Chapter 5: Blood for Door

One week later, installer call say the CCTV don land, dem fit come fix anytime. Na so James phone ring, the installer dey assure am say "Oga, everything dey complete, just come back." E bring small hope.

After dem rest, the family gather courage, fly come back Lagos. Campbell no sure, but the way her children dey beg say dem wan see their toys again, e soften her mind. James promise say he go secure the place first.

After dem pick their car for airport, everybody dey gist, dey laugh as dem dey drive go house. By the time dem reach, na past 10 p.m. The drive from airport get that Lagos night traffic wahala, but family dey together, so dem dey feel small relief. Campbell dey force laugh for children, but inside, heart dey beat.

Their car dey climb the hill, under yellow street light, dem see their house for windscreen. The way the light dey shine for glass, e make the house look like castle, but Campbell heart dey race. Even the boys quiet. The older one whisper, "Mummy, make we just go back Abuja, abeg." The younger hug him toy tight, refuse to look up.

But instead of joy, na fear just full their mind. No be the return wey dem hope for. Everybody quiet, only radio dey play soft.

James park the car, open gate with remote. The gate make that "kraaaa" sound. For her mind, Campbell dey count the seconds till dem enter house.

As he shine headlight for yard, James look one time, fear grip am: James eye no dey deceive am. The yard just be like dump site—bins open, toys scatter, old bag for ground. "Chai, person don scatter everywhere again…" Even security man no dey sight. James just hiss, heart cold. He look Campbell, nod his head say "e don happen again."

Campbell wey dey front seat, just keep quiet. Her hand dey shake, she dey clutch bag. Even the children quiet, dey look outside with wide eye. For her mind, she dey pray say nothing worse go happen.

She see say yard full with different things, worse than the store that time—like say person just scatter everywhere. Shoe, toys, carton, even her pink yoga mat dey for grass. Clothes dey hang for gate, bag dey open, like person dey look for something inside. Even her husband’s fine road bike dey for grass like say na rubbish. Na the same bike wey James cherish, dey clean every Saturday. Now, chain dey fall, tyre deflate, handlebar twist. E pain James well.

"You and the children stay inside car. Lock door and call police." James voice steady, but you go hear small panic inside. Campbell rush dial 112, hand dey shake. Children dey squeeze her hand, she dey whisper, "no worry, Daddy dey here."

After he talk finish, James come down alone. He wear his Navy face, chest out, no fear. But inside, blood dey rush. As dem just land from airport, he no carry gun, so he pick hammer from ground, begin waka go front door gently. He bend pick big construction hammer wey dem use for last week small repair. He dey move slow, ready to face anything wey dey come out.

From inside, he fit hear person dey move. Floorboard dey creak, something dey shuffle for parlour. James pause, grip hammer tight, dey breathe slow.

Ehn ehn, this time I must catch you… He dey tell himself say enough is enough. All his Navy training, na today e go use am well.

James brace himself. He close eye small, count one to three, then grip the door with all the force wey his arm fit carry. He hold door lock—e still lock. He bring out key, try open am. He dey fumble key, dey try make no noise. The lock stubborn, no gree turn.

But door no gree open… He try push, try wiggle key. The door just stubborn, as if something dey block am from inside.

Na lock spoil? He quick reason say maybe lock spoil, but the way e dey jam, e be like person dey drag am from other side. No. James notice say e be like say person dey inside dey hold door strong. He feel the weight, like say hand dey grip handle for inside, dey push against him.

Adrenaline just rush, he push with all him power. James use full muscle, hammer for left, right hand dey twist knob. You go see vein for him arm. For some seconds, two people just dey drag, but James strong pass—he manage open small space for door. The gap small, but e enough for James to peep inside. Sweat dey pour for him face, heart dey pound.

As he wan peep inside, na so he see one hand wey red like blood—light like akara wey no get beans. Na so fear grip am, hammer nearly fall from hand. The hand dey tremble, drip with red, like say injury dey or something worse. For Naija, you go shout "Blood of Jesus!" James jaw just lock, he prepare for anything wey fit come next. E no know whether na cultist, mad person, or something wey pass human being. That moment, everything freeze for am. He hear low groan from inside—raw, like animal wey dey pain. For a split second, James remember all the war stories his papa tell am: "If you see blood for your door, no run—stand your ground." But this one, e pass all the stories. No be movie, na real life wahala dem jam so.