Chapter 1: The River's Curse

The yam aroma full everywhere, people dey laugh, drums dey knock for distance. During my patrol on New Yam Festival, na so I use my own life risk save one university babe wey fall inside river that day.

The yam festival always dey bring crowd, and e dey my duty as park security to dey alert. I no even think am before I rush that day—na pure reflex, that sense wey every aboki for this work dey get. People dey shout, wrapper dey fly, but na only her head I dey see for water. In my mind, e be like say spirit just carry my leg go where wahala dey.

Just as I dragged her onto the shore, she dropped to her knees, begging me to go back and rescue her puppy.

Her voice crack like old radio, her hand dey shake, she dey call the puppy name, "Toto! Toto!" Omo, as she begin cry and beg, her voice dey shake. The puppy own pain her reach bone, she just dey knock ground with her head. I look the way her eyes red, snot and tears mix, I nearly pity for her, even though I dey shake from cold.

Ignoring the freezing water, I dove back in, searched for nearly half an hour, but still couldn't find the dog. In the end, I had to crawl out, exhausted and helpless.

The water bite my bone, my teeth dey clash. But as I see her kneel dey look me with hope, my chest soft small. I tell myself, make I try. But after thirty minutes of searching, my leg nearly cramp, my palm dey numb. Even fishermen for town know say river like this fit swallow anything, even goat. When I finally drag myself out, I feel like person wey dey come back from war. All my body dey vibrate.

Next thing, the girl just went mad, accusing me of not trying hard enough—and even started spreading rumours that I took advantage of her while pretending to save her:

I never expect am. She just stand, face squeeze like person wey chop bitterleaf, voice sharp like blade, shout for everybody to hear. Before I fit explain, people begin look us. My mouth open, words no come out.

"You be pervert! When you dey save me, you no fit keep your hand to yourself, but when e reach my dog, you no fit do anything again!"

The accusation land for my chest like slap. E shock me reach bone—if I dey lie, make ground swallow me. I try explain, but she no gree hear. Na from that moment I begin suspect say this world fit wicked pass witch.

She scratched my face like say she craze, taking advantage of the fact that there were no cameras by the river, then went to the chief's court to lie that I molested her and pushed her into the water.

The scratch pain reach my bone, her nail mark still dey my cheek. Small children wey dey play football for field run as dem see the way she dey shout and throw hand. No evidence, na only my word remain. For chief's court, na who talk pass and who get tears dem dey believe.

I was just slandered anyhow, my details leaked online, and I was cyberbullied everywhere. In the end, she even sneaked into my house and set it on fire, burning me alive.

The thing shock me pass—how my picture take land for internet, people wey no know me begin insult me. My phone no gree rest, calls, insults, threat everywhere. Neighbours dey fear to greet me. The day she burn my house, even fire service no reach before everything finish. E pain me say my life end on top lie.

"That was my only friend. Since you no save am, I want make you pay with your life."

Her curse still dey my ear as fire dey chop my skin like roasted corn. I just dey beg God for justice, but na pain full my mouth.

If to say I know, I for let river do wetin e wan do. But for this Naija, good heart dey chop pepper.

Sometimes na so e dey be for this life, good heart dey attract wahala. As my spirit dey float, na only regret full my mind.