They said she hid in
the cupboard, they also said she wore a white bridal dress, they equally said
she was the scariest ghost that had ever lived. So many were the things were
said about her - some mythical, some a figment of the narrator's imagination,
the only factual thing about Madam Mook was that we all feared her, likewise
the cupboard that stood at the corner of Primary 4C.
We had heard the narrative of how Madam Mook
came to inhabit the cupboard so much that there was no single soul in the
school who couldn't narrate it off head. Surprisingly, everyone had a personal
encounter with Madam Mook. Most of these stories were simply mind games. I
remember once that I came to school one early morning and as I passed by
Primary 4c, I heard noise emanating from the cupboard and I automatically took
it to be the handiwork of Madam Mook. That day, I kept on twisting the story to
make it nicer on every narration. It was so with everyone!
It so happened that one day, my parents did
not come for me earlier. It was Five o'clock and the school was empty. As I
walked around praying that my parents would come quickly for me, I heard quiet
footsteps behind me. I recoiled! Indeed, the only thing that came to my mind
was "Madam Mook". There was no way around it - she was going to hunt
me. I began to shiver, thinking things no human ever dared to think! Indeed, I
was going to die, I just knew it. I started reminiscing all the happy times I
had had in life. I was going to die. I heard something move swiftly, I turned --
no one was there.
My worst fear became a reality when I heard my
name being mentioned in a ghostly manner. "This is the raspy voice my
friends have been talking of" I muttered to myself with all the bones in
my body shaking. I saw a shadow move
towards Primary 4C. I followed the shadow and to my utter surprise, the
cupboard was opened a bit half concealing a piece of old bridal dress.
"Madam Mook is out! She is out to torment me"
I heard mumming voices; it was some kind of
glumly falsetto. "Open me up boy! Open me up!" I heard.
I couldn't stand it anymore! I run but
immediately I reached the door, it closed and locked by itself.
"Open me up! I have waited so long to get
out of this prison. Open me up or die with me" it repeated raspier than before.
With all the courage I had with me, I slowly
walked towards the cupboard and tried to open it. I shut it up quickly and the
voice repeated this time louder and angrier than before "Open me up, open
me up."
This thing of evil was bent on killing me. The
voice still did not stop, it kept on increasing in pitch and gloominess. I said
my last prayer -- "Lord, I have to go to heaven. Into your hands I commit
my spirits" this was the only thing that came to my mind.
I held the doornail and opened the cupboard. I
just lost vision, I don’t...............
*************************************
I opened my eyes and realized that I was at
the hospital, they asked me what I saw in there. I couldn't hold up myself to
tell them what I saw in there. I came to school and learnt that the cupboard
had been burnt. The headmistress didn't bother to look at the contents of the
cupboard. She hired men to bring out of the classroom and she burnt it there
and then. That class was locked afterwards, Primary 4c was transferred to the
basement. As much as my friends tried, they couldn't get a word from me about
what I saw even up to this day. Madam Mook had in truth escaped -- I saw her,
she was so beautiful, she even thanked me. It was because of her that I
fainted, it was something else!
