Chapter 3: The Fever

One day, housegirl come report say oga dey sick—face red, sweat full body, say make dem call chemist.

As she talk, everybody panic. For our village, if Chief’s son sick, na wahala. Housegirl voice tremble, she nearly drop tray for ground.

Aunty eye shine, she boldly stop them. Instead, she say make I go see cousin.

Aunty no even fear, she just wave her hand like say she dey chase fly. Her confidence shock everybody. Me, I dey reason say maybe na juju dey push her.

I shock. "Aunty, I no sabi medicine. Wetin you want make I do?"

My mouth dry, my leg dey shake. For my mind, I dey beg God make dem call real nurse.

Aunty no send me, just push me go front. "Na you be the medicine. Go."

She push me reach corridor. Her hand cold, but her voice strong. 'Go, Ngozi, go!'

How I wan be medicine?

As I stand for corridor, I dey look my hand—see as e dey shake. I try remember all the stories wey my mama tell me about using leaf cure fever. I no sure say my own go work.

As I stand for cousin front, I see say him fair face really red well. For him smooth forehead, sweat dey show. This sickness serious oh. The room dey hot, the air thick with sweat and camphor, silence heavy for the corridor as I enter.

Obinna just dey roll head for pillow. Him face dey shine like fried tomato. If you see am, you go pity am. I nearly cry for am.

I just open mouth: "Cousin, I come to be the medicine…"

The words heavy for my mouth. I no even sabi if I dey talk true or na fear dey confuse me.

How you wan take use am?

I swallow the last part.

Because cousin, wey dey always calm, suddenly change. Him eye dey burn, he drag me enter him chest.

The movement fast, my heart fly. Na so my leg jam stool. E hold me, I fit feel him heart dey beat fast, like talking drum for village square.

We dey hug tight. I fit smell small palm oil scent for him body.

E get one kain warmness wey spread for my chest. I dey confused, but e sweet me small. The scent dey remind me of early morning fry akara for back kitchen.

My heart just dey beat anyhow. "Cousin, you sure say you never craze?"

I still dey joke small, but my voice dey tremble. My mind dey wonder if dem use ogwu on top his head.

Him body dey hot like fire.

No be ordinary fever. My hand touch him back, e dey burn. I dey pray say e no go faint.

Cousin close eye, push me away. "Go. Quick, comot here."

The way he push me, e get power wey I never see for him before. Na real command.

Him eye red like person wey no sleep.

E dey look me like say e dey see spirit. Me sef dey look am back, fear dey catch my leg.

That moment, I just dey think—na like big bad masquerade wan catch small pikin.

If you don ever see masquerade run for village, you go understand my fear. Na so my heart dey jump.

But how cousin, wey gentle like river, go be masquerade?

I dey try balance am for my head. Wetin wan happen? God abeg.

I no gree go. Instead, I turn, wan touch him forehead.

My mind dey tell me say make I help am cool down, maybe rub balm. I stretch hand, ready to touch am gently.

Before I know, him fine hand just hold my wrist tight.

The grip strong, e surprise me. I see him vein dey stand for him hand. My body freeze.

With small drag—

I just find myself land for cousin bed.

Na so my head dey spin like kpof-kpof for hot oil. The bed soft, but my mind dey run marathon. For that moment, I no fit shout. As my back touch that bed, I know say my life don change—whether for better or wahala, only God fit judge.