Chapter 8:

As I hear those three words wey I don miss, I shock. “Ehn? Ifedike seat?”

Voice shake. I dey look chair, dey wonder if Ifedike just waka comot.

“Yes,” he nod, “no be just now you carry am go back school?”

He dey look me like say I be teacher. His face dey serious, eyes dey bright.

As I hear am, my body just tight, like rope draw am.

My chest dey squeeze. Sweat dey my palm, leg dey shake.

“Just now... I carry am... go back school?”

I dey reason—na this moment again?

“Yes, Uncle. Abeg, no go report us to teacher.”

The boy voice dey soft, almost dey beg. Him eye dey wide, like goat wey see lion.

The boy look me with clear eye.

He dey try read my mood. I fit see small fear, small respect.

That moment, I begin understand.

Na so the memory dey return. I remember every small detail, like say I dey watch film.

Na so I take travel back?

I dey ask God, 'Abi na second chance?' I dey touch my hand, dey look for scar.

Back to that cybercafé, five years ago?

I dey reason how e take possible. I dey pinch myself, dey bite tongue.

To check if na dream, I slap myself well.

Paa! Sound echo. The boy beside me jump.

My face pain me.

Red mark show for my cheek. Even the hotness dey real.

I no wake up—no matter how I try.

I slap, I pinch, nothing change. Reality stubborn.

As I realize say e no be dream, my hand begin shake.

Goosebumps everywhere. My mouth dey dry.

I don come back. True true, I don come back...

Tears dey my eye, but I dey giddy. E be like say God finally answer prayer.

I look towards my son school, my breath dey rush.

I dey remember exact road, shortcut, where I fit run pass. My mind dey race.

Only one thing dey my mind.

Only one—save my pikin. If na to use leg break, I go do am.

This time, I must save am. I must stop that fire.

No matter wetin happen, I no go repeat mistake.

I must save every pikin for that classroom.

I dey swear for my mind, 'Nobody go die today.'