Chapter 1: The Number That Echoed

2, 15, 40, 77, 165, __

This na sequence wey dem wan make you fill the blank.

But e also be the dying message wey one correct student drop.

After the guy finish the last hard maths question for the high school entrance exam, na im e write this line of numbers for im answer sheet.

Then, he jump. Na so im end im life, silent, just like that.

As people dey waka pass that exam hall, life still dey go on. Some dey chase okada, some dey shout for suya, but inside that moment, for that school, everywhere freeze. Na so Ifedike fade, like candle wey breeze blow.

This kain thing happen during the 2004 high school entrance exam.

The last subject: mathematics.

That year own maths exam hard well—even the teachers wey dey invigilate sef dey confuse for some questions.

For the whole exam hall, na only Ifedike Okoye, the guy wey always dey carry first for im class, dey calm as if nothing dey happen.

The boy just dey solve like say dem dash am the answers for dream. E no even look up when bell ring. Na only e eyebrow dey squeeze, like say e dey try crack hard kernel.

He finish the whole answer sheet, even the last part of the last question.

Na so he arrange im biro proper, cross leg under the table, look window small, as if breeze dey call am.

Half an hour before the exam finish, Ifedike just drop im pen, climb window, scale the railing, and jump down like fish wey dey leap for water.

The students wey see am just dey scream anyhow.

One small girl even faint, the rest dey shout ‘Jesu!’, ‘Blood of Jesus!’—wahala just burst. Teachers scatter, everybody run enter corridor. My chest tight like person wey swallow dry fufu without water.

Everywhere scatter.

Noise dey increase, wahala full everywhere. One teacher begin shout on top of im voice, "Everybody sit down! Make una no run!" but nobody gree hear. Some people dey cry, some dey call phone, others dey kneel dey pray. For Naija, where life dey hard but hope still dey, this kain thing na big abomination.

The best student, Ifedike Okoye, don jump from building.

Im skull scatter, he die for the spot.

The blood wey flow for ground, e red pass zobo. Some people dey cover face, some dey look ground, some dey whisper. That kind death, e heavy for body.

To make sure say he go die, Ifedike use both arms shield im chest as he dey fall, make im head hit ground first.

The CCTV camera capture everything.

Me, as police, I don see plenty crime scene and CCTV footage, but the way I see Ifedike take jump still dey give me cold body. Even me, wey don see blood for work, still dey shake for leg. That kain quiet before storm, you go feel am for bone.

How small boy for JS3 go get that kind mind to die?

How he take manage remain calm till the end?

Some say na jazz, some say na curse, but the truth still dey far.

But as I begin learn more about Ifedike, I realise say this case no be ordinary one at all.

E deep pass as I first think.

Ifedike na real genius.

He win first prize for state Mathematical Olympiad, represent our state for national competition, still enter top ten for the whole country.

Dem even show im picture for NTA one time, call am ‘future hope’. E mama dey always carry am waka for church, people dey hail am.

Because of all these, Christ Redeemer College don already admit am—na just formality he dey do for the entrance exam.

After the wahala, education people carry im answer sheet for early marking. See im scores: English 125 (over 150), Maths 150 (full mark), Yoruba 141 (over 150), Physics 120 (full mark), Chemistry 99 (over 100), Civic Education 95 (over 100).

With these scores, na at least top five for the whole city.

E no get how say na exam wahala make am kill himself.

But the thing wey confuse everybody pass be say, after he finish the last maths question, he drop one number sequence:

2, 15, 40, 77, 165, __

Na im last sign wey he leave for this world.

Im last words to all of us.

E clear say this question get serious connection to Ifedike death.

Our criminal investigation team, through education people, send the question go meet city maths experts.

All the experts, with all their big grammar, no fit solve am.

Some carry calculator, some dey use computer, some dey debate for WhatsApp group. None of them fit break the code.

Even though police order make everybody keep mouth, for our small town, news dey fly fast.

Genius pikin get correct score, then jump from building, come leave one number puzzle. Everybody begin talk.

Even mama Ifeoma for pure water kiosk, dey use am gossip for customer. Some dey say na Illuminati sign. Naija people no dey carry last for story.

People begin guess why Ifedike die, and the rumour just dey grow anyhow.

Some talk say na exam malpractice ring, some say na teacher wey dey do bad thing, some even dey talk about juju...

Some women for market talk say ‘dem don use im star’. Some boys for street talk say Ifedike join cult. Everybody get opinion.

Later, we discover say Ifedike get record for depression treatment, confirm say he don dey suffer am before he die. We quick close the case as suicide because of depression, make people no talk too much.

But for inside my mind, I dey wonder: which small pikin go get depression reach to jump? E pain me well.

I think say the matter don end.

But Ifedike death na just the beginning. Bigger wahala dey hide behind.

The darkness wey dey follow this case never clear. E dey like harmattan haze: you fit see only small distance.