Chapter 5: The Night of Terror

That single message almost make my phone fall from my hand.

Na so I carry my hand cover mouth, dey try hold shout. My heartbeat dey pound like generator for my chest.

"How you take know say I wan comot?"

I look around the parlour, fear catch me say maybe person put camera for house.

I check ceiling, check window, my eye dey scan everywhere like soldier for checkpoint.

"You sabi say I fit see future," he reply, like say e normal.

That kind confidence, e dey fear person. I dey imagine say maybe the guy na real dibia or e get eye for spirit world.

"Why I no fit hide outside?"

"If your wife wake by 1:01 a.m. and no see you, she go know say you don suspect. She fit act sharp sharp. If e happen, na that time you go kpai."

The way he mention 1:01 a.m., I check time. 12:38. My skin dey crawl.

"So make I just siddon dey wait for death?" I dey panic.

I dey sweat, dey wipe face every two seconds. Na fear dey dry my mouth.

"From how your body dey now, you fit last some more days. I go reach you in four days. We go talk then."

I check my calendar. Four days dey far for person wey dey face spirit wahala o.

"You really go help me?"

Hope enter my body. With all wey don happen, this guy look like real baba. If he help, I fit get small peace.

"Some things I no fit see until I check am myself. To save you na another talk. Go back sleep, let the thing dey drain you for now."

For my mind, I dey ask: which kind solution be this? But I no get better choice.

I shame, reply: "Me and my wife no dey do that kind thing for night."

He pause, then reply, sounding tired:

"Who tell you say to drain person na only that style? Use your head, abeg."

I dey reason say maybe na when I dey sleep she dey do her own. Or na those times she dey massage my back at night.

"So how e dey happen?"

"You go soon know."

After that, he no talk again.

My chest dey heavy as I just drag myself go room, my leg heavy like cement.

The light from corridor just dey faint, everywhere dey quiet. Na only generator sound I dey hear for far compound. Na so I collapse for bed, my mind dey race.