Chapter 1: Snakes and Shivers

Tunde likes snakes. You fit smell the dry grass and old rubber from his snake cage before you even reach our flat.

Dem talk say love fit make person do wonders, but as his fiancée, if dem tell me make I near those snakes, my body go dey shake like NEPA wire during thunderstorm—fear grip me, true-true. Sometimes, the fear go even bring tears my eye, no be small thing. Tunde, na him way be that, every time I dey show fear, na so him go dey laugh me, mouth full with mischief: “You dey form weakling, abi? Wetin small snake go do you?” If na inside compound people dey, e go even talk am louder, make people notice say na me dey fear pass.

I don try reach my power. I don read online say make you face your fear, but my heart nor dey gree at all. For inside my mind, I dey hope say one day, e go just disappear.

Until one certain afternoon wey sun just dey shine anyhow, na so one babe waka enter our life. This Halima babe, her own no be here—she dey wear white lace gown, gele tie for head, even snake dey follow her waka like say dem get agreement. No be only say she no dey fear snake, na play mate dem be. E be like say na snake pikin she be. Sometimes, I go peep for corridor, na so I go see am dey carry Tunde small snake for hand, dey turn am like bangle. If you see as she dey waka in and out of Tunde room, her confidence dey scatter everywhere. My heart just dey bite me small small.

Finally, I just reach point wey I say, e don do. I pack my load, ready to end this engagement, no mind say Tunde mama go hear am. As I dey drag my Ghana-must-go, na so social media comments just begin parade for my mind, like people dey chorus for village meeting:

[Yes o, babe, run! No let that bad snake tie you down.]

[Babe, abeg no let snake scatter your destiny 😭]

[Hahaha, this guy dey craze? After all these years, the babe still dey fear snake—abeg, leave her make she go.]

[Run o! Before dem use you do pepper soup! 😂]

[Na only me wan see as this obedient babe go dey lost when the guy wey no get control jump on top am?]

[Kai! This babe don craze]

[Nne, run for your life!]

My chest start to dey vibrate, e be like when PHCN take light for night, everywhere just shock.

As I turn back, na so Tunde don lock door sharp sharp. He stand for there, eyes dey shine like person wey just catch thief. He come ask, “You dey pack? You wan run?” His tone dey cold, e get as e be, like say breeze just blow for inside my skin.