Chapter 2: Gossip, Juju Pills, and Bell Wahala

"See as that human and that demon dey together again."

The way their voice sharp, you go think say we carry yansh for head. Their shadow long for ground, and their wrapper na correct celestial material, as dem waka pass like peacock.

"Abeg, na so e dey. Useless people dey find themselves."

One of them even turn mouth, eye roll as if say we thief their destiny. If dem see us for night, dem go cross road. Na so dem dey fear us, like say we be mad dog for junction.

The celestial maidens waka pass, their cold eyes full of yeye as dem look our side.

I fit hear dem whisper, but me and Ijeoma no even send. For our side, life dey sweet pass that their fake holiness. You go think say na only dem holy, but na mouth dem get.

Me and Lu Ijeoma don tire for this kind thing. We just dey chop our roasted goat meat inside pavilion, we no send anybody.

That meat, if you smell am, your mind go travel go home. Roasted with small suya pepper and dem sprinkle ogiri for inside—hmm! Our own happiness no dey depend on who get celestial root or not.

"How many juju pills you don thief? The main iyawo go soon land, abi? Make we dey go," I talk as I dey munch meat.

I use style cover my mouth so make pepper no fly enter eye. I even look left, look right, in case one senior go hear us.

Lu Ijeoma hiss, snatch the last meat from my hand.

That hiss loud, like generator. I wan protest but my hand weak; hunger dey bite.

"You don chop your own! Leave this one for me."

She just drop her juju pouch for my side, like say na nothing.

"About three thousand. Check am. If e no reach, I go thief more."

She talk am with confidence, like person wey dey open market account for bank. Na so dem dey take survive for this kingdom—sharp hand, sharp mouth.

I bring out my own pouch.

As I open am, na correct ogbonge juju pills dey shine for inside. Some pink, some blue, some even get powder for top.

"I get over two thousand here. Abeg, try thief from Oba’s son again—make we round am up to 8,888 for luck."

I still count am for hand, dey reason whether na today I go japa from this place.

Lu Ijeoma: "...You think Oba’s son dey run chemist? Five thousand pills fit keep us alive reach eternity."

She eye me like say my sense travel. But, true talk, for Celestial Kingdom, everything na luck and connection. Even juju pill get e own wahala.

Na that time, we hear one bell for sky—distant, like spirit dey play am.

The sound sharp, like shrine bell for village, but this one different. Spirit bell dey get own way wey e dey ring person ear.

We drop meat, jump up, fear catch us.

My hand even shake, oil from meat stain my cloth. My heart dey beat, my leg dey heavy.

Wait o…

I dey reason whether na spirit bell or na dem wan announce war. But inside me, something just cold.

Na the Contest Bell.

For the original novel, this bell never ring for over five thousand years. But the moment the main iyawo ascend, e go ring three times.

"Gbooo—"

Once.

"Gbooo—"

Twice.

"Gbooo—"

Thrice.

As the bell ring, breeze blow palm fronds outside, and even the palace cat freeze for fear.

For inside my soul, na only one thing I know: e don happen, the koko don land.

The main iyawo don finally show.

I fit feel breeze wey carry small scent of palm wine and incense. Everywhere just dey hot with gossip.

Me and Lu Ijeoma run go Oke Hall.

Our slippers nearly cut as we dey run, but we no even send. You no go wan miss show wey everybody dey talk about.

The celestial mountain and river area don full, people everywhere.

You go think say na New Yam Festival. Everybody gather like say na free food dem dey share. Some even climb tree to see better.

We squeeze pass under celestial skirts, manage reach front.

One small fairy dey try push us commot, but Ijeoma just give am face—everybody respect our wahala.

One young woman in white dey stand for there, her wrapper dey fly, sword for hand, eye sharp like blade.

Her eye clear, like say she just bathe for cold river. The sword get one red line wey dey shine for blade. Her wrapper tie well, beads for ankle dey jingle small small.

She get that stubborn, proud swag—Heaven really like this one.

Na the kind confidence wey you dey see for big Igbo aunty wey no dey fear anybody. Her mouth never twist, she just dey look everywhere like say na her father land.

Oba’s son, wear white with golden embroidery, dey stand for front.

The white na pure white—no dust. Golden thread dey shine for chest, and him shoe na correct leather.

E eyes wey dey always calm, now dey shine with clear surprise.

E face dey do like person wey win jackpot. If you look am, you go notice small vein for e forehead—na so surprise hook am.

The girl in white no gree look down, she look am straight.

No be say she dey rude, but na power dey her body. Some people just born with stubborn destiny.

For that moment, e be like say the whole world vanish, na only the two of them remain.

You fit even hear the wind hush. Every spirit just freeze.

I just shake head, click tongue. "Your man sabi package o."

I use side-eye look Ijeoma, she just dey press face. Inside this kingdom, na only us dey talk true.

Lu Ijeoma nod towards another side. "Your own dey there too."

She use mouth point go left. I know say trouble dey.

I look up. True true, the General of War, Musa, dey there for silver-white armour, Ice Soul Spear for hand, face sharp and fine but blood dey for am.

The blood dey run small for e wrist, but e still dey stand like stone. Na only pride dey hold am up, I swear.

Oh, I remember—he talk say he dey go lower realm to seal demon beast today.

Dem send am to fight, but even with wound, he no gree show weakness. Na pride dey worry am.

E look rough, blood everywhere, but e still dey form hard guy.

If you see the way he hold spear, e be like say e dey pose for photo. That na real celestial packaging.

Stand for front of the new girl in white—omo, na film wey person go cry.

If dem put soundtrack now, na only violins you go hear. Even I fit feel goosebumps for my hand.

If you look well from above, na so so main character vibes go dey catch your eye.

If dem write am for book, na this kind page wey reader no go ever forget. Oke Hall wey dey always dry, today e dey shine.