Chapter 3: Fire and Fury

I think say window go hold till police reach. But wetin the man do next break my spirit.

The man just dey eye the danfo wey park for bus stop, e dey plan new wahala.

Bus stop dey near, one danfo just park. The man run enter danfo, quick come down.

I dey watch am, e sharp, e rush go inside, people for bus dey shout, but e no look anybody face.

E hold emergency window hammer.

As e run come out, I see red hammer for hand—na that type wey dey tie inside danfo with rope.

Danfo dey get am, dem tie am for inside bus.

People dey use am break glass if accident happen. Na now I dey see say e fit be weapon too.

The rope don cut. E just tear am commot.

I dey hear danfo driver dey shout, "Who collect my hammer?" But the man no send anybody.

Danfo driver try chase am, but the man run straight to my motor, climb on top bonnet, press hammer for windscreen.

Na so e jump, land for my bonnet, e use hammer hit windscreen, glass dey scatter. People dey shout, "Ewo! Chai! Wetin be this?" but nobody wan enter between us.

One heavy bang, windscreen scatter.

I hear the crack, glass fly inside, breeze rush enter. My heart drop, na only God fit save person for Lagos night like this.

As wahala start, danfo driver no chase again, e just rush go im bus, drive commot.

Na so e leave wahala, e no want make im own bus enter police case. For Naija, if trouble dey, everybody dey save their own.

I just dey look as my last protection scatter. The man pull up windscreen. The woman sharp sharp climb bonnet, grab my hair and face, dey shout, “I go kill you! I go revenge my pikin!”

Her nails scratch my skin, her grip tight like tiger. She dey scream like banshee, her pain dey turn to violence.

The man kick me for chest. I hold gear lever tight. If I no run now, dem go kill me here.

My brain dey tell me say if I slow, na RIP. I dey beg God say make my hand steady for gear.

Na only one leg I fit move—my left.

I dey whisper, "God abeg, help me." My right leg na dead weight, but I no get choice.

People dey drive with right leg, but my right leg don scatter. I rest left leg on top the broken one, struggle press brake, shift go drive.

Na so I dey use left leg, dey force am. Sweat dey run for my face. This one pass Formula One driving.

Every small movement, pain wan kill me.

My teeth dey grind, I dey shout inside, but I no stop. My mind dey fight with pain.

Motor start. The woman still dey on top bonnet, but as I move, she fall down.

Her body land for ground, people shout. E shock me say she no break bone.

But the man still dey stand for bonnet. E dey think whether to jump down, but the woman collapse, dey cry, “You wan jam our pikin again!”

The pain for her voice touch people. She dey roll, dey beat ground, her wrapper don loose.

Na that word make the man vex pass.

As she talk, I see the man eye change. Grief don turn to pure rage.

E no jump. As windscreen don go, e climb enter car, grab my head, block my face, bite my ear.

E teeth grip my ear, I dey struggle, I dey shout. E dey bite like say e be mad dog for street, no mercy.

E dey bite, dey tear my ear.

I dey see blood, I dey feel wet for my neck. My body dey shake.

Pain dey mad.

No be ordinary pain—na fire. My eye dey see white, my hand dey claw dashboard.

I dey feel my ear dey tear small small.

Blood dey drop, my head dey swirl, my scream no dey loud pass the pain.

But I no fit move. I no fit press accelerator—e block my face.

I dey blind, my left hand dey search gear, right hand dey try push am commot.

Na main road o.

For Lagos, once you dey main road, traffic dey come, people dey cross. If you move mad, na another wahala you cause.

If I just press am anyhow, fit jam person, who know how many years dem go give me.

I dey see picture for my mind, police dey talk say I be murderer. My chest dey pain me.

Even as dem dey beat me, I just hold myself, press brake, shift go park, leave the motor.

I dey whisper prayer, dey beg God say make help reach quick. My leg dey dangle, I dey use last sense hold my life.

I shout, “Na your wife leave pikin for road!”

My voice crack, tears dey rush, but nobody dey hear sense for that kain pain. Crowd dey shout, everybody dey boil.

But e no dey hear anything. E eyes red, face twist with anger.

Im own pain don pass ear. For Naija, sometimes pain dey close your sense.

If I no die here today, e no go rest.

For my mind, I dey tell God, "Abeg, na only you fit save me now."

Suddenly, e bite hard, I feel my ear tear commot.

I scream, na so my voice vanish. I see red, my hand dey shake, blood dey rush.

E never do, e bite my face join.

Pain dey choke me. E bite my cheek, I feel warm blood dey flow. I dey push am, but my hand weak.

I panic, jam my head for e mouth and nose.

My head knock im nose, e grunt, e loosen grip small. I dey see stars.

Blood just begin rush from e nose, na there I get idea to escape.

I dey reason say if blood dey flow, e go distract am. My mind dey sharp small, even as body dey fail.

Reverse.

Na idea jump for my mind. If I fit reverse, maybe I go escape.

E only dey block my front, but my car get back camera. I fit use am run.

Thank God say technology dey help. For Naija, na only few people dey get reverse camera. Today, na my luck.

I shift go reverse, screen show camera.

I dey look screen, sweat dey blind my eye, but I dey ready.

But car dey back.

Na wahala. For this country, people dey park anyhow, traffic dey jam.

Na main road. The car for back no sabi say wahala dey. As I dey reverse, e just dey horn, dey warn me.

The driver no understand, e dey para. For Lagos, small thing dey cause fight.

I dey desperate.

I dey tap horn, dey hope say e go shift, but nobody dey understand my own panic.

I horn back, make e shift, but e no move.

I dey tap horn like mad, my hand dey shake, but e just dey curse inside im own motor.

For camera, I see the driver wind down, poke head, dey curse, “You dey craze? You no see say my car dey here?”

E wear cap, im face dey vex, im mouth dey pour insult. I dey beg God say make im no add join wahala.

Before e finish, my bumper don jam am.

I no even send, I use all my strength reverse, my bumper jam im car. I dey ready to escape by force.

The man wey dey attack me still dey hold im nose. The hit throw am commot from motor.

E no expect the move, im body fly, e fall for ground, people dey gasp.

The driver for back see say wahala dey. E no reverse, e just jump come down, run go sidewalk, leave im car block road.

The fear for im face real. Na so e grab im phone and dash, traffic dey pile up but nobody fit move.

I quick shift gear. The man don fall, nothing dey block my front again.

I dey thank God say way don open, I dey ready to move.

But na that time, the woman sit for front of my car, dey cry, “You don kill my pikin, come kill me join!”

Her tears dey wash her face, e dey flow like rain. She sit for tar road, arms open, body dey shake.

Panic catch me.

Fear hold me. For my mind, I dey ask God, "Which kind wahala be this?"

Person dey front, car dey back.

I dey jam wall. No way front, no way back. My chest dey tight.

I trap.

My mind dey shout, "Na here I go die?"

I wind down, shout for the driver behind, “Oga, abeg move your car!”

I use all my voice, hope say e go pity me. My hand dey wave, my voice dey crack.

E no know wetin dey happen, but e just dey vex. E point finger, shout, “You be animal, you jam person wan run? Wait make police come shoot you!”

I dey beg, but e dey curse, im face dey red. For Lagos, once wahala start, everybody dey para.

No time to explain.

My body dey shake, my hand dey slap steering, tears dey fall for my face. I dey look for window, dey shout, but nobody dey reason me.

The man dey stand up.

Im body dey tremble, blood dey drip from im nose. E dey look me like say I be devil.

E look me with anger, still dey hold im nose, but e dey fear to attack again.

E dey weigh im options. Crowd dey watch am, but pain don hold am too.

Maybe e dey reason say if e climb again, I go really move the car.

Fear dey hold am. My own leg fit kill, so e dey reason wetin next.

But then, e do wetin I no expect.

E turn, rush back, grab something for ground. My eye dey follow am, my heart dey pound.

E break my back window with emergency hammer.

One loud crash, glass dey fly everywhere, my body dey jump. My heart dey race.

I no understand—e wan enter from back?

Na confusion hold me. If e enter, na how I go defend myself?

But e bring out lighter from pocket.

E dey search pocket, my mind dey wonder wetin e dey find. I dey see the small silver lighter for im hand.

Like all those smokers wey like show, e no use cheap lighter—na ZIPPO.

Na original Zippo, e shine for dark. E fit be person wey sabi life, e dey always ready.

E open am, light fire, throw am inside my car, teeth grit, “I go burn you alive!”

E teeth dey show, im voice sharp, anger choke am. E fling lighter inside, no look back.

I shock.

Na shock hold me. I no fit move. I dey reason, "Na film be this?"

The lighter land for back seat—I no fit reach am quench fire.

Smoke begin rise, I dey cough, e dey choke me. I dey try twist neck, but pain no let me.

I try open door, e kick am close again.

My hand dey fumble for handle, but e dey block am, dey shout on top of voice.

Even if I try crawl out front, e go push me back.

My body dey weak, my leg dey burn, I dey struggle for air, wahala don pass level.

The woman still dey block front, but as she see her husband plan, she run commot.

She dey fear now, e show for her face. Nobody fit stand fire.

Fire begin rise for car. The driver behind finally realize say wahala don pass level.

Smoke dey choke everybody, driver dey wave hand, im face white like chalk. Na so crowd dey step back.

E face white. E dey stammer, “Abeg, no involve me o!”

E dey step back, hands up, dey beg make nobody call am join. E dey fear make police no blame am.

E run, leave me.

E vanish for crowd, I dey alone with fire, pain, and madness.

Smoke begin fill car. I try open door many times, but every time, I no fit.

My hand dey weak, leg dey useless, I dey choke. I dey slap glass, dey beg God.

One chance remain.

Na one hope remain—if I fit move car, maybe I go survive. I dey reason am fast.

Start car, move commot from them, then open door run.

Na the only plan wey remain. I dey pray say make fire no burn me finish before I commot.

But as I start to drive, I realize say e dey mad.

Breeze dey rush enter car, fire dey climb. My own no easy. People for road dey shout, some dey run.

Everybody know say you no fit smoke for moving bus—once bus dey move, air dey enter, fire go spread, burn everything in three minutes.

I dey remember how conductor dey always warn, "Abeg, no smoke for inside bus!" Now I dey see am live.

My car na the same. No windscreen, breeze dey enter, fire dey rise more.

Fire dey bite seat, cloth dey catch, my own sweat dey mix with fear. If I slow, I go roast for here.

Instead make fire off, e just dey burn more.

I dey hope say e go quench, but e dey spread pass petrol station fire.

Before I know, smoke don full everywhere, I dey cough, no fit see anything.

My throat dey burn, my eye dey water, I dey reason my life.

I slow down, unlock door, force am open.

With last strength, I dey pull handle, I dey push leg, pain dey bite me.

With one leg wey don break, to crawl out na wahala. As my head just come out, the couple don reach me.

My body dey slow, dem dey sharp. As my head pop outside, na so dem rush me.

I no fit go far at all.

I dey drag body, but my leg dey hook me. No way to escape.

I wave weakly, beg the man, “Abeg, no beat me, police go soon reach.”

I dey cry, my voice low, but I dey beg am like brother. I dey hope say pain go touch am.

E grit teeth. “I no want jail for you—eye for eye, na justice!”

E voice hard, e face tight, e mean every word. My heart dey cut.

E kick me for face. My head jam car body. I dey dizzy.

Pain shoot my skull, my eye dey blur, stars dey dance for my head.

The woman scream, “No let am come out! I wan make fire burn am!”

Her voice sharp, e pierce my ear. She dey cry, dey shout, dey curse.

The man nod, push me back inside, press me down, wedge my other leg outside. E shout the woman, “Use all your power—slam the door!”

My leg dey dangle, my mind dey beg God. For street, once anger pass, logic no dey exist.

Fear grip me. If both legs break, I go die here.

I dey think, "If dem break both legs, na death sentence be that." Sweat full my face.

I panic, find something hard for glove box. I no even see wetin e be, I just use am knack the man for head.

My hand dey shake, I dey grab anything. I swing am, land am for im head, na survival dey control me.

E shock, e stagger.

E eyes open, e hand loose, e fall small, e dey confused.

Na that time I see say na flask.

Na old stainless flask, the kind wey my wife dey use take tea work. E heavy, na God put am for my hand.

I raise am, knack am for im nose, again and again.

Blood dey splash, im face dey twist, but my hand no stop. I dey fight for my own life.

I no care if I break im nose finish. If e wan kill me, why I go fear law?

At this point, justice na for survival, no be for police station.

E set fire for car. If this one no be self-defense, then justice no dey this world.

I dey shout, my face dey red, I dey swear say na only God fit judge me.

Blood dey rush from im nose and mouth as the woman dey try slam door for my leg. As the man dey daze, I drag my left leg inside.

My body dey weak, but I dey use all strength. My clothes dey tear, blood dey drip.

But my right leg still outside.

My hand dey grab, my mind dey fight pain, but na leg still dey block door.

The woman slam door again, pain hit me, but my brain don off am, e no pain reach before.

I dey see everything like dream. My body no dey feel like my own again.

I dey always think say adrenaline na story, but now I sabi am real.

My sense dey high, my body dey move on its own, na only survival dey matter.

My leg still wound, but I no dey feel am, unlike the man wey pain just dey enter. I push am go back seat. E dey kneel for my ribs—my push throw am go back.

The push strong, e stagger, e fall go back, I dey pant like goat.

Car full with im scream.

E dey howl, the sound dey fill the car, I dey shiver.

Fire catch am. E dey roll, dey shout for back seat, dey try escape, but I don lock child safety lock.

Smoke dey rise, e dey bang door, but lock no gree open. Na small mercy save me.

With child lock, e no fit open door, no matter how e try.

Na so e dey shout, dey curse, I dey fear say fire go kill us all.

Fire dey burn am, e dey try crawl out window, but e jam.

E dey push, but window too small. Smoke dey choke everybody.

The woman dey fear, dey try pull her husband out, she no send me again.

Her tears dey flow, she dey beg God, dey drag im leg, but fire dey hot.

But fire dey burn the man. The woman dey fear touch am, just dey cry.

She dey tremble, dey scream, but fear hold her hand. Her love dey fight with fear.

The man, as e dey burn, dey shout her, “Unlock the door!”

Im voice dey scatter, pain dey show for every word.

She realize, run go driver side, dey try unlock, but she no know say child lock dey different.

She dey press button, dey pull handle, but door no dey open. Her scream dey full the air.

She dey press unlock button, but just dey watch as her husband dey struggle.

She dey cry, "I don unlock am!" but nothing dey happen. For Naija, technology fit confuse anybody when wahala start.

I no wan miss this chance—I punch her eye.

I gather small strength, swing fist, her scream cut, she hold face.

She hold her face, dey cry, as I finally crawl out, collapse for ground.

I fall for gutter, sand and dust full my mouth, my eyes dey shut. I dey alive, na God hand.

The man self manage crawl out window, fall beside me.

E fall like bag of cement, roll for ground, e dey howl like wounded animal.

But fire still dey burn am.

Im shirt dey flame, skin dey red, people dey shout, dey pour water.

E dey roll for ground, dey shout, the woman dey cry, no know wetin to do.

Her tears dey mix with dust, her voice dey break. I dey pity am, even as pain dey bite me.

That time, person run come.

Among the crowd, I see one figure dash out—na the driver from behind.

Na the driver from behind.

E hold red fire extinguisher, sweat dey pour, e dey rush, e dey shout, "Abeg make way!"

E carry fire extinguisher from im car, spray the man for ground.

White powder full everywhere, smoke dey quench. The crowd dey quiet small.

E quench fire, then stand, dey shake, dey beg, “Abeg, make una stop, make we talk.”

Im voice dey tremble, e dey beg as if na im own life dey for line. I dey look am, my mind blank, na only pain I sabi.

Me, I don tire.

My body dey heavy, my soul dey float. Tears dey my eye, blood dey my skin, but na only thank God I dey say for my mind.

Even though the man dey shout like say soul wan commot, the burn still dey outside only.

E dey howl, dey fight, but skin never roast finish. Na miracle say e survive.

True true, as fire off, e roar, jump come hold my neck, pin me down, dey shout, “I go kill you!”

For my mind, I dey pray, "God, abeg, make police reach before last breath." For Lagos street, na only God and small luck dey separate man and death. As siren begin wail from far, I know say my own never finish.