Chapter 2: Ifunanya Set the Record Straight

Ifunanya carry the bamboo chair my cousin kick, arrange am, sit down in front of us, as if nothing dey worry her. Her eyes just full of disrespect and scorn. She give us that look wey Yoruba mamas dey use shame stubborn pikin—eye sharp, lips pressed.

She cross her leg, fingers tap the bamboo armrest, calm like school headmistress wey dey wait for stubborn students to talk true. For this village, e rare to see woman sit with men like say na them be guest. Small children wey dey play ten-ten near gate pause, dey eye her, gist one another in low voice, "See as she gallant, na real city madam."

"First day, una try collect my food in the name of sharing. Second day, una slow the journey, force us camp for Okpoko Hill, hoping say cliff, tent, or wild animal go make me depend on una. Even try give me fake garri, think say hunger go humble me. Third day, una act like una miss road, carry me enter deep ditch wey full of thorns. If I fall inside, una for get me as you like."

Her voice no loud, but e sharp like razor blade. She dey talk like person wey dey read court judgment. I shift for stool, as if my body dey find where to hide from her words. She no shout, but her wahala just dey enter body.

My cousin ear just dey shake—na so e dey do when tension hold am.

Seyi dey scratch the back of him head, sweat don dey shine for him forehead even though evening breeze still dey blow. Na that him ear wey dey always move when wahala dey, I see am dey tremble. If person look well, e fit think say breeze dey blow am, but na pure tension.

"Abi I lie, local guide brother?"

I no talk, because everything wey she talk na true. She suppose be the prey. First day, she suppose fall for our fake friendship, give us her food, enjoy herself for Palm Rock camp. Second day, she suppose carry light load, dey snap picture, dey delay, so we go camp for Okpoko Hill. Okpoko Hill na the main place for the plan. E tall pass ten meters, round like pillar, slope wey no dey easy, like thirty-meter-wide stone just dey enter ground. Without rope ladder, you no fit climb up or down. She suppose reach Okpoko Hill, no food, no tent, cold dey bite, dew full ground, no way out, finally she go gree for the men, "willingly" become their toy. The condition hard, but reward high. This so-called adventure team na just "voluntary loss of innocence group" wey we arrange for her. As Ifunanya just dey talk all this calmly, my body just dey vex anyhow. E be like say I use all my brain weave lie, but she don see am from beginning, yet I still dey enjoy myself dey yarn am till end.

My own shame come dey do me like pepper for eye. My throat dry, as if garri dey stuck inside. For this part of Naija, men dey pride themselves say dem wise, but see as woman just dey count my moves like arithmetic. My mind begin dey replay every step of the plan, e be like say she dey see am before we even act. Sometimes, na true say woman eye pass torchlight.

"Wetyn you dey try talk?" my cousin ask.

Ifunanya just smile.

Her smile get as e be—no be happiness, no be mockery. Na that kind smile wey you dey see for masquerade festival, wey you no fit know whether to run or dance.

"You still wan sleep with me now?"

The question too direct—even me wey be animal, I no fit answer.

I feel cold breeze run down my neck, even though sun still dey up. For inside me, something just freeze. Na question wey no get answer, the kind way old mamas dey use finish stubborn pikin for compound front. My cousin mouth hang open, eye dey dodge her own.

"As long as you help me do one thing," she talk again.

Her voice soft, but e no get beg. The kind voice wey no dey take no as answer.

"Which thing?"

"I just hear say una get group this afternoon. Carry me join. I wan see how una dey do am." Ifunanya just dey look me straight, as if I no fit say no. "If you gree, any request you get, I go do am for you. How far? Na wetyn you dey find before. Just let me follow, you no go lose anything."

Her eye no blink, na so she just dey look me. I dey sweat, my hand dey shake, but I gats dey form strong. For this our work, na only strong eye dey help you survive, but her own eye dey scatter my mind.

"Why?" I ask.

"You remember Musa? Your guy." She look up small. "Na me be him fiancée."

She talk am like person wey dey tell you say rain dey fall outside. Calm, no stress. My breath catch, my mind begin dey race. I dey reason: wetin concern Musa for this matter?