Chapter 3: Halima, the Shadow Between Us

Chijioke get one childhood friend wey grow up with am—her name na Halima.

Halima na that kind girl wey sabi mix with everybody. From small, people for street dey call her 'daughter of the house'.

Halima papa na Chijioke papa driver before. One day, for river accident, he risk him life save Chijioke papa, but no survive, drown die.

The story full area—how the man dive enter river, how dem carry am come out after. Na community even do wake keep for Halima papa.

Chijioke papa na better person. As the man die, he carry Halima and her mama come house, say he go treat Halima like him own pikin, care for dem forever.

Dem give them one room for boys' quarters, make sure say dem no lack. Even for Christmas, na same food everybody dey chop.

Halima and Chijioke grow together. Even after we start dey, she no gree give us space, dey follow us go and come from school every day.

Na every morning she go knock gate, shout, "Chijioke, I dey wait o!" Me I go dey vex, but e go say, "Halima be like my small sister."

Because of this, me and Chijioke fight more than once. When Halima finally stop to follow us, e no even reach two days, she don show again, dey lean on Chijioke.

The thing dey tire me, but I no fit talk too much, make e no be like say I dey jealous for nothing.

"Sorry, Naza, I know say you no want make I follow una, but I twist my leg and Chijioke insist say he go carry me house."

She dey form small pikin, but her eye sharp. She go dey look me from corner, dey test my patience.

Chijioke eyes just dey her side, dey frown, dey scold:

He go dey ask, "How you take twist am? Where e pain you?" I go just hiss for back.

"You injure leg, you no tell me? If I no come find you, you go hop go house?"

I dey wonder if na me he go ever care for like that. Sometimes, my mind dey do me one kind.

I still remember that day: Chijioke carry Halima for back, dey waka for front.

E carry am like say na feather, dey gist as dem dey go. I dey drag leg for back, dey look two of them shadow for ground.

Halima just dey talk about their childhood, I no fit even talk.

She dey remind am of all the play wey dem play for compound, how dem use climb mango tree together.

She dey do like small pikin: "Chijioke, my leg dey pain me well."

Her voice dey soft, e dey enter ear like sobo drink for hot day.

I never hear Chijioke voice so soft before: "Your leg dey pain you? Wetin I go do now?"

E dey pamper am, I dey look from back dey bite lip.

"I want cake from that shop for junction—the most expensive one."

She dey laugh, dey wink. Chijioke just shake head, say she too get wahala.

"No wahala, I go first carry you go house, then go buy am."

He dey do as if na duty. If I talk, e go say, "She be my sister."

"Chijioke, I fit dey follow you go school again? If I dey waka alone, those street boys dey disturb me. I dey fear."

She dey use innocent face, but me I dey see another thing.

Chijioke frown: "Why you no talk before?"

He dey ready to fight anybody for Halima sake. Na loyalty dey do am, but I dey see am as wahala.

"Tomorrow I go come carry you. If I no fit follow you, you no go waka alone."

Na so he take promise am. Even if he no mean am bad, e still pain me.

Halima just smile, look back at me.

She fit talk 'okay', but her eye dey talk another thing.

"Okay."

E dey hard to know wetin dey her mind, but I sabi say she dey happy say she win for that day.

…

The evening sun just make their shadow long, two of them like say dem join together.

If you see am for road, you go think say na small family. Me I dey waka for back, dey count my step.

Me, I just dey fall back, dey waka alone, but Chijioke no even look my side.

The pain dey bite me, but I no want make dem see say I care.

Na when he finish carry Halima reach house, he come turn talk to me:

The way he talk, e no look my eye. Na that time I know say the matter pass my power.

"I wan go buy cake for Halima, so today I no fit carry you go house."

As he talk am, e just dey look ground. Na so my hope just fade.

"Naza, abeg, go house by yourself."

My chest just freeze. For that street, e be like say na only me waka alone for world.

I look am for long, then waka go.

No word come out. I just turn, dey pray make nobody see my face. For my mind, I dey talk, "God, abeg, give me heart wey go strong."