Chapter 6: The Spirit’s Demand

"Wetin you see, na half truth, half lie."

I talk slow, so e go feel am for chest. Spirit dey use vision show you where your heart dey heavy.

"Morayo spirit dey this house—na true. But wetin you see na vision, na her anger cause am—e no real."

I talk am like old man, my voice deep. If spirit dey vex, na so dem fit confuse person.

As I talk, I bring out old cowrie, give Kenechukwu.

The cowrie na family hand-me-down. My grandpapa say if you wan see the truth, look through the hole. I hand am over, palm open.

"Na small thing wey I take work. Look through the hole for the cowrie, you go see her."

E dey shake, but I still give am. My hand steady, but my mind dey prepare for anything.

Kenechukwu no too sure, e no gree look through am.

E shake head, push my hand back. Fear dey catch am pass small pikin for masquerade festival.

E talk, "Abeg, Oga. My mind no strong. Just help me send her go, abeg."

I see say e don surrender. For this work, sometimes, na fear dey humble person.

I shake my head. "Morayo no be say she no fit go, na she no wan go. If her wish no come true, she no go leave."

Spirit wey get unfinished business, na so e dey do. I explain, make e know say prayer no be magic.

"Living and spirit no dey the same road. Normally, spirit no dey disturb living people. If dem do, e mean say dem want something."

If you dey hear your name for night, abeg, no answer. E fit mean spirit dey call you for errand.

As I finish, Kenechukwu quick ask, "So wetin Morayo want? She want make the keke driver die?"

I look am, take breath. Sometimes, the wahala deep pass the surface. If na revenge, spirit fit call for blood.

I no answer. Normally, na so e suppose be—na the person wey do her bad she suppose vex for.

But for this one, I reason say maybe another thing dey worry her.

But all this one depend if wetin Kenechukwu talk na true.

I dey try read Kenechukwu spirit too. Sometimes, na living person cause the real wahala.

My reason for coming here simple: to call her spirit, ask Morayo direct.

Because spirit no dey lie.

If you get pure heart, spirit go answer you clear. But if you hide anything, na double wahala you go chop.

As Kenechukwu dey look, I draw table come front, arrange am as altar, then bring out my bag, begin set up prayer ground.

I sprinkle palm oil for ground, ring my small bell three times. The air thick, candle flame no even shake.

Eight small palm frond flags, incense burner, old redwood staff—all na wetin my grandpapa leave for me.

The staff na ancient—e get marks wey show say e don see many battles. I hold am for left hand, wave am small for air.

First, I put incense burner for altar, light incense, do respect.

I raise the burner, pray to ancestors: 'Any spirit wey dey vex, abeg, make you calm.'

Then I arrange the flags for the four corners, sprinkle incense ash form circle—flags to hold ground, redwood staff for power.

Na so my grandpapa teach me: if you wan call spirit, ground must balance. The ash dey protect living, the flag dey hold spirit.

But unless I jam real strong spirit, I no dey use the staff anyhow.

I dey reason say if Morayo spirit strong like grandpapa own, I fit need the staff. But for now, I just keep am close.

To call spirit, one thing still remain: medium.

I bring out paper person wey I don fold before, tell Kenechukwu prick finger, drop small blood on top. This one go make Morayo fit show for few minutes.

Blood dey connect spirit pass any other thing. I hand am needle—e shake, but finally do am.

I put the paper person for altar, check time—still need wait small.

I dey watch candle. When flame bend left, na sign say spirit dey near. I reason say time don almost reach.

Kenechukwu no know wetin I dey do, e come ask as I stop finally.

E voice low, almost like whisper. E dey shake, hand dey rub for e leg.

I look am. "No be wetin you want before? To know wetin Morayo want?"

I smile small, make e no fear too much. Spirit dey answer, if you patient.

I chant, "Ndi ichie, biko, cover us—let only good spirit pass."

"I go bring her out, ask am direct."

I look up, say small prayer for my mind—'Ancestors, hold me.'

Na so the real work begin.