Chapter 4: Under Star, Guide Must Learn

For side of Big Round Post, thick rope dey hang—old tool wey dem leave before. My cousin sharp, climb up, throw down rope ladder.

Everybody dey hail am—na so hero dey start. Rope ladder shake, but everybody dey push, dey shout encouragement.

With push and pull, everybody climb, pitch tent, light fire, rest.

Na so tent dey full top rock, fire dey burn small. Somebody dey play song for phone, but network no dey—na only offline jam go play.

For night food, dem dey share chin-chin and agege bread, one of the women dey sprinkle suya spice for sausage, another dey chew groundnut. The smell just blend with bush air—na real Naija picnic.

Night come, black like charcoal, swallow everywhere. Even breeze self black.

If you look down, na only darkness you go see. Na only moon and star dey give light. Small cold dey bite skin.

Once you no fit see the tree sea again, star just burst for sky—plenty, bright, fine reach say everybody dey shout.

Everybody dey point finger, dey call name of star, even if dem no sabi astronomy. Na wonder dey bush that night.

So fine, so many, so bright—e make life just be like play.

Person fit forget all wahala for city. For that moment, na only happiness dey chest.

Zainab point sky, say her grandma dey call that bright star “Aja’s eye”—the one wey dey watch hunters. Everybody clap, one man say, “Make Aja no catch us for here o!” Laughter just full air.

“You still dey fresh, abi?” My cousin just come sit by me, give me small bottle of ogogoro.

The ogogoro dey burn chest, but e dey warm body. For bush, na this kain thing dey help you forget cold.

I no understand why e ask, I just wave am.

I dey try hide fear—no want make am see say my mind dey shake small.

“Guy.” My cousin bone face, put hand for my shoulder, whisper, “No matter wetin happen tonight, behave like say you no see or hear anything.”

E voice deep, e eye dey serious. E dey warn me—bush get eyes, no talk wetin you see.

I begin fear small. “See… hear wetin?”

For my mind, I dey reason—hope no be juju. But I gree, na so bush work dey be.

“Anything wey happen, just listen to me. If you want collect your own share later, you go learn how to find enjoyment inside stress. For this hustle, na sharp eye and strong mind dey pay. If you no fit, go farm for village or go hustle for city, but no follow me again. You hear?”

E dey test my courage—bush life no be beans. E dey give me option: either I accept, or I waka go back village.

I understand everything, but e be like say e dey talk big thing.

For my chest, I dey know say this work get wahala, but na so life dey move. You go pick your struggle, carry am like load.

“I gree… I swear, I go listen to you, no matter wetin happen.”

I raise hand, do sign—oath for bush dey carry weight. If you break am, na you sabi.

E tap me for back, waka go. I see the four men gather one side, my cousin join dem.

Dem dey plot, dey share drink. On the other side, women dey laugh, dey point star, dey tell story. For this kain night, anything fit happen. Bush get eye, and star dey watch.