I always find immense joy in recounting my dormitory tales, as they hold some of my most cherished memories, and one of such indelible memories I hold close is the reminiscence that revolves around my school's natural environment, especially the beautiful school garden which I'm thrilled to delve into.
There's something remarkably unique and magical about nature, and I experienced it for the first time when I visited my school garden.
My school garden was one of the fascinating places I enjoyed spending so much time at because it housed a diverse array of exquisite flowers of different species, creating a tapestry of beauty.
During break time, I'd dash to the garden with my usual fan milk and buns, sit at one of the garden benches commonly made of stones and enjoy the beauty of nature. In those moments, I felt a soothing relief from discomfort.
Situated close to the convent, its tranquility was overwhelmingly felt in all areas. So back then, I used to have an aversion to French. Whenever the subject arose, I would disappear from the classroom to the garden taking a moment to inhale deeply and as usual, feeding my eyes with the breathtaking flowers.
It became a normal routine for me to visit the garden, and I wondered why most students didn't fancy the garden as much as I did.
However, an unexpected event occurred in my life. I lost one of my favorite aunties and the news constantly kept flashing anew in my head, destabilizing my thoughts and tearing my feelings apart. My visit to the garden became more frequent as it brought me solace and the warmth of the surroundings enveloped my heart.
I eventually buckled up and regained my focus after days of being engulfed in grief.
On a very cheerful day after I'd returned from school, I lay comfortably on my bed trying to catch some sleep, but the conversation between my bunkmate and her friend captured my attention. I don't know what inspired them but they were so much engrossed in it.
"I feel bad for the way Miss koi koi died, no wonder she haunts boarding schools," my bunkie said.
"That woman haunts everywhere, especially school gardens, dormitories, and refectories. My friend in another boarding school told me that one of her classmates encountered her," replied her friend.
"Of course! I also heard that one of our outgoing students encountered her in the garden. They said while she sat on one of the benches, she sensed an unexpected presence sitting beside her. And as she glanced downward, she discovered two legs with only the left leg showcasing a stunning red heel. Letting out a scream, she ran off at a speed," my bunkie continued.
In between their conversations, the fear that engulfed me was heightened. My thoughts raced, my mouth dried up, my feet trembled and my head spun. I couldn't even close my eyes, I'd created the pictures of it in my head causing me to dread my thoughts.
"This is one of the reasons I don't go to the garden, I heard she loves gardens too," my bunkie continued.
At that moment, my heart rate quickened, and I felt numb. "Not the garden, not my favourite spot!" I mumbled.
The image of Miss koi koi created in my head had thwarted my intentions of visiting the garden. I completely stopped, and the thought of it weighed me down.
Oh heavens! I missed the garden. I missed the blooming flowers and their delightful fragrances. I also missed its comforting aura and tranquility. I missed nature.
Sometimes at night, it gets so difficult for me to sleep. I kept recreating the "koi" sound in my head that seemed so real like she was coming for me. But then I figured, why am I the only one adversely affected? Cause the people who initiated this conversation were moving about freely, and not with heavy thoughts. I was only an innocent listener.
Moments later, I decided to open up to my closest friend.
"Blessing, I have something bothering and I'd love to share it with you," I said.
"What's that?" She asked.
"I listened to the conversation between my bunkmate and her friend, it was about the mystery of Miss koi koi who was gruesomely murdered in a school where she taught, and how she'd taken her revenge to haunt boarding schools. She also mentioned that one of our outgoing students encountered her in the garden, giving a vivid description of how she appeared. And ever since then, I've not been myself, I've been immersed in fears. I want to feel alright, but I don't know what to do," I replied.
With a resounding laugh, she responded. "Ah! Boarding schools and its superstitious tales. Look, I don't know if the story is real, and because I don't believe in them, they are not meant to be true. And if such an incident happened here, how come she's the only one that heard about it? My dear, free your mind, you're too young to start feeling this way."
I guess I was overwhelmingly relieved. I don't believe in such tales, so they do not exist, not even in my head.
Trying to conquer those fears, I sped off to the garden after such a long time. I again fixed my gaze on the nature I'd missed, feeling every bit of its refreshing ambiance. Over and over again, I stopped by, and those fears were gone.
I was no longer a slave to fear!
Thank you so much for reading.
