Something was in the air that night. It didn’t have a name but it left a subtle sense of dread in me. I should have paid attention. The sky was a dark, empty canvas. I stared at it and imagined painting the stars on it to give it a little sparkle. I wondered if that’s how God did it. Thinking back to that night, I should have known something was weird about it. Everywhere was deathly quiet. Not even the wind moved. The silence was like a loud warning; soft, still and unable to be ignored. It spoke of creepy things. Why did I keep going?

I had heard my brothers’ voices from my window. They were leaving the house but I don’t think they wanted anyone to know. I glanced at the watch I got for my birthday last month. The time was 2:23am. Since we had moved to the village, I had barely hung out with them. There had been so many things to distract me and keep me occupied the past few weeks and they had gladly let me enjoy them. They don’t like me hanging out with them.

Tunji always said I dampened their fun. As the youngest child and only girl, they were responsible for me, seeing as the age gap was quite high. Tunji was older by five years. My eldest brother did not mind me so much, as long as I stayed quiet and invisible. Tunji, however, could be quite mean. The day before, when they were about leaving the house to go to the stream, I asked if I could tag along. They both said yes and I ran to my room to get dressed. When I came out, they had left. It was such a silly prank and I couldn’t believe twelve year old me had fallen for it.

This night, when I heard them from my room window, I decided they weren’t going to leave me behind this time. It was extremely late and I knew daddy would definitely not like them outside. I quickly put on a pair of shorts and my slippers. When I got outside, they were already close to the pathway that led to the stream. I had never been there and didn’t know my way. Trying to be as silent as I could, I followed at a distance.

When I got to the trees however, I didn’t see them anymore. It was like they had simply disappeared. The stream was about twenty minutes away from the house. Why didn’t I turn back then? A child’s curiosity? Bravery? Stupidity? I don’t know. I kept moving forward, using the dim light provided by the crescent moon. Soon, I heard the sound of rushing water. I had found the stream. Looking out the trees, I still couldn’t see my brothers. That’s when the fear started to creep in.

I stepped out from the trees, still high on my stupidity. I called out for Brother Tolu. I was met with silence. Tunji would probably ignore me but I called out all the same. I suddenly felt really cold. The air had gotten chilly. It felt like something sinister was lurking about.

Mumbling under my breath, I turned back. My brothers were definitely playing a prank on me to teach me to mind my business. That was when I heard my name. I looked around. Brother Tolu and Tunji were nowhere in sight. I told myself I was being paranoid. I should turn back. I wanted my bed and its warmth. I wanted to hug my teddy.

Taking a few steps, I heard it again. When I turned back, I looked around, hoping to see my brothers’ faces hiding among the bushes and trees. That was when I saw my teddy, caught on a branch extending to the water. That must have been what they came to do. Tunji always mocked the teddy I got for my birthday last month. He must have come here to get rid of it, I told myself. Momentary anger made me forget the fear I was feeling minutes ago.

I went towards the stream. The teddy wasn’t too far. I could reach it. That was probably the stupidest mistake of that night, though I already made a lot of stupid mistakes. I knelt at the edge of the stream and stretched towards the branch, trying to grab the teddy. Immediately I grabbed a hold of it, I slipped into the water. It was ice cold and the powerful current moved me. I tried swimming to the edge but I didn’t seem to be covering any distance. It felt like something was keeping me in place, like I was trapped in a loop.

I didn’t see what it was. I remember screaming as it yanked my legs under the water, I fought my way to the surface screaming for my brothers. No one heard me though. My life flashed before my eyes. My teddy was long forgotten. I struggled but my weak muscles couldn’t save me. I didn’t have the strength in me anymore. I simply stopped fighting and let it take me under, wondering how my mother would react to my empty bed in the morning. Would they find my body? What would they think happened to me? I fell into darkness with these thoughts.

I could hear shouting in the distance. Was that my name? There seemed to be a lot of people around. My cheek suddenly stung and I opened my eyes to see my daddy’s face above mine. Bright light was being shone on my face. I suddenly sat up. I was on the riverbank and my clothes were completely dry, like nothing had happened. My dad was hugging me and yelling at me. Everything seemed to be moving too fast for me to keep up. I saw my uncles and other men from the village surround us.

Everyone was asking questions but I had no answers. I needed answers myself. I was lifted and put on my dad’s back and we went home.

When I narrated all that had happened, they all stared at me like I had gone mad. My brothers had apparently been in bed all night. My teddy was in my room, safe and dry. And I had been found sleeping on the riverbank, with my clothes completely dry. They said it was a child’s dream, fueled by stories I had heard and my unhinged imagination. No one believed me.

I know it happened though because every night at 2:47am, my watch stops ticking and I hear the voice calling for me outside my window.