Welcome, dear reader!

Ready to get spooked the heck out? Then you’re welcome to this pretty scary story. BZ has some wildness for us, let’s get into it!

It was past 6:30 pm when the metallic gates of House Number C12 in the Akroma Hills Estate, an opulent gated community nestled in the wealthy outskirts of Accra, slid open silently. A black Mercedes-Benz glided smoothly through the gates, up the driveway to the shelter of the three-car garage, where the engine came to a stop.

The door opened, and out stepped Jasper Simpson.

A man in his late forties, his height was accentuated by his lean, well-maintained physique, which made him appear quite handsome for a man in his late forties. His job was as impressive as his stature; he held a well-paying position in the heart of cosmopolitan Accra, working as a senior executive in a leading fintech company.

He looked around, nodding to himself as he sighed. “Home sweet home. But for the next three nights, I’ll be all alone.”

He had just escaped the bustling chaos of a late Sunday evening at Kotoka International Airport an hour ago. He could still see his wife, Marjorie, and their three children waving at him as they disappeared through the terminal doors. His eldest daughter, fifteen-year-old Abigail, with her ever-composed demeanor; the younger, lively twelve-year-old Olivia, always holding onto her mother’s arm; and eight-year-old Andrew, already dreaming of flying through the skies.

With a deep sigh, Jasper tugged off his jacket, slinging it over his shoulder as he walked through the connecting door into the house. As he wandered into the open-plan living area, the scent of vanilla and cinnamon from Marjorie’s favorite candles lingered in the air.

He smirked. “Marge and her obsession with these candles,” he murmured to himself.

Just as he reached for the tumbler on the bar cart, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He fished it out, smiling when he saw the caller ID: Marjorie.

“Hey, darling,” he answered happily.

“Hi, my love,” Marjorie replied, her tone warm but slightly rushed. “So we’re at the boarding gate now. Just wanted to let you know we’ll be boarding soon.”

Jasper nodded and leaned against the counter. “Oh good, good. That’s good to hear. Are the kids okay?”

“Oh yeah, They’re fine. Abigail’s busy reading and Olivia’s showing Andrew how to use the airport’s free Wi-Fi to play games. So they’re alright.”

Jasper laughed. “Perfect. That’s good to hear. But, you know, I miss you all already.”

“Oh, Jasper,” Marjorie sighed, though her voice was playful. “Relax, okay? It’s only gonna be three days without us. You’ll be with us in Singapore before you know it.”

“Still,” he insisted, “for now, the house feels so empty without you guys. It’s too quiet.”

“Please, get a hobby, wai,” she teased. “Something that’ll keep you occupied until Wednesday.”

“Oh, I know what I’ll take up already. Sitting on the couch and watching romantic Korean dramas on Netflix while missing you,” Jasper quipped, a mischievous smile on his lips.

Marjorie burst into laughter. “Herh, you this man! You’re just a hopeless case! Do you know that?”

“Oh, yes, I do. But you love me anyway, don’t you?” he responded, grinning.

“No, I don’t. Coz you’re also a mean man.”

He burst out laughing. “Are you still on my matter about that case?”

“Of course, lah. See how dismissive you were about it. Pure heartlessness and cruelty from you.”

Jasper shook his head in amusement. “My dear, I know it sounded mean. But Marge, you naa, think about it. Why would any sane person do that? Eh? Taking in things you’re not supposed to take. It’s pure recklessness. It’s sad mohm, but chale, the truth is the truth, bitter as it is.”

“Hmph! If I start, we’ll miss the flight. We’ll deal with it later.”

Jasper snickered. “Abi that one aside, you still love me?”

Her smirk could literally be heard over the line. “Unfortunately for me, yes.” Her voice softened. “Anyways, just wanted to update you. So, we’ll see you soon, okay? Don’t work too hard while we’re gone.”

“I won’t,” he promised. “Take care of yourself and the kids. And Marjorie?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

Once again, her smile was audible in her reply. “I love you too, Jasper. Now go find something to do before you start redecorating the house out of boredom.”

Jasper laughed as the call ended. “My dear Marge. Margie dearest,” he murmured to himself. Nodding, he added, “That’s where the ‘dearest’ should’ve been all this time… oh well, forget that. Let me see what’s on Netflix…”

***

The clock on the wall read 10:42 PM as Jasper sat at the far end of the dining room, his laptop screen glowing brightly in the surrounding darkness. With a cup of green tea by his side, his focus was centered solely on the report before him. Marjorie had called him to inform them that they were boarding the plane about twenty minutes after their previous call. At that moment, he knew they were in the skies, on their way to the lovely country of Singapore.

He was certainly eager to join them, but for now, it was time to get this report completed.

A brief glance at the clock on the wall, and he turned back to the screen. “If I keep at it for another hour, I’m sure I’ll get about 80% of it done,” he muttered to himself. “Then I’ll be way ahead of this Wednesday deadline. It’s always better to get it done as early as possible.”

Nodding, he adjusted his glasses and leaned in closer, his focus razor-sharp as he continued to type, buoyed at the thought of completing this report long before its due date.

He typed on, fully immersed in his little task.

Then a faint, scratching sound caught his ears.

He paused, fingers hovering over the keyboard.

It was subtle, almost imperceptible at first, like a distant echo. 

He waited to see if it would come again.

It did, much clearer this time. A soft, deliberate scraping against the front door.

Jasper straightened in his chair, his pulse quickening slightly.

The sound carried on for a second or two, then stopped.

He waited to see if it would return.

Ten seconds of waiting, and the sound did not return.

He shook his head and returned to his work. “Probably nothing,” he muttered under his breath, pushing himself to refocus on his work.

He began typing again…

… and the sound came back. This time, it was sharper and more insistent. A distinct scratch, followed by a faint, muffled thump.

Jasper froze, his fingers stiff on the keys.

He turned his head toward the front door, which lay at the far end of the open-plan space. “What the hell?” he wondered.

Then the scratching came again, louder now, like claws dragging across wood.

A shiver ran down his spine. He wasn’t very superstitious, but there was something about the sound that set his nerves on edge.

“Who’s there?” he called out, his voice cracking slightly. There was no reply.

After a moment’s hesitation, Jasper stood up, and he began to move cautiously toward the hallway, every step measured and deliberate. The sound continued intermittently, almost as if whatever was outside was teasing him.

Reaching the front door, he hesitated as his hand hovered over the lock. His heart hammered in his chest as he debated whether to open the door.

Do I open this door? What if it’s nothing serious? Or what if it’s something weird?

While he wondered what to do, the scratching stopped.

He exhaled in relief, then slowly reached for the door handle and turned it slowly. The door creaked open a fraction…

… and suddenly, a blur of motion burst from the shadows.

“Aaaahhh!”

Jasper stumbled back with a startled yell as a sleek black cat darted past him, its green eyes glinting in the porch light. It paused at the edge of the driveway, glancing back at him with an almost smug expression before disappearing into the darkness.

“Ah! What the bloody hell!” Jasper cursed, clutching his chest. He could feel his heart racing, the adrenaline still surging through his veins. “Stupid cat,” he muttered, slamming the door shut harder than necessary. “Scaring me like that. We really need to do something about these strays. Silly little thing made me feel like I’m in some horror movie…”

As he made his way back to the dining room, the house was quiet again. He sat down at the table, his hands trembling slightly as he picked up his cup of tea. It was lukewarm now, but he sipped it anyway, trying to calm his nerves.

Just a stupid cat, he thought, returning to his work. Nothing to worry about.

Yeah, that had quite the vintage horror feel to it. That means something’s probably gonna pop up soon…