Obi Himself

Title: Help Me Pass the Salt

Rain beat the roof that night. The wind blow through the window. The light blink again and again. Mama Ade was stirring the soup on the stove. Her son Tunde sat on the chair pressing his phone.

“Tunde drop that phone. Come and help me set the table.”
“Yes Mum,” he say without looking up.

She carry the hot pot to the table. The light went off. Only candle remain. The small flame shake because of breeze.

They start to eat. The house was quiet except for the sound of rain and spoon.

After some time, she stretch her hand. “Tunde help me pass the salt.”

He didn't move.
She look up. “Tunde, can't you hear me? Pass me the salt.”

He still bend down. But something was wrong. The mirror behind him show their reflection. In the mirror, Tunde still dey eat. But the real one has drop his spoon.

Her heart beat fast. She look again. The reflection still dey move with the spoon.

“Tunde,” she whisper, “why did your reflection stop?”

He look up. “What do you mean?”

She point at the mirror. “Look.”

He turn, look, then laugh small. “Mum, there’s nothing there.”

When he face her again, his eyes was dark. His voice low. “Mum, pass me the salt.”

She freeze. “What did you say?”

He smile. The smile was too wide. “Pass me the salt.”

The candle shake. Then go off.

Darkness full the room.

She heard the chair move. Footstep near her. Then whisper close to her ear. “Mum, pass me the salt.”

She scream.

Lightning flash. She see him standing by the table. But the mirror still show him sitting. The one inside the mirror was smiling wide.

She ran to the door, it refuses to open. She hit it again and again.

When she turn, Tunde was not there again. But inside the mirror, he was still sitting and he smile at her. His eyes were black. His mouth open like he was laughing at his mum.

She shake her head. “This is not real.”

Tunde raise his hand towards the mirror and point at his mum. His mouth move again. “Mum, pass me the salt.”

The table started shaking. Plates begin to fall, Soup was on the floor. The smell immediately turn bad like dead rat.

The voice come again, louder. “Mum, pass me the salt.”

She cover her ears. “Stop!”

The mirror crack. It sounded loud like thunder.

Everything became quiet.

She open her eyes. The mirror has broken. Pieces of glass was on the ground. Each one was still showing Tunde reflection. Her and Tunde were still sitting, still eating, still smiling.

Two days later, people found her sitting for at the same spot, eyes open, body stiff. She hold the salt shaker tight.

Tunde no anywhere.

But when rain fall at night, people say they still hear small boy voice from the house.

“Mum, pass me the salt.”

©️ Obihimself Chronicles

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