Chapter 4: Escape

I do another monthly test wey I never do since.

This one different. I wake that morning with peace for my mind. Rain just fall, everywhere cold, birds dey sing. I tell myself—today, I go do am for real.

One year don do me enough to sabi everything for the paper.

All those questions wey dey fear me before, I just dey laugh. E be like play.

This time, I no cram answer. I use my real brain do am.

As I dey write, my hand no dey shake. My brain dey calm like priest for altar. No rush, no tension—just me and paper.

"Ifedike, 744, first for the whole grade."

When dem call my name, class scatter. Some people clap, some dey look me like say I be alien. But me, I just dey smile.

As my teacher call the score, I hear the shock and doubt for him voice.

Even him, Mr. Ajayi, dey look me with one kind eye. E be like say im dey see miracle for broad daylight.

But I no send.

Na only me sabi wetin dey happen for my body. My mind dey somewhere else.

Because that moment, I notice—I no loop again.

I feel cold pass harmattan. My heart dey beat, I dey look around—na true? Na dream? I pinch myself, nothing change.

I jump from my seat, dey look my teacher like say na magic. Everybody think say na the score shock me. But na only me know why I dey surprise.

My voice even crack, I dey stammer as I answer "present" for roll call. Nobody understand my joy.

I don finally escape the loop.

I wan shout, but I hold myself. If I start dey dance for class now, dem go say my village people don catch me.

For now.

But I dey watch ground, dey check if e go still come back. E fit be trick—maybe the loop dey rest small.

As I siddon, dey hear teacher dey talk about the exam, I feel relief wey I never feel since. Everything come clear for my eye.

Na like say I drop load for back. My chest light, I dey see colours bright. For the first time in years, my smile real.

For the first time, I know say time dey move, and e dey sweet.

But as I dey soak in the joy, one small voice for my mind dey whisper—how long e go last?