IF ONLY THEY KNEW WHAT STOLE THEIR PERFECT HAIR EVERYNIGHT IN THE DARK

the night was still the air tick with the Quiet arm of pickets and distant Echoes of frogs broking by the stream The Narrow Street of osia lay empty lined with rusted street lights that flickered like old lanterns fighting against the darkness Shadows danced across the cracked Pavements stretching unnaturally with each flicker of light it was the kind of night that made the A on the back of your next stand tomiwa walked briskly as sandal slapping softly against the ground a freshly braided air swung behind her the blue beads clicking together like a quiet reading matching

her footsteps she eared a familiar song a tune her mother used to sing while cooking the sound of her voice filled with the silence offering her a fragile sense of comfort but Comfort can be deceiving behind her the faintest sound echoed a soft almost imperceptible scratch scratch she froze her heart beats pounding louder than the cricket slowly she turned her eyes dting around nothing just Shadows steel as Stone her lips C into a smile checky but reassuring Stop scaring yourself to MEA she muttered resuming her walk scratch scratch this time it was louder her breath

itched as she spawn around her eyes scanned the streets moving from one Shadow to the next still nothing but then something shifted not the light not the wind the shadow itself it twisted bending in a way that Shadows shouldn't toa's PA quickened AG G on her gown tightened she moved faster a bit stopping with urgency her eyes flicked to every shadow every movement her breath shallow and fast aing had stopped then it happened a sudden blast of wind shot from behind her it swept over her like an unseen hand cold and sharp before she could

scream her head yanked back violently her scalp burned as her hair was pulling with such force and knes buckled she clawed at the air Le fling as she tried to break free her voice erupted in a scream but it was tiffed swallowed by the air itself her arms fled Alex kicked but it was no use a scream was cut short the silence returned the Shadows settled the next morning toa's parents found her in bed her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling lifeless and unblinking her arms lay limed by her side fingers C slightly as if

holding onto something invisible her face was frozen in an expression of Terror but it wasn't her eyes that made a mother scream it was her head her hair the long black braids with blue beads that she had won so proudly the night before was gone every strand every lock gone as scal bear as a newborn baby glowed under the morning sun like polished Stone a mother scream echoed through Osa that morning it echoed louder than crickets louder than the frogs louder than anything anyone had ever heard ears swept througha like a wild storm because after

toa's bow lifeless body was discovered by her parents another girl woke up bow her head as smooth as a river stone people started to fear by the end of the week seven girls had been taken they were all alive but changed their air was gone not caught not shaved but gone as if pluged clean by invisible hands no signs of struggle no open windows or broken locks the girls had simply gone to sleep sleep and awakened B the people of hosia were gried by Panic mothers cled their daughters tighter fathers exchanged worried glances as they

sharpened machetes they knew would be useless each bowed head was a warning each girl a sign that something unseen worked among them Holo has returned muted the elders eyes wide with Dread the name spread faster than Wildfire ololo the airer legend spoke of a vengeful spirit that once rued the land punishing the disobedient by taking what was most precious their air it had been just a story to scare disobedient children until now not everyone believed in spirit though rumors began to branch in every direction invisible thiefs some said whiches claimed the braver ones even blame

those big men from the city who might be harvesting air for rituals but no Theory brought Comfort desperation set in parents took action children were made to sleep with thick scarfs tied tightly around their heads red cloth charms soaked in herbs and prayers were placed under pillows pastors were called to anoint the house with all oil traditionalist sprinkled white chalk across doorsteps and windows their chant blending with the night's wind the Town Council called for a meeting in the Town Square an old man with a Gravely voice declared from this day no child walked the

street after 700 p.m. not even to fetch water parents nodded in agreement even the boldest children the ones who once snu out for late night adventure now stayed indoors no one dared break the cew not with Olu locking at the heart of this storm in a small brown house near the edge of town Chad sat on the floor treading beats onto a rope a grandmother mama Ben watched from her chair hands resting on her cave a Chad's younger brother lay on the floor playing with bottle cups oblivious to the growing fear around him listen to

me mama abeni said suddenly a voice like the crack of drywood both Children looked up her eyes sharp as glass moved between them no air is Sav onto the head if is caught don't leave your head bear or you will call it to you Chad stopped treading our fingers over over the Beats but Grandma it's just a story she said glancing at a hoping for some backup Mama abeni leaned forward I guess had as Stone was Tommy's Ed just a story We The Seven Girls Just a story our voice Rose and the room grew heavy

I stopped playing his wide eyes met shad's eyes silence the only sound was the faint click click of beats rolling off shad's fingers and onto the floor that night Shad tied as have tighter than ever before she made sure A's own was double kned too and just before they slept Mama AB Ben's last warning echoed in her mind as the incident kept recurring shad's mind buzzed with questions she was not like the others she never had been where others saw spirits and causes she saw patterns and clues her eyes were sharp our mind sharper the

talk of Oli didn't scare her if anything it made her more Curious Spirits don't sneak in at night and take air she muttered to herself one evening scrolling through photos of the bow girls shared on WhatsApp Community groups but something does she tapped her phone screen enlarging an image of toa's bowed head a Gaz narrowed no cuts no shaving mats no blood just gone our Obsession grew every day after school she joted down notes and theories in her old science notebook and then one night the pattern eat her like a spark from a match stick

every girl had her hair freshly braided before it happened she flipped through the photos again focusing on the pre attack pictures neat shiny cornrows blue beads red beads shells fresh braids her eyes widened her Hearts raised where do all these girls get their air braided only one name came to mind Yaki Yaki Salon was the busiest in Osa mother swore by her skews saying she had magic fingers her shop was always full of customers are braiding faster than anyone else in the town sh had seen it as self once he his finger moved like they

wenten connected to our risks quick fluid and precise but now that magic didn't feel magical it felt wrong with her mind made up sh set a plan in motion she told Mama ABI she wanted to change her hairstyle and needed shuku Mama Beni nodded approvingly never want to question a girl wanting to look neat but in shad's actart this this was no simple trip to the salon this was an investigation the next afternoon she sat in yaki's chair the soft arm of the ceiling fan spawn above her blending with the sound of gossiping customers Yaki

smiled a white smile new style today and Sh her voice was as smooth as on her long fingers flexed ready to walk something simple Shad replied glancing at her phone as if bored but inside her nerves burst her eyes DED around taking in every detail a long shelf lined one wall filled with oils creams and small brown bottles Chad squinted I had skipping some of the bottles had labels names names like tomiwa bank and KY a breath cut no it can't be relax sh Yaki said with a green her ant working faster than they should

her fingers twisted and tued a so fast it made Shad dizzy she tried not to stare but it was impossible not to notice no human moves like that her fingers blur with motion weaving strands like a spider spinning silk too fast too smooth too perfect Chad's heart toed in her chest her ants slowly SLI into her Pockets pulling out her phone with practiced ease she clicked open the camera up and angled it toward the Shelf snap snap snap each click of the camera felt like thunder in her ears she didn't stop until she had at

least five clear shots of the names on those bottles when she got home that evening she showed them to Mama Benny the old woman's eyes widened her face going stiff like she had seen a ghost mama look Chad said swiping through the photos look at the names it is them Tom her voice was tight with urgency Mama Ben's lips pressed into a thin line her eyes flickered with something old something ancient she took a deep breath leaning forward on her cane hey is P She said a voice heavy like Thunder before a storm it carries

Destiny protection and even curses if she has their hair she looked Shad straight in the eyes a Gaz had her Stone she asked them Shad sat still at pounding like a talking drum CH was certain she had solved the mystery it was all too clear the bottles the names the air itaki the woman's ants moved too fast as shop was was too strange everything pointed to her Shad wasn't going to wait for the adults to figure it out she wanted to find more concrete evidence so that night she pulled on a black oodie and Snickers

are heart raising with excitement and fear a younger brother AO was less enthusiastic this is a bad idea sh he whispered as they crept toward yaki's shop he SM feet barely made a sound on the Death part if Mama catches us we are dead ifo catches us we are bowed sh shut back glancing over her shoulder just stay by the door Wile if anyone comes at your side his eyes dting nervously around the dark Street Shadows stretched long under the flickering street light his small hands rubbed together anxiously I don't like this muttered but he

stayed Shad sleeped inside the shop it smelled of air oil incense and something faintly metallic her eyes adjusted to the dim light and she immediately spotted The Familiar shell with the bottles she crouched low heart studing in her chest like a talking drum the names were still there Kiwa b k me her fingers brushed lightly against one bottle p and smooth like Stone but something new caught her eye a mirror it sat on the wall but not like a normal mirror it was facing the wall turned away from the room as if someone didn't want

to see their reflection our brows fored her curiosity fled carefully slowly she turned it around her breath cut in her throat a reflection was there Hoody and all but it didn't move her heart stopped she leaned forward her reflection stayed still eyes fixed on ah unblinking no no no her breath came fast and shallow that's not me she spawned the mirror back toward the wall chest even with panic her hands shook she pressed her back against the Shelf squeezing her eyes shut willing her heart to slow down don't panic breath breath she tried to calm

herself her eyes snapped open footsteps slow heavy coming closer her Hearts loded as the sound grew louder she pressed herself tighter behind the Shelf trying to vanish into the Shadows her eyes DED toward the door praying a would whizzle but no sound came then she head it the door Creed open a soft arm filled the air a song she didn't recognize eyes Chad's blood turned to eyes it was Yaki her voice was low I what tangled in a language Shad didn't know she caught glimpses of the airdresser through the gaps in the shelves and Shadow

stretched across the room but it wasn't normal it stretched far too long slitting over the floor like it had a mind of its own t clapped her hand over her mouth barely holding in a gasp her eyes started around searching for a way out but Yaki moved closer still Hing that Eerie tuneless song The Shadow moved ahead of her shifting unnaturally like it didn't belong to her Shadow's phone bued in her pocket her heart dropped her fingers scrambled to silence it not now please not now her hand fumbled as she squeezed the phone she made

a mistake the flash went off bright white light filled the room for a split second but it was enough he could froze midst step as song stopped her Shadow stretched on naturally still her head tiled slowly too slowly toward the direction of the light who is there she asked her voice as soft as silk but sharp as broken glass sh beat her lips so hard she tasted blood her chest Rose and and fell with silent breaths don't move don't breathe don't think she had yaki's footsteps shift slow and deliberate moving toward her I know you

are here Yaki whispered a voice now a sing song lulab by her feet pded softly One Step then another little Shadows can't hide for long the air grew cold her breath misted in front of her face I SEL never came Shad PS dropped in her ears her aunt gried the edge of the shelf so tightly and KN achd she glanced toward the door eyes flicking to the faint outline of a standing outside a little brother's head picked around the corner eyes wide mouth open in silent teror run sh run her mind screamed but she didn't

move the shadow reached closer it not supposed to move like that it's not supposed to move at all it slid across the floor like a second body inching toward her foood her breath itched as she sucked in the smallest gasp the Shadows stopped her Hearts pounded in her chest like it was trying to break free did she hear me she thought her old body trembling did she see me I can smell you Yaki said suddenly a voice right on on the edge of the Shelf fear as a smell little one shad's old body jolted her

eyes shut toward AO his eyes locked on as Now or Never she long from behind the Shelf as shoes skiding on the floor She sprinted for the back door her lungs burning with every breath her shoulders slammed into the door rattling it on its Ines and she shoved it open get back here yaki's voice roared like thunder but shade was already outside Aya was right behind her his tiny legs ched like Pistons his face Twisted in panic the two of them booted down the alley their footsteps echoing sh didn't dare look back even when she

had something heavy e the door behind her she didn't have to look she knew Yaki was chasing them past he yelled gripping his hand as she pulled him along Al legs burned along screamed but she kept running the cold night air caught her cheeks and her heart pounded louder than her footsteps when they reached the narrow path behind the market stalls he rised one glance back the door to yaki's shop was still wide open but there was no one there no sign of Yaki no Shadow nothing sh and I didn't stop running until they reached

home am was waiting at the front door her eyes narrowed like she's been watching the night itself where have you two been she sned looking them over a Gaz lingered on shad's face longer than usual as if she could sense something unseen no way Mama Shad panted ants on her knees breaths raged she glanced at AO who nodded still gasping for air Mama ABI frowned but said nothing look the doors she mutter turning away and born incense tonight the next morning sh sat with her grandmother scrolling through the photos she had taken her fingers swiped

past the bottles until she reached it the mirror she tapped on the image enlarging it her eyes scanned it carefully her breath slowing as on his pickled down as spine look mama she said tilting the screen toward her grandmother Mama Ben squinted at the image her eyes widened instantly and her hand flew to her chest yay it is the eye of Olo she gasped drawing back like the phone had burned her Shad blamed startled what is the eye of Olu her mother's face grew green she leaned forward gripping shad's arm like she had to Anchor

out the chair that mirror sees more than faces child it sees you if you stare at it too long it will know you a voice dropped into a h whisper and once it knows you it can find you anywhere Chad's heart skipped our Gaz flicked back to the photo our own reflection still frozen in the image her fingers shook as she turned off the screen that night she tied her SC tightly double nting it like Mama Ben thought her her eyes stayed open long after I's breathing had slowed she lay in bed staring at the

cracks on the ceiling our ears straining for sounds every Creek of the house every rustle of the wind outside made our hearts jolt her eyes grew heavy and eventually sleep claimed her but something woke her in the early hours of the morning a soft sniffling sound at first she thought it was the rain but it wasn't she sat up slowly her eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering through the window a sat on his bed knees ped to his chest his back was to her his small body trembling with quiet sobs her brows fored a

she called rubbing the sleep from her eyes what's wrong he sniffled but didn't answer she climbed off her bed and padded over to him eyes narrowing in concern are you are you a what stubbed in her throat her lips parted but no sound came out his head was bowled smooth as a stone her knees buckled and she stumbled back her heart Turing so hard it h a a what happened her voice cracked with panic she reached for him but he didn't turn he just sat there still his hands shaking I I don't no he whispered

his voice H like it wasn't his own his small fingers twitched opening and closing like he was trying to hold something invisible I just woke up and it was gone my aunt flew to our own Ed our scarf was still on our hair was still there relief washed over her like cold water but that relief quickly faded into cold sharp dread our eyes moved slowly to the window the glass pain was intact no forced entry no broken locks no sign of anyone sneaking in it doesn't have to she glanced back at AO her stomach twisting

with realization her eyes flick to the shadowy corners of the room where the darkness seemed thicker than usual she could hear Mama Ben's words oering in her mind once it knows you it can find you anywhere a breath sh to as her eyes flicked from the window to the walls to the ceiling and finally to our baby brother sat there his beer scal listening in the faint glow of dawn it was now clear whatever had been taking everybody's air is interested in all genders not just females sh had had enough she wasn't going to hide

it anymore she marched straight to yaki's shop under the scotching afternoon sun I Shadow trailing her like a second self a jaw was set I had a drum bit of courage and fear people along the street watched her some whispering to each other but she didn't care Yaki sat outside a shop legs crossed weaving a customer's air with her impossibly fast fingers a smile was wide too wide as if she knew Shadow was coming she didn't even pause her breiding you think I don't know what you are doing shad's voice was sharp cutting through the

quiet streets like a machete through dry grass I know what you are Yaki I know about the bottles the mirror everything I am going to tell the Old Town Yaki tilted her head slowly like a predator amused by its spray she chuckled low and deep a sound that didn't match her face her fingers never stopped twisting the girl's hair ah ah so bolded so brave she shook her head slowly her smile stretching just a bit too far you think I am the air teeth her eyes narrowed her fingers still weaving with unnatural speed foolish girl

a voice dropped to a whisper that seemed to Slither into shad's ears it's been with you this whole time shade froze her heart thed so hard she felt it in her fingertips what she muttered stepping back Yaki didn't answer she just laughed soft at first then louder her head tilted again her eyes sharp as broken glass sh didn't wait to hear more she ran she didn't look back her feet pounded the ground until she reached home breathless and drenched in sweat she slammed the door behind her loved it bolted it and pressed her back against

it breeding hard her eyes DED around the room with you this whole time what did that mean a mind spawn the botles the mirrors no no it's just her trying to scare me it's just her but our G shifted toward a closet it sat still in the corner door SL me a jar a breath cut in her throat she swore she had closed it that morning her fingers twitched at her sides it's just the wind sh it's just the wind but she couldn't shake it her eyes stayed locked on that narrow crack in the closet

door the sound was faint but clear a slow deliberate scratch scratch from inside the closet a feet refused to move her heart was telling her to run but her legs felt like Stone don't open it her fingers called into fists don't open it but she did with trembling hands she stepped forward Hearts pounding like thunder in her chest she gried the closest door and counting to three in her head one two three she yed it open nothing a cloth on still Sho neatly lined on the floor no Shadows no movements she let out a shaky

laugh and pressed to her chest see nothing nothing at all she turned away wiping sweat from her forehead her shoulders relaxed then something floated past her face a single strand of air her breath caught her body turned cold slowly she turned ahead her eyes started back to the closet the do slammed short on its own Chad scream caught in her throat Al leg moved before her brain did carrying her straight to Mama Ben's room Mama Ben was busy oiling I now bowed head shad's voice shook as she explained everything the mirror the Shadow the strand

of air Mama Beni didn't say a word for a long time she just stared at shade with eyes full of something heavy and ancient then she nodded slowly it's not y Mama muted a distant it never was her eyes flick to shad's face sharp with Ence didn't I tell you who or what is behind this problem sh whispered her voice barely a breath my grandmother's face GRE grave yes but you refus to believe me that is no Spirit of Mischief child it was once a Guan Spirit it was bound to protect the village but people

turned on it a chief betrayed It cast it aside and it swore Revenge It vowed to take back every crown her eyes loged on shad's eyes every Crown eh Shad muted her eyes wide it means hair air is power Mama Beni said quietly air carries Destiny protection Glory Olo hides in Shadows it moves where eyes don't see but one thing it cannot Escape is its own reflection she leaned forward her eyes intense it can be seen in mirrors shad's mind raised she stared at her grandmother her heart beat steady now a fear replaced by resolve

that night she set a trap she placed mirrors on every wall of her room one on the B door one on the Wardrobe one near the window and one propped on the nightstand it felt like too much but she wasn't Taking Chances a pH stayed in her hand flashlights ready as scar was double knoted and her breathing was slow and steady as she lay in bed she kept her eyes half closed her chest rising and falling like she was asleep but she wasn't her room was still the kind of Stillness that makes you feel like

you are being watched hours passed our musles achd from staying so still her eyes Tong from beely blinking her mind told her to close them just closed them for a second but she didn't and then she saw it a shadow on the ceiling her breath itched don't move don't move at first it looked like a tangle of vines or Roots but then it shifted the root Twisted stretched and unfurrowed like long spindly fingers its shape was wrong all wrong limbs bent backward joints twisting where no joint should be be it crowed slowly hands and feet

pressed against the ceiling like it was the floor its head was a void of Darkness a face she could see but could feel watching her her eyes stayed half open heart raising so fast she thought it would burst she beat down on her tongue to stay still the creature crawled down the wall like a spider its root likee fingers curled uncurling with every step it reached for her long fingers overed over a scarf ping like it could smell the air beneath it sh braced herself fist clenched then it noticed something it tilted its head gaze

landing on the mirror across the room it froze its limbs loged in place its head twitched fast and sharp like a bed spotting prey slowly it turned its head to another mirror then another it saw Its Reflection it screeched a long eye pitched on natural screen that pierced our ears it threw its hand over its face its fingers clawing at its head as if it could tear Its Reflection away it twisted and trashed each movement Jacky and wild it spun frantic eyes flicking from Mirror to mirror but the mirrors were everywhere there was no Escape

the sound of its Screech rattled the windows its limbs crashed against the walls cracking the wood with sharp splintering sounds it tried to fold itself to disappear into Shadow but every mirror EIT fully it couldn't eyed it couldn't run as Shad grabbed a flashlight to look at the shadow closely something shocking happened the Shadows figure began to burn until it completely turned to ashes C was shocked as she watched her eyes wide with Terror and Triumph she immediately ran to her grandmother's room to narrate what had happened but Mama Beni found it hard to believe

that a young girl like shade could defeat Oli Olo especially in such a manner unknown to them Oli Olo suddenly appeared in yaki's room and pulled her entire air off her head in anger thank you so much for listening to this story if you enjoyed this story I'm sure you would enjoy this next one about a girl who takes off her head and plays it on her lap to Plate her hair thank you so much for watching I'll see you in the next one don't forget to like share and subscribe Merry Christmas in advance bye