The Enchanted Glasses and the Price of Guilt

Ronke sat restlessly on a crowded bus, staring out the window when an old woman stumbled in and took the seat in front of her. The woman seemed weary, soon drifting into a deep sleep. Ronke’s gaze lingered on the bag sitting beside the woman, temptation stirring inside her. The thrill of thievery—a habit she was far too familiar with—pulsed through her veins. Carefully, she slipped her hand into the old woman’s bag and pulled out a purse. Her heart raced with excitement.

Ronke quickly called out to the driver to stop the bus, eager to escape before the old woman noticed her loss. The moment the bus came to a halt, she darted out and disappeared into the streets, satisfied with her misdeed.

When she got home, Ronke immediately opened the purse, eager to see her spoils. She found a few Naira notes and a stylish pair of sunglasses. Curious, she tried on the sunglasses, admiring herself in the mirror. As she preened, she noticed something strange—a dark shadow seemed to move behind her in the reflection. She blinked and turned, but there was nothing there.

Her sister Bolu walked in, interrupting her moment of unease. Bolu invited her to church, but Ronke declined, claiming she was too tired. Still unnerved by what she’d seen, she quickly disposed of the stolen purse and sunglasses, tossing them into the trash outside.

Exhausted, Ronke collapsed into bed. When she awoke, it was already morning, and she realized she was late for an important job interview. In her rush to get ready, she absentmindedly grabbed the sunglasses she thought she had thrown away and put them on to shield her eyes from the morning sun.

As Ronke rode a taxi to her interview, a strange figure suddenly appeared in front of the car. Panicking, she screamed at the driver to stop. The driver, bewildered, asked what she was talking about—he couldn’t see anyone on the road. Confused, Ronke looked again, and the figure had vanished.

Shaken, she removed the sunglasses and demanded to be dropped off. The driver, unsettled by her behavior, refused to take her any further, leaving her stranded on a desolate road. Desperate not to miss her interview, Ronke began to walk quickly, trying to put the strange incident behind her.

As she walked, she became aware of several eerie figures following her. Their presence grew increasingly menacing, and when she crossed the road to escape, they mirrored her every move. Frightened, she began to run, but the figures pursued her, forcing her to scream for help when she reached a busy intersection. Passersby looked at her in confusion—no one else could see the figures chasing her.

Ronke threw the sunglasses into a nearby trash bin, hoping to rid herself of the haunting visions. Miraculously, she made it to her interview on time and performed well. She returned home, feeling relieved that the strange events were behind her.

But that night, something even more disturbing happened. Ronke saw the sunglasses she had discarded sitting on her bedside table. Terrified, she called for her sister, but Bolu insisted no one had entered the house. No one had brought the sunglasses back.

Ronke’s terror escalated when she heard a soft whisper calling her name. A ghostly voice introduced itself as Adenike and urged Ronke to put on the glasses to see her. Reluctantly, Ronke complied, and there in front of her stood a young woman, a ghost.

Adenike explained that the sunglasses were enchanted, allowing the wearer to see restless spirits—ghosts who had met tragic ends and were trapped in the world of the living. She revealed that the figures Ronke had seen earlier were lost souls, searching for someone who could help them find peace.

Adenike’s story was heartbreaking. She had been betrayed by a close friend, Dakori, who had lured her into a deadly trap, offering her up as a sacrifice to a sinister cult leader in exchange for wealth. Adenike had been buried alive in a remote forest, her spirit now bound to the sunglasses that once belonged to her mother.

Adenike begged Ronke to help her find her mother, who could lead them to her burial site. If her body was found and properly laid to rest, Adenike’s spirit would finally be free. But time was running out—the evil cult leader had discovered Ronke’s connection to Adenike and wanted to stop her.

Determined to right her wrongs, Ronke set off to find Adenike’s mother. When she arrived at the small house, she was shocked to discover that the old woman she had stolen from on the bus was Adenike’s mother. Overcome with guilt, Ronke apologized for her theft and explained everything that had happened since she stole the purse.

The old woman, heartbroken over the death of her daughter, put on the sunglasses and saw Adenike’s spirit for herself. Through tears, Adenike guided them to the forest where she had been buried. With their help, Adenike’s body was recovered, and her spirit was finally at peace.

Ronke returned home, feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders. That night, as she prepared for bed, she received a message from the company where she had interviewed earlier—they had offered her the job. Her excitement, however, was short-lived.

As she drifted off to sleep, the evil cult leader appeared in her dreams, threatening her life for helping Adenike. He was furious that she had disrupted his plans and warned her that she would take Adenike’s place in death.

Ronke awoke in a panic, struggling to separate the dream from reality. The terror felt too real. Her sister Bolu found her thrashing in her sleep and prayed for her, finally waking her from the nightmare.

A calm voice filled the room. It was Adenike again, telling Ronke that the cult leader had been weakened by their efforts. Together, they had one last task: to ensure the cult leader’s downfall.

Ronke knew her life would never be the same, but for the first time in years, she had found a purpose beyond her selfish pursuits. She had been a thief, but now, she would be something more—a guardian of restless spirits, determined to help them find peace and justice, no matter the cost.