We Sheltered the Spirit’s Daughter
Chapter 1: The Warning Rain
When I was small, one old beggar just waka inside our shop that rainy morning for Umuola village. The man talk with heavy face, "By midnight, one vengeful spirit wey die bad go show to collect person life. Abeg, close shop early."
The beggar’s slippers made that soft shuff-shuff sound as he stepped in, rainwater dripping from his faded wrapper. His beard white like cotton-wool, and the way he peered round the shop—his eyes sharp, like he dey look through everybody soul—send small fear catch my chest. My hand grip table edge, heart dey jump like goat for market day. That kind warning, for our side, no be ordinary talk. Some people even spit for ground when him waka pass, to ward off anything wey fit dey follow am. Mama Nwoke even draw cross for air, just in case.
After the old beggar yarn finish, he just waka go.
He no even wait for change. As he waka go, everybody just dey look ground—nobody wan carry wahala. The way him back bend, and the tiredness for him voice, you go know say na person wey don see plenty wahala for this life. Na so small pikin dem for outside begin whisper, say make dem no near where him pass. If you look my mama side, she dey cross herself three times, muttering prayer under breath, just to cover ground.
My grandma, Mama Nnenna, come ask, confused, "Na true we suppose believe wetin beggar talk so?"
She scratch her wrapper as she talk, one eye on the yam basket for corner, the other on the half-melted candle near the window. Fear and doubt dey her voice; after all, beggars fit talk anything, but for our place, any warning wey land for morning market get weight, especially if e come from person wey don old.
My grandpa, Papa Ifedike, answer am, "Old woman, since all these years, we don do plenty good things, gather better for our body. I believe say that beggar no just come for nothing. He come warn us special. Make we close shop early tonight."
He rub the grey stubble for him chin, voice calm but firm, like say na council-of-elders matter. The way e look window, you go think say e dey try see future for the rain. For this village, once elders talk like that, e go hard to argue.
