Last night something weird and scary happened to me. I’ve never been so frightened in my life, but I’m grateful I came out of it stronger. Even now, I still don’t understand what happened. Had it all been just a dream? A crazy figment of my imagination? I was so frightened, my heart beat uncontrollably and anxiety threatened to swallow me. I was at home in my nightie trying to contemplate between making myself an egg sandwich or just going to bed without the late-night eating when my phone rang. The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it. It was a young girl’s voice, and she was calling me mummy. She was crying out, “Mummy, please come and get me. Please, mummy. Please. Don’t leave me here.”

I felt an instant chill, and the hand not holding the phone began to shake. I have never had children, never been pregnant. So who was this child calling me mummy? What made it even worse and creepy was the fact that the voice sounded familiar, like a voice I should know. I was also equally certain that I had never heard the voice in my life. Was someone playing a dirty prank on me? What was this? The little girl’s voice kept asking me to come and get her over and over. I quickly cut the call, only to hear my phone ring again. It was the same unknown number. I wanted to ignore it. In fact, my hands were almost on the block button when the little girl’s voice started haunting me. What if it was someone’s child, and what if she was in danger? Maybe I was meant to help her. With that in mind, I picked up the call again and dropped my phone almost immediately. This time it was a boy, and he was screaming. He seemed older than the girl and more forceful.

You can imagine how scared and creeped out I was. What kind of sick joke was this? Those kids looked like me, but I had never had any kids in my life! I’m not married, and I don’t even have a boyfriend! Who the hell were these people? And what did they want with me? She tapped them, and through the screen, I could hear the woman say “She can hear you. Talk to her.” Then the kids started crying out, “Mummy, please come and get us. Please, mummy. We will be good.” At this point, I was shaking badly, and I was scared enough to call the Police. Suffice it to say, even though the call went through, it was useless. They didn’t think it was strangers trying to get into my house. Then, like the stupid character in a horror movie who always dies first, I began to wonder if maybe I should let them in and find out what they wanted and who they were.

“Come and get us! You promised to come back for us! Don’t abandon us!” Now, I was more than scared; I was terrified. Who was playing this nasty prank on me? And why now, when I was home alone? Everyone had travelled to Kumasi for a wedding and I was the only one left. Why was someone trying to scare me at 11:47 pm? I quickly blocked the number and tried to call my brother, but it didn’t go through. I tried to call my friend Daniella. It didn’t go through either. I called four other people but none of the numbers went through. That was when the bell rang. Who was trying to visit at this hour? I ignored the doorbell, but it kept ringing. Warily, I padded to the hall to view the outside security camera feed. There was an obscure person in a hooded black sweatshirt with her hand clamped on the shoulders of a young boy and a girl. ​

You can just imagine how scared and creeped out I was. Those kids looked like me, but I had never had any kids in my life! I’m not married, and I don’t even have a boyfriend! Who the hell were these people? And what did they want with me? What kind of sick joke was this? She tapped them, and through the screen, I could hear the woman say “She can hear you. Talk to her.” Then the kids started crying out, “Mummy, please come and get us. Please, mummy. We will be good.” At this point, I was shaking badly, and I was scared enough to call the Police. Suffice it to say, even though the call went through, it was useless. They didn’t think it was strangers trying to get into my house. Then, like the stupid character in a horror movie who always dies first, I began to wonder if maybe I should let them in and find out what they wanted and who they were.

However, I was too afraid to go downstairs. My heart was thumping in my chest, and my body was shaking. Slowly, I picked up my phone, unblocked the number that had called earlier and dialled. The hooded figure picked up the call on the first ring. “Are you ready now?” she asked. Ready? Ready for what? “Who are you? And who are they? Ready for what? I’ve never had kids!” The hooded figure replied, “They aren’t real kids. They are a representation of your ideas and dreams that you birthed but couldn’t finish. They represent those plans that you had to let go of because of circumstances, disappointments, and fear. Those dreams are still there waiting for you, Steph. They’re waiting for you to pick them up again and see them through. Don’t let fear of failure and anxiety hold you back.

"Don’t wait for others to help you out. Believe in yourself, be consistent and persevering, and all those plans and dreams will come to fruition. I know it is hard sometimes, and giving up is easier, but please don’t. Your ideas and dreams are like children you’ve birthed. Raising kids is hard, but you don’t give them up. You keep nurturing and caring for them until they became adults that can care for themselves.” ​

I slumped onto the sofa and wept. Those words struck a very hard chord in me. I had too many plans and ideas that started out great, but which I had dropped for one reason or the other. I wept for the dreams I had left behind, and for the woman who had lost so much hope in everything. When I opened my eyes again, I was in my bed, and the sun was out. It may have been a dream, but I will carry that message into life forever.