Chapter 1: Naked Panic and Broken Boundaries
The person wey dey share my flat with me na one correct fine babe, ehn. You suppose see as everybody for compound dey use eye follow her—even security uncle dey always clear throat like say na audition each time she waka pass. Sometimes I dey wonder how this kind fine girl land for this our area wey no too get level.
She dey baff for bafroom while I relax for parlour, dey chop and dey watch Nollywood drama. The aroma of Indomie just dey carry for air, pepper plus small crayfish, as Genevieve dey shout for one man for TV. I shift my wrapper, stretch leg on top plastic centre table, dey catch small breeze from window. Ceiling fan dey chop air, but sweat still dey my back—Lagos heat no dey joke.
Between us, na only one yeye door dey—door wey no even get lock.
This door na pure nonsense. E just dey do kpa-kpa for hinge, anytime person waka pass, e go shake like say e wan commot. One nail even don commot, I just use am prop, dey pray make e no fall for person head.
Ah—
No warning, na so one scream burst out from bafroom, she just run comot, panic full her body. She dey shout, dey point back, her voice dey shake: "Something dey shock inside!"
The scream loud ehn, e even make my heart skip. For that moment, everywhere silent, only her voice dey echo. My spoon fall inside plate.
She no wear anything. As in, stark naked.
Chai! My two eyes see as she rush comot, no single thread. If person wan lie, this one no be dream.
Omo, e shock me. I just freeze like three seconds.
My body stiff like NEPA transformer wey dem just off. I just dey blink, dey look ceiling, dey look floor. I just dey beg my mind, "No look, no look!" but temptation strong. Abeg, make temptation no kee person.
The water heater... electric shock...
Na so she point finger, dey shiver, water still dey drip from her body. My own fear sef join, because NEPA matter no dey get part two.
See ehn, no matter where NEPA dey misbehave, at least wear cloth first na!
Abeg, NEPA dey craze, but you fit craze pass dem if you no quick cover yourself. Wetin my eye go tell my conscience now?