Chapter 5: Nightmares and Debtors

That night, my mind no rest, nightmare full ground. Dream no let me rest. E be like say all my ancestors gather, dey do night vigil for my matter.

I dream say one invisible black hand dey steal my phone, dey finish system money. The thing dey fear me, like all those midnight deliverance prayer, shadow dey chase me.

[Ding! Mobile money alert: ₦320]

[Ding! Mobile money alert: ₦640]

[Ding! Mobile money alert: ₦1,280]

...

My dream self dey panic. Na so I dey run inside dream, dey dodge alerts like bullet.

I jump wake. Sun don dey shine. I wake up, my heart dey race. Na this kind dream fit make person go do night vigil for Celestial.

Honestly, the dream too real—the system alert sound dey my ear. E dey ring like church bell for my head. I even reason say make I off my phone.

[Ding! Mobile money alert: ₦10,240]

I rub my eye, dey wonder if na witch dey press me. Fear catch me. For my chest, e be like say cold block dey there.

I grab phone check. My eye nearly turn. Tears no gree come. No be say I never see money before o, but this one pass my level.

Today na loan repayment day. Na so those yeye apps dey call, dey send text, dey harass. All those loan app people dey call, dey send text, dey threaten say dem go disgrace me for WhatsApp status. No peace for the wicked!

Automatic deduction. Before I fit reason, na so all the apps just dey suck my balance. My phone dey vibrate anyhow.

Count am, na system eleventh transfer be this. I dey mark am for jotter, dey fear make I no go die before time.

Second day after I bind, just one month to live, I don lose more days join. My life dey on fast forward. Na real speed run.

Crying, I waka go estate agent office. As tears dey fall for mind, I know say Naija no dey pity man. E better make I use last money buy comfort.