Chapter 2: Red Dress for River Side

One time, my business for warehouse plenty, I dey work overtime reach late. By the time I dey come back, everywhere quiet, no single soul for road, only my torchlight and night breeze dey my companion. Time don pass eleven.

My shop no too far from my papa house, so na leg I dey use. As I near that old wooden bridge, I see Tunde, e just dey sit for bridgehead, eyes dey shine for darkness.

As e see me, e start to bark, voice rough, as if e dey warn me make I no cross. The kain bark na the one wey dey make person heart skip. E even surprise me because Tunde no dey bark for night normally.

I talk try near am, say, 'Tunde, abeg shift. Na me, na.' I call am by name—na my uncle name am Tunde, after one of him best friends. But today, the dog no even send me, e flash me im teeth, eyes red, like say e go bite if I stubborn.

Anger just enter my body. Na me dey feed this dog from back, e dey form hard guy for me? Na so I just kick am for side. Because e leg don bad, e no fit dodge, e just shift small, dey whine. As I try waka pass, e grab my trouser, jaw tight, no gree free me at all.

My anger double. I kick am again, and again, before e finally release trouser. Na so I bone am, waka cross bridge.

But as I step onto the bridge, I see say person dey for front. My body stiff. For Naija, to see person for lonely bridge by that kain time no be play.

Na one girl, wear long red spaghetti gown, the kain wey dey sweep ground as she waka. Her skin white like chalk, like say she dey hide from sun since independence. You fit see say harmattan go carry her if breeze blow.

As I waka near, I check her face—white like chalk, eyes deep. She talk with soft voice, beg me make I help her cross, say she dey fear the dog, no fit waka alone.

My chest dey drum like talking drum, sweat dey drip for my back, but I no wan show fear. I dey wonder—na Tunde scare her reach this level? The dog no be mad dog. I tell her, 'No worry, that dog just dey make mouth, e no dey bite. See, I don even kick am today, e no do me anything.'

But the girl still dey tremble, dey beg. I see say her hand dey shake, na real fear hold am. So I just nod, say make I help am cross.

As we reach where Tunde dey, the dog just change. The kain bark wey e release, I never hear am before. E jump, rush the girl, dey bark with all im strength. Before I fit react, na so Tunde bite the girl leg.

I shock scatter, kick Tunde commot. E roll for ground, but before I fit arrange myself, e limp come back, dey rush the girl again.

The girl hide behind me, her hand grab my shoulder. Omo, her hand cold pass freezer ice block—no be ordinary harmattan cold.

The thing dey vex me. I reason say, this dog, after all my pity, after food I dey waste on top am, na like this e wan disgrace me? If people hear say e bite person, dem no go waste time before dem finish am.

I panic, break one dry tree branch for there, flog Tunde, shout make e commot. The beating loud—bridge sef dey echo. Tunde whine, run go one side, but e no wan go far, e still dey look back, eyes sharp, dey watch us.

I just sigh, tell the girl say I go follow her reach house. The wahala for my body no be small.

Even though we chase Tunde commot from family house since, I still dey try defend am. I tell the girl sorry, say the dog no dey bite before, I no know wetin dey do am lately. Maybe as e don dey live alone, e don dey act somehow.

The girl no too talk, na just small nod she give me. So we just waka in silence.

Night heavy, air thick, no streetlight, na only our two shadows dey drag for ground. I dey hold my phone like torch, but everywhere still dark. You no go fit see person shadow sef. Night like this, even strong man dey fear. For girl to waka alone, e no easy.

As we reach her side, na one old house by river edge. The house old sotey e dey look like dem for demolish am since, only say nobody get mind. One tiny bungalow, roof dey leak. She open door small, turn ask if I go enter. I say no, make I dey go house go rest.

She no drag am, just dey look Tunde for distance, then she ask, 'You fit come pick me tomorrow night?' The way she talk am, e dey soft.

Me, I get plenty work for shop, but I just gree.

She step inside, but no close door finish. She say make air enter. I no too argue, just stand for door small, then carry Tunde waka back.

As I dey waka go, I look back, see small yellow bulb dey shine inside house. The girl dey stand behind half-open door, eyes dey follow us as we dey go.

As I drag Tunde away, the girl eyes follow me—sharp, cold, like say she dey see through my soul.

I raise hand, tap Tunde head. 'No dey cause wahala again. See as you scare the girl? E no good.' The dog just wag tail, tongue dey out, e body don calm.

I know say na hunger dey worry am, but my heart still dey pity am. Even after all the wahala, I carry two sausage from my pocket, drop for ground. 'Tunde, abeg no bite person again o. If dem hear for here say dog bite person, na straight to village square for judgement.'

I waka go house, crash for bed. Morning reach, I see Tunde by riverbank, dey wait for anybody to throw food. For day, e dey gentle like new born. People dey pass, e go wag tail, dey play, dey show teeth like say e dey smile. Night come, e go turn something else.

No be lie, as old people dey talk, for night animal dey show real colour. For day, dem fit pretend like angel.

That night after work, I pass bridge again. Tunde rush me dey bark, I just kick am go one side. The girl dey wait for bridge as usual, her red dress dey drag sand.

Tunde still block am, dey bark loud.

I smile give her, she nod, eyes shy, hand cold as usual, hold my own. Even though her hand dey chill, my heart dey beat kparakpo. Me wey no dey chase girls, this kain fine babe just dey hold my hand like say na romance novel.

This time, I look am well—face fine, skin white, body slim. I quickly shift eye, make I no go think bad thing.

I no dey dream say I go save fine girl, come fall in love. Me wey be ordinary shop keeper, which level I dey?

As I dey reason am, Tunde bark again, rush come. The girl hold me tight, body dey shake. My head dey turn, my hand dey rest for her shoulder.

I just hold her steady. She no struggle, just dey breathe fast. I vex, kick Tunde for side. This time, e no bite her, na my trouser e hold, refuse let me go escort the girl.

I tap Tunde nose—dog nose dey pain, e whine run commot, limp go one side.

I lead the girl waka for riverside path. As we waka, I realize say I dey hold her hand, she just dey look ground, dey thank me with soft voice, 'God bless you.'

I try calm myself. This time, I gree talk well. She say her name na Halima, dey work for textile factory for nearby town. I laugh, say my mama sef dey work textile, but her hand soft like say she no dey do labour. She smile, say na accountant she be.

Halima gown long, e dey mop ground, I just dey pity the dress, as mud dey stain am.

We reach her house, she invite me enter again. This time, I dey reason say maybe chance dey. As I dey step inside, Tunde just rush from nowhere, bite my leg sharp.

Omo, my body pain me sotey I shout, 'Wetin dey do this dog?!' Halima fear rush inside house, dey cry.

Tunde grip my leg, dey drag me out, refuse leave. I dey punch am, e no let go, drag me towards outside.

Halima dey beg from window, 'Please, send the dog away!' My anger just burst. I nearly finish Tunde that night if no be say e run.

I limp go house, dey drag leg, dey vex. My papa, mama see my wound, rush come ask. I just cover mouth, say na stray dog bite me—if I talk say na Tunde, dem for kill am before day break.

My mama curse, 'God abeg, make this thing no get wahala!' She rub palm oil join iodine, dey mutter, "Evil spirit no go near my pikin." She rush bring iodine, clean wound, force me go clinic take anti-rabies injection.

For road, I dey think of Halima. I ask my mama if she sabi any Halima for textile factory. She nod, say she know the family, say dem no too get money, dem dey manage. E make me rest small—at least, e balance with the kain house I see.

No be say I dey judge, but make I no go dey dream pass my lane, as people dey talk say frog no dey marry swan.