Chapter 2: The Rooftop Horror Revealed

Headless female corpse just dey center of the screen.

Omo, my eyes open like torchlight. I nearly drop my phone. Na so real horror film begin.

For the video, the woman wey wear dress just dey lie for ground, blood full everywhere.

Her leg bend somehow, one arm dey point up, blood just dey run for concrete like gutter during heavy rain. My hand begin shake.

That red and white striped dress, blood soak am finish, the colour don change to one kind dark red.

The kain way blood stain don soak her cloth, e resemble how palm oil dey enter rice if you no stir well. My heart dey cut.

Where her neck suppose dey, na only empty, bloody hole remain—no head.

E no get as I go describe am—fear catch me well. This one pass film trick. Person head just disappear like magic.

My leg weak, I nearly fall for ground. Na only God hold me.

Night don dark, so e no too clear, but from her shape, na woman.

Her slim leg, small waist, the kain slippers wey dey for side—everything show say na young woman. Person wey fit be my neighbor sef.

People dey go rooftop steady to enjoy breeze, so for privacy, the CCTV I first check no cover that side. Sometimes boys dey gist, dey chop suya, dey blow breeze for there.

I remember say that rooftop na where people dey go for fresh air, sometimes boys dey go drink or chop suya. I no fit believe say na there this kain thing fit happen.

Person really die…

No be play o. Na real gbege. My chest tight, I begin sweat, fear grip me like say hand dey my neck.

And as Awei talk, the killer still dey inside the building, never comot.

Chai! My whole skin dey vibrate. E be like say evil dey waka for the same corridor where I dey. I dey pray make light no go off.

Bzzz, bzzz…

My fear no even let me notice when the robot vacuum begin waka for the floor. E just dey bump leg of chair, dey disturb small. Na that sound bring me back from the horror wey dey play for my head.

Na the robot vacuum wey start dey run bring me back from fear.

I breathe in, try calm my mind. "Omo, focus! This no be time to dey craze." I dey form action film hero for my mind.

I gather myself, give new command.

My hand dey shake, but I force my voice steady. "Awei, activate danger protection mode."

When I buy the house, the agent talk say if wahala show, the AI butler go help with emergency plans.

I remember how the estate agent dey smile, talk say, "No thief fit worry you for here, oga. Your AI na bodyguard." Now, make we see if na true.

[Safety protection mode activated.]

Awei voice sound different now—no more play, na real coded tone.

[Based on current information, identifying source of danger: murderer in the hallway.]

[Scanning all possible entrances. Calculating safest options.]

[Double door locks have been engaged.]

[Electric curtains are now fully closed.]

[Air conditioning ventilation has been turned on.]

[Lights dimmed to lowest brightness.]

I hear one strong click for door—door don lock, nobody fit open from outside again.

The kain sound wey the lock make strong like prison gate. I touch the door handle, e no move. I thank God say the system dey work.

[Generating escape plan...]

[Owner lives on the 7th floor, 24 meters above ground. After checking the owner's online shopping records, no high-altitude escape equipment found. Unable to escape from high altitude.]

I remember say my mama always talk, "You too dey order things online." But see now, the one thing wey fit help, I no get am.

……

[After comprehensive assessment, please wait for rescue inside your home.]

[Police have been alerted for you. There has been a chain collision 2 kilometers away, the road is blocked, and the police arrival time cannot be estimated.]

Lagos traffic no get rival—if police reach before sunrise, na miracle. My heart sink small, but at least e get hope say police dey try come. I pray make all those okada people clear road for dem.

All these notifications come calm my mind small.

I breathe in, long and slow. At least the house dey block, nobody fit enter. I just dey hope say killer no sabi hack smart lock.

As long as I no open door, wahala no go reach me.

I begin dey reason as my papa go talk—“person wey sit down for house no dey jam trouble.” I gree for am this night.

I carry my phone, drop message for the building group chat.

I dey type with fast hand. My fingers dey fly for keyboard. For my mind, I dey imagine say I fit save person.

"Abeg, make una hear word, no try open door for anybody—even if dem knock say dem be NEPA. There’s a murderer in the building. Everybody, abeg, no go outside."

The way I take put "abeg" for the message, you go know say matter don serious. I send am with hope say dem go hear word.

The smart butler app get group chat for residents, but people never too full the place yet.

Na only few of us dey active. Others na those big men and women wey no dey ever reply, just dey mind their business.

After I send the message, 704 wey dey my floor reply.

Na him sharp mouth reply first: "Murderer? You dey whine us?"

402 talk too: "Our security strong like that. If murderer enter, security for don see am."

I just shake head, typical Naija style. People no dey believe until dem see.

Security guard Musa tag me: "Owner of 702, good evening. I dey watch the CCTV. No outsider enter. Abeg, no dey play this kind joke."

Musa na our estate chief security, big chest, always dey chew gum. E no dey ever smile, except when dem pay salary.

True talk, this kind matter, normal person go doubt am.

If na me, I fit even think say person dey play prank. We never see this kain thing before for estate.

I no vex: "If you no believe, check the rooftop CCTV."

I just drop am with calm mind. No be time to quarrel. Make evidence speak.

Sharp sharp, 301 send voice note for the group.

I fit imagine her voice dey tremble: "Person really die o."

301 just marry, her husband dey work for sea most times.

I dey reason say the poor lady dey alone, fear fit hold am pass. She sabi cook jollof, but this night, na fear dey cook her.

Her voice just dey shake.

E pain me for my mind. If na my sister be that, I for vex die.

704 talk: "The CCTV no fake. 702 dey talk true. Everybody, abeg, no go outside."

Now, the group begin dey reason well. Nobody wan try their village people.

Security guard Musa come dey vex small.

You fit hear for the way e type: "No possible. Everybody for this building dey use face scan enter and comot. System dey log everything. No outsider this period."

For this apartment, all residents must register biometric data. To enter, comot, even use lift—na face scan.

If na my uncle, e go talk, "This one pass juju." For here, na AI be chief—no pass security, no enter.

Meaning say, the murderer no be outsider.

I swallow spit, as realization hit me. My hand cold, mind begin race.

Na there shock catch me.