Chapter 6: Fire for Upstairs

I rush go upstairs, ready knock Halima door.

My mind dey race, leg dey shake. I dey pray say make e no be wetin I dey think.

But the door don lock from inside, and Halima dey scream well from inside.

Her voice crack, e be like say na lion dey drag her. I knock the door hard, shout for Ruth, she rush come with key.

Halima scream mix with round-head bros wicked laugh.

The laugh get one kind devilish sound. My body just dey do me one kind.

My hand dey shake, but I remember Mama voice—“No let woman suffer for your front.” I know say I no fit wait.

I step back, use leg break the door open with all my power.

My toe pain me, but I no send. Wetin I see shock me.

Halima tie for bed, her body full of whip mark.

Her face swell, her leg dey bleed. Candle wax dey drip for her thigh. The smell for room change, e no be like before.

And the round-head bros dey use candle press her skin.

His eyes red, he dey sweat, na like say na ogogoro dey power am. Halima dey shout from pain as candle dey burn her.

The noise loud pass generator. Ngozi run come stand for back, dey shout, "Tolu! Help am!"

My heart just sink.

Na like say everything freeze. I wan cry, but I gree myself. I rush hold the man.

Just one look, I know say this round-head bros high on something.

The smell for him body na pure gin and cheap weed. The kind madness wey dey his face no be here.

I grab him for collar, throw am for ground.

The force wey I use na like say I dey do wrestling. He land for ground, begin dey groan.

The round-head bros come clear from the fall.

For small second, e be like say e regain himself. He stand up, point me, shout, "Who tell you make you enter? Comot!"

Him eye dey red, voice dey shake. Ruth untie Halima, dey shout, "Tolu, abeg, throw am comot!"

Her hand dey shake, she dey try hold Halima wey dey cry. My own anger just dey boil for body.

The round-head bros wan protest, but I just drag am downstairs, push am outside.

He dey shout, dey curse, but I no gree hear. The street people begin gather small, dey look as I push am out.

"Oga, carry your wahala go. No ever come here again."

My voice loud, I point am for road. Even my chest dey rise, sweat dey my face.

As he see my power, his voice begin shake. "You no fear police?"

He look me up and down, like say him dey size me.

I just hiss, "Try am. Na you go enter wahala for intentional injury."

I dey use street sense, make am reason say na him dey wrong.

As he see say e no fit fear me, round-head bros spit, "Okay, just wait. I dey come back with my people."

The spit nearly touch my shoe, but I no send. For this kind matter, na gra-gra dey win.

He run, and as I return, I see Halima curl for Ruth hand, dey cry, her makeup don scatter with tears.

Ngozi dey pour water for her head, dey try rub balm for her leg. The room smell of menthol and sweat. Everybody face just strong.

Ruth dey try calm her, then look me. "Clean everywhere. We go close shop for some days."

She try hold strong, but her voice dey break small. I just nod, carry mop, begin clean. Even my own hand dey shake.

This kind wahala don happen before, but this one different.

Ruth don warn us about dangerous customers, but this one na real evil. Halima still dey shake, dey whisper prayer.

Ngozi just dey whisper, “Chineke, biko chebe anyi.”

The round-head bros na Palm Grove Estate person.

Na those people dey form oga for street. If dem vex, dem fit call police, fit bring area boys. Na so e be for Lagos.

Ruth don tell us before—if anybody dey cause trouble, throw am out, except na Palm Grove people.

She dey always talk, "If dem mention Palm Grove, use your head. No carry their wahala." But this one, na life matter.

Palm Grove Estate get both street and legal power. Na because of them police never scatter this street.

Their chairman dey buy fuel for police station. Dem dey run things. If dem talk, everybody dey answer.

Anytime dem need anything, na here dem dey come.

From manicure to massage, sometimes na only cruise dem dey find.

All the massage shops here don turn their playground.

If dem come for us, nobody go escape.

Dem fit lock shop, collect your money, even carry your staff. Na Lagos life.

Ruth tell Yewande make she carry Halima go health centre.

Yewande carry wrapper, tie for Halima, help her waka. Ngozi follow dem. For this Lagos, if you no get girl padi, e fit bad.

Then she just slump for settee, quiet.

Her eye dey red, her hand dey cover face. I dey feel for her. For her mind, na big wahala dey come.

I know say if that round-head bros no go too far, Ruth no go ever try vex for am.

Na only person wey get mind dey challenge Palm Grove people. Ruth dey always play smart, but this one na push come shove.

Now, as I don chase am, wahala dey come.

Even my chest dey drum, my hand dey cold. For Lagos, if you stand for woman, na double-edged sword.

True true, no too long, round-head bros come back with backup.

The whole street quiet. Even the afternoon sun wey dey shine for gutter quiet small as dem enter.

Even keke people begin clear road as dem see the kind convoy wey dey approach.