Chapter 2: Blood on the Corridor

Hostel matron vex small as we wake am for night, wrapper tie for chest, her face oily from sleep. But when she hear our story, fear catch her too.

"Halima, I go call your course adviser make she talk to your parents. E be like say you suppose see doctor. For now, go stay that empty room wey dey upstairs."

Halima sef dey shake, her eyes red as she go pack her load.

She quick do am, even snap her new room send for our WhatsApp group.

For the picture, she use load block the door, come write:

["I don lock door, use plenty load block am. All sharp things I don remove. No worry, I no go harm anybody."]

As we see the message, all of us pity her small.

Morayo talk, "Abi we carry the matter for head?"

But Efe no gree, "Carry ke? Wait make she break your head, you go know if we too do!"

No let Efe gentle name deceive you—her mouth sharp die, she just clear any guilt wey dey my mind.

For Naija hostel, if wahala reach this kind level, nobody dey risk am. Even if person dey pity you, na survival sure pass. If police show face, na only God know who dem go carry.

The four of us no even dey same department. As Halima move, we no see her again, some days pass, no contact.

Until, three days later, just before dawn, one loud scream scatter the hostel.

We all wake.

"Who dey shout like winch for this time?" Efe grumble, her mood no good.

Morayo rub her eye, get up find her phone, dey mumble,

"No even reach six, wetin dey happen... ahhh!"

She shock me again. "Wetin happen?"

Morayo nearly fall from bunk as she rush down.

"I...I just see for our Econs & Management WhatsApp group. Dem talk say person die for our hostel building."

"Wetin?"

Me and Efe face change.

Efe ask quick, "Which room? How e take happen?"

Morayo dey shake, check her phone again. Her face don white like person wey see masquerade for afternoon.

"Na the floor wey dey our head," she talk, voice dey shake. "The person head dem split into two. Dem say... e be like say na watermelon dem cut."

Girls dey gather for corridor, whisper dey fly like mosquito for hot night. Nobody wan sleep alone again.

The gist fly fast for campus. Even those wey no like tori, dem go still use ear hear am. Before assembly bell ring, everybody for hostel don dey whisper.