Chapter 5: Blood for Blood

After class, without invitation, Ngozi follow me reach staff room. She trail me, silent as shadow, sandal dey drag. As I wan sit, she block me. Her hand flash, block my way. She shake my seat, nothing drop, but she look uneasy. Eye flicker—fear or calculation, I no sure.

"Ngozi, wetin happen?" Lips dey tremble, voice low.

"Aunty Morayo... This morning, I see Musa and others sneak in, carry something like thumbtacks..." She pause, eyes run window. "I dey fear say because you help me yesterday, dem fit come for you." She chew lip, body tense. I look her for eye, she bow head. She no wan look me. Guilt or act?

"Sorry, Aunty Morayo. I no suppose talk bad about my classmates." She play humble, act as if she no wish evil. I don see this film before. She prepare answer, no space for doubt. Web, and I be fly.

I tell her go, waka go principal office. My mind dey full. This time, I go dig secret come out. School poor, only me and principal dey work. Wall bare, chair dey creak, sometimes ceiling dey leak. But principal—Uncle Bala—see everything.

Principal na from nearby village; he suppose sabi things. Old slippers, shirt always tuck, even if e tear. Eye sharp, like man wey don see wahala.

As I mention Ngozi, principal face change. Smile drop. Eye narrow, mouth twist. I see fear, maybe disgust. For eye, e look angry, but inside, fear and worry dey. He grip mug, hand dey shake small.

I sense say something no pure. My spirit whisper, e no ordinary. For my last life, when I talk say I wan carry Ngozi go, principal hint me, but no clear. I remember how he hesitate, word trail off. Now, I no go let am run.

Looking back now, fear dey catch me. Truth once seen, e no fit disappear. Principal know plenty. I go drag story out.

"Uncle Bala, abeg, tell me about Ngozi." My voice gentle, but strong. I need answer.

"Wetin I wan talk? Nothing dey." He sip tea, eye dey run. Air tense.

I sabi small about reading people. Mama say, 'Look man for eye if you want truth.' I wait. He dey form say he no know. Shoulder tight, lips press. Silence long.

"Uncle Bala, na only me and you dey this school. No outsider. If secret dey, abeg talk." I bend forward, voice low. Just us, late afternoon sun dey enter cracked window.

Uncle Bala hesitate. Cup dey shake for hand, lips open, close. He hold cup long, then talk small:

"No put mouth for her matter."

His words shock me, then he add:

"Aunty Morayo, you go stay here two months. Some things you no suppose know. When your time reach, just go."

He look me deep. We dey look each other ten seconds, no talk. That time, I no dey comfortable. Silence thick, palm dey sweat. E be like say principal wan talk, but fear dey catch am.