Chapter 2: Long Love, Short Goodbye

Before I ascended, I once had a so-called short romance in the mortal world!

Short? My sister, na who dey call decades 'short'? But you know how time dey fly when enjoyment dey. If to say love na food, we don chop reach belle full, lie down dey rub stomach.

Well... if you fit call decades ‘short’!

You go think say na one or two market days, but e be like dem dey count love with dem own calendar for spirit world.

Folarin was a fox spirit with serious talent—in every sense of the word!

No be lie. Spirit world dey talk about am. If to say dem dey give award for charm, na him for dey win am every year. Both for face and for brain, na correct padi.

One day, I accidentally saved him, and from that moment, he just dey follow me everywhere!

I remember that day like yesterday. I waka pass, fox dey struggle for hunter trap. I free am, next thing, the guy just dey follow me upandan, like shadow wey no dey tire.

That time, I no think am too much, just saw him as another padi!

I mean, which young woman no like fine company? But na friendship I dey think. We go fetch water together, waka for bush, sometimes even gist under moon.

Later, I no even remember after which drunken night, Folarin ask if I wan try new cultivation method, say his fox clan’s dual cultivation secret fit make my progress fly!—you know, that spirit way of mixing power and passion, e sweet but e get wahala.

Na that night palm wine enter my eye. The way he talk am ehn, na temptation. His voice soft, his eyes dey shine. My sense just weak.

That night, he hold palm frond, his looks and carriage na another level—like celestial for altar—but his smile na pure temptation!

If to say elders dey see am, dem for cover face. The air get that scent of camwood and old incense, and his laugh be like ripple for stream.

I no even fit talk who reach first. Before I come regain myself, the bed don scatter, no fit sleep on top again!

Bed wey strong like Okija shrine bench, scatter as if masquerade run waka pass am. As I try arrange myself, na only wrapper I fit find.

Three days later, when I finally manage come down from bed, dey hold my waist, Folarin wrap his tail around my leg and ask if I like am!

His face dey close, him tail no wan commot. For my mind, I dey think: who go explain this one for elders? But e sweet me sha.

I think small, then I say I like am!

No long talk, just truth. E no hard me to say am, because the happiness dey show for my face already.

I like his face, like his energy, and I like even more the way dual cultivation dey boost my power—just one night, na like three months meditation!

Who no go like better thing? My skin dey glow, my eyes sharp. I dey do things wey before dey tire me. Fox magic sweet pass honey.

How e no go be liking?

I ask myself the question, laugh for inside. Na so life sweet, people dey forget say wahala dey corner.

Once he hear my answer, Folarin happy no be small, come even dey more passionate!

Him dance joyfully round the room, dey do small fox jump. Na that day I see say even spirits fit get puppy love.

Those years, na Folarin effort make my cultivation shoot up!

Na teamwork. Sometimes, na him dey push me, sometimes, na me dey ginger am. Together, our power dey rise like new yam.

That period, I really dey happy!

Happiness dey wear wrapper, I dey parade am. Even market women dey notice say my skin fresh.

But as I reach the last step before ascension, na then we learn the rules of the heavens!

Na that time dem burst our bubble. The air for council stiff, dem announce the new rule with all the ceremony wey dey make person fear.

Spirits no fit ascend, their blood dey impure!

I look Folarin, him look me. For his eye, na pain mix with small hope. E pain am.

Only humans wey no get feelings fit ascend!

Na wahala! All those years of feeling, all those sacrifices, now dem talk say na only empty heart fit cross over.

The path to ascension almost close finish. If you wan go up, you must follow their rules!

Everybody dey chase immortality like say na government job, but nobody dey warn you about the heartbreak inside.

So, under Folarin’s shocked eyes, I use my own hand cut off all my feelings, and just like that, I ascend as person wey no get heart!

I no even allow myself one last hug. I squeeze my fist, glance back—my whole chest dey shake, but I lock my mind, waka out. The world silent as I dey rise, only the memory of his eyes dey pull me back.

After all the years wey we dey together, na that day Folarin discover say na heartless path I dey follow!

Na big blow for am. His breath shaky, I see the struggle for his spirit form. But he no fit fight heavenly law.

He wipe blood from the corner of his mouth, his voice still sweet:

"So all these years, e mean nothing? Wetin I mean to you?"

His voice dey break, but he still dey try strong. Even the moon for sky look dull that night.

I no look back as I dey go my ascension path:

"Make we just say we both gain wetin we need. My friend, thank you!"

Na small breeze carry my words go. For my heart, I dey wish am better, but the door to feeling don close.