Chapter 2: The Mysterious Warning

I click the profile of the person wey send that message. Him avatar na black and white circle, e resemble those Ifa cowrie sign wey I see for baba shrine when I small.

The profile just dey one kain. No name, no bio, no nothing—just that strange symbol. E remind me of those ancient Ifa divination marks wey I see for one baba shrine as pikin. Chills catch me small.

As e be say na late night and the thing wey him talk no clear, the guy come dey look somehow mysterious for my eye.

I tag am for chat:

"Guy, abeg, wetin you mean by that thing?"

Truth be say, my wife really get one red line for her neck. E dey there since the first day wey I meet her.

First time I notice am, we dey inside that old Keke Napep wey dey shake for Mile 2. I ask am wetin be that, she just laugh, use scarf cover am. Since then, the thing no ever go. Sometimes e go faint, sometimes e go red like new tattoo.

I don ask her before. She talk say na because her body no too strong, her immune system dey weak, na so she get hives.

But me, I no too believe am. I don see hives before—e dey rough, e dey scatter like allergy.

But the one for my wife neck different. E clear, e red well well, e straight like person use marker draw am.

I remember say after we marry, I suggest make we go see chemist for that stubborn red line.

She no even gree hear am. That day, I carry her enter one small pharmacy for Okota, the woman begin para. She squeeze my hand, drag me commot, her eyes red. She dey whisper say I dey embarrass her, make I get sense.

Surprisingly, my wife just refuse sharp sharp. She cover her neck, look me with one kind eye: "If you still want make I be your wife, no ever talk about this thing again."

The way she talk am that day, I just shut up. My mind cut small, but I no get power to quarrel. I just decide say na small thing, maybe she dey shy.

As time go, I just forget am.

But now, as that guy mention am for group, all the memory come back.

My body dey cold as I dey read back old chats, dey remember every small thing. Na so fear dey start for Naija person—when something wey you ignore begin show face again.

The guy no too dey online. Almost thirty minutes pass before he reply:

"As I see say you be good person, make I warn you: abeg, call your people, make dem dey ready to carry your dead body any time. If dem chop you finish, even your spirit no go fit come back house."

For inside me, my chest seize. I dey try read meaning inside, dey wonder who dey chop who? My mama always talk say make person no play with strange warning.

As he mention the red line, cold sweat just dey my body. I wait all this time just to read this kain thing, I no even fit talk.

My finger dey tremble as I dey type. The AC even dey blow, but na fear dey cold me.

"You dey try scare me with all this your mysterious talk abi?"

Other people for group come join:

"Abeg, we dey joke here. To talk say person go die, no be am."

Another person type: "Make una no dey use mouth curse our guy, abeg. You dey take this thing personal."

"True talk, to dey use death play no good."

But the mysterious guy reply almost immediately:

"I no dey curse am. Him really dey near death. If you no believe, ask am: that red line for him wife neck, e don red pass before? E don thick?"

I pause, read the message again. Na so small silence dey enter the group. Even the people wey dey laugh begin type slowly. My hand dey cold as I dey remember how the line dey change color sometimes.