Chapter 2: Mountain Spirits and Morning Regrets

2

Everywhere for camp quiet, moon and stars dey shine silver light.

Na that kain night, if you open eye well, you fit see your destiny for sky.

Na moon lead me go back of the tents. True true, just small waka, slope dey there; she just dey half-lie for ground, small night lamp by her side, dey look sky.

She just dey there like queen of the night, body dey relax, no fear. The kind boldness wey dey her face, na only big city girls dey get am.

The scene too fine.

If painter see this kind view, na masterpiece e go produce.

I look back—the slope block everywhere from camp, e far small.

For bush, nobody dey waka anyhow for night, so this kind risk na adventure wey dey inside blood.

I no even know why I dey do this, like say I don do am before.

For my mind, I dey talk, "Na so my village people go hear this story?"

As I reach near, na then I notice say, just some meters ahead, na cliff dey. I fit hear water dey flow below.

That kain sound dey make person humble. E go remind you say, one mistake, na obituary.

“E fine well well. I never see sky like this before,” she talk, just lean enter my arms as I sit down.

Her head rest for my chest, as if na old lovers we be. I feel her breath, slow and sure. That kind peace na only for mountain you fit find am.

All my shakara just disappear. I put my hand for her shoulder, my hand just rest for her chest like say na normal thing.

No more pretense. Her skin cold, but my hand dey tingle like when you touch battery wire.

We just dey like two lovers wey don fall deep, dey whisper anyhow, our body dey touch anyhow, no shame. The mountain breeze just dey blow, everywhere dey smell like say na only desire dey our mind.

Na as if na village juju dey push us. The silence dey urge us on.

As our lips touch, I make up my mind—who dey talk love or marriage? Life short. Make I enjoy am, just this once.

Na mountain breeze dey blow as our body dey lock together. The world shrink to only two of us. Our hands dey explore, na only stars dey bear witness.

With stars as our blanket, ground as our bed, na so we just dey fire, dey make love for there.

If na film, dem for fade screen. But for bush, na real, cold sand dey scratch back, wind dey slap nyash, joy still dey.

Sand dey scratch my back, but na her laughter dey sweet me pass.

She no dey hide herself at all.

Her laughter sharp, no cover mouth, na like say she dey challenge night spirits. E get as e dey do man.

As everything hot reach peak, she just dey shake, no fit stop. Me sef, I forget fear, just follow her wildness.

No shame for mountain, no worry of tomorrow. The wildness dey sweet, body dey tangle, two spirits dey jam like festival.

After, we lie side by side, mountain breeze dey pass between us.

Small silence enter. Our breath dey sync like say na music.

“Maybe na only once I go come here for my life. Now, I no get regret again,” she talk soft.

Her voice low, but e heavy. For bush, every word dey echo for soul.

I just smile small. “No start dey talk emotional yet—I get one bad news for you.”

I dey try lighten mood, but I dey feel small guilty for inside. E no easy.

She look me, fear catch her, look around. “No scare me abeg.”

The way her eye widen, na like small pikin wey thief sweet for kitchen.

I point the cliff. “As you dey enjoy yourself just now, na so your phone fly go down.”

I try talk am soft, but the wahala big. I dey expect her to vex.

“Ah!” She jump up, wan run go cliff. I grab her, pull her back.

She dey struggle, but fear no let her move too far. My hand firm for her waist.

“E too risky. Make we wait till morning find am. But no too hope—if we see am, e fit don spoil.”

Bush no be city. Na patience fit save person life for mountain.

She just look me, vex small, but nothing she fit do.

Her face change—small tear dey for her eye, but she hide am quick. That kind pain, e touch me.

“No phone, wahala dey.”

No be small matter. Phone na lifeline for city babe, na there all her gist and small work dey.

“No phone, but you still get me, abi?”

I talk am with smile, but I dey hope say she go catch joke.

She dress up, stand, give me one kind look, her body language just cold instantly.

Her shoulder high, chin up—she no wan show weakness for man front.

“Na just cruise. No need make you dey carry am for head.”

Her voice sharp, like person wey dey set boundary. For her mind, she don draw line, I gats respect am.