Chapter 5: The Altar of Truth

I pack all my things inside old wrapper, close my stall, Kenechukwu drive me go him house.

I tie my small bag with red cloth—carry cowries, kolanut, palm oil, and small bell wey dey ring for strong spirit. As I lock up, I pour libation for ground—'Ancestors, guide me.'

For road, I sit down for back seat, close my eyes, but I dey feel as Kenechukwu dey peep me for mirror every time.

E dey drive, but you go see say e no fit concentrate. Sometimes e go nearly jam okada, but I no talk, I just dey observe.

E dey shake, or maybe e get another plan.

I dey reason say, if to say na Lagos, e for use traffic excuse turn back. But for this side, nobody dey save you for spirit matter.

Kenechukwu house na big mansion for outskirt, far from town. As I come down, I look everywhere, frown.

E get high fence, gate tall, but the air cold—spirit fit waka anyhow. My mind tell me say place no dey friendly.

Him front yard face main road, and dem build am for T-junction—na big taboo for our people, e dey pull bad spirit. For Igbo land, dem talk say T-junction dey confuse spirit—na crossroad for both man and ghost. My grandpapa talk say, 'No build house for T-junction, except you get strong hand.'

Backyard get small river, with ogbono trees full everywhere. Ogbono tree, dem dey call am 'spirit tree', e dey attract strange things, na spirit like am well.

If you see ogbono tree wey dey close to water, abeg, no sleep under am for night. My skin prick as I see am.

If people full the area, their own good spirit go balance am, but here, house dey far from each other.

E mean say if wahala burst, nobody go hear. I just dey look, dey reason how Kenechukwu fit stay alone for here.

To live for place like this, wahala go dey follow the owner.

If na person wey get sense, e go carry elder do blessing every market day.

"Oga?"

Kenechukwu see as I dey reason the place, call me.

E voice low, e eye dey search my own. I wave am, make e no panic.

I wave am, waka go front, no talk much. E rush follow me.

Na so I lock my bag tight, shift my slippers, dey ready my mind for anything.

As we enter compound, Kenechukwu dey shake, dey look everywhere, like say something fit jump out any time.

Even breeze wey blow, e go jump. I try calm am—'Oga, relax.'

When we reach door, I signal am make e open. E dey shake as e press two numbers, then stop, look me.

E try hide the code, but e hand dey shake so much, even me fit see am. I just pretend say I no notice.

"Oga, abeg no vex... we go just enter like this?"

Maybe na because I never bring out any prayer things, I just put my hands for back. E dey make Kenechukwu fear.

I fit see say e dey expect me to carry bell, shout or pour salt for ground. But I just stand, steady.

"No worry. I sabi wetin I dey do."

I talk am calm, but my eye dey scan the air for sign. You never know where spirit fit waka enter.

As e see say I dey calm, e face door, quick enter code, door just open with "beep".

The sound sharp—like spirit dey open gate. Kenechukwu hide behind me, near hide for my back like pikin.

Kenechukwu rush hide behind me.

E dey try hide e fear, but even stone go know say e dey shake.

I push door, enter. The light na sensor, so as door open, everywhere bright.

White wall, cold tile, but the air heavy—like make person cough out old pain.

I waka go front, dey observe. Kenechukwu dey my back, dey look back steady. E fear so tey e put hand for my shoulder.

E hand cold, sweat dey run for e palm. The spirit for house dey strong. I dey hear small sound for wall—maybe lizard, maybe not.

But as I waka two steps, body cold like make rain dey fall for inside bone. I turn sharp—Kenechukwu dey two meters behind me, so the hand wey touch my shoulder just now no be him own.

I jump, heart fly—quick clap my hand, "Tufiakwa!"

Na so I pause, my heart skip one beat. For my ear, I hear faint whisper—old woman voice. I clap my hand, rebuke am softly, "Not today."

As I enter, na so she greet me—e mean say she no dey happy to see me at all.

For spirit world, when owner no call you but you enter, wahala fit burst. I reason say make I walk small, let the spirit know say I come in peace.

That time, Kenechukwu dey act somehow. E dey look ground, dey mumble, "No, no, how... how e take disappear?"

Na so fear dey turn big man to small pikin. E no even fit stand well.

I look ground—clean, nothing like sand wey e talk before.

I scan everywhere—nothing. Spirit sabi hide sign if dem no wan show.

"Oga, I swear I see am. Sand full here before, reach bedroom. How e take disappear?"

E dey nearly cry. I pat him back, soft voice. Even strong man dey lose guard for spirit matter.

I pat him back, tell am make e relax, talk say, "Wetin you see no always dey real."

My grandpapa dey always say, 'Spirit fit show you lie, if you too dey fear.' I talk am so e go calm down.

Then Kenechukwu follow me go master bedroom for upstairs.

Na wide staircase, but the air dey tight. My skin dey rise small. E follow me, but no wan enter room first.

E still be the same.

I check window, under bed—everywhere clean, but air cold. If spirit dey vex, na so e dey make house cold for no reason.

Now, Kenechukwu face don change, eyes dey waka everywhere.

I see say e dey try remember if e forget any small sign. E dey doubt himself.

I reason say maybe e dey doubt himself, dey wonder if e dey craze.

I see say e dey look me, like say I fit talk am out of wahala. But for this work, everybody get e own cross.

"Oga, wetin dey happen?"

I sigh, clear throat, prepare to tell am the real thing.