Chapter 1: The Journey and the Blink

During the long August holiday, my wife and I decide to carry our son go the hills near Oke-Ado to escape the wahala heat for Ibadan. The air dey thick with pepper, dust, and exhaust; sweat dey run for Morayo back as she balance food flask for hand, dey check say we get enough jollof rice and gala for the journey. Chijioke, our small pikin, dey bounce around, excitement full him body as we pack. As we lock door and wave greet our landlord, Mr. Adebayo, for compound, the sun dey bite like pepper, Ibadan hot pass new generator.

But as we come back house, our son begin act somehow.

Even neighbors wey dey play ayo under the mango tree begin notice say Chijioke just dey quiet, him eye dey follow us waka like person wey dey find something wey no lost. Morayo even talk say she notice the boy just dey stare like say e dey count our eyelashes.

He go just dey look us steady, then ask, "Daddy, Mummy, why una no dey blink eye?"

The way he ask the question, e be like say breeze blow inside parlour, everywhere just cold. Morayo pause, her hand hang for air, spoon still full of rice. I swallow spit, dey wait for her to talk first. I fit remember as Chijioke hold my shirt small small, the seriousness for him face no be here. For my mind, I dey wonder if na new cartoon e watch, abi na dream disturb am.