Chapter 6: Neighbours, Police, Hospital Moi-moi

Mr. Okafor people drag me inside, beat me, wan make I confess. I just lock up, no talk.

Na like Yoruba film, dem dey slap, kick, even use pillow cover my mouth so I no go shout. My eye dey swell, my leg dey weak, my heart dey pray.

From corridor, I hear small pikin voice: "Mummy, dem dey fight!"

Till I hear doorbell. Somebody open door, shout:

“Who you be? Wetin you dey do for my house?”

“Who you be? Wetin you dey do for my house?” one aunty shout.

Her voice sharp, na my neighbour from next flat. She no dey carry last, dem no dey take her play.

“Your house? Thunder fire your house, commot here!”

One of Mr. Okafor boys shout back, his accent thick, Igbo mix with Benin. Dem no dey here play at all.

“No touch me! How you go behave like this?” one serious man talk back. Dem begin quarrel.

The man be like one of the estate security wey dey talk with sense. His eye dey shine, e fit fight if push reach shove.

“How I go do? Try am again, I go beat you! Commot!”

Na small commotion start. Neighbours begin gather for corridor. One small boy even dey peep from stairway.

“Ah—” the aunty scream.

Her scream loud, echo for corridor. People dey run come see wetin happen.

I collect another kick, curl up for pain.

My stomach dey twist. I dey pray make I see another morning.

Noise dey outside. I no too hear clear, no know if the uncle and aunty comot.

My ear dey ring, but I hear "Wetin dey happen? Call police!" Small pikin begin cry.

Later, as I dey faint, I hear:

“Police! Nobody move!”

Police siren dey sound for gate, neighbors dey scatter, everybody dey form innocent. The sound loud, like salvation. For my mind, I dey thank God say police finally show face.

I try smile, then black out.

Darkness cover me. My body dey float, like say I dey inside water. I dey pray say make this no be my last.

When I wake, na afternoon next day.

The sun dey shine from window. My body dey heavy, face still dey pain me. The smell of hospital strong, drip dey my hand. I dey wonder if I still dey dream.

The colleague wey dey help me for hospital na the junior oga wey her relative buy my house. I dey call her Aunty Chiamaka.

She get small voice but strong mind. Her wrapper clean, e dey smell like dettol and fried egg. She dey stand for my side like big sister.

As she see say I don wake, she happy.

Her face break into wide smile, teeth white, her eye dey shine. She tap my hand small.

“Ah, Tunde, you finally wake. You sleep one whole day and night. You scare me!”

She shake her head, carry one small basin of water, begin clean my face gently.

“Tha... thank you for taking care of me, Aunty Chiamaka.” I thank her, but my mouth pain me.

She wipe tears for her face, say, "No dey thank me, Tunde. If na me, my own for worse." For her voice, I hear pity and small anger for the world.

Aunty Chiamaka bring moi-moi and malt, say make I try chop.

“Ah, no talk. See wetin you put yourself. You sell house to save their daughter, still—

If to say money no dey, who for remember my name again? For this country, na money dey make enemy and family.

I close my eye, pray make money no bury me before my time.