Chapter 2: Chains and Truth

Next day, as I carry food go give the woman, she still dey cry.

The food na garri and egusi, with two tiny pieces of meat. For where I come from, na big respect be that, but she no even look the plate. The room hot, but her tears dey flow like rain. My heart dey heavy as I open door.

As she see me, she just grab my hand, dey beg: “Where my pikin dey? Your family dey smell like dem—I no fit mistake am. So why I no see dem?”

Her grip strong, finger cold. She look me for eye, her voice shake like person wey dey fear thunder. I fit feel the pain for her chest. That smell she talk about dey worry me—wetin she mean?

I wan reply her, na so my mama enter, hold rope wey thick like thumb. She tie the woman well-well for bed.

My mama no dey waste time. She waka enter, face tight like person wey just lose money. As she dey tie the woman, her hand steady, she use that local rope wey dem use for tying goat for compound. Woman just dey struggle, dey beg, but mama no send. Even me, fear grip me.

As she dey tie am, my mama pinch the woman soft skin two times, hiss, say, “See as your skin fresh. Na men spoil you abi? Dirty woman, my pikin no even mind you, you still dey here dey cry dey do drama.”

Mama voice cut like knife. She eye dey shine, lips no even smile. As she dey pinch am, she shake head, “If to say na my time, we no dey get this kind wahala. Now, everybody dey form big madam. Abeg, rest!”

I just stand for corner, no talk, fear catch me.

I no fit blink. If I talk, mama fit vex beat me join. I hide for corner, dey press my hand for wall, dey beg God for heart make this wahala pass me.

After my mama finish her wahala and tie the woman, she commot. Na that time I waka near the woman small.

My leg dey shake. I look her bruises, I carry small towel wipe her sweat. "Aunty, abeg no vex. I no sabi wetin dey happen."

“I never see your pikin before. Abeg, tell me how dem be. I go help you dey look.”

I try put small hope for her eye. My voice low. "If you talk, I go help. I swear for my papa grave."

The woman face light up sharp-sharp. “My pikin—one black well, the other one white well. Both of dem fat, dem dey obey word.”

She smile small, but e dey pain. She describe dem with pride, eye dey shine with memory. "Dem sabi greet elders, dem dey fear God. No be anyhow pikin."

One black, one white, both fat. I remember the two snakes, fat, one dark like burnt yam, the other pale like cassava. My stomach twist. As I dey reason am, my mind just cut—fear grip me. I run comot from the room like say I dey run for my life.

My heart just jump like frog. Na the two snake my brother chop be this? Wahala don land. I no even know where I dey run go. My leg no fit stop.