Chapter 2: The Judge and the Ghost of Obinna

The Judge carry one important guest from Spirit Council come Bridge of No Return, dey find person.

The Judge na tall, thin man, always dey carry staff wey dey glow like ogene for festival night. As he waka enter kitchen, even the firewood dey fear, the smoke slow down. Mama Nkechi drop her calabash, stand well. The whole place quiet, like say everybody dey wait for who dem go call.

"Ifeoma, you see woman wey her name be Amarachi?" he ask.

I just look up, lost.

The name choke me for throat. My mind fly go far—Amarachi, the name wey I dey run from since I enter underworld. My hands dey shake, but I no let anybody notice. I just blink, try act like say I no sabi wetin dem dey talk.

The person wey come na my husband for my last life—the same Spirit Lord wey go land of the living for him own trial.

I no fit hide the shiver wey run through my body. His presence alone dey make everywhere cold, even fire for the hearth begin dey struggle. All the spirit children for compound don disappear; nobody wan near that kind power.

Him use the name Obinna, comot my backbone, throw me enter Valley of Shadowed Corrosion, all because him wan use am do spirit body for him childhood love for land of the living.

That pain still dey my bone. My spirit still dey remember as he take drag me go that place, as if say I no mean anything. Old women dey talk say if man love another woman pass you, even your shadow go waka leave you. Na so e be that day.

But for this life, I never even step leg for land of the living…

Everything wey I sabi na from people wey don go and come back. I dey promise myself say nothing go make me cross Bridge of No Return, no matter the pressure.