Imagine sitting alone at night, the wind is blowing outside, and you hear a strange sound in the corner of your room. That is exactly how this story starts. It is called Fatalwa, and it is one of those books that will keep you awake at night, checking under your bed. The story focuses on a woman named Zuhura. She lives in this massive, beautiful house, but something is very wrong. She keeps telling people that there is a ghost, a "fatalwa," haunting her home, but nobody believes her. Even her close friend Laylerh thinks she is just being paranoid because it is cold and the wind is making scary noises. Laylerh tells her that ghosts are not real and she should just relax. But Zuhura knows what she feels. She feels like eyes are watching her every move. If you love stories that mix scary moments with deep feelings, you should check out Taskar Novels because they have so many stories like this one.
The drama really starts when Laylerh is about to leave. It is late at night, and the house is dark. Just as they are arguing about whether the ghost exists, they hear a voice. It is not a normal human voice. It is deep, scratchy, and sounds like it comes from the grave. One part of the book says — "Who are you calling a liar? Look at me, girl!" (translated from Hausa). When they heard that, both Zuhura and Laylerh were so scared that they actually wet themselves right there in the middle of the house. They looked up and saw something that would give anyone nightmares. It was just a human head floating in the air. No body, just a head with very long teeth and black blood dripping from its eyes. The eyes were huge and glowing. It was the most terrifying thing they had ever seen. They tried to run, but the house felt like a trap. No matter how fast they ran, they stayed in the same spot, like they were running on a treadmill. It was like the ghost was playing with them, pulling them back every time they tried to reach the door. This is the kind of suspense you get when you download Hausa novels to read on a boring afternoon.
While they are trapped in this nightmare, Zuhura’s husband, Arman, arrives home. Now, let me tell you about Arman. The author, Zainab Abdullahi Pnky Darling, describes him like a total prince. He is tall, very handsome, and has these piercing brown eyes and pink lips. He looks so good that people think he is not even from Nigeria; they think he is an Arab or something from a movie. When he drives his car into the compound and walks inside, he finds his wife and her friend lying on the floor. They had fainted from pure terror. Arman is a caring husband, so he immediately gets cold water from the fridge and wakes them up. Laylerh does not even wait to say goodbye; she just bolts out of the house and runs to her own place down the street. She has seen enough for one lifetime. But Zuhura is still shaking. She tells her husband, "I am not staying in this house today, you saw the evil ghost that we saw, it wants to kill us." (translated from Hausa). She is crying and begging him to take her away.
Arman tries to be the brave man. He carries her to the parlor and holds her close. He tells her that leaving the house won't solve the problem because the ghost seems to be following her specifically. He says they should just pray and read the Qur'an, and everything will be fine. He tries to distract her by being romantic. He asks her if she is going to make him bath water or if he has to do it himself. They go upstairs together, and she helps him get ready. For a moment, things seem normal. They are laughing and being a cute couple. But even then, the ghost is there. While Zuhura is looking in the mirror, she sees that scary face right next to hers. But when she turns around, nothing is there. When Arman walks in, he doesn't see anything. He thinks she is just seeing things because she is stressed. You can find many more stories about couples dealing with strange things at Hausa novels online.
Later that night, they go downstairs to eat dinner and watch some TV. They put on MBC2 to watch a movie, but a horror film is playing. Zuhura is already on edge, so she asks Arman to change the channel. He switches it to MBC Max, but the exact same horror movie is playing there too. He tries another channel, and another, but it is the same scary movie on every single station. This is where Arman starts to realize that maybe his wife isn't crazy. He tries to turn the TV off, but as soon as he hits the button, it turns itself back on. He gets frustrated and says if he catches whoever is doing this, he will break their hands. But as soon as he says that, the lights go out. A huge wind starts blowing inside the house, even though all the windows are closed. It feels like a storm is happening inside their living room. The whole house starts to shake like there is an earthquake.
Then, the most shocking thing happens. Zuhura starts screaming for help. Arman turns on his phone light and sees his wife pinned against the wall. She isn't standing there; she is literally stuck to the wall like glue, high up off the ground. She is struggling to breathe, and she tells Arman that the ghost is killing her. Arman rushes to pull her down, but when he touches her, his hands feel like they are on fire. The heat is so intense he has to jump back. Then, the ghost fully appears. It isn't just a head anymore. It has a full body now, and it is standing right in front of him, laughing. The ghost looks at Arman and tells him to stop worrying about Zuhura. She says that she is his true lover and that she won't let any other woman have him. This ghost is actually a jealous spirit that has a crush on Arman!
This is where the story gets really wild. Arman isn't just a regular handsome guy. When he sees his wife suffering, something inside him changes. His eyes turn bright red. The veins in his neck and arms start popping out. His fingernails grow long and sharp like claws. He lets out a loud roar that sounds like a lion. He reaches out and grabs the ghost by the throat! The ghost is shocked. She didn't expect Arman to have this kind of power. She struggles to get away, but he is too strong. He tells her to release his wife immediately or he will destroy her. The ghost realizes she is in trouble and finally lets Zuhura go. Zuhura falls to the floor, unconscious. The ghost tells him, "I am your lover, don't hurt me." (translated from Hausa). But Arman doesn't care. He tells her that he has no connection to her and that she needs to leave his family alone. The ghost disappears into thin air, but she leaves a warning that she will be back. She says she will punish any woman who dares to come near him.
The story is so intense because you don't know what Arman really is. Is he a human with powers? Is he something else? And the poor Zuhura is caught in the middle of a war between her husband and a jealous ghost. The way Zainab Abdullahi Pnky Darling writes makes you feel the fear and the love at the same time. It is a short story, but every page is full of action. You won't want to put it down until you find out if they can ever live in peace. If you are looking for the best Hausa novels to read during your free time, this one should definitely be on your list. It has everything—horror, romance, and a big mystery about the main character's identity.
I really enjoyed how the author mixed the scary ghost parts with the relationship between Arman and Zuhura. It makes the stakes feel higher because you want them to be happy together, but this spirit is doing everything to tear them apart. The mystery of why this ghost thinks she belongs to Arman is what keeps you turning the pages. You can find this book and many other amazing stories on Taskar Novels. They have a huge collection for anyone who loves a good thrill. Go check them out and start reading today!
