Chapter 17: Opening the Slab

Even though the tombstone fine, no grave mound—na just big stone slab dey behind, cover ground. Maybe because nobody maintain am, one side of the slab don break, black hole show.

The place get strange smell, like old wood and groundnut oil wey spoil. Birds no dey fly pass there, only one lizard dey run from branch to branch. I touch the slab, e cold like ice.

I clear dirt, wedge crowbar under the slab. As sun dey shine, I press hard, pry the slab open.

The sound loud—like thunder for inside well. The ground shake small, my head dey ring. I dey sweat, even breeze no dey enter my body.

"Ah—!"

Aunty Li rush cover her pikin eyes, but she self scream.

Her scream loud, the echo bounce for bush. Even me, my hand dey shake. I tell myself, "No fear, you be man!"

I push the slab go one side, look inside, my body cold. No bone dey under the slab—na plenty tree root wey twist together, pass through one redwood coffin. Where body suppose dey, the root form human shape—head, neck, body, hand and leg, only the face never show clear.

I blink, wipe my face. This one pass juju—na real spirit matter. My leg dey weak but I stand ground. I dey look the thing, dey wonder who bury tree for grave.