Chapter 4: Ghetto Tension

Everybody move at once. Uncle Auwalu and me try run, but dem pin us down. Dead Man Bala waka come, pick blade, dey tap my fingers. "If I say cut one, you go cut one. Which one you choose?"

Him hand cold as e touch me. My mind dey scatter. For ground, na only dust and sweat.

My hand dey back, face for ground—I no fit move. Uncle Auwalu dey shout, "Oga Bala, abeg, leave am, na small boy. If you cut him finger, e don finish—na university boy!"

Uncle Auwalu voice crack. For him mind, e dey see im burial already.

"University boy? Hahaha..." Dead Man Bala laugh anyhow. "I dey fear university boy o... Enough talk. You decide? No? Okay, I go choose for you. So you fit still use spoon, I go cut your pinky. See as I good."

Him laugh no sweet. The room smell like palmwine and sweat. Na only God fit save person for this kain coded spot.

Dead Man Bala straight my pinky, press cold blade for am, pain dey bite me before e even start. As e dey near, I shout, "Oga Bala, your tattoo no correct!"

I no know where courage come from. I just shout, dey hope e go distract am.

Dead Man Bala pause. "Wetin you talk?"

E look me sharp, blade still dey for my hand.

I swallow. "That tattoo for your hand na masquerade from Chief Okoli’s 'Underworld Scroll.' Na masquerade wey dey bind bad people, carry dem go spirit world. So e suppose hold chain, no be staff."

I dey try form bookman. My voice dey shake, but I press on.

Dead Man Bala look me, look him tattoo. "You dey talk say e wrong?"

His boys dey look him. For street, tattoo na pride. To tell am e tattoo wrong, na big risk.

"Yes, e wrong. You fit check for Facebook."

I dey reason say na now them go beat me well. But I stand ground.

"Shorty, check am for phone. Chief Okoli... which scroll?"

E voice low, but e dey curious.

I say, "Underworld Scroll."

I try talk am with confidence, like say I no dey fear.

"Yes, Underworld Scroll. Check am sharp sharp." He look me again. "If you dey lie, I go still cut your pinky."

Room quiet like graveyard. Everybody dey wait for Shorty.

Shorty search for phone, shout, "Oga Bala, I see am! See, just like your tattoo... Ah, na true, e dey hold chain."

As Shorty raise phone, light shine for screen. Dead Man Bala eye wide, hand drop blade. Everybody dey murmur.

Dem come free me and Uncle Auwalu, we just dey shake.

My leg weak. Uncle Auwalu dey hold chair, I dey massage my hand. Na God save us that day.

Dead Man Bala look phone, look him tattoo, reason am, then slap table, curse, "Chei, cheap work. I know say to draw staff easy pass chain. Now I go shame."

E hiss, push card away. Na pride pain am pass.

I say, "Oga Bala, if you no talk, nobody go know."

I dey try cool am, so e no vex again.

"How you take know?"

His voice soft, small respect dey inside.

"Na art I study for school—fine art for university."

I lift head small. Everybody dey look me with one kain eye—half fear, half respect.

"Ah, true university boy."

E nod, like say e dey see me for first time.

Uncle Auwalu laugh, "Na so, Oga Bala, I tell you, na real talent for our office."

E shine teeth, dey show me love. I nod back, dey try smile.

"Chei, see as I jam book person. Okay, I free una today. I go fix this tattoo before dem begin laugh me." He nod Shorty. "Go check back room, see if pendant dey for any wallet."

E wave us off, na big relief for my chest. My mind dey sing praise.