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I brushed the dust off the old wooden park bench before sitting down. As I looked around, a sudden and unexplainable urge to paint surged through me — I needed to capture this moment. With sketchbook in hand and pencil poised, my body trembled in anticipation. I took a deep breath, then let my hands move freely across the page.
Every detail around me had its own meaning — the clear blue sky, the golden sun casting warmth over everything it touched, the playful wind making the healthy trees and bushes sway like dancers. Laughter from children filled the air, pure and unfiltered, their joy radiating without a trace of malice. The elderly sat peacefully beside the young, a quiet harmony between generations.
Colorful birds flitted from branch to branch, adding motion and melody to the scene. Everything around me pulsed with life and peace — a powerful sense of unity. I was completely absorbed in the moment, so much so that I didn't even notice the weather had begun to chang
e.
A sudden drop of water landed on my sketchbook, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"That's odd," I murmured, glancing upward. But before I could think further, my eyes widened in horror — the world around me had turned into a nightmare.
A thick mist, dense as walls, surrounded me. The sky was stripped of all light, drenched in shadows, and weeping rain in torrents.
My alarm bells screamed in my head as heart-wrenching cries and blood-curdling screams echoed through the air.
I forced my stiff body to move. The rain soaked me to the bone, and I shivered uncontrollably from the cold.
I trudged forward slowly, each step heavy and uncertain, splashing through shallow puddles. Flashes of lightning cut through the darkness, momentarily lighting the way.
Then — she appeared.
A ghostly figure carved out of the mist: a woman. Her eagle-like eyes locked onto mine, sharp and unblinking, like a predator stalking its prey. A dark aura swirled around her, pulsing with menace.
My heart pounded so hard it drowned out everything else. Only one word echoed in my mind:
"Run!"
I turned, ready to run as far and fast as I could — but my legs wouldn't move.
"What?" I gasped, looking down in horror. The ground had swallowed both of my feet.
"Ha, ha, ha..."
Her sharp, eerie laughter echoed all around me, thickening the pressure in the air.
Suddenly, she was right in front of me. Her long talons gripped my chin tightly, forcing my gaze upward. The pain was instant and overwhelming. My body trembled, and tears streamed down my cheeks.
"My darling," she whispered, her voice soaked in venom. "There's nowhere to run. Just accept your fate. No one can save you now. I made sure of it."
Her words pierced straight through me. I was soaked, freezing, and trembling from head to toe. I felt completely broken — like a shell of myself.
Her eyes began to glow as she muttered a strange chant in a language I didn't recognize.
And then — pain.
Not physical... not entirely. It felt like something inside me was being ripped away, piece by piece. I wanted to scream but couldn't find my voice.
Then — I woke up.
My eyes flew open. My pajamas were soaked in sweat, clinging to my skin. My heart pounded against my ribs, and I could barely catch my breath. The images from the dream still lingered, vivid and haunting.
"Relax, Ire... it's just a dream," I whispered, trying to calm myself — but deep down, something told me otherwise.
I sat in silence, thoughts racing, before glancing at the empty bed beside mine. I grabbed my watch from the nightstand.
12:17 a.m.
"University life," I muttered with a tired sigh, shifting my gaze away.
----
THE BENIN STATE MUSEUM
The giant doors creaked open as a small figure slipped inside. Dressed in black to match the museum's eerie atmosphere, her sharp eyes scanned the vast, shadowy hall. She moved swiftly, hugging the shadows to remain unseen.
She followed a narrow passage that led to a smaller exhibit room. There, a wooden pillar stood, adorned with bronze carvings of men, each wearing a toothed bead necklace. Every necklace held a different animal emblem. Her eyes scanned quickly until they landed on the image of a fish.
"Bingo," she whispered with a grin, pressing the image gently.
Click.
A small compartment opened above the carving, revealing a real toothed necklace. Its silver pendant shimmered faintly — shaped like a fish.
Just as she reached for it, a sudden noise echoed from the far end of the hall.
"Security?" she muttered under her breath, snatching the necklace. She turned, ready to flee, but froze when a cold grip wrapped around her wrist.
A black hand — not human — emerged from the shadows. Its form was made entirely of shifting darkness, and its blood-red eyes locked onto hers.
"Ahhhhh!" she screamed, instinct taking over as she yanked her hand free and bolted down the corridor.
Her footsteps echoed as she ran, heart pounding. The air behind her thickened — the shadow creature was following. The deeper she ran, the darker the halls became, as though the building itself was closing in around her.
As the shadows closed in, her heart pounded in her chest. Panic gripped her—there was no clear way out. Suddenly, a flash of light blinded her, followed by a deep male voice.
"Wetin you dey do for here?"
Relief washed over her as she turned, hoping it was all just her imagination. But the storm of shadows was still rushing toward them.
"Run!" she screamed, bolting past the guards, hoping they could somehow deal with it.
She didn't look back until their blood-curdling screams echoed behind her. Her body trembled as she turned to see them being swallowed by the shadows. Moments later, their lifeless bodies emerged—eyes empty and white, skin decaying, mouths drooling thick black blood. They looked like hollow versions of who they once were.
Her breath caught. She couldn't just stand there and wait for death.
She turned and sprinted for the exit, nearly stumbling several times but forcing herself to stay on her feet. Finally, she burst onto the roadside, frantic and soaked in fear. She thrust her hand into the air, flagging down the first taxi she saw.
Like an answered prayer, one screeched to a halt.
She jumped in without hesitation, and the driver sped off. Her hands trembled as she pressed them against her chest, trying to steady her breath. She glanced back through the rear window—those creatures still stared after her.
Oddly, they never stepped into the streetlight.
They stopped short, hissing as they vanished into the darkness.
"So... they don't like light," she whispered to herself, trying to calm her nerves.
Still shaking, she pulled out her phone and made a call. It rang twice before a familiar cold voice answered.
"Do you have it?"
"Yeah, I do. But you're doubling my original fee. That thing attracts way too much trouble."
"Money's not a problem. As long as you have it."
The line went dead.
She scoffed.
"Hope you keep your promise, Chief," she muttered, eyes still on the dark streets behind her.