Chapter 3: Blood for Rainy Season

Jude Dangana house dey the far west side of the village—na outside village e even dey. Big pond dey separate am from other houses, and for the west, na palm grove wey cover like fifteen to twenty acres. When the wahala happen, na rainy season: pond full of water lily, palm grove just dey green everywhere.

Mosquito full ground, frog dey shout for night. People dey quick close window, lock children inside once night reach.

So, even though blood full the compound that night, nobody for village know.

Because rain dey fall, everybody close door, dey hear only thunder and cricket. If not, maybe person for hear small noise.

Na early morning, when pikin begin cry, everybody wake. Baba Musa, wey dey this side of the pond, hear the cry, think say na Jude Dangana wife, Morayo, dey shout for the pikin again, so e no mind am. But as day break, when e open door, na to see Jude Dangana gate wide open, and Jude Dangana son, Bobo—small pikin wey never sabi waka well—just sit for doorstep, blood full body dey cry scatter.

Baba Musa fear catch am. You know old men, e stand for there, just dey look like say eye dey deceive am.

As he look inside, na to see dark red blood dey flow from main room, cover half the yard, everywhere just dey buzz with fly…

That kind morning, fly dey everywhere, people begin run come from different houses, dey shout, dey call chief. Compound just scatter.

Some women faint, some begin dey pray. Old men dey knock head for ground—na so fear grip everybody.

Women begin shout, “Tufiakwa!” Some rush carry wrapper, cover pikin body.