Chapter 8: No Escape

Before I fit react, Obinna don carry me enter cabin by force.

E sharp, my bag fall. My mind dey race. I dey plan escape, but e hold me tight.

I no struggle. No use. My mind dey think how to escape. Before I finish, Obinna don pull my outer cloth, then wrapper, then the red singlet…

Na breeze enter my body. I wan shout, but e no go make sense. I just close my eyes, dey reason strategy.

"Cousin…"

My voice low, but I still dey beg. E no listen.

"Ngozi no dey hear word, so she need correct punishment."

The way he talk 'punishment', my mind fly. E get double meaning for our side.

Na body punishment be this.

If na home, dem go give you koboko. This one, na different style. My body weak.

I even happy small. As long as he no lock me, e better. Na sleep solve am.

I dey tell myself, as long as my leg free, na win be that. Sleep dey sweet for body.

I use finger wipe my lips.

My mouth dry. I dey wonder if na dream I dey.

"Cousin, kiss me."

I talk am, but shame catch me. Wetin my mama go say if she hear?

Obinna eye dey shine like star. That him coldness begin fade. Only—

E dey look me like say he wan melt me with eye. For my mind, I dey blush.

"Cousin… abeg, Ngozi don do. E don do."

I beg, my hand dey shake. My body no fit take am again. My voice low, but he no listen.

Bed curtain dey shake, breath dey mix. Even as I stretch hand, he pull me back.

The way he hold me, e soft but e strong. I dey feel small fear, small sweetness.

Obinna eye dey burn, like say e wan swallow me. He just smile wicked:

The smile no reach him eye. E dey play, but e still dey serious. My mind dey jump.

"You say e don do, but me never tire."

His words dey echo for my ear. I know say this night go long.

This man wild no be small—like animal. Na only for midnight everywhere calm.

Night get power. If wind blow, e dey carry secret. For inside cabin, everywhere dark except candle.

I sit up, rub my waist. Obinna dey sleep, breath steady.

At last, he rest. I carry myself reach table, pour water, dey wash mouth. My waist still dey pain me.

I pour water rinse my mouth. Just now, I rub medicine for my lips. If not, how Obinna for sleep quick like that?

I dey thank God for small sense. That local sleeping powder wey mama teach me help. At least, e sleep well.

Daytime, the canoe man wey I arrange, dey follow the big boat. Lucky say I talk say I dey dizzy, so Obinna tell boatmen make dem slow down. Small canoe catch up.

As sun rise, my plan dey tight. I dey signal canoe man, him dey ready. Obinna think say na my malaria dey worry me. He no sabi say I dey plan waka.

Under star, I ready to climb down from big boat. From now, world dey my own. The thought dey sweet me.

Breeze dey blow. My heart dey beat. For my mind, na freedom dey greet me. I dey smile inside darkness.

One cold hiss just scatter my plan.

The sound cold, like snake. My body freeze, my foot hang for boat edge.

"Ngozi, where you dey go?"

Na that deep voice. My soul comot from body, return back.

For moonlight, Obinna stand for back like village masquerade with fine face, face cold.

He tall, shadow long for deck. His eye dey shine, face hard like stone. I surrender.