Chapter 4: Lanterns and Hope

5

Madam get energy, dey lively. That big General’s Compound before na just me—cold, empty! You fit hear rat waka for night, na so loneliness full everywhere.

But since she enter, everywhere full! Her laugh dey bounce for corridor like children dey play ten-ten for compound, her footsteps dey wake compound from sleep.

Like now—

“Wetin you dey hang?”

I dey read for room, but noise outside loud, I come out go check! Na woman voice dey sing old Igbo folk song for backyard.

“These na small wooden tortoise lanterns Madam make. She wan hang am, but ladder short, so Madam go find pole!”

This tortoise lantern no fine like that o! Rough small, but her hand strong. But if she wan hang am, make she hang!

I turn go inside. I trust say her wahala no dey kill person.

Suddenly—

“I dey here, I dey here, I find pole!”

I hear her voice, see Madam dey step for flower petals, carry my long spear, dey run come with energy! Her wrapper nearly fall as she dey jump.

All the servants fear, but she proud: “See, I make plenty tortoise lantern. I say the house too dark—yesterday I nearly jam wall for night…”

She dey talk as she climb ladder, use one side of long spear hang lantern for beam! Her eye bright, hand no dey shake.

One of my boys no fit hold am: “Madam, this long spear no be…”

I raise hand stop am: “Why una dey stand? Go help Madam hang lantern!”

After I talk, I waka back enter my dark study! The room cold, smell of old books and palm oil lamp.

Since my injury, I just dey dull, that fire wey I get before don die, like say nothing for this world worth my strength! Some nights I dey wake, sweat full body, remember battle cry, then remember say na only this wheelchair be my horse now.

No be like battlefield, where everyday you must dey sharp, dey fight to survive!

“General, you really wan spend time with Madam, so why you dey hide again?”

My boy talk behind me, worry! Na true, I dey dodge happiness as if e be witch.

I just look Madam for window! She dey use my long spear knock fruit for tree. The spear heavy, she no fit hold am well, she jam baobab tree, flowers fall like rain!

She just dey laugh! Her joy full everywhere, even air dey sweet.

For that moment, I wish say I fit move, make I help her pick fruit, knock baobab! As I think am, I just laugh myself! Doctor say make I just dey alive, na big blessing! But see me, dey dream.

If I no disturb her, no join her, maybe if she wan go, my heart go soft small!

I face my book, but my chest dey tight, pain dey catch me, I reach for medicine for drawer!

My boy rush stop me: “Doctor talk say you no suppose take this medicine too much. Today na three you don take!”

Anger just rise for my body, as I wan shout, one small head just show for window!

“Danjuma, this fruit sweet well—try am!”

Nneka drop plenty ube for my table—African pear—her eyes dey shine, dey look me! Like say she dey beg for trouble.

Just like that, my mind calm! She pick one, bite am, talk: “I never chop pear sweet like this!”

So I pick one too! But as I bite am, na serious sour just fill my mouth, she see am, come dey laugh: “Hahaha, I don catch another one! Big General Danjuma, you easy to fool!”

I just drop the pear, pretend say I dey read book! My pride dey pain me, but my heart dey sweet.

She bend head look me, her eye sharp like small tortoise! The type wey dey hide for village well, but when e show, everybody must see.