Chapter 1: The Email Test

After a long, tiring day, I turned on my computer, ready to just relax small. Outside, generator noise still dey hum faint for compound, but inside here, na just me and my laptop.

I stretched my legs, kicked off my slippers and hissed under my breath, "Ah! This Lagos wahala no dey finish." I felt sweat bead at my temple from the NEPA wahala earlier, but the cool glow of my screen soothed my spirit. Na only this computer fit calm me sometimes after such stress. From outside, the smell of akara frying from Mama Chidinma’s kiosk just float enter small, mix with the hot dust smell wey rain leave behind—this city na full package.

Ding dong—

The sharp ping from my speakers startled me. For this hour? I squint, raise eyebrow.

One email notification pop up for the top left corner of my screen:

[Impostor Test Software:]

Curious, I open am. Na black-and-white photo show:

I move mouse with one hand, sip Coke with the other, but as the photo load finish, my hand pause mid-air. The woman for the picture dey shine teeth anyhow, grin reach ear, but her eyes blank like NEPA blackout—nothing dey inside.

Goosebumps crawl my skin like ants wey dey find sugar. I rub my arm, try shake the feeling off, but e no gree go.

Under the image, blood-red text appear:

[If you think this photo is normal, please exit the test software immediately.]

[If you find this photo unsettling, please continue with the following test.]