any ounce of interest in whatever he's happy about.

"Just come first".

I got there and luckily for him, what they were doing was interesting. They were playing Truth or Dare with the two hot girls they claimed to be human chicks.

They've got into each other quite well and I was surprised by how well they were moving along. The TD game was about to become interesting when I remember that i haven't taken my headphone from the entrance of the room.

I left the room immediately, telling them I'll be back in a jiffy.

I got to the entrance of the room successfully and when I was about to take my headphone, i saw something that left me confused till now.

I wasn't sure maybe I was just being delusional or maybe I was hallucinating, but I saw the coffin this time. It was back into the room and there it was with a weird position.

Instead of the coffin to lay flatly and peacefully on the slab made for it, it was standing straight at a corner. It took me another minute to realise that the coffin was opened and there was nothing inside.

I took three steps inside to confirm if what my eyes saw was really.

I was about to get to it when the door of the room shut with great speed and it locked instantly.

I was still fumbling and fighting with the doors furiously when I saw a figure carrying the two candles and blowing them off simultaneously.

The whole place became dark instantly and become silent like a exam hall with 50 invigilators.

All I could hear was the sound of my heart and the silent sound of feet walking slowly towards me.

© Elisha Kehinde Fagbemi