The Lift Between Realms
Chapter One – New Beginnings, Old Buildings
Dem say make person no rush happiness, but how you go hold yourself when life finally balance?
Na so me and Paul carry our load enter the new flat for Ajani Heights. The building na five-storey, old but still stand well — concrete and red paint wey don begin fade like old blood. The kind house wey go hide secret, but still look like paradise when suffer don hold your neck for long.
We don dey together for three years. Paul na the kind man wey sabi reason — steady hand, calm voice, fine black skin, strong jaw like person wey dem carve with care. Paul dey work with one beverage factory Me, Onyinye, I dey learn fashion design. My own journey still dey start; my sewing machine na second-hand, my client list short like Monday morning prayer.
House hunt frustrate us. Two months we search like mad people, from Facebook agent to street boys with fake keys. Every flat either too small, too cost, or too cursed-looking. We nearly give up until we jam this one: two-bedroom flat, spacious, fifth floor, better breeze, no landlord wahala — the kind offer wey no suppose dey cheap.
We rush pay two years rent sharp, before story go change. Agent tell us say the old woman wey dey the house before just pack out after plenty years, no wahala, no inspection, just pay and move in. We happy. As we collect key, na so we start to park in.
Paul carry bedframe, I drag kitchen box. No neighbour come out. No children run for corridor. The whole building quiet like hospital at night. I chalk am up to "peaceful environment."
In the evening we don already settle down for the chair wey my Uncle give us, We drink some Hero beer together and watch some movies before sleep carry us on top mattress for ground We no even arrange the bed because We don over tire and Paul dey go work early morning. Our sleep make sense and I really happy well and I know sure say that feeling dey come back anytime soon because of the note wey I see for morning.
Morning come, breeze from toilet window blow small cold for my leg as I sweep. Na there I see am — the note.
No be paper wey just fall. The thing bend small, like person wey handle am well before dropping. Neatly folded. Blue pen handwriting. Title: “To the New Tenant of this Flat.”
At first I laugh — maybe na old woman forget her shopping list. But I open am, and as I read, cold start dey climb my spine like water for pot wey dey boil slow.
"Dear new tenant...
I don live here before you for 27 years with my husband. Something happen wey break us. I no go talk am here. But this flat go teach you things. Some good, some wey no get name...but if you won survive steps dey wey you need to follow "
She begin list rules. Real rules. No 1: Pay your rent on time — the landlord no dey disturb but if you default, wahala go start.
No 3: When you hear strange animal noise wey dey come out from flat 33 no question am Mr Arinze dey live there and hm no get wahala no fear to greet am, when you see am stairs hm no dey use lift at all but no matter what no go hm house go check if you hear those strange animal noises.
No 4: If you see one cleaner ignore am na window hm dey clean, hm belike better person but for your own good just ignore, no even give am anything even money or drink no try am.
No 5: No remain food outside at all if you get pet make sure you watch dem as dem dey eat and once dem finish pack everything at once
No 6: No talk with anybody wey talk say dem come from flat 55-62, this flats catch fire wey kill everybody in 80s for inside, the building then dey under government and then no renovate and e dey empty since so sometimes person go knock for your door say hm dey stay for one of this flats and won borrow milk no ever open.
No 7: Keep weapon for each room because sometimes you go do all this things and somethings still slips through the night e better to dey safe than sorry.
No 8: Trust only one person — Usman, the shopkeeper across the building.
And finally the first weeks no good at all e go be like say you make mistakes I sure say as you dey read this you don dey regret am, you fit still dey happy if you take my advice I wish you the best Mrs Eucharia"
I sit for toilet floor. I read am again. My hand dey shake.
Paul don already go work — him dey resume 4:30am today. He don commot before I wake. I remember say him say lift dey work smoothly now. Cold catch me. I run go balcony, look down — quiet. No sign. No voice.
The breeze begin shift like whisper.
Na that moment I feel am — something for this building no dey normal. The paint no just fade — e dey hide blood. The silence no just peaceful — e dey press.
I hold the paper tight. My breath hang. And for the first time since we move in, I no sure say we go last for this place.
Chapter Two – The Note Behind the Toilet
I sit for the edge of the bedframe wey Paul arrange before him commot, the note still dey my hand like sacred document. I don read am more than five times, but every time I read am again, new fear dey enter my bone.
This no be joke.
I try convince myself say na maybe the woman dey paranoid. Maybe she old and get mental stress. But the way she write am — e no be madness. E be warning. Like say she dey beg the next person wey go stay here, like say na sacrifice she don make before escaping.
I carry my phone, text Paul:
“Babe abeg call me as soon as you fit. I find one kain note for toilet. E dey creepy.”
No reply.
I reason say him don reach work. Maybe network no dey stable. I drop the phone, but my eye still dey toilet door. Something about that room don change for my mind.
Suddenly, I remember something.
When we dey park in last night, one black cat been dey move like say e dey watch us. E no run. E no blink. E just sit for stairs wey lead to fifth floor, then e disappear when we reach the landing.
I been think say na nothing.
Now, I no sure again.
I begin move around the flat slowly, trying to distract myself. I arrange kitchen small. Shift some cartons. Try to feel normal. But no matter wetin I do, my mind dey go back to that line:
“No ever use the lift between 1:30am and 4:30am.”
Paul leave by 4:00am. I check time. 8:20am.
No missed calls. No blue tick. I call am. Straight to voicemail.
My heart dey beat like generator with bad fuel.
I try stay calm. Maybe battery don die. Maybe e forget phone for house. Maybe…
When I check time na 8:30am when my fear come true na by 11:30am when one man wey carry window cleaners knock for my balcony door,
Knock knock.
Balcony door.
I freeze.
We no tell anybody say we dey move in. Nobody suppose dey knock balcony. Na fifth floor. Na only birds and angels suppose reach there.
I tiptoe to the door, peep through the thin curtain. One man dey there — tall, with black overalls and long glass stick. Window cleaner. Face no clear. But e just dey knock…slow…like say e sure say I dey inside. And e dey look straight at me like e dey wait make my fear mature.
I do like I know see am I want talk to Paul first I text am to comeback, the cleaner they knock still dey look me but fear hold me but I know shake when hm go I look other flats windows but I no see am belike hm varnish.
I step back.
Rule Number 4: “If you see one cleaner ignore am. Na window him dey clean, but for your own good just ignore am. No give am anything, not even money or drink.”
The paper nearly fall from my hand.
I lock curtain, shift back.
The knock stop.
I no hear him go. I no hear ladder shift. I no hear window open or close.
Just silence.
I try call Paul again. Still voicemail.
Na there I know say something no dey right. No light. No sound from neighbours. Just me and this note wey dey feel like last will.
11:30am. My hand cold. My leg dey shake.
I look for knife.
Put one for kitchen. One for parlour. I break hanger wey get strong metal and keep am under the bed.
Survival mode activate.
I begin wait. And wait. And wait.
Paul suppose close work by 2pm. I sit down for parlour. 2:10. 2:47. 3:15. Nothing.
I send voice notes. Beg am to just reply. Just one word. One missed call. Even if na emoji.
By 3:50pm I call him workplace.
A deep voice pick:
“Paul? Sorry o, he no come in today.”
I say:
“But him dey resume 4:30am, abi?”
Voice pause. Then say:
“He no show up. We no see am today at all.”
My hand begin shake.
I drop phone.
Tears start to fall before I even realize.
Paul don commot since 4am. Through the lift. The same lift wey Rule Number 2 talk about. I no know when I stand up. I go corridor. I open door. I look the old lift shaft — metal gate rust small, but still dey functional.
I nearly enter.
But Rule Number 2 hold me like handcuff.
“No try am between 1:30am – 4:30am.”
Now na past 5pm. But I no fit move. My leg refuse.
I run back inside. I cry. I call my friend Amara. The only person wey fit understand if I talk this kind madness.
I tell her everything.
At first she pause. Then she say she dey come — she wan drop her small brother first. I beg her. I need person wey go tell me say I never mad. I need person wey go hear this note and believe me.
By 6:15pm, I wear slippers. Run go meet Usman — the shop guy wey the note talk about. I never meet am before.
When I see am, my heart calm small.
Tall guy. Light beard. Gold chain. Smell like tobacco and confidence. He dey smoke Benson like say him and cigarette get agreement. No fear for him face.
I tell am say I see note. Say na Mrs. Eucharia write am.
Usman no surprise.
He say, “Make I enter see the note.”
We go inside. He sit for chair like say he don sit there before. I give am the paper. He read am. Nod.
Then I break. I tell am say Paul use the lift around 4am. And since then, e never come back.
Usman drop the note. Blow smoke.
Him voice calm:
“Your boyfriend no dey alive again. Only one person don ever come back from that lift between that time. And she no still remain the same. That lift... those creatures... dem dey rip person soul.”
My body go cold.
I shout. Beg am. Ask if anything fit bring Paul back.
Usman pause. Look me like doctor wey no get cure to patient sickness.
“I no go lie give you. You fit die if you chase this thing. But… one person go fit give you answer.”
“Who?”
“Mrs. Eucharia.”
Chapter Three – The Forbidden Hours
I no sleep that night.
Even as Amara promise say she dey come by morning, I just dey lie down for mattress like corpse wey no sure if e still dey alive. The note still dey my chest. Usman words still dey my head. And Paul... Paul still miss.
Na around 5:15am I finally stand up. I tell myself say enough is enough. I need see that lift. With knife for my back pocket and touchlight for hand, I tiptoe go the corridor.
The building still dey silent, but no be peaceful silence — na the type wey press your chest. As I reach the lift, the red numbers for the top blink softly: “5”. The door shut, but e get one kain stale smell around am. Like wet cloth wey dry inside coffin.
I look the metal button. I raise my hand. I pause. My mind scream say "NO PRESS AM!" But something wey pass curiosity hold me.
I press am.
“Ding.”
The sound no sweet. E come like whisper. The door open.
Inside dey empty. But fresh cold air burst from the belly of the lift. I enter. The touchlight dey shake for my hand.
I press “G”.
Nothing happen.
I press “1”.
The door no close.
I step back. The door lock itself again. My head dey turn. Na warning be that. Paul enter this same lift around 4:00am. He vanish.
As I turn to go back my flat, I hear something.
"...Onyinye..."
Low voice. Soft. Like person wey call you from dream. I freeze. I no fit move.
“Paul?” I whisper.
Nothing.
I run. Run like person wey dem pursue from shrine.
Chapter Four – Knock from the Balcony
By 9:00am, Amara arrive. Her eyes red small, but she still get that sharp tongue.
“Onyi abeg, all this one wey you dey talk, you sure say you never smoke Colorado?”
I no vex. I just pass her the note. She read am. Her face change small. But she still laugh.
“Na prank jare. That woman no get cable.”
“Paul don miss.”
She stop laugh. Look me. “You serious?”
“Yes.”
I tell her everything. From the lift, to Usman, to the window cleaner wey no blink.
She just dey look me.
Then — knock.
Balcony again.
We both freeze.
I pull Amara. “No look. No open. No talk.”
She dey confuse but I no get time explain again.
The knock come again — slow, like say person dey enjoy the sound.
I whisper, “Just wait. E go go.”
Ten seconds. Twenty. Silence.
I peep.
Empty.
“Amara, make we go see Usman.”
Chapter Five – Flat 60 and the Fire That Stayed
We meet Usman for him shop. Him no surprise to see me. But as him see Amara, he squint.
“She dey okay?”
I nod. He sigh.
“You dey ready?”
I nod again.
He say make I give am two hours — say he wan prepare something. But before we go, he drop warning:
“If you hear any knock, and the person say dem dey stay for flat 55 to 62... no answer.”
“Why?” Amara ask.
He look her direct. “Because those flats burn down in 1983. Nobody survive. If you answer, dem go carry your voice go back with them.”
Amara shut up.
Chapter Six – Usman Knows
Later that day, we return.
So Usman tell me one story about Mrs Eucharia granddaugther wey lost her name na Ene she just come for holiday so one night she sleep walk enter the lift naso she take loss,
Mrs Eucharia pursue her but it dey too late when she reach because those creatures don disappear with her na only blood she see for floor the following day Mrs Eucharia no talk anything again till she park out.
Usman carry one black nylon, something dey inside — dry leaves and one brown bottle.
“You go take this,” he say. “When you ready to go meet Mrs. Eucharia.”
He give me one small drawing — map wey show how to locate her place.
“Wetin be all this?” Amara ask.
He light Benson Switch. “Your friend wan find something wey no suppose return. If Paul ever come back, e no go be the same Paul.”
My heart tear small.
But I still gree.
We plan go the next day.
Chapter Seven – Funke’s Smile
That night, Amara stay over. Around 10pm, she dey watch TV while I doze off.
Na her scream wake me.
I rush enter parlour. Amara dey hold her leg. Tears for her face.
“What happen?!”
She point balcony.
One woman with white blouse dey stand there, smiling.
“I dey stay for flat 60,” she say. “I wan borrow small milk.”
Amara try stand, then collapse. “She dey burn me... I dey burn...”
But no fire dey anywhere.
I rush go kitchen, grab knife.
The woman still dey smile.
I stab am.
Her body heavy like sand. She no bleed. But she fall. Disappear before she touch ground.
Amara stop scream. Her body cold.
I call Usman. We carry am go treat for him guy place wey dey do ‘clean patch-up.’
He look me say, “Now you dey see.”
After wetin just happen I don make up my mind to park out but I believe say Paul dey somewhere naso I come back my flat
Chapter Eight – When Blood Spoke
Next day, I carry the map. Enter bike. Follow road wey no get name.
Bush, silence, goats. Finally reach one old house. Knock.
Old woman open. Mrs. Eucharia.
I tell am say I dey find Mrs. Eucharia say my name na Onyinye she look me no talk anything
I talk say e dey important to speak with Mrs. Eucharia she allow me in offer me chair we begin dey look ourselves naso she talk say she dey sorry for wetin i dey go through without me saying anything she say if her note help me naso I burst cry, she tell me say make I no cry I tell her say my boyfriend dey miss say I find the note as my boyfriend don already go out around 4am, she say hm don go make I forget am.
I ask about Ene her granddaughter she say Usman don tell me I nod head, she say Ene don go but I still insist say Usman say way dey to bring him out naso she shout for me say Onyinye your boyfriend don die say make I forget am and move on but I no gree after we argue she begin dey cry I console her she still say Paul don go say if Paul come back na different Paul I go see but I no gree then she vex say make I dey go while she dey cry I don already dey lose hope,
She hold my hand.
“You no fit bring am back. If you force am, you go call something wey go take you too.”
I beg her. “Please, help me.”
She wipe her tears. “I try help Ene. My granddaughter. She sleepwalk enter lift. I chase am. But e too late.”
“Where she dey now?” I ask.
She look away. “Underground.”
Chapter Nine – The Creature Under Her House
She open backyard gate. We enter small compound. One metal door with big padlock dey ground.
She open am. Stairs go down.
The air cold. Smell like rot and forgotten time.
She carry dog food. Throw am forward.
Noise.
Chains.
Then — shadow.
Wetin my eyes see I no believe, I see the exact creature wey Usman describe for me with horns and feather dem chain am tightly I piss for body at once and Mrs eucharia see me as I piss naso she hold me tight....
She say "na Ene be this my grand-daughter be careful what you wish for."
I collapse.
Chapter Ten – Be Careful What You Wish For
I wake for her living room. My head dey hot. My hand dey cold.
She give me water. I no fit drink.
“You wan die because of love?” she ask.
“I wan understand.”
“Then hear am — your Paul enter the realm between. That lift no just carry body. E carry spirit. And those wey return, no dey whole again.”
“So wetin I go do?”
She give me small black stone.
“Put am for your door. Never use that lift. Never answer knock. Never leave food outside.”
I nod.
As I dey go, I hear a voice behind me whisper: “Onyinye...”
I no turn.
I no ever return to that house again.
THE END
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