**The haunted Trail** by Kamalkennedy. My entry for Stach short story contest.

We stole into the orchard in the dead of the night; three SS1 one boys looking for a decent mango tree to feast on.
A few minutes through the wet grass that littered the ground, we found the perfect tree.
Abdullahi made a quick stride up the tree
"Wait, I will do the plucking", he said, still meandering up with the help of nothing but the moonlight.

The first fruit fell, then the second and some more; before we heard a large thud.
Abdullahi lay motionless on the floor as it appeared he had landed on his head.
As we tried to get to him, something whisked him away into the bush at the end of the orchard.

Banzo shrieked and gripped my hand tightly. He struggled to speak and when I turned to him, I saw an old looking creature behind him, with scraggly hands over Banzo's mouth.
Before I could reach to help, he snatched him and left with the wind.

I raced back to the dorm, and I nearly fainted when I opened the door only to meet abdullahi and Banzo disembowelling Kabiu our roommate.

Nothing seemed right from there on. Nothing at all.