Chapter 1: Blood for Blood in Okpoko

Seven years don waka pass since me and my padi Halima land for this strange novel world—since that day, life never remain the same. Time dey rush us like harmattan breeze, but every single day for here different from the spirit life wey we know before. Sometimes, when night heavy and generator hum for background, I go reason, 'So na so life fit just turn upside down?'

Halima bring better tori come one evening as we dey chill under the mango tree for back yard. She look me, bold as usual, and yarn me, "Morayo, if we kpai for here, na straight road back to our real house—no wahala, no delay." The thing hit me like fresh palmwine—bitter and sweet at the same time, my heart dey shake.

I try hold her hand, voice dey shake, "Halima, abeg wait!" But she just smile, that kain sad smile, and waka go. She climb that our famous Palm Grove Estate tall building, stand for edge like say she dey see past all of Lagos. Before I fit shout again, she waka off—no fear for her face. My voice stick for throat, world just freeze.

Her blood splash for Musa white agbada—red pass palm oil—everybody freeze, even breeze stop. The air just heavy, smell of kerosene and fried akara mix with blood, mosquito dey hum for corner, but nobody fit sleep that night.

The man wey, just before, dey accuse Halima of acting drama, stand there lost, eyes red, chest dey heave like stubborn generator. Musa no fit move, spirit tie him leg. Him chest dey burn, eyes dey scatter with shock.

I shift my eyes from Musa, no wan look am too long. My leg waka slow, heart dey do gbege. For another side, I see Tunde—the youth leader—dey cradle Princess Zainab like say she be egg. The gentleness shock me, you go think say na newborn baby him dey hold.

Na my own husband I dey look—Tunde, the oga for this world. For public, he dey form lion, but for this matter, him soft pass dodo for hot oil.

Inside my chest, something heavy land. After all this drama, I reason say e be like say my own waka don near. Time to find road back to my original life, before this novel world finish me.

The night Halima kpai herself, nightmare hold me tight. Sleep run from my eyes, fear grip me like say spirit tie wrapper for my neck. I dey shake for bed, dey sweat, even mosquito no fit near me that night.

I jump wake, sweat dey drip, hand and leg cold pass freezer water. My heart dey do gbege. The kind cold wey enter body na from soul, no be weather.

Before I fit compose, compound girls and boys rush enter, light kerosene lantern, cover me with Ankara wrapper. Pity full their eyes, dem dey murmur prayer, some dey fan me so evil spirit no go enter.

But my heart still dey beat like drum. Even as dem gather me, my whole body dey vibrate.

Halima voice still dey echo for my ear, like church bell for morning, I no fit block am. She talk say, "Morayo, I don find road go house. The thing wey guide us talk say our mission finish two years ago. As long as our body kpai for this world, we fit comot from the story and go back."

I remember the way her eyes shine, hope dey her voice, something I never see since we land for this world. That moment, hope almost wake up for my mind again—like when NEPA finally bring light after one week darkness.

But as I think am finish, wahala start. I begin wonder if na Halima dey talk story, or na her own wahala dey disturb her.

Truth be say, two years ago na when the whole matter change. Na there our fate bend, turn another direction.

We waka enter this world together, like people wey carry bag go village—no sabi wetin dey wait us. The guardian spirit talk say, if we finish the main tori, dem go send us back. We believe am, no reason to doubt.

To complete our mission, me and Halima marry for Okpoko tradition—she marry Musa, first son; I marry Tunde, third son. People point us for market: "See the good wives Okpoko never get before." Our name waka for everybody mouth.

We stand with those men, through hunger, festival, market fight, family celebration—no shake. Last last, Musa become chief, Tunde become youth leader. Everybody dey hail them.

Suppose say na happy ending be that, but the guardian spirit talk say one last wahala still remain. My mind no rest since that day.

Confusion enter, but we just dey live. Life na one step at a time for this our side.

Halima and Tunde love sweet pass Agege bread and butter. If I see dem, I go just smile. No wahala fit touch their matter.

Me sef no dey suffer. Musa, as chief, dey treat me well, dey respect me. He show people say I be wife wey get value.

For the late chief compound, na me be the main madam. Even small children dey greet me with respect.

But Musa mama, the main wife, no dey enjoy. The late chief pamper him side woman and the ninth son. Everybody sabi this gist for Okpoko.

Musa own na only the title. Papa no ever smile give am, even as him senior son. Sometimes, I see pain for Musa eyes.

As the last born dey grow, Musa seat dey shake like local bench for village meeting. Elders dey look am with side-eye.

When trouble full everywhere, na only me and Tunde dey Musa side. Even his mama don weak, but we no gree leave am. That time pain us well.

After plenty wahala, Musa finally become chief. The day dem crown am, rain fall but sun still shine. People talk say na sign say better days dey come.

Him first decree as chief na to make me senior wife. People clap, some dey envy, but I just dey humble, dey thank God for small mercies.

Elders parade their daughters every festival, dey show me white teeth. Musa no send, no dey collect another wife. People say e no normal for Okpoko chief, but Musa stubborn pass them.

No matter the pressure, Musa treat me like person wey dey look glass. If I cough, he go send three people. If I smile, compound go light. Sometimes I wonder wetin I do to deserve am.

Many nights, Musa go hold my hand, dey vow for moonlight: "I no go ever turn like my papa. You no go suffer. I go stand for you till last." The sincerity for his eyes dey touch me, but life get as e be.

True to village talk, man wey swear plenty go still bend. Musa break his promise, and my heart begin dey shake from that moment.

After all the fight and prayer, the peace wey we dey enjoy last only one year. Happiness for this compound dey waka with small leg.

Na after just one year, problem land. Princess Zainab, their white moonlight from childhood, return from north. The day she waka enter compound, air just change, like say spirit carry breeze come.