Chapter 4: Masquerade for Door, No Way Out

My body cold.

Na goosebumps full my arm. For my village, dem go say 'spirit pass.'

School just send notice about missing tutor, now I don see half student ID under the bed wey I dey sleep.

My heart dey beat like ogene drum. Wetin man go do for this kind wahala? Na so movie dey start.

How person go reason say e no mean anything?

I dey try encourage myself, say maybe na old ID wey somebody forget. But my mind no dey settle.

I begin dey reason to run go hostel. I open window, rain still dey fall madly.

If I try run, na malaria go finish me before morning. But to stay, my mind dey fear.

I dey hesitate, my mind dey fight itself. The woman fine body just dey flash for my head.

As I dey weigh my options, na her big, fine yansh and smile dey come my mind. Na wa o, Naija boys no dey ever learn.

Na wa o. Sometimes, na desire dey win sense.

E fit be say na God dey try warn me, but body nor dey hear.

“Baba, why you no dey recognize me again? This thunderstorm sef...”

Suddenly, I hear voice from next balcony—old papa wey dey always quarrel with his son. E dey complain loud for phone.

“No carry knife, abeg drop am, make we calm down, no fear, I go carry you health centre.”

He dey talk like person wey dey beg somebody. I peep small through curtain, but darkness full everywhere.

“Why phone no dey work again, just like last time...”

As he talk am, e pain me. For this Nigeria, na only God dey help man sometimes.

From the next balcony, I hear one old man voice, e dey worry, e dey talk fast. After e finish, e just close balcony door sharp-sharp.

Na the usual sound for rainy night—people dey close window anyhow, dey pray say rain no go spoil their property.

I no too reason am, but the last thing wey e talk clear—say phone no dey work.

E choke. For Lagos, once network die, e be like say you dey for village without radio.

I check my own. True true, nothing dey. No MTN or Glo signal at all.

I dey wave phone for air, go near window, but no single bar. My heart sink.

Just like when dem use signal jammer for school. For secondary school, dem get one—once e dey on, forget internet or even emergency call.

That one na for principal office that year, but for here? I dey sweat.

I try 112, e no go.

E dey ring and cut, like say na fake network. Na there I know say something dey wrong.

Fear grip me. If na true say this woman be killer, e mean say she don block my way to find help.

My back dey sweat, my body dey shake. I dey look door, dey plan escape route.

And if she don ready, she no go let me escape. Door fit don lock since.

For Naija, once you hear lock dey jam from outside, na warning be that.

Chance to waka comot alive slim. And make I no forget—she be former local wrestling champion.

For her prime, she fit carry okada with one hand. Me, if dem ask me fight her, na only prayer I fit pray.

Me, I be just lazy uni boy, body weak from too much PlayStation—how I wan take match her? Even with limp, she fit use one blow finish me.

Na FIFA and small eba dey build my muscle. The only wrestling I sabi na WWE for TV.

As my mind dey run, I notice for window reflection say door don open small.

I dey pray make na breeze, but as I turn, cold just catch me.

One cold, blank face show for the gap.

Her eye dey shine, lips tight—na that kind dry face wey masquerade dey use scare pikin for village festival.

Na she.

She just stand for door, no blink. Na so story for village dey start—person go say dem see spirit for midnight.

She no enter, just dey look me with dead eye.

Her face blank—e be like say she dey think deep. I dey try read meaning, but all I see na cold, empty look.

The look no be here—like say na masquerade spirit.

My grandma dey always talk say, "If masquerade look you for night, no dey run. Just dey pray." My mind dey recite Psalm 23.

Before, if I dey reason say na 50-50 she fit be killer, now e don reach 90 percent.

I dey sweat, but I still dey try compose myself. Na only God fit save person for this kain wahala.

I force myself calm, dey form say I dey look rain, like say nothing dey happen.

I dey whistle small tune, dey pretend say I dey admire rain. For my mind, I dey beg God make she no enter.

She watch me for some seconds, then look the phone for bedside, wey don off. I catch all her small-small moves.

She dey scan the room, eye dey sharp like person wey dey hunt. I dey try look innocent.

"Rain too much, you no fit go anywhere," she talk for my back, voice soft, like say she dey test whether I still dey mumu.

Her voice get one cold edge—no be the playful aunty again. Na the type voice wey dem dey use for Nollywood thriller.

I pretend say I just notice, turn quick.

I do like say I shock, "Ah, aunty! I no hear you enter."

"Aunty, when you waka enter?"

She laugh small, but e no reach her eye. E be like say she dey measure my courage.

"Just now, as you dey lost for thought, silly boy. Come outside—I make steak for you, open red wine too," she talk, dey twist her waist.

She drop voice small, "Make you no let food cold o. I try put small ginger inside."

Her heart fit dey wicked like snake,

But her face still fine die.

She dey smile, but her hand dey shake small. I dey look her, dey find sign of knife or any sharp thing.

"Come, abeg stop dey look me, chop first." She smile shy. Maybe for her mind, I be just small pikin wey she go play with before she finish me.

The way she call me, e get as e be. Na so dem dey lure goat go market, dey pat am for back.

But I know say I no fit let her dey control everything.

My papa talk say, 'If you no fit fight, confuse am.' Na so I form plan for head.

Na mumu go chop steak wey she cook. Before wahala full ground, I gats act fast.

I dey remember story for news—'Man chop free food, later dem see am for canal.' Na so I warn myself.

Sharp-sharp, I move go her side, hug her.

Inside my heart, I dey beg God: “Abeg, make this woman no break my neck.”

I use all my mind, just hug am tight, dey squeeze small like say na love dey move me. My heart dey drum, but I dey form actor.

She freeze, no expect say I go try am.

Her body stiff, she no dey breathe well. Maybe na long time person hug her last.

I form lost look, dey gaze her. "Aunty, you too fine."

I dey try distract her mind, make she no remember any plan wey she get.

I sabi say woman dey drop guard when passion dey high.

I dey remember wetin my guy talk: "If trouble reach, use love confuse your enemy."

If I act now, my chance to survive go high.

I dey pray say this plan go work. If e fail, na God hand I dey.

"No do..." she try push me, but her breath don dey rush.

Her voice don change—no be threatening again, e dey shake small. I hold her hand gentle.

"Aunty, you too fine. I like you. From the first day I see you, my mind no rest." I put full ginger.

I dey whisper near her ear, make she feel safe. For Naija, na small small talk dey make woman soften.

I dey bet say she go lose guard, forget about any evil plan, at least for now.

I dey hope say na love go defeat evil, just like for Nollywood film.

True true, she close eye begin enjoy am.

She sigh, lean into my chest. My plan dey work. My hand dey sweat, but I hold her tight.

I hold myself, ready to act.

I dey calculate my next move. If she release, I go fit dash for door, if not, na prayer I go use.

"E don do."

But before I fit do anything, she just push me commot with strength wey pass normal.

Na so I stagger back, shock catch me. For her eye, I see something—no be love, na danger.

For my mind, I dey pray, dey prepare for anything. Rain still dey knock for zinc, but inside that room, na only my fear dey loud. I dey wait, dey pray say day break go reach before anything happen.