Chapter 2: Destiny No Be By Force

After I see the barrage, I just dey look as Halima drag the wounded man enter my bungalow.

The compound outside dey smell of wet soil, mango leaves dey drip for window. I still dey wear wrapper, slippers dey for hand because I no even get time to change when I hear commotion. Halima stubbornly no mind as her own dress don tear for the sleeve—she drag the man like her own personal Moses wey she dey carry cross Red Sea.

Her mama dey work as house help for my house, and she don dey grow for here since she small.

E get one time when Halima nearly drown for water tank, na me jump enter to pull her out. All this love and care—now e don turn to enemy?

No be only me—even my parents dey treat her like pikin.

Even during Sallah, my mama dey buy her own rice, dey call her join table. Nobody for our street fit talk say Halima no be part of Okafor house.

But I too good to her, now she don dey act like na she get the house.

E sweet for her body—she go even greet my papa, “Good morning, daddy!” as if na her papa. Sometimes, sef, she dey enter my room, carry my cream without ask. Now, see wetin too much goodness dey cause.

As I wan go forward, Halima just block me like say she dey protect the man.

Her chest come out, eyes dey sharp, arms spread like police checkpoint. She even block me like LASTMA officer for junction. I wan laugh, but for that moment, e be like say Halima na lioness and the man na her cub.

"Amaka, Amaka Okafor, na me save am. Abeg, no put mouth."

Her voice get one kind thick edge, the type wey dey come out when you dey beg and warn at the same time. I almost pity her.

"If e wake up come misunderstand, e go hard to explain."

I squeeze face. “Na who dey misunderstand? Me or you?” But before I fit talk, comments just dey rush again for my face:

[The main babe dey correct. If the supporting babe no collect the glory last time, how dem for take miss each other for many years?]

[So what if the main babe dey stay for the supporting babe bungalow, dey use her money for school? Real main babe no dey answer money.]

[Once the main guy fall for the main babe, she no go need anybody again~ No be only school fees, even the supporting babe family money go reach her hand.]

[The supporting babe go shock—this time, the main babe dey shine eye, no chance for the other one. Abeg!]

The comments dey hot like ogiri for market. Sometimes I feel say na spiritual attack be this, abi na juju? Why my own life dey play out like drama wey everybody dey watch?

I frown look Halima, as she dey guard the man, and I begin understand wetin the barrage dey talk.

I frown like tomato seller wey customer price too low. Na so Halima stand with leg apart, mouth tight. I come dey see the sense for this spiritual wahala.

So, na me be the wicked supporting babe, and Halima with this man na the main guy and main babe?

Because I no hear word, carry the man go hospital, the main guy think say na me save am?

Then later e go find out say na Halima be the real saviour, come destroy my family?

Which kind wahala plot be this?

I nearly shout "Blood of Jesus!" but I swallow am sharp-sharp because all this one na real Nollywood script. Wetin be my own inside?

With the way him leg spoil, if you no carry am go hospital, na die e dey wait for.

I look the leg again, na true. I don see wound before, but this one bad. The skin don puff up, red pass pepper, and the air no dey fresh again for parlour.

If na death dem want, make I help dem.

My chest cold, but my eye dey sharp. Na so I balance for ground, hands akimbo, mouth ready to scatter.

I waka straight to Halima. "You even know who this man be? You just dey carry anyhow person enter my house?"

I step forward, voice hard like market woman wey dey pursue debt.

"N-no, I no know am."

Halima voice just dey tremble, her eyes dey dodge. The rain outside dey beat window, thunder dey roll. The whole scene come be like home video.

[The main babe dey wise—this time she no gree talk who the main guy be. Our main guy Musa Danladi na the richest man only son; in few days, e go inherit everything.]

[True talk, so the supporting babe no go dey jealous again.]

I laugh, just open the bungalow door.

I open door, breeze just blow inside like say even the weather wan join for the wahala. I stand for the entrance, cold air dey slap my face.

"You no sabi anything about am, you just drag am come here?"

My voice rise, full compound fit hear me. I dey fear who be this stranger. For Naija, to just carry person enter house get as e be. Anyhow, na my family safety first.

"If na criminal e be nko? Who go guarantee my safety?"

I point finger for Halima face, my own fear dey mix with anger. All these years, I dey protect am, now she wan use me play script.

"Oya, either you carry am comot, or you follow am go. If you no gree, I go call the community vigilante."

I say am with finality—my voice hard like iron. For our area, once you mention vigilante, matter fit change. People go gather, nobody go gree talk say them no see. I see Mama Titi curtain shift—gossip go start now now.

Halima freeze, shock full her face.

Her mouth open, she look me like pikin wey dem thief biscuit from hand. Her eyes shine with fear—she never see me talk like this before.

"Amaka Okafor, you wicked o! The guy dey hurt already, you still wan chase us commot?"

Her voice crack, tears dey push for her eyes. The man just dey groan small for ground, head roll to one side. Rain beat for zinc, make everywhere cold.

I sigh, act like say I no get choice.

I rub my forehead, breathe in deep. “See Halima, e no get as you wan do am, I no fit risk am. Rain dey fall, but I no fit carry person wey I no know. Na so we dey learn.”

"We no relate. Why I go allow stranger dey my house?"

I fold arm, voice low but steady. For Naija, family na everything, but stranger matter dey dangerous. I no get spirit for bad luck.

"You no wan carry am go hospital, you no wan call community people, wetin you want make I do? You decide."

I stand ground, my feet tap for tile. Halima dey cry inside, but I no gree show pity. Na so she dey test my patience.

Halima open mouth, but e be like say she force herself swallow her words.

She look down, lips dey quiver. The rain still dey knock window, the air inside house thick with tension. I dey wait, arms crossed, eye dey burn her.

"Okay, we go."

Her voice low, almost whisper. She use wrapper clean her face. The man just dey groan for corner, but she no fit carry am alone.

"Wetin be money if you no get heart, na only to dey throw money for people head you sabi."

Her words cut me, but I pretend say I no hear am. She stand up, drag her slippers, start dey help the man for ground. The pain for her voice dey bite, but I keep face strong.

[See as the supporting babe wicked. Rain dey fall outside o—how she take get mind?]

[The main guy wound bad well, if dem go under rain now, infection go enter.]

Those comments dey echo for my head. I dey ask myself—na true? Or na film I dey watch?

I look Halima stubborn face, hiss.

I hiss loud, like market women for Wadata. If this girl think say na only her get sense, make she continue. The wound no go heal for house—my mind talk am, my mouth keep quiet.

With that kind wound, if you no carry am go hospital, even if the richest man papa show, na die or cripple e go end.

Inside me, I dey vex. If this na destiny wey them choose, let them face am. For Makurdi here, people dey die anyhow—nobody dey do film star.