Chapter 11: Halima's Wrath

Today for afternoon, person wey I no wan see reach house. Even though I never see Halima for years, once I see her, my body just dey shake. Halima na Suleiman younger sister. The first time I see her for gate, her eye sharp like blade.

When Suleiman dey do me bad, na she once try help me. That time, I think say na she be my only hope. She tell me make I no fear her brother, say she go protect me, say nobody go fit touch me if she dey.

Later, I find out say na because she dey fight her brother. So as dem settle, she join to dey do me anyhow. She once gather girls, corner me for bathroom, snap me anyhow. Last last, all the photos land for Suleiman hand. That memory pain me sotey, as I see Halima, I nearly rush go vomit.

She no like me too. When Suleiman come find me, force me marry am, na Halima protest pass. She insult me for face, say I no reach, wonder why her brother pick me. Now as she see me, she just dey form. But I no gree wait make she start drama, so I glare back at her. The tension fit cut with knife.

She just cross hand, hiss: "Zainab, my brother dey spoil you too much!"

...

"I dey tell you, from today, you and me na enemies!" "No ever think say I go gree make you enter our family!" Her voice high, she dey shake her finger for my face. To talk true, sometimes she just dey behave like pikin. I no know why she come today, but her kind wahala... no mean anything.

...

"Brother, abeg break up with this girl now!" Na when Suleiman come house I know why she come. So all her noise, na because she no wan make I marry Suleiman. For this one, me and her dey the same side. Suleiman try touch my hair, I dodge am. He just look down, im voice low: "Break up no dey possible!"

...

Halima stamp leg, glare at me. I roll my eyes, no know say Suleiman dey look. He just laugh small: "Brother, stop to dey spoil her! See as you don change because of her..." Im voice get small pride, but pain dey inside.

...

For dinner, Halima just dey talk till Suleiman warn am: "Eat your food quietly!" Na then she quiet. The spoon loud for plate, the food just dey tasteless for my mouth, I no even get appetite. Plus, I still dey feel like vomit.

After food, Suleiman go pick call. Na only me and Halima dey table. Of course, I no wan stay, but as I dey stand, she call me. My head dey turn, she self dey blur for my eye.

Then she show her real self: "Zainab, I still get those your photos!" "Till today, I dey look am dey laugh, tsk tsk..." "You know how useless you look for those pictures? Na only that one you sabi?" "You no even reach to warm my brother bed..." She no finish.

Because I don carry kettle, pour am for her head. The hot water scatter her hair, makeup run. Her scream loud reach everywhere, her makeup scatter. Her cry bring her brother come. "She pour water for me!" Halima dey cry loud.

House girls rush enter, some dey shout Jesus, others dey run go bring towel. Everybody dey scatter, nobody sure wetin to do first. The kitchen dey hot with wahala, their feet dey slap tile as dem waka fast.

Suleiman just stand, dey look me. Im mouth dey open, e no know wetin to talk. I no know wetin dey do me. Before, no matter wetin Suleiman do, I no dey vex like this. But this time, I no fit hold myself. I look Halima, talk am one by one:

"Na you be the real witch."

...

Everywhere just quiet for long. Even Halima stop to cry. Na when I feel the hot pain for my face I realize—my tongue touch my cheek. I no believe am. Suleiman slap me. Just because I insult im sister.

I look up, my eyes wide, but everywhere just dey blur—the chandelier too bright. Suleiman shock pass me. Then he call my name, panic. I no even hear am. I no want hear am.

I pick fruit knife for table, stab myself for belle. Funny enough, even that time, I still dey hope small—Even as blood dey soak my cloth, I dey pray—make Suleiman fit love this pikin, even if he no fit love me.