Chapter 5: A New Name, A New Fate

All the small courage wey I gather to shout just vanish. Why he come dey look more scary? He wan beat me?

Sweat dey my forehead, but body cold. I no fit talk. My throat just close.

I drop my head, guilty. The people behind dey happy more.

I fit hear Halima voice: “See her, soft like bread. Oga Musa go soon vex.”

“She still dey cry, now Oga Musa go hate her more, maybe e go soon pursue her.”

“Even if e no pursue her, e go give her warning. See as she dey form big girl, just small work, she don dey cry. She think say she still be Okafor family pikin? This our place too small for her wahala.”

My face fall. Musa no go really pursue me, abi?

I dey beg God for mind, 'Make dem no disgrace me for farm front.'

Na that time, WhatsApp comments flash for my eye again.

[This your pity face dey make Musa craze.]

[Baby, no mind that him strong face. For your side, him go dey loyal like dog.]

I freeze, dey look the WhatsApp comments.

[Baby, abeg no cry. Call am brother, you go see say he go do all your work from now.]

[Musa get power, sabi work, and him dey pamper him woman. Baby, you no go lose.]

I wan slap myself, make I confirm say na true I dey see all this.

My face dey hot. Which kind wahala be this...

I remember the subtitles I see last night. So e no be dream. The WhatsApp comments wey I see yesterday na real...

I dey reason say maybe na my guardian angel dey use WhatsApp style take advise me, because e no get as my battery still dey last since last week.

As I dey think, I gather small liver look Musa. He still dey stand for my front, frown, him black eyes still dey look me steady.

All the people wey dey gossip before don pause. Even Halima mouth no fit close.

He tall, strong, wear singlet, him bare arm almost reach my waist in size. Muscles full everywhere, him fist be like say if e touch you, wahala. All my gra-gra just run.

The sun dey shine for him skin. You go fear.

I wipe my tears, dey reason if all these WhatsApp comments na true. Why e be like say he wan beat me?

The silence for farm just dey heavy. Even grasshopper stop to jump.

As he see my red eyes and say I no talk, Musa frown even more, face dark. He waka come near, heat from him body dey reach me.

He ask again with him deep voice, “Why you dey cry?”

His shadow cover me. My mind dey run, my hand dey tremble. I wan dig ground hide.

I shrink, fear grip me. E even scarier…

WhatsApp comments:

[Baby, form small.]

[Call am brother, make am dey do your work.]

[Baby, no fear, your time to shine don reach.]

[Just talk to am soft, you go see say work go finish for your hand, true true.]

No need to work again, true?

I close eye, swallow spit. I remember how I dey talk to my small brother when I want make am buy me gala for junction.

I look Musa, half believe, half fear. I close eye, use the same soft voice wey I dey use for my brothers when I dey act baby, I talk:

“Brother Musa, my hand dey pain me.”

My voice even get small sob—na fear cause am.

Everybody for farm just freeze. You fit hear pin drop. Even Musa frown soft small. I no know if na laugh or surprise dey show for him face. Na so village wahala fit turn blessing sometimes—if to say I dey city, all this drama for no happen. But as Musa eye meet my own, I know say my wahala just dey start. Village get its own way to test person heart—tomorrow go show.

*Note: 'youth corper' na the 'educated youth' wey dem send go village for national service for Nigeria. Dem call am 'NYSC – National Youth Service Corps.' For village, corpers na big people but work still dey their hand, especially when supervisor like Musa dey in charge. Everybody dey watch corpers to see if dem go survive village life or run go back city.*