Chapter 7: The Mark of the Ancestors

Next morning, as I wake, I dey smell burnt ogi from kitchen, but na fear dey my mouth, no be hunger.

My wife still dey sleep beside me.

I sit up slow, dey check my body for any wound. My skin dey sticky, my head dey pain me like hangover after cheap ogogoro.

I look her neck.

The red line don change again.

Near her chin, another red line don branch like claw.

The thing dey like dem old Benin tribal marks, the ones you dey see for grandpapa chest, but this one dey fresh, dey red. Fear grip me. My hand dey shake, my body dey cold.

I carry phone, wan snap picture, send to that baba.

I dey pray make the flash no wake her. I dey wipe camera lens, dey try make I get clear shot.

As I just open camera—

"Honey, wetin you dey do?"

My wife soft voice shock me. I look up, meet her eye—cold, no emotion.

Her eyes dey sharp, like Oshodi market woman wey dey catch thief. I dey remember those market women for Oshodi wey dey look person for eye until you confess.

Chill run my body.

"Nothing, I just say you fine as you dey sleep. I wan use am as wallpaper."

My mouth dry, but I try talk like normal.

I force smile, try behave normal.

I dey do like say nothing happen, dey wipe sweat for my forehead.

She look me one kind, then pull wrapper reach her chin.

Her hand steady, she no blink. The way she take cover her neck, e be like person dey guard treasure.

"We don old for this marriage. Wetin you wan dey snap? Abeg, let me rest small."

Her voice sharp, e cut like razor. She turn face wall, pretend sleep. For my mind, na escape I dey plan.

I nod fast, hold myself from running, rush enter bathroom.

As I reach bathroom, I lock door, check window, dey breathe hard. I remove cloth, check myself for mirror. Nothing strange.

If no be say I see the red line change, I for think say na nightmare I get.

I steady myself for mirror, try calm down, then dress go outside for small walk.

I dey reason how to take leave house without draw attention. I wipe face, dey pray inside me say make I see better solution.

That online baba fit no serious, but I hear say one strong native doctor dey for outskirts. I go check wetin he go talk.

Na so I dey plan, dey calculate how to take dodge my wife.

But as my hand touch door—

"Where you dey go?"

Cold voice from my back.

The voice dry, e low. I know say trouble dey.