Chapter 3: Interrogation

For the interrogation room, the old detective ask me for the fifty-eighth time.

The room dey cold, only small bulb dey shine. The old detective, with gray hair and one missing tooth, no tire. E eyes dey like say e no sleep for one week. The table old, the fan no dey work. Na so e repeat question again.

I look him strong face, just raise shoulder like say e no concern me:

"Oga police, I don tell you before—I clear road for better people, Oga. Wetin una dey do since?"

Na this time my voice steady. I fit see say dem dey expect me to beg or cry, but I no go give dem that satisfaction. For my mind, na like I dey talk for inside market, no fear.

"All those old people no dey useful, na just dey waste space. I help clear them, no be good thing I do so?"

My voice dey cold, my eyes dey straight. I no let pity enter my chest. For me, na calculation. If person no get use, why e dey there? I know say na evil, but the world be as e be.

"Mind your mouth!"

The young police wey dey write statement vex, shout for me, e face just dey red.

Na this one young, probably never born pikin. Him hand dey shake as e write, e eye full of fire. "You dey craze! Na so you dey talk?"

The old detective dey turn the big file for hand, e face dey change like person wey swallow bad thing:

"You sabi say your papa and mama get cancer? To save money for your school, dem no go health centre even once."

E dey try reach me with emotion. E voice dey shake, e dey wait for me to break. I just dey look am, dey count the lines for him face.

"Ehn?"

I bend head small, act like say I no know anything:

"I no know oh. But e no matter. Person wey get that kind sickness go still die. Na bigger waste be that. Instead make dem suffer, I help them quick. No be better?"

I talk am like say I dey discuss yam wey rot. Inside me, I dey test them. I dey watch if dem go fit find wetin dey hide for my heart.

"And your grandma—she even use her burial money support you go school."

"Abeg, no talk about that woman."

For my mind, that money no reach anything. The bitterness for my voice show, I no fit hide am. E pain me say na so life hard reach, even burial money no dey enough for future.

My face change, small anger show:

"That old woman suffer for years, but na only two thousand naira she give me. Na so dem dey dash beggar money?"

The words sharp, na bitterness full am. For my mind, all the help dem give still no reach. I dey ask God: why life hard like this?

The old detective choke for my wicked talk, e face be like person wey chop fly.

E look me as if devil dey inside me. For room, everywhere silent. Na only sound of old fan, dey waka slow slow.

I yawn, come even help am with the next question.

I dey use the yawn do two things—show say I no send, and also to scatter their focus. I fit see say dem no expect am. Na small victory for me.

"I sabi wetin you wan ask. Village chief, Uncle Musa, Mama Kemi—the whole village help me. So make dem no dey lonely, I kill all of dem join. This way, dem go get company for afterlife, no be so?"

For my side, afterlife na big thing. I dey talk am with small mockery. In our place, people dey talk say "make we no dey lonely for spirit land." I use their own proverb against them, see if e go move dem.

"Oga police, you no see say I try?"

I talk am, make dem know say I dey in control. I wan see if any of them go shout or just tire.

"Enough!"

The young police bang table, break him pen into two.

The pen snap loud, ink fly reach my shirt. The table even shift. Na so anger full am. Him voice crack, but na true pain dey inside.

"Ngozi, na dog you give your school? All these people help you pass, na like your papa and mama again, and you still fit dey laugh after all this? You worse pass animal!"

The insult heavy, but e mean am. E fit slap me but law hold am back. My smile dey small, like say I dey enjoy the whole drama.

E jump stand, spit for ground. If not say e dey try hold himself, e for don slap me since.

Spit land for tile, clean white floor now get small stain. For this kind case, who fit blame am? E dey pain am pass as if na him own people die.

But as I see say e dey vex, I no even shake:

"Oga police, wetin dey pain you? If e pain you reach, you fit follow dem go that side."

I dey push am, see if e fit lose guard. For my mind, I dey count how long before dem change shift.

"You...!"

The young police face red, e chest dey go up and down, then e just waka comot:

E shoe dey make noise for corridor, e slam door as e go. Silence land for room like harmattan dust. Na only me and old detective remain.

"I no fit talk to am again. Make another person try. This one no be human being!"

His voice loud for corridor, other police dey nod. For my mind, I dey laugh. I dey count how many go break.

I press my lips, keep quiet, the room just silent again.

For my heart, na only that silence dey sweet me. Nobody fit reach me there.