IT IS IN THE CEMETERY

By Sarat Alqasum (Maman Nusaiba)

Part 2

It was around 3:00 AM in the dead of night. She was sprinting down the street, constantly casting frantic glances over her shoulder. The phone in her hand began to ring. In a desperate rush, she pressed the button to answer, but before she could utter a single word, she felt herself violently hoisted high up into the air with a sharp, sweeping shuuu sound. She began to shriek at the top of her lungs.
"Oh no! Umma, please help me! I'm being kidnapped!"
A pitch-black darkness suddenly enveloped her vision, sending a terrifying jolt straight through her core. Her eyes felt as though they would pop out of their sockets from the sheer panic and intense fear consuming her.
She tightly squeezed her eyes shut, her lips trembling so violently that she could no longer articulate a single word. Suddenly, she felt herself being dropped onto a slightly elevated surface. She quickly snapped her eyes open and let out a piercing scream, curling her body into a tight ball at the sight of a colossal silhouette standing before her. She couldn't even discern its full height; it was profoundly black, making it impossible to distinguish any defining features. It stood there ominously—resembling a human, yet towering like a tall Palmyra palm tree.
"Hahaha!"
A wicked, bone-chilling laughter echoed through the air, piercing her ears and striking terror deep into her heart.
Lifting her head once more, she glanced to her side. Her eyes widened in horror, and she instinctively scrambled backward, only to thud against something solid behind her. Her body shaking uncontrollably, she turned around with dread, fearing what her eyes would witness next. She found herself face-to-face with a tiny girl who looked no older than seven years old. Blood was oozing from the girl's mouth, and three distinct horns protruded from her head. Her arms were so long they practically dragged on the ground, tipped with long, razor-sharp black claws. Her eyes were as red as a sheep's, rolling and shifting constantly just like an animal's, while her feet were the exact replica of a monkey's.
With a trembling voice, she stammered, "S... servant of Allah, who on earth are you people?"
The little girl erupted into a wild, maniacal laughter, though her voice retained the high pitch of a young child as she spoke.
"Don't you dare ask who we are ever again, or else..." She trailed off, bulging her large eyes at her—eyes whose pupils were as starkly black as burning charcoal.
Gulp. She swallowed hard, completely paralyzed. Suddenly, she felt a heavy hand clap down on her shoulder from behind. Jolting in shock, she spun around and came face-to-face with the towering black entity once more. Overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of her terror, her bladder gave out and her bowels loosed at the sight of the monstrous creature. Squeezing her eyes shut, she was utterly unable to speak, completely helpless as she soiled herself.
"Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha!"
The booming chorus of their laughter completely unhinged her mind. After what felt like an eternity, an abrupt silence fell over the area, prompting her to slowly open her eyes.
"Oh no, I am utterly ruined!" she cried out, staring blankly at the ground beneath her. She leaped back to the side in a frantic panic, staring at the spot in absolute horror as the grim reality dawned on her.
"Oh my God! Am I... am I in a CEMETERY? And am I standing right on top of a grave?"
"You certainly are. You are in a CEMETERY," a voice answered from her side.
Turning around in absolute dread, she faced the strange little girl once more. With a shaking voice, she cried out again, "What do you want from me? What have I ever done to you that you keep stalking my life? W..."
A thunderous roar cut her off entirely before she could finish her sentence.
"We do not tolerate questions!"
She instantly fell silent, her eyes darting fearfully across the numerous graves surrounding her.
Thud! The heavy sound of something crashing to the ground echoed nearby. She quickly whipped her head toward the noise. She opened her mouth, desperate to scream, but felt her lips instantly glued shut. All she could do was bulge her eyes in absolute horror as she stared at a man standing a short distance away.
In the blink of an eye, she watched as the man was brutally decapitated. She collapsed heavily to the ground, desperately wanting to scream but completely unable to make a sound. With her eyes wide with terror, she dragged herself forward on her hands and knees toward the man's lifeless torso. Blood was gushing profusely from his body. Plastering her hands over her head, she screamed internally with everything she had:
"Uncleeeee!"
With a violent jolt, she bolted awake from her sleep. Her body was completely drenched in sweat as though water had been poured over her. Panting heavily for breath, she shook her head in disbelief before bursting into a fit of bitter weeping, babbling hysterically to herself.
"Oh Allah, please deliver me from these horrific nightmares! Who are these two entities that constantly drag me to the cemetery every single time?"
She leaped up in terror as she suddenly felt something caressing her back. Spinning around, she let out a piercing shriek and scrambled off the bed upon seeing two newborn infants lying directly on her mattress. The sight of their faces alone was enough to curdle one's blood. Before she could even make a decisive move, she watched in horror as one of the infants stood up on its own two feet and began walking directly toward her. Completely frantic, she bolted toward the bedroom door, screaming out every single name that flashed across her mind. However, the moment she reached the doorway, she found herself completely unable to open the door, all while the infant closed the distance, bulging its eyes at her. The infant's face was completely riddled with gaping holes, from which a thick, slimy black fluid oozed alongside hideous maggots that crawled in and out of its eye sockets.
"Oh my God! Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihin raju'un! Umma! Please help me, a spirit is about to seize me! Umma! Abba! Abba! Save me before it reaches me!"
She wailed hysterically, battering the door with such ferocity it sounded as though she would break it off its hinges. Turning her head, she saw that the infant had almost reached her. Summoning every ounce of strength left in her body, she let out a blood-curdling scream that brought every single member of the household running toward her room.
"Suhaima! Suhaima! Open the door!"
She heard her mother's frantic voice calling her name from the other side. Only then did it register in her panicked mind that the door was locked. With trembling hands, she twisted the key and threw the door open. The family immediately tried to hold her down as she looked ready to bolt past them. Her father firmly grabbed her hand and asked, "Suhaima, what on earth is wrong with you? Are you alright?"
Utterly speechless, she could only point frantically into the room, clinging tightly to her mother. Bewildered, the family peered into the bedroom but saw absolutely nothing. Terrified, she stammered, "Abba, there are spirits in this room! I swear I am never sleeping in here again! Just now, the in..."
She froze, unable to finish her sentence as her eyes locked onto the infant once more. It was shaking its head at her, its face contorted in pure fury. The family stood there in stunned silence, staring at Suhaima as she stood with bulging eyes, pointing wildly into the empty room. Her younger brother stepped fully into the room, searched every corner, and found absolutely nothing. Stepping back out, he clicked his tongue in annoyance and snapped, "Oh, come on! By Allah, Sis, you've clearly started losing your mind between yesterday and today!" He grumbled, brushing past her.
The family tried everything to convince Suhaima to go back inside, but she adamantly refused to sleep in that room. Finally, Umma pulled her along and took her to her older sister's room to sleep. Seeing that she would still be left alone on the bed, she pleaded, "Umma, please, for the love of God, come sleep with me! By Allah, I will see them again if you leave. Please help me!" She begged, her eyes darting around wildly as she gripped Umma’s hand. Seeing the genuine, paralyzing terror in her daughter's eyes, Umma relented and lay down beside her. Suhaima immediately buried herself tightly against Umma, clamping her eyes shut. Umma was deeply unsettled by how violently the girl's heart was thumping against her chest. She continuously recited prayers, blowing them over her and stroking her head until a deep sleep finally stole Suhaima away.
The following morning, after the dawn prayers, Abba returned home. He settled in the living room and noticed Suhaima sitting there, her eyes blinking rapidly like a thief whose cover had finally been blown.
Catching sight of Abba, she lowered her head slightly and murmured, "Go... good morning, Abba." He stared at her intently for a moment before quietly acknowledging her greeting. Suddenly, his phone began to ring loudly in his pocket. He pulled it out, and the moment he saw the caller ID, his face instantly contorted in utter shock. Answering the call with a hurried Islamic greeting, he exclaimed in bewilderment, "Sani? Why is Abdullah’s phone with you this early in the morning?"
The sound of Sani bursting into heavy weeping came through the speaker before he managed to choke out the words:
"Uncle, Daddy is dead."
"What! I don't understand what you mean... Is he truly dead?"
Sani replied, "Yes. We just woke up and found him. His throat has been slit like a slaughtered animal."
"Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihin raju'un!" Abba stumbled backward, collapsing heavily into a chair as the phone slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor.
Umma, who had just emerged from the kitchen upon hearing Abba’s distressed exclamation, asked anxiously, "Is everything alright? What happened? Why are you crying out to Allah?"
Suhaima, meanwhile, stared with wide eyes, waiting in breathless suspense to hear what Abba would say. Clutching his head, Abba could barely whisper, "Some people... have killed Abdullah."
Suhaima jolted upright and was about to bolt out of the room in a blind panic, but Umma quickly snatched her by the hand. Turning frantic eyes toward her father, Suhaima cried out, "Abba! By Allah, they are the ones who killed Uncle! I saw them with my own two eyes—they cut off his head! Abba, by Allah, I..."
Before she could finish her sentence, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed heavily onto the carpet, completely unconscious.

Part 3

Terribly shaken, Abba and Umma quickly lifted Suhaima's limp body. Umma rushed to the kitchen, grabbed some water, and practically ran back, nearly tripping over her feet before handing it to Abba. He took it and splashed it onto her face, but there was no response. Distraught, Umma knelt down, took a sip of the water herself, and forcefully sprayed it across Suhaima’s face. Suhaima gasped sharply for air as if stung by an insect, bolting upright with wide, frantic eyes. Seeing Abba and Umma sitting beside her, she scrambled closer to her father and cried, "By Allah, Abba, I saw it! They cut off his head!"
Umma and Abba exchanged a long, deeply troubled look. They were beginning to seriously fear that Suhaima was suffering from a sudden mental breakdown. Umma gripped her shoulder and asked in a strained, emotional voice, "Suhaima, what on earth is happening to you? Are you saying you saw Sani’s father being decapitated? If that's true, where exactly did you see such a thing happen?"
Bursting into a fresh wave of bitter tears, she gripped both of their hands and wept, "Last night, I had a nightmare where I watched Uncle get decapitated right before my eyes. And now, you're telling me he has been killed! I heard exactly what Sani said over the phone—he said Uncle’s throat was slit like an animal's!" She finished, staring intently at them. She could feel a strange, otherworldly presence heavily weighing down her heart. She squeezed her eyes shut as hot tears cascaded down her cheeks. Umma gently wiped them away, whispering soothing words of comfort until she finally grew quiet.
"So, who killed him, Suhaima?" Abba and Umma asked her simultaneously, thoroughly mystified by the eerie coincidence.
"I didn't see the killer myself, but I vividly saw his head being cut off in my sleep last night," she replied, breaking down into tears once more.
Abba sighed and snapped, "Oh, come on! Who ever told you that dreams are reality? Don't you dare let me catch you repeating this nonsense to anyone else!" After sternly warning Suhaima, he quickly got ready and left for Alhaji Abdullah’s house.
Suhaima's mind, however, remained in complete turmoil. She couldn't find peace, unable to sit or stand still. She waited anxiously for Umma, who had gone into her room to dress so they could attend Abdullah's funeral house. Unable to contain herself, Suhaima quietly slipped into the bedroom where she had slept the previous night. She entered stealthily like a thief, nervously scanning every single corner. Seeing that the room was entirely empty, she let out a long, heavy sigh of relief and sat on the edge of the bed, clutching her chest.
She hadn't even been in the room for a full minute when a thick, unnatural darkness suddenly engulfed the space. Panic instantly seized her, and she curled her body tight, squeezing her eyes shut. The entire room began to shake violently, vibrating as though it were about to collapse deep into the earth. Suhaima wailed louder, screaming out for her mother.
"Suhaima! Suhaima!"
She heard her name being called from directly above. Trembling violently, she forced herself to look up toward the ceiling. She instantly dropped her head back down in sheer terror; the little girl from her nightmare was floating there, holding those two horrific infants in one hand, dangling them down toward her.
The entity descended gracefully along with the babies, landing right in front of Suhaima. The bedroom light flickered dimly, just enough to discern the presence of whoever stood closest to you. The little girl let out a chilling laugh, then suddenly wiped the smile from her face and asked coldly, "Suhaima, have you ever seen a place where liver and blood are separated?"
Suhaima shook her head violently, completely refusing to lock eyes with the creature. The girl let out a furious, booming roar.
"Hey! If you dare shake your head at me again when I speak to you, I will instantly transform you into a cat or a rat!"
Terrified, Suhaima quickly squealed, "No! Please, for the love of God, help me and have mercy! Don't turn me into a cat! In fact, I am absolutely terrified of cats and rats, I..." Before she could even finish her plea, all three entities instantaneously morphed into massive, grotesque cats. One was white, one was black, and one was a stark blue. They all fixed their unsettling eyes on her, letting out a horrific chorus of feline caterwauls. Suhaima leaped back to the farthest corner of the bed, trembling violently as she curled into a ball. Seeing her utter terror, the creatures erupted into mocking laughter and shifted back into their previous forms.
"We are leaving for now, but know this: we will surely return to you. You must reap exactly what you sowed. The game is only just beginning."
Suhaima widened her eyes in utter confusion, completely oblivious to the meaning behind the creature's words. "Servant of Allah, what have I ever done to you to warrant saying I will reap what I sowed? I have never even insulted an elder in my life, let alone a child like you! And these infants keep terrifying me... please, for God's sake, have mercy and leave my life alone!"
The two infants glared at her with a malicious look that made her stomach violently churn.
"I might consider helping you, but only after I have fully executed my mission on the rest of humankind, which I intend to finish very soon. As for these infants, I have no authority to reveal their identities to you; they will tell you everything themselves when the time comes. I only escorted them here because they insisted on seeing you. Otherwise, you would never see me outside of your nightmares when we meet in the cemetery. I am here to exact a vengeance that cuts far deeper than the original wound."
Suhaima stared at the girl with her mouth agape, completely paralyzed even after the entity had finished speaking. Annoyed by her blank stare, the little girl forcefully slapped her across the face and barked, "When I am speaking to you, do not dare drift off into a world of thoughts!"
A sharp, searing pain radiated through Suhaima's cheek. The blow was so powerful she felt it vibrate through her brain. Clutching her burning cheek, she whimpered, "I... I am sorry, Aunty."
"If you ever call me Aunty again, I will drag you straight into the realm of the spirits!" the girl threatened, stepping off the bed. She scooped up the infants, and right before vanishing, she turned back, bulging her eyes at Suhaima one last time. "If I ever hear you mention anything about your nightmares again, you know exactly what the consequences will be."
With those final words, she vanished into thin air. The moment Suhaima realized she was gone, she scrambled off the bed with weak limbs and bolted straight into the bathroom. Before she could even squat down, her bladder gave out entirely, soiling her clothes. Left with no choice, she stripped off her garments and turned toward the bathtub. As she twisted the faucet open, she closed her eyes and cupped her hands to splash water onto her face. Suddenly, a foul, metallic stench hit her nose. She snapped her eyes open and looked down at her hands. With a horrified shriek, she instantly threw the water away—it had turned into thick, crimson blood. Standing off to the side, she watched as the faucet inexplicably turned itself on. She stared wide-eyed, watching the manifestation of Allah's power. Seeing that normal, clear water was now flowing, she cautiously stepped forward, her heart pounding frantically against her ribs as she cupped the water once more. She watched it closely; it remained completely clear. Hurriedly, she washed her hands, feet, and face, and bolted out of the bathroom. Without wasting a single second to properly dress, she threw on a long dress and hastily yanked her hijab over her head. Because she was in such a frantic, scattered state of mind, she accidentally put the hijab on completely upside down, with the bottom hem bunched at the top. She rushed out of the room, moving so fast she looked ready to take flight.
Umma stared at Suhaima in utter disbelief, her mouth hanging open at the ridiculous sight of her upside-down hijab. By the time Suhaima reached the car, Na'im caught sight of her, plastered his hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh, and mocked, "Aunty Suhaima, it looks like we seriously need to take you to the Dawanau psychiatric hospital in Kano. You're starting to exhibit the classic behavior of someone with a severe mental illness."
She flashed him a fierce glare, clicked her tongue in annoyance, and snapped, "Shut up, you disrespectful boy! Go ahead and insult me if it makes you feel good. I guess it's because I haven't slapped you yet that you've lost all respect for me. Move aside, mister, and drive us. Time is wasting!" She clicked her tongue again, snatched the car keys from Umma's hand, and tossed them at him. He caught them cleanly in the air.
Umma chimed in, "Well, you might want to fix your hijab first."
The words finally registered in Suhaima's ears. She reached up, felt the fabric, and realized it was completely disheveled. She quickly twisted it until it sat normally, and they finally drove out of the house.
Since Alhaji Abdullah’s house wasn't very far from theirs, it didn't take long before they arrived at the main gate. Na'im honked the horn, and the security guard quickly threw the gate open to let them in.
In the courtyard, Abba was standing alongside several law enforcement officers and five other men, deeply engrossed in a serious discussion regarding the murder. Suhaima opened the car door and stepped one foot out, but just as she lifted her other leg to exit, a sudden, violent gust of wind slammed into her, knocking her completely off balance. She was about to fall flat on her face when Umma quickly caught her.
"Hey, take it easy! What on earth is your rush?" Umma scolded, letting her go. Suhaima clutched her chest, feeling a profound sense of dread washing over her as her heart hammered violently. Shaken, she carefully managed to stand on her own two feet.
Umma and Suhaima walked straight inside the house. Even from the entrance of the living room, the agonizing sounds of Alhaji Abdullah's wife weeping could be heard clearly. The parlor was packed with mourning guests. They made their way toward his wife and sat down beside her, with Umma gently offering words of condolence and patience.
"Oh, Umman Suhaima, please just let me weep!" Abdullah's wife cried out, looking around at the crowded room, her eyes completely bloodshot and her face severely swollen from crying. "How can we go to bed with my husband in perfect health, only for someone to sneak into his bedroom and slaughter him like an animal, and then you tell me not to cry? Just like that, my children have been turned into orphans, and I have instantly gone from a married woman to a helpless widow! I swear by Allah, whoever murdered my husband, I will never forgive them, even if their grave burns with hellfire!"
Suhaima, who was always easily moved to tears, immediately began to weep silently, the tears cascading down her face. Fear and panic took a permanent, unshakable hold within her heart and entire body. Resting her chin heavily in her palm, she murmured to herself in a barely audible whisper, "Oh my God, Suhaima... what did Uncle ever do to make them murder him?"
She asked herself the question, fully knowing that the only entity capable of providing an answer was that demonic little girl. Wiping her tears, she tilted her head to the side, looking at Sani's mother sorrowfully, and whispered again, "Oh, Mommy... you could look for a thousand years and you will never discover who truly killed my uncle. All your efforts will be entirely in vain. But why... why did they kill him?" She questioned herself a second time, fully aware that no one around her could answer.
Within a short period, Abba, along with some Islamic scholars, finished performing the ritual washing of Alhaji Abdullah's corpse. The moment they finished shrouded the body, they placed it inside the burial bier and loaded it onto the cleric's vehicle. His wife was called forward to offer her final prayers over him. She wept bitterly, and it was only with great difficulty that Sani managed to gently pull her away from the corpse. Once she stepped outside, his brothers and male relatives filed in, each offering their prayers before carrying the body outside to the open courtyard where the funeral prayer (Janazah) would be performed.
Suhaima jolted in sheer panic as she watched her uncle's corpse being carried away. Losing all control over her emotions, she plastered both hands over her head and burst into loud, hysterical wails, screaming out for her uncle. The women in the parlor quickly gathered around her, offering comfort until she finally managed to quiet down.
After the funeral burial concluded later that evening, Suhaima and Umma returned home.
They went straight to the kitchen to quickly whip up dinner. Suhaima remained completely subdued; whenever she started doing a task, she would suddenly freeze and stare blankly into space. Whenever Umma spoke to her, she would have to repeat the words at least five times before Suhaima could comprehend what was being said.
Umma assumed that her daughter was merely overwhelmed by the profound grief of her uncle's sudden death, which was why she didn't push her with questions about what was truly occupying her mind. As they were finishing up dinner, the call for the Maghrib prayer began to echo through the neighborhood. They stepped out of the kitchen, and Suhaima followed closely behind Umma until they reached the main house. Suddenly, Suhaima pivoted on her heel and headed straight for her own bedroom. Summoning every ounce of courage she could muster, she whispered the name of Allah (Bismillah) and stepped inside, her eyes darting nervously around the room. The room was entirely empty, looking exactly as she had left it the night before. Letting out a long, heavy breath, she headed into the bathroom to perform her ablutions. After emerging, she plastered her hand over her mouth, her face a mask of complete bewilderment as she muttered to herself, "Wait... how on earth did I manage to completely forget to invoke the name of Allah when I was trapped in that nightmare?"
She questioned herself, raising two fingers to the side of her head and massaging her temple. "It looks like Na'im was right after all. Maybe I really am starting to lose my mind."
Dropping her hand, she hurriedly performed her prayers in what Hausa people call shaf-shaf—a lightning-fast pace. She barely spent three minutes on the prayer mat before concluding. The moment she gave her final salutations, she bolted upright, skipping any post-prayer supplications or blessings upon the Prophet, and rushed out of the room.
After the Isha prayer, Abba came inside, and they all ate dinner together, chatting lightly until around 10:00 PM, when they began saying their goodnights since the next day was Monday.
Suhaima stood frozen like a statue at the entrance of her bedroom. Realizing there was no running away from reality, she resigned herself to her fate and stepped inside. She collapsed onto the bed, and before a single minute could pass, a deep sleep completely claimed her.
"Welcome, Suhaima."
The booming, gravelly voice of a massive, imposing man shattered her consciousness. With a violent jolt, she woke up within her dream, only to find herself standing in the dead center of a dense, terrifying forest. Glancing to her side, she realized she was standing dangerously close to a massive, gaping grave. Suddenly, the sound of eerie weeping echoed through the trees, throwing her into an even greater panic. In all her life, she had never heard a sound so deeply terrifying and unsettling as the wailing that now enveloped the entire forest.
Shuuu!
She heard the sharp rushing sound of something flying directly over her head. Before she could make a single movement to defend herself, the entity hovering above her—which bore the grotesque resemblance of a massive bird—viciously snatched her up into the air and hurled her down, violently smashing her body deep into the cemetery grounds...
Thud! She was violently discarded right onto a massive grave. She froze instantly, stiffening like a stone statue as her breath threatened to leave her body entirely.
"Suhaima! Suhaima! Suhaima!"
A terrifying chorus of completely different voices called out her name in perfect unison. She let out a piercing shriek, clamping her hands over her ears as the deafening voices reverberated through her ear canals and echoed deep inside her brain.
"Open your eyes, I said!" a voice commanded in a thunderous roar.
With no choice but to obey, Suhaima snapped her eyes open, only for her gaze to land directly on that horrific little girl. She burst into heavy tears, desperately scrambling backward as the girl slowly closed the distance, stalking her. Suddenly, the world spun around her, and in the blink of an eye, she found herself standing directly before a hideous creature completely clad in blood-red garments. The creature opened its mouth, exposing a terrifying grin as it erupted into laughter.
"Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha! Welcome, Suhaima!"
By this time, Suhaima’s eyes had gone completely dry, the tears entirely drained as she could only stare in wide-eyed, paralyzed horror. She gazed at the monstrous entity as a sharp roar echoed through the air, causing her body to shake uncontrollably like a leaf in the wind. She was entirely unaware that she was biting down on her own bottom lip with bruising force.
"What... what have I ever done to you people?" she managed to gasp out, blood beginning to ooze from her lip from the sheer force of her bite.
"Have you seriously forgotten what you did to us already?" a voice answered sharply from her side.
She quickly whipped her head around to look at the little girl, desperately wanting to know what terrible crime she had committed to warrant being tormented in a cemetery like this. She quickly opened her mouth to speak...
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Yours truly, Maman Nusaiba