Chapter 2: Panic and Pursuit

My head just blank, fear dey rush me like hot water.

My hand dey sweat, phone dey slip for palm. My mind just blank. For that moment, my brain switch off. You know that kind wahala wey dey hit person like transformer? My skin dey prick, and e be like say my spirit wan fly comot body. If you see me, you go know say trouble dey my face.

I sharply tell my sister, "Abeg, lock that door sharp sharp! Call police, call anybody! No open for am! I dey come now now!"

I no even think twice, I just dey shout as if she fit hear all the protection for my voice. Na so e dey do person if your own blood dey trouble, your mouth go sharp pass razor. My leg dey restless already.

Next thing, na heavy gbam I hear for phone.

E loud, like say person just use leg break door. My heart miss two beats, I nearly troway phone.

My sister scream. E be like say the door don burst open.

Her scream na the kind wey dey make person fear for life. My hand start to shake, I dey sweat, phone almost fall for ground.

"You still dey phone?" that yeye old man shout. "You think say you fit call police?"

Him voice dey thunder through phone like masquerade for festival. For my mind, I dey imagine as e dey stand with him big chest, dey form power. Na so some elders for here dey abuse their seniority—no fear, no respect for boundaries.

My sister dey cry, "You no get shame! How you go do this kind thing to your own daughter-in-law? Commot! Commot for here!"

Her words dey shake, but she still try stand strong. For our place, woman wey fit talk back for that kain moment, e show say she no gree become mumu. E pain me say I no dey there to join her shout.

Na so I dey hear all the noise—struggle, cry, things dey scatter.

My ear dey collect all the commotion, plates dey fall, chair dey scratch floor. E dey pain me say I no fit teleport enter phone.

I shout for phone, "Old fool, if you touch am, I go finish you!"

My anger don reach peak. I dey shout as if my voice fit fly through network jam slap the old man. Even my chest dey vibrate from the rage.

All I hear na cold hiss.

Na that wicked hiss, the one wey old people dey do when dem believe say nobody fit touch them. I dey vex sotey my teeth dey grind.

Then, everywhere quiet—the call cut.

Na the kain silence wey dey heavy for head. I hold phone, dey look am like say e fit talk back. My whole body freeze, I just dey imagine wetin fit happen to my sister. Tears don dey my eye small.