Chapter 1: Midnight Messages

April 1st, that night, I suddenly got a message from an unknown number:

My phone shake for bed like generator wey no balance, almost fall. I blink, check time—1:02am. For my mind, wahala dey cook. Night like this, who dey send message?

For outside, one stubborn dog dey bark, like say e dey warn me. Cock crow join am from distance, as if dem dey mark the midnight wahala.

"Abeg, judge which one no be lie: 1. NEPA go take light; 2. Rain go fall; 3. Earthquake go happen."

I read am twice, chuckle small. I just reason say na April Fool’s prank, so I replied anyhow: "1."

I just dey reason say this kain yeye message no fit shake me. Wetin remain na make person tell me say money go rain from sky. I even mutter small, "God abeg, cover me," before I press send. I send my reply with small grin for face.

But less than two seconds after I send am, everywhere for my room just dark—NEPA take light sharp-sharp. Everywhere choke with darkness, heat from the room just double as fan stop.

My heart jump small, body chill like fresh iced zobo. For my mind, I dey laugh but wahala dey hide under.

I look outside window. The streetlights still dey shine; na only my own house get this wahala.

E shock me. Normally, if NEPA waka, e dey affect everybody. Why my own dey special? This kain thing fit make person suspect village people. My chest begin do kpom kpom, as I peep outside to confirm again.

Na that time, the unknown number send another message:

"Abeg, judge which one no be lie: 1. Your mama go die; 2. Your best friend go die; 3. You sef go die."

My hand begin sweat. Fear catch me, I just sit up like person wey see masquerade for night.

My skin prick like cold ogogoro touch am. My heart dey drum kpom-kpom for chest. Head dey hot, but body cold.

Just now, I choose "NEPA go take light," and e really happen for my house.

I swallow spit, try arrange my mind. The memory fresh for head—answer wey turn to reality.

So that means, any answer wey I pick go turn to reality.

I swallow again. E be like say I dey inside juju people movie. The kain wahala no dey for film sef.

But this new question na wahala—any one I choose, person go die.

If I pick, person go die. My hand dey shake. The kain question wey fit make village elders summon meeting.

But I no fit pick myself, and I no fit pick my mama too…

My heart just dey pound, as I dey sweat for night. Only option remain na number 2. My mind dey fight itself—wetin if e true? But wetin if na prank? Wetin if I just dey craze?

So…

I just pick number 2.

With heavy hand, I press 2. I dey hope say na all joke, nothing go happen. Inside me, I dey pray make no wahala happen to Musa.

Besides, that time I still no believe say to answer question fit really kill person.

I puff air, try use logic dey comfort myself—maybe na coincidence, abi na my mind dey play tricks. My own no pass to laugh tomorrow for group chat.

I even reason say maybe the light wey off na coincidence.

E fit be say NEPA just do their usual. I try shake off the tension, brush am as random bad luck.

So after small hesitation, I send the answer.

I close my eyes small, then open. The kain tension wey full my chest, e heavy like grinding stone.

Na that time, my phone screen flash one kind blue-green light.

The light shine for just split second, like say thunder wan flash inside phone. My eye blink, heart do one kain skip.

But e clear quick.

I open eye wide, look around, phone steady for hand. The light just vanish. My mind dey play drum.

Fear begin enter my mind.

My body cold, I dey shiver. My breath dey short, like say something dey press my chest.

My best friend go really die?

As I dey think, my mind dey run marathon. Musa face dey my head, all our wahala and play since childhood dey rush back.

Na my padi from small pikin, Musa. We dey the same village, dey go the same school, always together.

Musa na person wey get my back. Rain, shine, trouble—na my correct guy. Even our mamas sabi say if dem see one, dem see the other.

Time never too late, just pass midnight.

Everywhere still dey quiet for compound, generator don off. Na only cockroach and mosquito dey move. I fit hear my own heartbeat.

I call Musa for WhatsApp—na normal thing for us for area. As I dey dial, my hand dey shake. I just wan hear say Musa dey okay. I no wan believe say anything fit happen because of text.

Luckily, he never sleep, he pick up fast.

His own background na his small parlour. Fan dey spin, window dey open small—normal Musa style. I relax small as e face show.

But as the video show, I see—

Musa open eye wide, face dey shake, lips dey tremble. E struggle talk:

"Abeg, help me! Ghost dey here—one woman with long hair for my room!"

Musa voice no steady, e even sound crack. The way e eye open, e be like person wey see amadioha for dream. My heart pause for chest.

Fear hold me, I just freeze.

For one second, my mind blank. I no fit talk, no fit move. E be like say cold dey blow me from inside.

But suddenly, he burst laugh—"Hahaha!"

Musa scatter everywhere with laughter. His own laugh na that kain one wey go make person vex. His face return to normal, voice lazy: "You dey call me this night, wetin you want?"

I still dey shake, but I dey try catch up. Na there I realize—

Na prank. April Fool.

Relief rush me, but small vex dey hide inside. The guy act well, ehn!