The Day I Decided Never to Spend Christmas in My Village Again

I used to love travelling to my village every December. In fact, Christmas was my favourite time of the year because I always looked forward to seeing my family, enjoying Grandma's delicious food, breathing fresh village air and spending time under the beautiful palm trees.

But something happened during my last visit that completely changed how I feel about going home.

Since that night, I have never felt comfortable sleeping in my village again.

The Night Everything Changed

Last December, I travelled from Lagos to attend my cousin's traditional wedding. Everybody was excited, relatives came from different places, and the entire compound was filled with music, laughter and celebration.

The first day was wonderful. We ate, danced and enjoyed ourselves. Nothing seemed unusual.

But on the second night, something happened that I will never forget.

It was around 2 a.m. when I suddenly woke up and felt the need to use the toilet. Unfortunately, our toilet was outside, at the back of the compound.

I picked up my phone, switched on the torch and quietly walked outside.

After using the toilet, I was returning to the house when something caught my attention.

There was a woman standing underneath the big mango tree in our compound.

She was wearing a white dress, and her back was facing me. At first, I thought she was one of my aunties who had also woken up.

I called out, "Aunty Nneka?"

No response.

I called again, this time a little louder.

Suddenly, the woman began turning towards me.

My entire body became cold.

The face I saw was not what I expected. It looked extremely old and wrinkled, and her eyes appeared frighteningly red.

Then she smiled.

I cannot properly explain what I saw, but I knew something was terribly wrong.

I dropped everything and ran towards the house, shouting at the top of my voice.

My Grandmother's Strange Response

Everybody woke up because of my shouting. My grandmother came outside with her torchlight, asking what had happened.

I pointed towards the mango tree and told her what I had just seen.

She walked towards the tree and searched the area, but there was nobody there.

I expected her to laugh or tell me I was dreaming. Instead, she looked at me quietly and said something I still remember:

"You should not have gone outside at that time."

I wanted to ask her what she meant, but she simply told me to go back inside and sleep.

How was I supposed to sleep after what I had just witnessed?

The Strange Thing That Happened the Next Morning

When morning came, I started feeling a little better. I tried convincing myself that perhaps the darkness had played tricks on my eyes.

But then something strange happened.

The slippers I had left outside the previous night were now inside the kitchen.

They had been neatly arranged on top of the table.

I looked at them for several seconds. I asked my relatives who had brought them inside, but nobody admitted touching them.

At that point, I had enough.

I Packed My Bags and Returned to Lagos

That same morning, I brought out my travelling bag and started packing my clothes.

My grandmother begged me to stay a little longer. She reminded me that I had only just arrived and that the wedding celebrations were not completely over.

But I had already made up my mind.

I told her I needed to return to Lagos because of work. Honestly, I just wanted to leave that compound as quickly as possible.

Since that day, whenever my relatives call to invite me for Christmas, village meetings or family celebrations, I always find one excuse or another.

Sometimes I tell them work is too much. Other times, I simply send money and wish everyone a happy celebration.

I love my village, but I no longer feel comfortable spending the night there.

Was It Real or Just My Imagination?

When I eventually shared the story with some friends, their reactions were completely different.

Some told me it was probably my imagination. They said I might have been half asleep and frightened by the darkness.

Others started talking about village mysteries and things they claimed could happen in certain communities.

But whatever anybody wants to believe, I still remember that woman's face underneath the mango tree.

And honestly, I am not in a hurry to find out what would have happened if I had stayed outside any longer.

Let's Hear Your Story!

Have you ever experienced something frightening while visiting your village? Perhaps you heard strange sounds at night, saw something you could not explain or experienced an unusual incident that still gives you goosebumps.

Share your experience in the comments section. You never know, someone else may have experienced something similar!

And as for me, I will continue celebrating Christmas in Lagos. My village can wait!

Disclaimer

This is a fictional horror storytelling article created for entertainment purposes. The events and characters are part of the story.