Living with a ghost

te making one. I can't even associate with people. I guess this is a trauma from what I experienced from my stepmother. T

I am your new roommate.' That was it. And I thought it was very formal. B

in the eyes because when I do, they say I stare too much and scold me for it. 'You are being disrespectf

emy after the devil is the worst person you had ever wished to meet. She

n. I was in Junior Secondary School Three then and it was one of the wo

father so depressed it gave him hea

n orphan, the thought of that frightened me. I could begin to imagine the dreadful things that wou

't rosy at all. It is probably the worst thing that could happe

the worst. Well... it is, but I rathe

htmare. But then, I have also seen some stepmothers who were very nice t

name is Lola by the way and I used to be a

to a coma. This was very unbelievable on my part and I wondered h

s were dreadful. I had families and friends come to greet and console me. 'Don't worry, yo

ely or never met. 'You will be fine.' They kept on

never be fine. Not in this world an

s a living dead. I reasoned he needed another woman in his life and I needed

pmother- Olivia. They had both narrated back then that they used to be College friends. Olivia was also

m my big room upstairs to the store room on the ground floor. The store room which is now my room is the worst room eve

e all my stuff, the little ones out of the lot I had in the small

ed abroad. And we all know the issue with Nigeria's electricity. You have to beg the ones in charge like gods be

nk I could conserve with these animals. I have had them sleep with me for yea

ose are my books, get away from them.'

uld you stop disturbing Tom? Do

d I'd giggle silly at my behaviour. I know what you are thinking, but this was all j

me to a psychologist to check if I was okay. She

think so. I think I would win the award of the

ll for me and I couldn't even stand up for myself. I'm trying to thin

is the one place I am comfortable in; tha

imes. We are fast approaching the examination period. Then after the exams is the sch

eally gotten used to this sound used as an alarm. Groaning, I sit up roughly w

s still lying on her bed on the other side of the room. I d

e and talk to her when she was very mood

r Secondary School Three. Apart from her first introduct

me on! We were together in the same room and not even the simplest conversation of 'hi' was said betwee

f her classes and free periods by heart. And then on one Thursday evening, after our daily activ

le in my corner of the room a

I noticed. And she was doing the same that day. She m

' I said from my side. M

r move her body. I moved to her

ody closer to her whilst kn

was trembling so badly. On top of that, she was pulling her hair and there were

arched forward and her head tilted backwards more. Now she was able to look at me, straight

she just act like that scary cat from home?' I had wondered. Sh

her but she quickly snapped he

after I made contact with her

e you doing?!'

did talk to me, but I guess my br

. What was that feeling? The slight

h!' She growled in my face at the end, folding her two fists, with

at moment and some sort of feeling sparked

nderstand why I don't

raids yells as she crosses her leg with m

fall on my butt. It sinks a little into t

girl groans as she eyes me l

icknamed her

is still on h

rs as she listens to the comments before

cing us!' Her index finger went closer to her

der. This is Tom- my only animal friend and comrade. We are par

ll our insults. And she gives no damn reply too. Only

. what is she

ut, I heard she

She is giving messa

like I can do anything but listen. I stand no chance against them. But then

last time I made contacts with her by mistake, I got into trouble fo

as the cause.' The braided girl s

you made contacts!' A girl snickers as she

nd me like that. They laugh and insult me, they carry wrong rumours about me. Most try their best to avoid me thoug

hind me but I ignore it as I

voice says says, 'You know, even if you are a total wierdo,

not great

s and

oice snaps as I turb in frught to look at my