Ten

After school, Juana met Ella at the gate. She had a blank expression on her face and had her left hand on her forehead. 

"What's wrong?" 

"I think I'll be sick. I have to rest" she said and turned towards the road. 

"Where do you live?"  Juana asked following her

Ella turned to face her with the sake blank expression "Don't ask me" she said and began to hasten her steps

Juana was taken aback by her answer and it literally scared her. Maybe she's a ghost who lives nowhere? That thought crept into her mind and didn't leave even when she got home. 

Her father was at home, mopping the floors. That was the first time anyone would think of mopping since Dawn disappeared. She could smell food cooking too. It was lamb stew, she could tell.

She went straight to her room after mumbling "Good work dad". As much as she tried to forget the whole scenario of the day, her mind still went back to it. She was curious about Ella, her father whom she hated, where she lived, if she had any family left, and how she came to seeing ghosts.

" I'd totally freak out if I could see ghosts" she said to herself. She began  to think maybe she had been imagining everything again. Maybe, hopefully she would go to school the next day and there'd be no Ella in grade 4.

But tomorrow came and there was Ella on the school assembly ground lined up together with other students in grade 4. It was a sunny Friday morning. Juana couldn't pay attention to the assembly teacher; her mind was somewhere faraway. She looked from Ella's face to Ivy's to Alicia's. Ivy focused her attention on Mrs Amanda who was talking about 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness'. Juana as well as all other students had heard that ten thousand times or more but here was Ivy listening as though she were hearing it for the first time. Juana knew she wasn't listening, it was an attempt on her part to a avoid locking eyes with 'the evil genius' as she was called by her classmates 

She remembered when she first heard that mean nickname. It was during a PE class and other students had gone to the field for sports practice but she didn't because she had menstrual cramps. Her PE teacher, Mr Jones had asked her to assist the tallest boy in class, Eric to pitch the basketball stand because it had fallen flat due to the previous day's wind. Juana wished she had managed to agree to help without complaining because her refusal earned her that nickname 'evil genius'

"You won't play and you still won't help Eric fix the stand, you're so evil" one of her class bullies had said with a tone of disgust. Juana just winced in pain 

"Evil genius" someone added, and one or two people repeated it until 60% of the class began to laugh.

But for Mr Jones ' deep voice of warning and command  that sent the students trooping out of the class towards the field, they might have pulled at her hair making her more furious. That was something that pained her most-hair pulling. She had a long hair, and if she was silent while they bullied her, her hair would be pulled violently. The only way she could stop that was talking back at them and immediately walking out of the area. Juana was hurt by the nickname mainly because it was started by her best friend, Ivy. 

Now that she thought of it, maybe she was indeed evil? She had heard rumors that Ivy and Alicia's mother was to have a surgery soon and she didn't ask them about it. Her mother has been gone for a million years and she's almost stopped thinking of her? Eric's sister, Anabelle got her hair caught by a tree branch behind the abandoned library where she usually hid, but she didn't do anything to help. Some boys asked her to tell them the answer to a question during a test but she had played dumb. 'Maybe I'm evil after all' she thought

"Are you deaf or something?" The words reverberated in her eardrums and automatically jerked her out of her reverie. 

"Sorry?" She looked around the assembly hall and found all eyes settled on her"

Dr Mrs Patricia was on the podium looking at her with a smirk on her face

"I'm sorry ma, I didn't hear your question" Everyone booed. 

"See me after this assembly is over" she said with an angry tone. 

After the assembly, Juana began to hear whispers about her

"I'm sure she deliberately avoided the question, you know it was a sensitive one" she heard someone say. 

"What could the question be?" She thought as she walked to the assembly teacher's office. Dr Mrs Patricia was a very tall and strict woman but Juana tried to be calm as she knocked on her door. But Dr Pat was so busy with visitors in her office that she dismissed her without casting so much as a glance at her and it shocked her classmates when she returned to class. They expected her to be crying or serving a punishment but she wasn't doing any. During recess, Juana was bored. She glared at Ivy and Alicia at the back of the class talking to Eric and Amy. They were talking about who had or didn't have a boyfriend/girlfriend. She wished she could join her friends but they weren't even looking her way. She had to be friends with Ella. There were a lot of things she needed to discuss with someone other than her dad. Or granny. She didn't need to worry them.

"I wish mom was here" she said to herself. 

"Hey" she saw someone place their hand on her locker. She didn't look up because she knew who it was. 

"You must be bored" It was Lillian's voice

"Well we are having truth or dare at the back of the class now. So will you join us?" She sounded kind but she was far from it, Juana knew. 

"If you will join us, we'll be waiting for three minutes. If you won't, we'll start without you in three minutes" then she was off. The classroom was big but Juana could hear the voices of Eric, Ivy, Alicia, Adam, Amy and Ruby behind her. She heard them counting the minutes. When it was almost over, she got up and joined them. It was all fun at the beginning until Ruby dared her to kiss Eric. She asked for another dare but they were hellbent on that. She didn't want to back away for shame, so she carefully   on the cheek. 

"Well I was talking about his lips" Ruby shrugged

"That's enough Ruby. Let's play on" Alicia said and Juana was glad that it ended there. But again it got worse when Lilian was paired with her.

"Truth or dare?" She asked

"Truth" Juana mumbled.

"Tell us why and how Lisa died" 

Juana was shocked but everyone was waiting. 

"Who's Lisa?" She asked carefully

"Monalisa Caesar. The girl in your former school. She died in an accident" Eric replied. Without looking back, Juana stomped off and as soon as she was out of the class, she ran to hide in the abandoned library. 

Juana felt bad. How did this story leak? How did they know her former school and how dare they link Lisa's death to her? She wished she hadn't joined them in the game. She waited in the library until the bell went for closing hour. She was too unsettled to face her classmates. She ran to Ella's class but was told she had gone home during assembly and that it was an emergency.

"Do you know where she lives?" She asked Laura, Ella's classmate

"No 44, Meadow"

"Thanks" she said and hurriedly walked out of the premises determined to see the girl who saw ghosts.

"Hey" the girl caught up with her.

"Hey don't tell Ella"

"What?"

"Ella doesn't want anyone knowing where she lives. She only let me know because my mom knows her grandmother"

"Oh don't worry, I won't tell her"

"Thanks" she said and continued running towards the school bus. Juana hid behind a tree until every student and the bus were gone. Then she came out of hiding and looked at the sky. It was clear. "Now is the time to visit Ella" she said and began to walk towards the road that led to Meadow Street.

She had never been there before then but she had heard that it was a very quiet street. She was glad the school bus driver had not noticed for once that she was missing. She didn't want to think of how her dad would react when the school bus stops at her house and no Juana alights. 

She walked for ten minutes before she saw the 'WELCOME TO NEW MEADOW STREET' sign. The signboard was high and new.

"New Meadow? Is there an Old Meadow?" She asked herself. That girl had just said 'Meadow' she sighed. She wasn't sure which of the two Ella lived in. Her instincts told her to turn back and go home when she saw that the gate was locked with two giant locks but she wasn't one to give up so easily on something so adventurous. Nobody was nearby. Not a soul. Except few stray dogs so frail-looking that Juana thought they couldn't bark. The street was in an enclosed area far away from the main road. 

"Hey who's here?!" She yelled and her voice echoed in the silence. No reply. She stopped and waited. At least someone lived here, she thought. She waited fifteen minutes for anyone to pass by, but when no vehicle or human was forthcoming, she began to kick violently at the gate. She used a huge stone to break the first lock and while she did this, the dogs began to come closer and began to bark. Juana was stupefied. These dogs could bark after all. She continued to kick the gate and knock the second padlock with a sharp stone and a sharp object she found on the ground. She had to enter before the dogs got to her but the lock was new and stubborn, unlike the first. It wouldn't budge. The barking got louder. She could see the dogs coming and it was then she saw why the barking got louder. Four tough-looking giant dogs had joined the three frail-looking ones and for once, Juana thought they might be lions. She subconsciously lifted her weight off the ground and jumped over the gate. She landed safely on the other side in time with bruises on both knees. She was beside herself with pride and amazement at how she was able to jump over the gate. The street was awfully quiet. She hadn't walked far when she realized she had dropped her bag. It worried her that the dogs had had her bag which contained her phone, few books, stationeries and lunchpack. She met few people on the street but they were all men. It was weird. What was even weirder was none of them said a thing. It was as if talking was against their rule. They looked almost robotic.

'How could anyone think of living here?' She wondered

She began to feel hungry and tired and therefore stopped at the twenty sixth house. Besides she couldn't see any more houses from that angle. There was a man at the yard. He was fixing a truck and whistling to himself. She walked up to him.

"You should have boarded a taxi from the main road. No one uses his vehicle for commercial purposes here" he said. He had a very calm voice that quietened her fears. 

"Does anyone in House 44 know you're visiting? Did you say House 44?" He faced her now, wearing a grin

"Yes sir" 

"Okay. The road that leads there is eroded."

"Oh" Juana sighed

"You look unfamiliar" he said dropping a tool on the bench outside his yard.

"I don't live on this street but thanks for the information, I'll go back and get a taxi" she said and began to walk away.

"Wait. Do you need water? You look tired... Maybe some food too?" He was grinning. By now, he was starting to sound so caring that it made her uncomfortable.

"No I'm fine thanks" she said walking faster. She was going to turn back and go straight home since there were no vehicles to take her to her destination.

"Hey doll! I can help you!" Doll? No she didn't like the sound of that.

"You can't walk that far without passing out, I tell you" he said "besides there's likely to be a rainstorm soon. Look!" Juana looked at the sky. It was starting to darken. "I can give you a ride with my truck. It's just twenty minutes away" So she turned back towards him.

"Good decision, my child" he said "Wait few minutes, I'm almost done with fixing this truck" he said grinning from ear to ear. Juana wondered why he was so happy to give her a ride.

"Thank you" she muttered sitting on the seat he offered.

"Anything for a pretty doll" he said laughing.

"I'm Juana"

"Sorry."

It was getting dark when he started the truck and Juana was hungrier and thirstier than ever. She refused the bread and Cola drink the man offered her. It began to rainstorm as they journeyed on the quiet road. 

"Can you move faster please?"

"I'm sorry I can't, I told you the road is eroded" he said driving as slowly as ever "Besides looking at the weather, it's dangerous"

Thirty minutes later, they were still on the road. She almost began to cry.

"Be patient doll, we are almost there" She was feeling sleepy but dared not sleep in a stranger's vehicle. 

She was already dozing when she heard "We are there now" he parked in front of a dimly lit house.

She alighted slowly and he followed her. It was dark and the weather was as unclear as anything so she couldn't see the house. She knocked but no one answered.

"It looks uninhabited" she said

"Let's check the back door" he said and they went to try the door. After knocking twice, they opened it and it opened wide with a creak.

"Do you keep a flashlight in your truck?" Juana asked

"Yes. Let me go get it" he said and stormed out in the rain. He returned with a flashlight and a raincoat.

"Put this on" Juana took the raincoat because she was shivering with cold and when she switched on the torch, she was shocked to find the house empty. 

"It seems I'm in the wrong house. No one lives here or are they sleeping?"

"If they were, they wouldn't leave their back door open" he said and opened a door. It led to a large but stuffy living room. 

"How come you know your way around here?" She was both surprised and afraid. He didn't say a word. He sat on one of the rotting chairs and sighed. Juana just stood by the door.

"I can't even see the number on the door. Aren't I supposed to be in House 44?" She asked him again. Then he began to laugh this throaty and evil laugh that shook her to the roots.

"I don't know what you're talking about. There's no House 44 on this street".

" What?"

"I just wanted you in my house. That's why I tricked you into coming. Aren't I just smart?" He said laughing evilly

"No you're just a foolish old traitor!" She shouted. He laughed more. Then It dawned on her that she was in trouble. Great trouble. Who will bail her out of this den? This man could kill her easily and no one would know. She didn't even have her phone with her. 

'How can I be so foolish?' She thought. She should have avoided him when he called her a doll because it had a sinister tone to it. The man went away, leaving her in the living room. Juana squatted in a corner shivering with cold and terror. She didn't remember how long she was in that position until she fell asleep.