Chapter 1: Shadows Behind Closed Doors

The day I brought my new wife home, my son just dey quiet, no wahala at all. I know say the boy still dey mourn him mama death, and e still dey vex for me well. That time when my wife get heart attack, I really leave am behind—but I get my own reason. How I for take know say she no go make am reach hospital? The guilt for her death still dey press my chest. But abeg, person suppose look front, abi?

Na so life be for Naija—sometimes, if trouble land, you go just dey move like say nothing dey happen, even if your mind dey boil. The weight for my heart dey heavy like cement block, but I still dey try put smile for face, make neighbors no go begin talk say wahala dey my house. Rain fit dey fall for roof, but you go still find small sun inside.

For dinner, I try ask my son whether e like him new younger brother and sister. I think say e go para, insult him aunty say na home breaker, call the children bastard join. But the boy just nod, talk say, “Na your house, do as you want.” As I watch am waka go back inside him study, the thing pain me somehow, e be like say something just loss inside me. But sharp sharp, I brush am commot. After all, which pikin go dey vex for him papa forever? Na man him be too, abi? E suppose understand me.

I reason am, e dey somehow strange say my own flesh and blood no even fit look me for face, no even shout again. For Naija, if pikin dey keep quiet like that, sometimes e mean say the matter don pass normal wahala—dem dey plan something or just dey lock in pain. I just swallow spit, tell myself say e go better. I no fit carry old matter for head like wrapper.

As I dey try pet my new wife wey still dey carry belle, I no notice as the study door small small open small. The darkness swallow everything, but that eye—sharp, cold—no blink. E dey wait. My skin crawl.

The darkness for parlour thick, only the generator light dey flash small for window. That kind feeling wey person dey get for night when spirit fit waka pass, na so my body do me. My mind tell me say something dey for back, but I just dey focus for Morayo. If to say my mama dey alive, she for say, “Anytime pikin dey too quiet, check well!”