People in our compound…

For the last three weeks or so, we have had signs that there is a person or people that chose to spend a few hours of their nights in our compound.

First, Sarah’s shop was carefully opened. They took whatever they wanted. I don’t know if the sugar they had measured was forgotten or just couldn’t fit in the bag (Sarah’s) we believe they used to pack their loot.

Days went by, a tenant mentioned that these night visitors have been taking stuff out of his car and at the time of knowing this, Sarah had also mentioned not seeing her big charcoal/wood stove.

On Monday night, at about 10:50 pm, I heard footsteps right outside my window. I got out of bed slowly enough not to make any sound and moved to the window.

First of all, it was dark because UEDCL’s transformer had decided to do its worst on us. I couldn’t see anything. No movement. I thought that perhaps I was just exaggerating facts but I was so sure I had heard someone walking. I stayed in the window for what felt like 20 minutes until I saw a small man walking out of the garden and across the compound towards Sarah’s shop. I thought Sarah’s shop was the target.

I called Mom and informed her that someone “was” in the compound. I learned later on that she got up and stood at her window to see if she could see anything. Minutes went by and I started hearing her scream and hit the window. It startled me out of my window. She had seen him too – this time walking from the backyard.

Sam got out of his bedroom and switched on the corridor light. I could hear Sarah asking Mom to calm down. I also got the courage to move out of my own.

She says that amidst the screams, this guy continued walking majestically but branched off into the garden.

Mom called the LC Chairman. He came (after some time) with the former “defence” and they kept outside the perimeter wall.

We called to alert one of the tenants and as we waited for what they could tell us, someone from inside opened the gate for a boda boda to get in. We established that it was another tenant who had sent for something to be delivered.

When the LCs asked that we open the gate for them, I asked that very tenant to let them in since his rider was also moving out.

As we got out of the house, we found a net that has been placed on the small gate that closes off the tenants’ from our backyard. Sam said that by the time he moved out to go and close the main gates, he found that net there already.

I also noticed Sarah’s bedroom windows open. I walked back into the house to let her know that she opened her windows and forgot to close them. I was actually unamused by that. But she too was shocked by that revelation saying that she never opened those windows.

When I flashed the torch to them to show her, we saw a couple of her personal effects and other things on the ground.

At the time, the Defence was with us torching around. He explained that the net was used to protect him (the thief) from being seen by any tenant, while he went on with his business.

The thief opened these windows. Flipped the mattress on the lower bunk bed. When Sarah ran into the bedroom, she could tell that there were things she had lost.

The LCs moved into the garden to check for any footsteps. They confirmed that indeed, he was in the garden. They found other things thrown in there. They picked up a handbag and brought it to us. I could recognise it. It was the bag I had given Sarah some moons ago.

What’s strange is that, at the time I heard the footsteps, Sarah and Mom were in mom’s bedroom chatting and laughing. It didn’t scare this man that we were awake.

We must have stayed outside for about an hour or so. The LCs convinced us to get back in the house, saying that nothing else would happen that night. That the thief would not return.

When I got into the house I went back to the toilet to release stool for the second time in about 2 hours. Everyone locked themselves in their bedrooms. I couldn’t sleep. The same way I’d heard the footsteps is the same way I don’t want to miss any other sound. The night felt long. I was desperate for the sunrise.

When mom left for work, I went and sat with one of the tenants. I narrated everything that happened in the night. We caught up on some things too but the whole time I was with her, I stood to check if anyone was at Sarah’s window.

When I had to get back into the house to work, I noticed how alone and scared I was. Everyone had left. Sarah didn’t bother opening her shop. She went somewhere else. I kept looking out of the window, yet I was also scared of looking out. I inspected all bedrooms to be sure that no one had entered. I was really afraid of being in the house yet I could not leave.

Someone came knocking. A tenant. Asking me for a spare key for another tenant’s house because his nephew had locked him in while he rushed to school. I thanked God I was getting out of the house. I stayed out again. Retold the story of the night.

When I got back in, mom called to ask me to give notice to the tenants that we would have a meeting at night. When the other two tenants came out, I retold the story. Good enough I’d booked my cousin two days before to relock my dreads on Tuesday.

When she arrived I was glad I wasn’t going to be in the house alone. I also managed to complete my pending work. And as the afternoon unfolded, the tension in my body reduced.