My Scariest Moment of Ghana Travel: It's Not What You Think
I sat bolt upright in bed, heart thumping, breath gasping, straining to see into the darkness in the direction of the voice.
Had it just been a bad dream? It had been such a terrifying phrase! I listened again, shaking.
Silence... Heat... The whirl of the ceiling fan...
And then suddenly, there it was again: a horrid, deep, rasp right outside my window. "I AM COMING FOR YOU," it hissed.
I would have sobbed in anguish if I hadn't been so terrified. My mind raced through the security features of the guesthouse in Sogakope, Ghana. There were bars on the windows and my doors were locked. My friends were sleeping just a few doors away. And yet-- a robber that determined might not be deterred by such things.
"I AM COMING FOR YOU," hissed the voice again, hoarse and threatening.
I nearly jumped out of my skin. Was the voice coming from INSIDE my room? Where should I run to? What would I do? I felt dizzy with nausea.
"I AM COMING FOR YOU!" the voice rasped again: phlegmy and ghoulish like a poltergeist. I began hyperventilating.
Right as I was about to faint from terror, the beast outside gave a good cough to clear its throat, then spoke again.
"Cockadoodledoooooo!" it sang.
I let out a guffaw of relief and shooed the laryngitis-inflicted rooster away from my window. Who'd have thought that a congested bird could sound just like an evil robber?? Now you know.
The author, Lillie Marshall, is a 6-foot-tall National Board Certified Teacher of English, fitness fan, and mother of two who has been a public school educator since 2003. She launched Around the World “L” Travel and Life Blog in 2009, and over 4.2 million readers have now visited this site. Lillie also runs TeachingTraveling.com and DrawingsOf.com. Subscribe to her monthly newsletter, and follow @WorldLillie on social media!
As I was reading this, I had chills!! Great story to share!
Wow! I probably would have screamed so loud it would go away!
Wow this seemed so scary at first, but it turns it was just a rooster. How did it sound like it was saying "I'm coming to get you"?
That is so scary! I would have ran away!!!! You're such a good writer, I mean, that could be a bestseller! Wow, I can't believe it was a rooster! All this time it repeated itself, you would think it was a human. Cool story! I'm a boring person, so nothing ever happens to me.
I would've been SO scared! I'd wake up in the middle of the night and here that outside my door! I never would've guessed it was a rooster! It sounded like the writing in a Goosebumps book!
That must have been freaky. Since I live on the third floor, I always hear people shouting and screaming at each other because of their own problems on the streets. I am close to a window near the streets. It's stupid but I listen to them and it makes me laugh.
Omg! That's so scary! Seeing the picture up top really added to the spookiness! It was a really good article and it kept me in suspense!
Wow, that must have been so scary! If I was in the situation, I don't know what I would have done. I was so surprised to find out that the noise was just a bird!
If that was me I would have probably ran out of the room screaming out loud! It would have felt a lot like a horror movie. At least it was the rooster making the sound.
Oh my gosh hahaha, I thought this was going to be scary. When I read,"Cockadoodledoo." I thought I had read it wrong but then realized that the chicken could talk! Oh no, what's going to happen to us when chickens take over!
I would have screamed so loud if this happened to me. This could be made in to a "scary" article/book. I was so interested to find out what was going to happen next while I was reading.
Wow, you can make that into a book! How you tell the story from what happened, to the moment you realized that it was just a bird was amazing. How did you mistaken “I AM COMING FOR YOU,†from “Cockadoodledoooooo!� That was the funniest thing I have heard. Seeing that they sound nothing alike.
I would've screamed as loud as I could've without even thinking twice. I would feel like that one person in a horror movie where they have the chance to run, but they just sit and scream. Are roosters and parrots related in any type of way besides being the species with wings? It's nice to know you're fine even though this was a few years back.
That's literally the story of my life. I'm always hearing creepy noises but in reality it's just the wind. I still don't get how a rooster can make such human like noises, but it's hilarious! I'm pretty sure it's all in our heads and we definitely need to stop watching horror movies.
Wow, this is so interesting! I'd love to hear that but, I'd probably think I was in danger. When I went to Texas some time ago I noticed roosters that were so annoying, they would yell and scream all day, even if it wasn't sunrise. I'm going to tell my family this and see their reaction!
So, um this was so anti-climactic. But lesson learned Roosters can talk! :D
Wait, so the rooster actually said that? @.@ I'm so confused. Anyways, a rooster can talk! :D
Hahahaha! I think I'd have peed the bed if that was me! Great story. I remember waking up once frozen out of fear to see a reflection of someone climbing into my bedroom window behind me.....then there was a massive organ sound and I realised I'd fallen asleep watching Phantom of the Opera in bed. Sometimes the silliest things can scare us so much.
So funny!
I would woke my friends and let them also feel the same experience.......but this story has put smile on face. thank you.
I didn't know birds could talk i'm never eating chicken again it might say hi to me
LOL. Sorry Ms. Marshall, but I laughed as I read this. I would've been scared too. I can't believe birds can sound like that. Personally, I love the sounds of roosters awakening people in the morning. Their sounds seem somewhat peaceful to me. The picture of the house made the article look really scary. It looked like a haunted house. This article was hilarious!
The house looks really scary but pretty at the same time. The plant near the window stood out to me because I can see it so clearly when the whole room is dark but light is shining through the window.
Scary! I would probably scream at the top of my lungs, but would be very embarresed when I had already woken everyone up to find out it was only a rooster!
Stephanie said...
I've heard that sound before! Before our rooster fully grew into his crow, he sounded awful. And it's always at 4 am, when you're in that deep sleep. Glad it was nothing! (I follow you on twitter but never actually commented here before.)
March 21, 2010 5:19 AM
Annette B said...
I will laugh all morning abou this one.
March 21, 2010 2:01 PM
Luddy Sr. said...
Ha!! Damn evil rooster-robbers!
March 28, 2010 9:14 AM
NHz said...
Oh
March 29, 2010 6:17 PM