Chapter 5: Blackmail, Rage, and No Going Back

15

I turn waka, papa follow.

I dey hear am shuffle behind me. I dey hope say e go tire.

Him chest dey rise, face oily red.

Anger dey boil for him face. E dey try hold am, but e no fit.

This time, he no shout, just grit teeth for my ear.

E come near, voice low, but e dey bite.

"Funto, if I die, you think say you go rest? I no go treat am, I go dey gist for your office everyday. Wetin you do for university, those photos—"

The threat land like thunder. My heart stop. Photos? Which photos? My mind dey scatter.

My head ring.

Pain shoot my brain. E dey use blackmail now. I dey shake.

I turn, shock: "Photos? Which photos? You sef take photos?"

I dey try remember. Wetin I do? Where e take photo? I dey fear.

Papa eye dey shine, lips dey shake: "Just one hundred thousand, I treat, everything end, nobody go see those photos. Funto, your future dey shine, my life no matter, I no want your people see those photos..."

He dey use my future hold me. E dey blackmail me. Na last card be this.

Gbosa.

I slap am with all my power.

My hand loud for him face. E shock. Everybody turn look us. I no care.

I jump, grip him neck: "I no care! Tell the whole world! Tell everybody!"

I dey shake. Tears dey drop, anger dey boil. I dey lose control.

Bang bang bang—

I dey hit table, things dey fall. Na chaos for café. Everybody dey fear.

Puff-puff, akara, moi moi scatter for ground.

Food fly everywhere. Oil stain cloth, moi moi burst. Na real gobe.

Papa bend for café table, face red, dey struggle, dey kick, dey try remove my hand.

E dey fight, but I no gree. Years of pain dey my hand. I dey squeeze.

Coffee cup fall, brown liquid spill everywhere, break.

Glass scatter. Waiter dey shout, manager dey call security.

I press him neck, eye red.

My eye dey see blood. I dey snap. People dey drag me, but I no release.

Die, die, die!

I dey chant inside. Pain too much.

People for café dey shout.

Dem dey try hold me. Some dey video. Na wahala.

Manager and waiter rush come hold me.

"Madam, madam, abeg calm down."

"Madam, abeg, release am, talk am well."

Voice dey everywhere. My own dey lost inside.

I sharply release.

I breathe hard, let go. I dey shiver, sweat dey pour for face.

Papa slump for sofa, dey gasp.

E dey breathe like person wey just finish marathon. Neck red, face swell. I dey look am, no pity.

Waiter relax.

E dey thank God say nobody die. Na small e remain make police enter.

"Madam, abeg, anything—"

Waiter wan talk, but my ear don block. Na only my own heartbeat I dey hear.

One aunty for corner just dey shake head, dey whisper, "Na so dem dey do for this Lagos."

Next thing, I bend, pick the biggest, sharpest piece of plate, and stab am for neck.

Na rage move me. Plate sharp, my hand steady. For that moment, nothing matter again. Na only pain dey rule me. Even as blood begin pour, I no dey fear. I just dey look am. Tears and anger mix. Life tire me. As blood touch my hand, I know say nothing go ever remain the same.