Chapter 2: Fear No Get Brakes

I off the radio sharp sharp. The news no even finish. I no fit allow that kain thing disturb my mind. For Naija, dem dey talk say, "no be everything ear suppose hear for night."

The man wey dey my passenger seat fear come double, him face just white like paper. He grab seat belt, sweat dey run for him forehead. E be like him dey see ghost for my truck.

"How e go just be like this? Na red sports car dey chase us just now too." His voice small, almost like whisper. I fit feel him fear for my own body.

Him wife and the two pikin for back seat just hold body, dey look each other with worry. The woman rub her daughter's hand, the boy press body against door. The air inside truck dey heavy like rain wey wan fall.

"That accident na three years ago. Wetin we just hear na old news wey dem dey replay," I talk, bring out cigarette, tap am three times on dashboard for luck, give the man for front. I light my own. For this kind night, smoke dey cool my mind. I pass one to the man, make im relax.

Na that time him come relax small. E collect the cigarette, say, "Oga, wetin be your surname?" He drag smoke, exhale slowly. His hand still dey shake.

"My surname na Musa. Just call me Uncle Musa. This na my wife, Kemi." I try make everybody comfortable. "Kemi, greet am now."

"My own na Lawal. Lawal Garba." I nod greet Kemi through the mirror. As I raise hand for mirror, I see as Kemi eye dey shine, but her face still dey worried.

Kemi still dey hold her daughter, her son sit near her. She smile for me too. She try show say everything dey okay, even though na lie.

"We gats thank Brother Lawal this night o," Uncle Musa talk, him voice get relief. "Na just to pick our daughter, dey go house together. Who go think say wahala go meet us for road?" He talk as if im dey beg God make wahala pass.

"If I think am well, e dey fear me. When we reach house, we gats go church go pray," Kemi add. Her voice low, like person wey dey remember prayer point. She quietly mouth, "Jesu, cover us with your blood," rubbing her prayer bead more deliberate, fingers moving slow.

"Your daughter na university student?" I look the girl wey Kemi dey hold. She no be small pikin again—she go dey about twenty. Her hair dey plait back, face smooth, small earring for ear. I dey guess her level for school.

Kemi touch her daughter head gently, love just full her face. "Yes, she dey university." As she touch the girl head, I see say she dey hold prayer bead for hand, the kind wey old mamas dey use.

"But school no dey on break now. Wetin carry her come house?" I ask again. I wan know why she dey travel late. E no too clear me, but I no wan look nosy.

Kemi face freeze small, but before she fit answer, the son just start to cough. As the question land, I see as Kemi look me, like say she dey find answer. But the cough from the boy distract everybody.

The cough no be normal one—e dry and rough, like say something dey scratch inside. I fit hear the thing well for the closed truck. Sound like grinding stone.

Uncle Musa no even look back, he just warn, "Ibrahim, manage am. No dey make noise." His voice sharp, as if im dey fight something for him mind. I notice the boy just squeeze face, chest dey go up and down.

The boy fear catch am, e just hold the cough. He cover mouth, try press the sound, eyes wide, as if he dey hold tears.

"Abeg, no do am like that. If the boy no well, make him talk am," I tell Uncle Musa. No be good thing to hush pikin wey dey sick. For this Naija, we dey believe say small sickness fit grow if you ignore am.

Uncle Musa just smile anyhow. But I fit see say him smile no reach him eye. E be like say he dey hide worry from everybody.