Chapter 4: The Land of Shadows

After the thunder, my grandma begin panic. She point wall clock, "Old man, na 11:30. We must close now."

She dey pack wrapper, push chair back. Her hand dey shake, and voice sharp like knife.

My grandpa come realise, "How time take run like this? Just now e never reach eleven."

He grab watch, tap am like say time fit go back. For our shop, nobody trust wall clock again.

Ngozika smile, "Uncle, Auntie, why una dey look clock every time?"

She arch brow, her voice sly, eyes narrow small. Suspicion begin rise for air.

My grandpa talk with fear, "Old beggar come this morning, talk say by midnight vengeful spirit go come. He tell us make we close early. Ngozika, we go need close shop, we no fit keep una here."

He try explain, but sweat dey drop for face. Fear dey show for him voice.

Ngozika just look my grandpa straight, talk with cold voice, "If you never do bad, you no go fear spirit knock your door."

She lean forward, stare am down. For that moment, room cold like freezer. Some children start to cry, one mama hush am quick.

As she talk am finish, thunder just blast again, glass for window dey shake.

The bulb for wall blink, some people cross themselves. For Umuola, spirit talk and thunder na real wahala.

My grandma vex, "Ngozika, wetin you mean? Me and your uncle never do anybody bad."

She stand akimbo, voice loud, ready for quarrel. That old village pride no dey let her back down.

Ngozika force laugh, "Auntie, you dey think too much."

She shake head, but the smile no reach eye. Pain and bitterness dey hide under.

My grandma no talk again, she carry umbrella and two dry wrappers come out.

She hand them over, voice soft, "Take, cover yourself for road."

She say, "Ngozika, take umbrella go house. These wrappers, change for road."

Her gesture full of care, even as fear dey her heart. For our side, woman fit quarrel but she go still show kindness.

Ngozika look wall clock, beg, "Auntie, rain too much outside. Abeg, allow us sleep just one night."

Her voice beggy, her knees touch ground, voice break like old radio—everybody heart dey squeeze. The kind rain outside fit carry person reach stream.

Bala join mouth, "Auntie, hill road no good with this rain. No other house near. Abeg, let us stay for night."

He place hand for wife shoulder, voice low but strong. The way him face set, you go know say e mean am.

My grandpa and grandma look each other. My grandma just talk with tired voice, "Ngozika, no be say we no wan help, but that beggar talk fear us. We dey fear something go happen."

She sigh, rub palm together, eyes red. Torn between pity and fear, her voice crack.

Ngozika just kneel down, begin cry, "Auntie, rain too much, hill road bad. For my papa sake, abeg, let us stay one night. If spirit really come, me and Bala go help. Plenty people better."

Her cry loud, echo for shop. Some children for shop begin cry too. Old men shake head, remember when Blind Okoli dey alive.

My grandma dey worry, "Ngozika, stand up, abeg."

She bend, try to lift her. Even as she talk, her own tears start to fall.

Ngozika cry, "Auntie, abeg, just this one night. We no get where to go."

She hold Zainabu close, voice break, sobbing. The small girl still quiet, no say anything.

Since Blind Okoli die, all him land dem share among villagers. Our shop dey on top Blind Okoli old land. Dem say anybody wey sleep for that land without permission go see wahala for dream.

Everybody for Umuola sabi the story; some say Blind Okoli spirit still waka for the hill at night, watching who dey his land.

My grandpa whisper, "Old woman, make we let dem stay. We old, if spirit really come, dem fit help."

He voice low, as if he dey beg for forgiveness from ancestors. He glance window, as if e dey see Blind Okoli shadow.

My grandma think, then agree. "Okay."

She nod slow, cross herself, then wipe tears. The shop quiet, only rain dey talk.

My grandpa force smile, "Una fit stay tonight."

He try show courage, but even the way his hand dey shake, e betray am. He look Ngozika with pity.

He lock shop, talk, "Tonight una go sleep upstairs."

He collect big padlock, turn key three times—old superstition to lock evil outside. He point stairway, voice low.

As the clock approach midnight, the candle flame begin shake, shadow for wall dey dance like masquerade. As he talk finish, one man voice just shout from outside: "Brother, run come out sharp sharp! Vengeful spirits dey your shop—spirits wey die bad. Dem come find who go replace dem!"

The voice loud, thunder join am, make all of us jump. For Umuola, voice wey call your name for night fit mean spirit dey look for companion. For Umuola, when voice from outside dey loud for night, elders dey run check who dey call am. But tonight, cold catch everybody.