Dancing With The Masquerade

The acrid smell of burnt clay and metal still hung in the air, a testament to the rage that had consumed you just moments ago. Your family raved, their faces etched with fear and condemnation, but all you felt was a strange sense of liberation. You had burned the hut, the root cause of years of unexplained torment and failed relationships, symbolized by terrifying nightmares of you as a murderous masquerade.

Three weeks earlier, that same torment had cost you your engagement. Steve, the man you'd planned to marry, recounted the familiar, horrifying dream before walking out of your life, leaving you alone with a ring you no longer wore.

Now, back in your ancestral home for your cousin Chidera's wedding, you face the daunting task of explaining your solo arrival and confronting the family drama. Your sisters and cousin greet you with joy, quickly followed by disappointed questions about Steve's absence. You confess the breakup, revealing your bare finger as proof. Their sympathetic reactions are almost harder to bear than anger.

Later, alone in the bathroom, a fleeting, terrifying reflection in the mirror confirms your deepest fears—the sinister presence is still here. As you try to shake off the unease, you head downstairs, where the familiar aroma of food and the sound of your aunt's voice draw you to the kitchen. Aunt Ruby greets you warmly, but her words about your breakup being "for the best" only deepen the mystery surrounding your family and the forces at play.