Chapter 5: Fire, Flight, and Fate

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As this thought enter, e shock me. For border, na person wey keep head down dey survive, na I wan stand up dey play hero? Na wah o.

I dey craze? My hand dey shake small, but my mind dey stubborn. My brain dey ask, 'Who send you?' But my heart dey answer, 'If you no do am, who go do am?'

I be just ordinary person. When I dey read book, na mouth I get. Dey shout from safe distance, dey judge people with sweet mouth, no be my life dey for fire.

But for real life, I no even fit protect myself, not to talk of save another person. If wahala start, na only leg I go take run—yet now, I dey plan rescue.

But the fire for my chest no gree die. E dey burn, dey stubborn like stubborn goat wey refuse to leave cassava farm.

Few nights later, when enemy arrow dey rain for camp, the fire wey burn Hauwa Lanre tent burn my fear join. The sound of wood crack, the hot smoke, the scream of people—everything just scatter my mind.

Arrow dey fly, camp catch fire, soldiers dey run, carry weapon, rush go fight. The place dey confuse, like market for Sallah eve. Nobody dey look my side.

Suddenly, I realise—na my chance be this. If I fail now, no other time go better pass this.

The fire dey shine for my eye, my hope dey grow. For the first time, I feel say maybe God still dey watch me.

As army nurse, I suppose dey treat wounded. But instead, I use the confusion, grab horse, rush enter burning tent, carry Hauwa Lanre put for horse, jump on top, ride go the opposite direction. If dem catch me, na my own don finish, but I no send.

My people be nurses, and I sabi work. Mama teach me to hide injury with laughter, to make pain look small before elders.

If we fit escape, maybe I fit really save her. My mind dey pray, my hand dey steady for the first time since wahala start.

For bush, no matter how scatter everywhere dey, my movement too show. Dem catch me quick. Shout go up for back, I fit hear boot dey slap ground.

"Hey you! Wetin you dey do—"

Person shout behind me. The voice sharp like cane wey flog for childhood.

But I no look back, no stop. My heart dey beat like drum. Sweat dey my hand, but I grip Hauwa Lanre tight, push horse more.

To free prisoner na death sentence. My spirit dey tell me, 'If I help am, I fit die. If I waka pass, my spirit no go rest. Na wahala.'

I fit hear the sound of someone dey chop suya for nearby fire, no concern for the chaos. This na the boldest thing I don do since I dey this life and my last life join. Maybe madness dey run for my blood.

But I no regret. If I die, at least my story go pass as person wey get small liver.