Chapter 4: Fox Spirit Gossip and Lost Pendant

I just dey lie down for big stone inside bamboo bush, eyes wide open, like person wey no wan die in peace.

Bamboo dey rustle for breeze. Moon dey stare me like say, "Oya, wetin you gain?" My chest just dey heavy.

As I remember my one thousand years for this world, I don live anyhow, play anyhow, never leave evidence—who go believe say na small fruit go make me fall yakata?

See as destiny dey play person. Fruit wey I no suppose chop, na him bring all this wahala.

I dey grind my teeth.

Spirit teeth dey strong, but this one dey pain like heartbreak. I dey swear for stubborn monk for my mind.

Stubborn bald monk, so what if you get holy relic? Next time I see you, I go finish you!

I dey vow. Spirit vow dey strong—if you hear thunder next week, na me dey test power.

"Ancestor, you really come back alive o!"

Old iroko voice dey like bell for my head. E carry cane, but e no fit use am for me. E dey look my face, dey measure my mood.

The old iroko spirit waka come, cane for hand, dey look me up and down, then scratch him beard.

E dey always like to gist small before wahala. This one sabi gossip pass old women for village square.

"Why you dey carry strong church aura like this? You jam Father Onyekachi?"

See as e dey look me like police dey look suspect. I just dey try hide my embarrassment.

I just lie down dey talk, no even open eye, "Yes, I fight am. I lose."

No need to form. If you see person wey fit disgrace you, just talk true.

"But e no make sense. The church aura strong die—na you dey carry am."

Old man dey always talk like say e sabi pass everybody. See as e dey twist mouth.

I...

I get mind slap am with tail, but I just hold myself.

See this old iroko, always dey talk rubbish. One day, I go peel you finish.

If not for respect, I for don give am slap. For now, I just dey reason my next move.

I kick am small, wave hand, "Abeg, commot from here. I wan sleep."

I add small hiss for mouth, rub sand for face, make e know say I dey serious.

"No respect for elder, no manners! Hmph, I no get your time."

E grumble, e waka slow like person wey leg dey pain. But I know say e still dey look my back.

The old man grumble waka go.

Small time, I jump up.

Something dey worry my mind. E be like say person dey call my spirit name from far.

Yawa—where my waist pendant?

My body just cold. You know that kain feeling when you forget pot for fire?

My precious white agate, with tassel wey I use my fox tail take braid, na for my future partner—where e dey?

Spirit nor dey play with that kind thing. If e loss, my luck fit turn upside down.

That stubborn monk must don pull am last night, throw am somewhere.

If na another spirit pick am, my story fit trend for one thousand years.

We foxes dey loyal—once we pick person, we no dey change. That waist pendant get my scent. If another spirit find am, my name don spoil be that!

If gist leak, na spiritual council fit summon me—wahala go too much.

No, I must collect am back.

Even if e mean I go back that monastery, e must drop for my hand.

I swear for my mind—if I no collect my pendant tonight, make thunder fire my fox tail.