Chapter 4: Assembly Rules

That year, class prefect Musa na oga for school.

E dey always dey first for assembly, e sabi every principal’s rule. That assembly bell wey dey ring for 6:45 every morning, Musa na first to reach field. If wahala dey, na Musa dem go call. Even the school authority dey respect am, small pikin with big man head.

Especially for biochemistry—see am now, e wan use wetin e sabi finish work.

That biochemistry wey e pass with A1, nobody know say one day e go turn our own problem. All the science students dey look am, dey wonder how e get mind reach this level.

Musa cough two times for loudspeaker.

The cough na dry one—like cough wey come from deep pain. Everybody look up, some dey rub chest, dey pray say e no be final warning.

“If you sabi who do am, stand for window.”

The instruction land again, as if e dey beg us to confess. Everybody dey sweat, mouth dey dry. One girl dey whisper Hail Mary.

“If you no know, stand for door.”

Some boys dey joke say, "I better go door, na there dem dey find escape." But nobody really smile, everybody dey on edge.

Everybody dey look each other. Some dey fear, some just pick side sharp.

Some dey look their bestie for eye, others dey use body block window like say e fit save dem. Some dey avoid eye contact. The room cold, but everybody dey sweat.

My old seatmate, Kemi, hold my hand: “Ngozi, which side we go choose?”

Her hand cold like ice. She dey look me with eye wey dey beg, as if I be the only one wey fit save her. I hold her tight, whisper say, “Follow your heart.”

Big Tunde, class secretary, stand between both groups, try beg for everybody.

Big Tunde na peacekeeper since JS1. E voice always calm. As e talk, people dey listen small, but fear still dey their face.

“Musa, that year you save us, but now you wan kill us? If you get something for mind, come talk face to face. Amaka na good girl—I no believe say na any of us cause her death.”

Big Tunde voice get passion. The girls nod, some dey wipe tear. The boys for window look ground, nobody wan talk. Silence dey fill the room again.

“Even if person do am... you no fit carry all of us join body.”

The way Tunde talk am, you go know say e dey reason the class like family. Everybody dey hold breath, dey wait for Musa answer.

That year, na all of us get lost for bush when we go mountain. If no be Musa stand for cliff edge, use the only phone call police, we for freeze die.

That mountain trip na legend for our set. We trek tire, some people dey cry, some dey pray. Na Musa use sense, climb small rock, raise him phone for network, call rescue. Everybody hail am after.

When rescue team bring me down, I see Musa papa slap am for corner.

The slap loud. Everybody pretend say dem no see, but dem hear am well. Musa papa na strict man, e no dey smile.

“Who send you make you call police! You no know say you fit put me for wahala?”

Na so e be for Naija—sometimes, even good deed dey get wahala. Musa just stand, him face hard, but tears dey him eye.

I turn my face, pretend say I no see, but I still hear Musa reply: “Na the life of the whole class.”

That day, my respect for Musa grow. Even though e papa vex, Musa stand for truth.

...

The memory still dey fresh, the class wey once be like family now don scatter. I dey reason say this na where everything begin change.

Everybody agree with Big Tunde.

The whole class dey chorus, "Musa, abeg!" Even the tough guys dey nod. Some people dey hug themselves, as if e go protect them from spirit.

“Musa, show face. Make we talk. We no go use number press you.”

Big Tunde raise him hand as if e dey take oath. Some girls dey clap, others dey wipe face. The tension just dey hang like old curtain.

E be like say voice from another world dey mock us—inside my head, I dey hear...

[Barrage]

“These people weak. He fit kill una one by one—why una dey beg talk face to face?”

“1:47, wetin talk go change? If you wan kill, kill joor.”

“Abeg, stop to argue, person go die this round.”

[End of barrage]

You go know say some people dey use our pain play. I dey reason say life no just balance.

After everywhere quiet for long, loudspeaker sound again. Musa no answer Big Tunde or the rest.

The sound dey echo, as if the speaker dey inside my skull. Everybody just dey stand, no move.

“People wey stand for door fit commot for classroom.”

The iron door open by itself, and people wey stand for door rush out, dey shout.

As the door open, breeze blow enter. Some people run, some crawl. I dey shake as I dey see dem waka out like goats.

Me, I stand for window, my mind just dey shake.

My palm dey sweat. The wall wey I dey lean on, e cold reach bone. I dey reason if I make mistake for where I choose.

I dey whisper: “Na only if you talk true, you fit survive, na only if you talk true...”

Na so my mama dey pray. As I repeat am, my voice dey tremble, but I no stop. The words dey taste bitter for mouth.

Suddenly, serious scream come from outside.

The scream carry power, e pass the one wey I hear for hospital one time. Everybody look window, but nobody fit move close.

Then white smoke, the smell of blood full everywhere for the floor.

The smoke roll inside room, thick like fufu water. The blood smell, e hard, e turn my belly. I bend, hold my chest, dey pray say make I no vomit.