The Moment I Fell in Love With a Ghost

Based on true life events.

They say when people die, they either go straight to Heaven or they dine with the Devil. Some of them choose to lurk aimlessly around their place of demise before finally leaving. Wait, Do you even believe in the paranormal? Do you know there's something called the metaphysical world and that it's not just a myth or a sheer figment of our imagination? When I say metaphysical, I mean ghosts and spirits and agents of the underworld.

Photo by Kevin Escate on Unsplash

But, do you really think they exist? You can't possibly think they do. Oh well, the Nigerian in you would make you believe in ghosts and spirits. But honestly, have you ever seen a ghost before or talked to one? Because I have. And I fell in love with this one. Scaring right? But in a beautiful way. I didn't just fall but at first sight! 

How did it happen? Or do you think I'm making it up? Well, I'm about to shock you. Sit tight, because you haven't heard anything like this.

***

On a Friday afternoon when the sun wasn't smiling, I headed for the school gate after leaving the football field, to withdraw the only million I had left in my account( you know what I'm talking about). Since I couldn't bring myself to play football with my coursemates, I resorted to just watching them do their thing. But I got tired and decided to head home. While using my Legedes-Benz to transport myself to the school gate, I met this beautiful damsel. No, damsel isn't the word. A goddess! Yes, I met a goddess. A fine-ass, petite one for that matter. I didn't know ghosts were this beautiful. She was fine as hell. Even the devil could tell. But I didn't know how to initiate a conversation. Being a 200-level student at that time, I still couldn't walk up to a girl. “Argh, this mustn't continue”, I said to myself. I racked my head on how to start a conversation with the opposite gender. I had a million ideas but I tell you, I was shy. 

Meanwhile, there had been several incidents of death among students. Suicide cases to be precise.

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The latest one was a female student who stayed in the hostel, using ‘sniper’ mixed with a soft drink to take her life. Only God knew what her reasons were. These suicide cases seemed so eerie that they had become the topic of the day. Even the students I met on my way were also discussing the matter. A lot of speculation as regards the cause, flew around. Some said the victims were depressed. Rumour had it that an evil plaque had befallen the school. “Whatever happens to me sha, I can never kill myself.” These were the words I said aloud while pondering over the matter. Luckily for me, the beautiful lady heard me. Perhaps, she thought I was trying to start a conversation (that would have been a poor move, if that was really it). Or maybe she had also fallen for my finesse. Whatever it was, that day was a lucky day, I thought.

As soon as I spoke those words to myself, She cut in, “I can't kill myself too o.” I was flushed with excitement! Then she went ahead to tell me the exact story. How she knew the victim and what exactly transpired that resulted in her taking her life. As she kept talking, my mind wandered away to my fantasies. “God, this is a serious issue we're discussing, why is my imagination running wild?!” I wailed inwardly. But this young lady walking with me was the perfect being. She was my spec. Since I came to this world, I don't think I have ever met someone as beautiful as her. 

“I'm Mariam, a student of Animal Production and Health.” She introduced herself. 

“Ohh, nice. I'm Dammy, Civil Engineering.” I said this with all charm and confidence.

Then she goes ahead to flatter me about how the bookworm I was, while I was trying to defend myself ( lowkey, I knew I was an average student but I guess that's the perk for studying a good course). Luckily for us, we were headed for the same place. From the suicide cases, we moved on to knowing more about each other and those sweet things beautiful strangers talk about. I could have sworn that I met my soulmate. I could almost say the same for her because I felt the chemistry. 

After we both left the ATM, it was time to part ways. “No, this can't end like this. I can't let her go!” I was screaming inside. “This babe too fine, abeg!” 

She told me she wasn't feeling too well, and she was leaving for Ibadan, her home, and would be back before Monday. So I thought I should get her phone contact. But I didn't bring my phone along. And stupid me didn't think to give her my contact too (If you're a guy reading this, never ever in your life make such a grievous mistake).

Eventually, a cab came and whisked me away.

“See you next week.” My dumb self spoke.

In the car, I kept thinking of her and everything we discussed. That was when it dawned on me that I didn't remember to get her contact nor had I given her mine. Kai! This car should have never come. I got home and I couldn't stop telling everyone about the goddess I met and how I failed to secure her contact. My guys blasted me, but I kept reassuring them that I'd see her again. I couldn't wait for the weekend to be over. “I gast meet her again o.” I kept on telling myself.

On Monday, immediately after classes were over, my friend, Samuel and I headed quickly for the park before it got crowded. However, I told Samuel that I needed to see someone, but I didn't tell him exactly who it was or what business I had exactly with the person. I just couldn't. And so, I went looking for Mariam. I went to her college, and hopefully, I would see her since all classes were over. You wouldn't believe I stayed under the nearest tree to the college waiting for Mariam. I kept on the lookout for her, hoping she would pass and we could continue our love story from where we stopped. I waited for more than an hour. I know right, I was dumb. I knew I was. But I had fallen in love already and I was dying to meet her again. I still kept on waiting. Trust me, I asked different people about her. I tried to give a description of what she looked like. However, I couldn't remember her face vividly so it was hard to express myself. “ Was it because I met her once?” I was puzzled. 

In fact, I couldn't remember anything about her anymore. The only thing I remembered was her name and her department. How am I supposed to find someone with just these two pieces of information?

I lifted up my bag and left angrily and disappointed at myself for not remembering any damn thing. More angrier because I didn't collect her phone number the previous day. I almost cursed myself that day. Then a thought came across my mind, what if she wasn't real and I met a ghost?

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Looking at everything that had been happening in the school. At first, I ignored the thought. “Nonsense! Ghosts don't exist. Even if they did, they probably can't be as beautiful as she is.”

On getting to my hostel, I heard the boys arguing for whatever reasons best known to them. I am not sure but somehow my attention drew to what they were discussing. “Her name na Mariam seh!” Joshua shouted.

Ehn? Mariam? What am I hearing?

I decided to look at the picture from the phone Joshua held and guess who it was? 

No, you're wrong. It wasn't my Mariam, and can never be. “God forbid bad thing,” I said to myself.

But you know what? The day I met Mariam was the first and last time I set my eyes on her. I even tried asking about her from the little things I had learnt about her then, but nobody had an idea of who she was.

Well, I'm in my finals, maybe I'll see her before I graduate. Still, I don't remember her face. I don't remember anything else aside from her name and her department. The only fragment of memory I had was that I met a fine being on my way to the school gate and I forgot to get her phone number.

Do you think I saw a ghost? Because I think I did.

Share your thoughts. Do you think I saw a ghost or I was just being delusional? Have you had any encounter with a ghost, drop your comments.

PS: I have graduated, and I still haven't Mariam. Neither do I remember her face.