Chapter 1: Second Chance or Second Betrayal?

When those three senior sisters wey everybody dey admire come announce for the whole village say dem wan carry me as their only junior brother, I no even reason am—before anybody fit talk, I don use my own hand scatter my spiritual root and disappear, make wahala no use me do play again. Na because I don come back with another life.

You need see as people for village dey look those three—if dem waka pass, even elders go hide smile. Some women go tap ground three times, dey pray make their pikin shine reach like that. And small pikin dey whisper, "See as fine as dem be!" For this Okeke land, to be chosen by even one of dem na blessing. But for all of dem to choose me, wahala dey inside blessing, and me, I no be mumu again. Person wey don chop pepper no dey play with am for second time.

For my last life, after dem carry me enter the sect, I see those three senior sisters as my own family. When dem dey challenge the authority of Big Sister Aisha, na me stand for front, talk say, “Anybody wey wan touch her, go first pass my dead body.” When Second Sister Halima nearly craze from spiritual wahala, na me fight enter dream realm, risk my life many times just to find special leaf save her. Third Sister Morayo, since she small, body no too strong; na me dey pour my spiritual energy give her, day and night. Sometimes I go put palm for her forehead, whisper Psalm 23 inside her ear, just dey beg God. But no matter wetin I do, dem still dey bone for me. Even though dem promise say dem go protect me, dem later carry another junior brother join, give am everything wey I dey pray for since.

I still remember the way dem go hug each other after big ceremony, dey laugh together, but if I try talk, dem go just bone. Sometimes, Morayo go cough at night, I go sneak go her side, pray make she fit sleep. All my effort na like pouring water inside basket. For inside sect, na like say my shadow no get owner. E be like say breeze just dey pass through me, nobody dey see.

When demonic clan invade and everywhere scatter, dem leave me behind to protect Lukman, say make nothing do am. That time, I just lose all hope. I self-destruct with my own hand, blood rain everywhere, just to open road for dem. I just dey wish say this kind bad fate go end, make I no see dem again for next life.

I dey remember as my hand dey shake that time, my mouth dey dry like say I swallow sand. I no get anybody again—na only me, only my blood dey ground like abacha wey rain don scatter. For my mind, I dey beg God, "Abeg, if next life dey, I no wan see these people again."

But as God wan run am, after I reborn, those three wey no send me before now dey chase me up and down with tears, dey beg: “Junior brother, we no get sense that time—you be our only one!” But this time, I no fit trust again.

If you see as dem dey kneel, voice dey tremble, all those proud face now dey humble like small pikin wey chop pepper. But my chest harden—once bitten, twice shy. For this my second chance, I no go let soft face deceive me. Make dem beg from now till yam grow for mango tree, my mind no dey there again.