The Ghost

Chapter 3:I am in trouble

The nurse picked up a telephone on the table and punched the numbers like one stabbing a mortal enemy.

"Hello, Security, send in your two boys, please. Just for stand-by. Yes."

She hung up the phone and I turned to her.

"Am I in trouble?"

"You are not. But for seven years, this hospital has searched left and right for this man's relations. We had no contacts going through. All the numbers we were given have been switched off for seven whole years. The only money paid was the money paid at the time of his admission into the hospital. This hospital has been responsible for feeding him every single day. It has been responsible for clothing him. His medication for over 7 years. You know how these drugs are expensive. The hospital took care of all of these with hopes that one day, his family will come back for him. But no one deed until today."

"But he is just my friend. I didn't know he was mad until today. I mean, yesterday. And then I quickly rushed down to the hospital to see him."

"Mr...emmm"

"Praises, ma."

"Mr. Praises, I am sorry we are trying to keep you this way. But you are all we've got right now to get to his family and get our money from them. Since he is your best friend as you said, you should know one or two of his family members around. You should know someone that knows someone that can take us to his family who abandoned him in this place for over seven years. This is why we are not letting you go. 50 million naira is a big money. We are not going to stop you from seeing your best friend either. But we can't let you go like that."

At that moment, I looked around the hospital. Searching with my eyes to find Sandra. I was hoping she will be standing in a corner waiting to give me directions on the next step to take.

I searched around for her shadow. I looked at the floor, at the ceiling, and swept around the reception with my eyes.

I couldn't believe Sandra could lead me to a psychiatric hospital to see someone I have never seen or known in my life, only to vanish just like that.

How wicked could she be? I began to curse her in my heart as I wiped off the sweat trickling down my forehead.

I turned my attention to the nurse who was staring at me in surprise.

"Are you alright sir?"

"Madam, l am not alright. Listen, someone brought me here to see this guy on her behalf. That is why I came here. She wants to communicate with him."

"Who is she? Does she know the family members?"

"She knows. She knows the father, the mother, and the sisters. She knows everybody ma. Every single person."

The nurse dropped her pen.

"Where is she? Bring her in?"

"Ma, that is the problem?"

"What is the problem?"

I glanced around again. Hoping to see Sandra. When I did not find her, I gulped down Saliva and turned to the nurse.

"Ma, the problem now is that she is dead. She died ten years ago and has been following me ma. She said..."

"Are you sure you are normal?"

"Madam I am very normal. I don't know this guy I came to see. I came because of the ghost."

The nurse looked at me and shook her head.

"O God! Another mental case. Someone has used this one head again? Doctor! Doctor!"

My fear increased.

"Madam no one has used my head. I swear. I am not mad. No one."

Two doctors psychiatric doctors emerged from the wards the moment they heard the shout of the nurse whom I was talking with.

One of the doctors pulled out a syringe and a needle as he approached me. He must have thought I was mad and wanted to attack her.

But when he saw my composure he brought down the syringe.

I turned back to the nurse to explain properly to her.

"Madam, see my name is Praises Chidera Obiora. I am not mad. Mad people don't know their names at all. They can't even tell you their full names. This man I came to see ran mad because of a covenant he entered into with a ghost. It was the ghost that brought me here to this place."

"So you see ghost?"

"No ma. I mean yes. Sometimes. I have had past experiences with them. But this particular one showed itself to me so I can help her."

"Where is the ghost?"

"She entered this hospital with me. But presently I cannot find her. This is why I have been looking around."

The Male doctors kept looking at me suspiciously.

The nurse turned to them.

"What do you have to say about this?"

The doctor with the syringe looked at me.

"This is a similar case to the patient in Ward 3. Mr. Titus Folani. You know he was brought here because he felt someone was always following him around. And because of that, he kept talking to invisible people. In this man's case, this is just the first sign of madness. If it is not handled quickly it will escalate and become chronic."

"So what do we do now?"

I quickly interrupted.

"Sir, I am not mad or mental. I am here because this spirit wants me to help a man. Grown up man like me cannot be mad. I have beard. Look at me."

The doctors nodded their heads.

"He needs help. This man needs help." One of the doctors spoke.

Just then Sandra appeared behind the doctor.

Filled with rage and anger, for abandoning me at a crucial moment, I began to scream at her.

"Why will you just go like that? You brought me here and you disapeared without a trace? You couldn't even give me a hint of what is happening. So your plan was to set me up shebi? You knew the family was owing over 50 million naira and you didn't tell me. How wicked can you be? Where do you think I will get such money to pay. Stop standing behind the doctor and talk to me. Talk to me."

I would have continued shouting angrily, if not for the nurse who shouted behind me in Hausa Language.

"Chai, Doctor, this one has gone patter patter."

I turned to her.

Instantly, two firm hands gripped my shoulders.

It was followed by a sharp pain that felt like a bee sting on my neck.

I felt drowsy at that moment.

I struggled to open my eyes but they suddenly felt heavy.

The vision I had of Sandra standing beside me, became blur as my eyes closed.

All I kept saying was.

"Sandra why?"