Chapter 4: Basement Secrets and Nosebleed Confessions

Obiora carry me go house.

Before, I think say I sabi the house finish, but this night, na new world open. E lead me downstairs, unlock heavy door—basement!

I no know say e get basement like this.

As light on, na so toys full everywhere—whips, cuffs, costumes wey fit give pastor nightmare. I swallow spit.

One whole wall, toys wey person no fit talk about.

If my church mama see this place, she go faint. Even my tail dey hide for shadow. I remember church mama warning—“No follow bad boy go dark place!” Na die be this.

For my mind, na to just say last prayer. If I survive, I go drop offering next Sunday.

Na only that thought dey my head.

I dey imagine my obituary. "She died in service of love."

But Obiora just lock me for big scary bed, waka enter dark room.

He leave me tied like package, and enter one dark room—sound of hangers and drawers dey jangle.

When e come out, na white shirt, sleeve garter, gold-rimmed glass—pure holy-boy look.

I choke. If you see as he set hair, e come dey do as if na innocent choir boy. If dem say make person confess sin, na now.

Nosebleed just start—blood dey rush like when pepper enter eye for market.

But hand tie, I no fit even wipe am.

I dey reason my life. How I go explain this one?

Obiora look me like, “I talk am.”

E look like say e dey laugh me with eyes. "You see your life?"

As he dey lose belt, he start dey call roll:

Obiora dey count all my shade one by one, dey use my own words do me back.

“No be you swear say you no go ever like me?”

“Chili pepper for tree?”

“No get talent, but at least you try?”

“8am flight, 12pm male model?”

E dey dress, undress, change, pose—na full runway. Me, I dey shout, "Obiora, fear God!"

Wolf tail, chest chain, butler outfit…

If you see the performance, you go fear. My own be say, if dem rate this show, e go pass BBNaija.

Every time he ask, he go change cloth, no let me touch.

He dey punish me with fashion show. Na so I dey beg, "Make I touch small." E no gree.

Who go fit hold am? No be me.

This guy na stone—na wahala dey hungry am.

Bullet comments dey mad:

“No fall for am o, he don dig him own grave.”

“Ah ah, teacher, your words too hot!”

“I dey die—these two dey cosplay up and down, main couple still dey do PG. If e continue, I go jump go 9-seconds couple.”

You fit hear online people dey laugh, dey shout, dey cry. Na so story dey sweet.

Bang—

For my eye, something flash. E shock me like NEPA wire.

Goat horn and heart tail show at once.

Obiora own dey shine black like new shoe. My own dey flick flick, e get mind of e own.

No be hunger, na greed.

This one na pure desire. Even air dey vibrate.

Obiora lips twist—half smile, half mock.

E give that smile wey dey make belle shake. "You no fit handle me."

“So you be succubus too…"

“So why I dey form since?”

He dey tease me, make mouth. I dey wonder who go first surrender.

He remove ring, black scale dey shine small small.

Ring fall for floor—na small black scale wey dey shine inside. My heart skip.

My voice dey shake. “Obiora, why you dey hold my tail?”

My tail dey for him hand, e dey rub am like say na rabbit foot. Cold dey enter my body.

He no answer. He just press my tail tip for him collarbone.

That cold dey make my skin crawl, e sweet like fura.

Cold. Sweet die.

If you see as I dey shiver, e be like Harmattan breeze enter room.

I stretch my tail, dey find more.

I dey try use tail collect extra touch. My own dey betray me.

“Where else you wan touch?” he tease.

Obiora dey provoke me, tongue dey flick for teeth. I dey imagine him for kitchen, dey chop fried fish.

I swallow. “I fit?”

E mean say, make I try my luck. I dey test water.

He look down, agree: “No wahala. Just call me husband.”

For my mind, na war, but this kain talk dey sweet pass eba and egusi.

Desire finish my sense in three seconds. No hope for me.

My brain blank, na only one thing fit save me.

I shout, “Abeg, husband, abeg!”

I point my tail at him abs.

My tail fly go straight, no dey waste time. Obiora just dey smile like say na gold medal e win.

Obiora smile, allow me.

As my tail touch him waist, e wrap am sharp.

Tail coil e waist, e just dey show body. No shame. If dem say na Olympic sport, I for carry first.

He lean near, just dey show off: See? No male model reach me.

I dey watch e body, dey compare muscle, dey tell myself say even if na magic, this kain chest no dey grow overnight.

“Obiora, you no get shame!”

I dey shout, but my voice no get power. Shame dey kill me, but my mouth still dey run.

As I realize wetin I do, shame nearly kill me.

I hide face, dey beg earth to swallow me. Why my mouth dey fast?

He just wave am off, my insult no dey enter again.

Obiora don dey smile, dey shake head like say "You too stubborn."

He press my head down, force my mouth open.

He press am gentle but stubborn—na as if he dey say, "Na you talk am, finish am."

“Then bite me.”

Obiora just dey look me, mouth open small. I dey reason say maybe na new game e start.

Bullet comments dey fly:

“Bite am—if you bite, na you go enjoy pass!”

“Second male lead, no love too much! Others dey make wife wear sexy cloth, you dey dress up for her. Where your pride? Where boyfriend code?”

“I dey watch o. E sweet die. Too bad story wan end. Next episode, main girl go show, second male lead go realize say pleasure no be love, main girl na forever his own. (yydsl).”

“But abeg, author, give us better biting scene. Babe get money, give us more!”

As dem dey shout, I just dey laugh for mind. If dem know say real wahala dey here, dem go help me pray.

(Note: "yydsl" mean 'eternal god' or 'forever my favorite'—here e mean main girl na his true love.)

Dem go yarn say na true love, but na stubbornness dey cause all this wahala.