“There was a night I woke up. I was feeling an intense urge to pee. As I was about to get down from the bed, I heard the clacking of heels on the floor, like koi, koi, koi. I didn't believe Miss KoiKoi existed. But when I heard that sound, I believed. I saw her shadow through the window. I heard her muttering. Omo, I went back to sleep straight, even though my bladder was almost full to bursting.” Tomi’s elder sister concluded. Tomi laughed at the story.
“I’m serious.” Tola said, a little frown tugging on her lips.
“So, you are telling me Miss KoiKoi exists.” Tomi chuckled.
“Yes na. Will I just be forming such story up?” Tola asked.
“Yes, you can. Just because you want me to be scared.”
“Alright then, don't worry. I was just like you. I didn't believe she existed. You will be attending my school next term. You’ll see.” Her sister concluded.
Tomi smiled in response. She was actually eager to attend her sister's school. It was an only girls school for day and boarding students. Tomi was glad to finally get the chance to leave the shadow of her parents. She had always wanted to be independent since she turned eleven, but her parents deemed it fit to send her to boarding school only when she was fourteen years old. At least, now, she got to actually experience all the stories her sister regaled her of. She particularly wanted to experience running down for dinning, looking for teachers and seniors’ trouble, making new friends without her mother's watchful presence hovering over her.
“Yes, I'll see.” She said.
A stressful first day in school and Tomi was so drained. She couldn't wait to retire to the hostel and get some rest. She was finally out of her parents’ house. She could be whoever she wanted to be. She knew there were rules and regulations but surely, she could enjoy her life without breaking them. She would satisfy her curious and adventurous mind.
When she got to the hostel, she was assigned a top bunk by the hostel matron.
“Curfew starts by 9pm everyday after you are back from your night classes. Ensure you are in bed before that time. If you are caught creeping around after, it will not be good for you.” The hostel matron advised the new entrants.
“Yes, ma.” They chorused in unison. Since it was the first day of school for everyone, there were no night classes. Everyone was free to do what they liked till 9pm. The person who was assigned to the bunk beside Tomi’s was arranging her things in her locker. She was a chubby cute girl with long hair bound in cornrow braids. Her eyes were lined with kajal and her pert lips glistened with a coating of lipgloss.
“Hi.” Tomi greeted from where she lay on her bed.
The girl turned to her.
“Hey.” She replied.
“I'm Tomi. What's your name?”
“Francesca.” The girl turned to her locker and kept placing her provisions in them.
“Okay.” Tomi exhaled. “Do you think Miss Koikoi exists?” She continued.
Francesca turned to her again with an eyebrow raised. A smile was now on her lips and Tomi blushed in embarrassment. She just had to ask that kind of question.
“Well, she does.” Francesca said.
“How do you know that?” Tomi sat up in bed, her curiosity ignited.
“Because, there have been stories. From people who has seen her or heard her when she was passing.” Francesca sat on the bed and Tomi scrambled down from hers to sit with her.
“Really? Who's Miss KoiKoi by the way? Like, what's her story?”
“Well, we were told that she was once a teacher in a boarding school. She was a very wicked teacher and she was hated by students. She loved punishing students and seeing them in pain. She always wore this red pointed heels that made these clacking sounds, so you would know it was her passing by. That was how she earned the name Miss KoiKoi. One day, the students got tired of her and decided to punish her. They ambushed her and tied her up. In the process, one of her red heels fell off her foot. She was locked in a cupboard just exactly her size. They were supposed to free her after an hour or two. But, they were held up in school. A dignitary was visiting the school and they all had to be present to welcome him. And somehow, they just forgot about the locked teacher, I guess. When they eventually remembered, she was dead. From suffocation. Now, she haunts the halls of different boarding schools in search of her missing red heel and students to torment.” Francesca finished her story. It was a chilling tale, no doubt. But Tomi was sure it wasn't real. It was just a tale to scare the new students.
“Well, I don't believe she's real.” Tomi said.
“That's what my best friend said.” Francesca responded. Tomi thought she saw a tear slide down her cheek.
A month now and Tomi hadn't heard or seen any sign of the infamous Miss KoiKoi. This renewed Tomi’s stance that she didn't exist. Tomi and Francesca were now cool friends. Tomi liked Francesca a lot but she noticed that Francesca was always careful of her. She liked to act cold and distant sometimes. She would push Tomi away and yell at her sometimes. And other times, she would treat Tomi so softly like Tomi was the most fragile egg on earth.
“You need to temper your stubbornness.” Francesca would tell her sometimes. And Tomi would just laugh and shake her head.
The wind was howling that night. It was rainy and there were streaks of lightning from time to time. There were no night classes that night because of the storm. Tomi noticed Francesca looked scared.
“You don't like the storm?” Tomi asked.
“Who does? It's scary.” Francesca answered as she huddled h
into her blankets.
“Just think of something that makes you happy.” That was the same advice Tomi’s mother used to tell her whenever she was scared.
“Okay.” Francesca said and covered her head with her blanket.
Tomi felt like a dead weight was pressing her chest down, down, down. She woke up with a cold sweat breaking across her forehead. She couldn't breathe properly.
Then she heard the worst sound. A keening sound that sounded like somebody crying and screaming at the same time. And finally, she heard the sound she had been expecting for a long time. The clacking sound. Koi Koi Koi. But this time, Tomi was scared. She was scared out of her wits. The dead weight was still pressing on her chest and she struggled to breath. She closed her eyes tight and prayed to her maker.
“God, please. God, please. I don't want to see Miss KoiKoi. I was just joking. She exists. She exists. Please, help me.” She prayed, tears running down her cheeks. Soon, the dead weight was gone and the sounds were gone. After some time, Tomi opened her eyes and her heart pounded furiously as it landed on that face that would always be ingrained in her memory. That face would haunt her dreams throughout her years in that school. It was a woman's face. Her lips and eyelids were blue black. Her mouth was frozen in a silent ugly scream and her eyes were pools of endless black. Tomi knew it was Miss KoiKoi.
“You finally agree I exist.” Words came from the apparition but her mouth never moved. Tomi could only nod in response. She felt like she could faint at any moment.
“Good.” The apparition placed a cold chilly hand on Tomi's cheek and wiped the tears that were there. “I will not hurt you. This ordeal is enough.” Then the apparition was walking away, that endless clacking trailing it.
“I saw Miss KoiKoi yesterday.” Tomi said as she and Francesca prepared to take their morning bath. Tomi’s hands still shook and she still found it hard to breathe.
“Are you serious? Are you hurt?” Francesca gripped Tomi’s shoulders hard and searched her body all over.
“Stop, Francy. Stop. I'm fine.” Tomi removed herself from Francesca's grip. “I'm just still scared.”
“I'm sorry. I…I lost my best friend. She was just like you. Didn't believe Miss KoiKoi existed at all. Then one night, she saw her. She didn't survive it. She died of a heart attack. It was why i left my former school. Everything reminds me of her. You remind me of her. I'm sorry. I'm glad you survived.” Francesca said and hugged Tomi.
“I'm glad too.” Tomi said as she felt the tingling on the cheek where the apparition had touched her. She believed now.
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