Chapter 7: Jetty Escape

I change most of the gold, silver, and jewel to banknote. As Obinna travel, I hire keke, go straight jetty.

I no even look back. My plan clear. Bank manager dey look me with eye, but I no care. I hire keke, carry my load, waka reach jetty. Breeze from river dey slap my face, moonlight dey shine, but my mind dey heavy like rain cloud.

Full moon dey sky. For the water, one small canoe dey float.

Moonlight dey shine, fish dey jump for river. The canoe man dey whistle, dey wait for me.

Bang!

Canoe man panic. "Madam, wahala dey. Official boat block us."

The shout loud. Canoe man nearly drop paddle. My heart jump, I dey look around, dey find escape.

Torch for big boat light everywhere. One tall man in black agbada stand for boat front. Him face fine like river stone, but him voice cold:

Light from torch dey scatter for water. The man for boat get authority. Black agbada dey fly for breeze, him eyes sharp. My fear double.

"Ngozi, where you dey go?"

Obinna voice deep. I no fit hide. Na so I surrender.

My heart just cut. No way to escape.

I feel am for chest, like say ground open. No hiding place again.

Dem carry me enter official boat. Candle dey shake for cabin. Obinna look me, laugh:

Inside the cabin, candle light dey dance. Obinna sit like chief wey dey judge village matter, face cold. As he laugh, my spirit shake.

"So, cousin Ngozi, after you sleep with me, you wan run?"

The words sting me. I look ground, dey fidget. My plan don scatter.

I form mumu.

I twist face, dey play innocent. Na my only survival.

"Cousin, how person like me go fit run? I just wan travel small, flex for south."

I talk am, but my voice dey quiver. For my mind, I dey pray make he believe.

Obinna bend, use one hand lift my chin.

E soft, but strong. He look my eye, I no fit hide.

"How Ngozi go be mumu?" He laugh small. "Ngozi smart pass. You use yourself as antidote, now you wan waka."

The way he talk am, e get small pride for voice. My body dey hot.

He rub my cheek. "I think say you just like me. Na lie. You just wan use me collect your family property, then disappear."

My mind dey race. For him eye, I see pain, but I see small play. E get as e be.

My heart begin fear small. For him dark eye, I see myself. Wetin he talk na true. Na only people wey be the same fit sabi each other.

I dey reason say maybe me and Obinna get the same kind spirit—stubborn like goat.

Obinna sef dey wear two face.

Today he dey soft, tomorrow he dey hard. Na him style.

Then, he look me straight.

The way he stare me, I dey feel naked for spirit. My hand dey shake.

"Ngozi, if you no wan hear word, you want make I lock you up?"

The threat low, but the meaning clear. I no wan see inside cell, abeg.