Chapter 2: Pepper for Wadata, Fire for Heart

One day, the man come again.

That afternoon hot, sun dey beat ground, and I see am from far. My body cold, my mind race, but I tell myself, "No wahala."

Even though our buka don turn to ordinary snacks shop, he still enter as customer.

He walk in with that yeye swagger, one useless nylon bag for hand, clothes rumpled, him eye still red from drink. The air change—like when rain wan fall, everybody dey expect wahala.

He look me, shout, "Wetin you dey look? You wan lose another house give me?"

People for shop look up, some dey shake head. Na so he start to dey make noise, dey find trouble.

I swallow my anger.

My hand dey shake, but I just hold myself. My tongue pain me, but I no talk. Morayo flash me look, her eye dey beg, "No do am."

I no fit touch am.

Inside me, I dey talk, "God, abeg. Make today pass."

I still dey probation, and Morayo get belle.

Na so her belle don show—everybody dey hail her, dey call her "mama born-boy" or "mama twins." Our joy dey grow, but fear dey with am.

If wahala start for probation, na straight to prison.

Even police wey dey do checkpoint for Wadata sabi my face. Any small wahala, na dem go first call DPO.

We don jam before, but we dey avoid each other.

Sometimes if I see am for market, I go shift, or Morayo go quickly drag me another side. Everybody for area sabi say wetin happen before still dey their mind.

But today, na clear say him don drunk again. He order one bowl fish balls, talk make we remember pepper.

He use that kind command voice, dey talk anyhow. Morayo just nod, waka go kitchen.

As Morayo give am the takeaway, the man just shout, "I talk make you put pepper—you no dey hear word?"

Shop people begin look, some dey whisper. Morayo stand, hold tray tight, dey try explain.

The shout shock Morayo. She stammer, "I put am, you no just see. If you no believe, smell am."

Her voice low, her eye dey water. Me sef dey squeeze cloth for hand, dey watch.

I see as she put pepper, but the man dey press phone, e no notice.

Even small girl for shop dey nod, "Aunty put am o." But man no send.

Morayo open the cover, give am make he smell am. Suddenly, the man push am, hot fish balls pour for Morayo body. He curse, "Put your mama own!"

The tray fall, hot oil and fish ball just dey burn Morayo skin. Na shout scatter for shop.

The hot fish balls burn my wife, she shout immediately. Her skin dey hot like fresh akara for frying pan. She lift shirt, show her big belle, run go tap, dey pour cold water for body.

Her scream loud reach outside. One woman rush come, dey help fan her. My heart dey cut, but my mama eye sharp, dey watch me.

I grab goat-meat chopping knife, wan rush go out, but my mama wey dey do cashier see me. She run enter kitchen, lock door, no gree make I come out.

She block me, voice dey high. "No o! My pikin, abeg—if you go out, na wahala again! Think of your wife, think of your pikin!" She dey pray under breath, "Blood of Jesus!" even as she dey hold door strong.

She beg me from the small window, "No go outside! You no fit fight again—we no fit bear another wahala. The man don drunk, maybe na you e wan provoke."

Her hand dey shake, rosary dey her neck, sweat for face. "No let devil use you, my son!"

Morayo see as I dey, she bear the pain, force smile, talk, "Husband, I dey okay, e no burn me."

But na lie. Her hand dey red, her face dey strong but I see say she dey bear am for my sake. She dey wipe tears, dey shake head, dey try calm me.

But how e go no burn am?

Her voice no fit hide the pain. Even the small children for shop dey look with pity. One old woman just dey shake head, dey mutter, "Ah, wahala too much for this world."

I see with my eye as her belle dey red, she just dey rinse am with cold water.

For her mind, na the pikin she dey worry. She dey rub her tummy gently, whisper, "Abeg, abeg, abeg."

She dey feel pain, but still dey try calm me.

Morayo na woman wey get heart. She sabi say if I vex, story fit change. She dey squeeze my hand, voice soft, "E go better."

I just dey look the drunk man—same way, the same drunk, wicked look.

He dey laugh, dey talk with another customer. Him eye red, mouth dey smell burukutu. No respect at all.

Alcohol smell full everywhere, he point Morayo, dey curse, "I see as you pack am! You no put wetin I talk, still dey make me smell am. My stupidity phobia don dey worry me."

Some customers dey shake head, dey whisper, "Na drink dey worry this one." But nobody wan near.

Morayo still dey rinse her belle with cold water. Eight months pregnant, next month na her due—how she wan take bear this kind thing?

Even her wrapper don soak, the floor wet. Her eye dey red, but she dey stand strong.

She dey shake from cold, dey sob, dey beg, "I really put am. CCTV dey here—if you no believe, check the video."

Her hand dey tremble. She dey point camera, voice dey break, "Check am, abeg, I no dey lie."

The man shout, "You still dey talk back?"

His voice loud, make two abokis for window look inside. He dey use noise cover his own shame.

He waka go counter, push my wife again.

Na small push, but Morayo stagger back. My mama rush hold her, dey shout, "Haba! Wetin she do you?"

She almost fall. My mama quickly hold her, shout, "Why you dey beat person again? We no need your money!"

Her voice loud, everybody for shop stop to chop. Even the keke driver outside look inside, dey wonder.

That one just vex am more. "I don pay! Do another bowl for me, sharp-sharp!"

He dey drag chair, dey bang table. Shop people just dey look am, nobody wan talk.

I look am, cold eye, slap the serving window with knife, point am.

For my mind, na last warning. My hand steady for knife handle, my face hard like stone.

Men wey dey use drink bully women or small pikin full everywhere.

Dem dey everywhere for Nigeria. The ones wey sabi use drink cover their own wickedness. Everybody for shop dey remember old stories—market woman wey man slap, small girl wey aboki bully for junction.

But you no go ever see dem dash money or fight person wey get tattoo after drink.

If na area boy or agbero enter shop, dem go gentle like sheep. But na woman or small pikin dem go find trouble with.

Na always the weak dem dey find. Dem sabi wetin dem dey do, na drink dem dey use cover face.

My papa always talk, "Na so dem be. No fear strong man, na weak dem dey find."

This kind people, na so dem be.

Dem get big mouth, but dem dey fear real wahala. Dem sabi people wey dem fit try.

As I carry goat-meat chopping knife again, the man just wan run.

E look me, e eye change. He dey remember as e hand take almost commot that year. Fear dey his voice small, but e dey hide am with mouth.

But as e see say my mama lock kitchen door, he stand, begin dey run mouth, "You dey hide for kitchen dey form? If you get mind, come outside!"

He dey bounce, dey use hand tap counter. Him friends for outside dey look, dey wonder wetin go happen.

I no talk.

My jaw dey pain me, my heart dey knock, but I just dey quiet. For my mind, na pikin and wife dey my front.

He come dey impatient. "Wetin, you dey use knife dey fear me, you no fit talk? Oh, I forget—you no get tongue. Na me break am."

He dey blow spit for mouth, like agbero for motor park, voice loud, dey look everybody, dey try show say na him be boss for shop.

He raise right hand, pull sleeve, show scar for wrist.

Him wound long, fingers dey bend. Some people for shop look, some hiss, some just dey fear the kind matter wey dem see.

He talk, "Me too—na you cut my hand before. Dem sew am back, but the fingers no dey work. No company wan employ me."

He dey yarn am loud, as if e dey find sympathy. But na only shame dey his face.

I point the lock, dey challenge am with eye: If you get mind, open am come inside.

I no even shake, my eye dey cold. Everybody for kitchen dey tense.

Morayo sabi me. She dey shiver from cold, still dey beg the man, "Abeg no vex. Anger after drink no good for body. Calm down."

Her words gentle. She dey protect me, even as her own pain dey heavy. Na real wife she be.

Her belle move—water don cool am, the pikin inside no comfortable, dey kick.

She hold her tummy, tears dey her face, whisper, "Pikin, abeg, no vex. E go end soon."

Suddenly, the man just vomit for shop floor.

The smell full everywhere. Shop people dey cover nose, some begin waka go outside. One small girl dey cry.

He wipe mouth, point Morayo belle, "E dey turn my belle! Abeg, hide your belle. See as hair dey there. Na why I dey vomit."

He dey talk nonsense. Some people dey hiss, some dey laugh, others dey fear say madness dey worry am.

My mama vex, "E normal for pregnant woman to get hair for belle!"

Her voice sharp, she stand for Morayo front like hen wey dey guard chick. Her wrapper tie strong, her eyes red.

The man hiss, "Abeg, no dey talk say na drink dey make me vex. Na your ugly belle dey turn my stomach."

He dey curse. My mama grip Morayo hand tighter, dey mutter prayer, "God, abeg, no let evil cross this house."

Morayo beg my mama make she no talk again. She cover her belle with wet shirt, try beg am, "I go return your money, give you another bowl free. Husband, abeg, do another one. I wan go change cloth."

She dey try keep peace, even as her hand dey shake. Her voice low, na only me fit hear her pain.

She cover her belle, dey waka go storeroom, but the man just grab her hair, drag her back.

She shout, struggle small, but he strong pass her. My heart dey race, I dey knock door with fist.

He begin shout, "Why you dey do like say you wan help me? You think say I no fit buy your fish balls?"

He dey blow spit for mouth, like agbero for motor park, face dey red, people dey move back. Na only wickedness dey his eye.

Morayo quick talk, "No be wetin I mean."

Her lips dey tremble, but she still dey try talk sense to am. For her mind, na only peace she dey find.

But the man pride don wound. For this time wey everybody dey use bank app pay, he just carry wallet, slap two thousand naira for Morayo face, shout, "You think say I no fit pay?"

The notes fall for ground, scatter. He dey show himself, as if na money dey make man. The shop people dey shake head.

My hand dey shake for knife handle.

I dey sweat, my body dey hot. I dey pray make I no lose guard.

Morayo don dey cry, "No, na my honour to give you. Abeg, help me."

Her tears dey roll, her voice dey crack. She dey bend low, dey try beg am, even as her leg dey shake.

The man spit, "With that kind belle, you still dey call yourself 'small girl'? You be old woman wey wan born. Tell me, you think say I dey suffer with one hand, no work, no money, I no fit buy fish balls? You dey pity me?"

He dey loud, dey shout, dey look people for shop, dey try form big man.

"I no mean am."

Morayo dey shake head, tears full face, her voice low, "I no mean am o."

"If you no mean am, kneel down, beg!"

He roar, hold Morayo shoulder, force am kneel.

Her knees hit ground, she cry out, "Ah!" Shop people dey cover face, some dey look floor, some dey try beg the man.

She no fit withstand am. Her knees jam ground, she shout in pain. But as her knees touch ground, my own spirit break—this time, I no sure say I fit hold myself.

The pain reach bone. She grip her tummy, sweat dey her face, but she still dey try beg for peace.

He grab her hair, dey grind teeth. "Wetin make you feel say you special? Na just small touch I touch you, una destroy my life."

His voice dey shake, eyes red. Na pain, na shame, na all the evil inside him dey pour out.

He dey vex more, press im useless hand for Morayo chest. As she scream, he dey touch am, dey look me, dey shout, "Come! Cut my hand again!"

For my mind, na thunder dey roll. My eye dey pepper me like person pour ata for inside, my hand dey bleed from how I dey hold knife tight.

I kick door hard.

The whole kitchen shake. People dey jump, some dey run hide for back. My heart dey beat scatter.

Door dey shake, but lock strong between us.

The carpenter wey fix am last week sabi job. My mama dey hold key, dey pray, "Blood of Jesus! Abeg, no let my son fall."

Morayo look me with beg-beg eyes—not to rescue am, but make I no do something rash.

Her eyes talk, "Abeg, I dey beg you, hold yourself for me, for pikin."

The man arrange himself so say na only main door dey between am and outside—just like last time, as I grab knife, he wan run. Even drunk, e dey reason.

His movement sharp, him back dey near exit. Na old thief logic—if wahala start, e fit escape.

If I come out, he go run sharp.

Even my mama sabi—na why she hold door. Nobody wan add wahala join.

I no even need beat am—just to chase am with knife, na straight to prison.

One step, dem go carry me, police no dey hear story. My mind dey race, sweat dey my back.

For im eye, I be mad dog, my probation na chain, judge na the person wey dey hold the leash.

He dey look me like say I be animal wey dem dey control with stick.

My mama dey panic. She grab phone, shout for the man, "I go call police!"

Her voice loud, her hand dey shake. She dey type number, but her finger dey miss.

He just laugh. "Call dem! Your son don destroy me—I no get job, I no fit marry. Wetin be another police case? Wetin I do today, na just small wahala—when I come out, I go come back."

He dey boast, dey show say police no dey fear am. Street boys for outside dey peep window, dey shake head.

Na true.

For Naija, if your own get wahala, na only you e dey pain. For another person, e be film.

To touch woman chest no be criminal case for here. If you no send your future, na just small police wahala—few days for cell, e no dey go record as criminal.

Na so dem dey talk—"Ah, no be serious case." But for the woman, e fit be scar for life.

Even if fish balls burn Morayo, he fit talk say na mistake.

He dey sabi law, dey use am twist. As if say woman pain no matter.

But for me, e different.

For me, na small mistake fit end everything. I dey walk for eggshell, na only God dey help me hold my mind.

He touch my wife for my front, force am kneel. If I even slap am, na prison straight.

Even community elders sabi—dem dey warn me. "No touch am. E dey wait for your mistake."

Suddenly, Morayo fall for ground.

Her cry loud, everybody rush her. Her wrapper dey soaked, her hand dey shake.

She hold her belle, body dey shake with pain.

Sweat dey pour for her face, she dey breathe hard. Shop people dey rush water, dey fan her.

My mama panic, run go her side, cry, "Wetin dey happen?"

She dey shout, "Morayo, hold on! No let anything happen to you o!"

Morayo face white like chalk, lips no get colour, she dey tremble, hold my mama arm, dey gasp, "My...my belle..."

Her teeth dey shake, voice no come out well. My mama dey wipe sweat for her head, dey cry.

I dey kick door like mad. My mama dey find phone call ambulance, but the man collect am, shout, "Wetin you dey do?"

He dey wave phone, dey laugh, "No be my wahala!"

My mama beg, "Oga, I know say you get wahala with my son, but my daughter-in-law need hospital now. Abeg, no add wahala—she get belle!"

She dey cry, kneel for ground, beg with all her heart. Shop people dey plead with the man, "Abeg, pity."

The man just raise shoulder, e no concern am. "No be my pikin—how e take concern me?"

He dey shine teeth, like say he dey watch film.

I kick door, kick am, the lock no gree.

My leg dey pain me, but my mind dey push me, "Open this door!" I dey sweat, my cloth soak.

The man reason small, smile. "You wan carry your wife go hospital? No wahala, I don pay—do another bowl of fish balls, I go allow una go."

He dey shine teeth, dey tap counter. Shop people dey hiss, "Evil dey this world."

I shout, but my talk no clear.

My tongue dey twist, blood dey my mouth. I dey point, dey try talk, "Wicked man!"

Morayo, dey shake from pain, struggle stand, beg, "Husband, abeg, do am for am."

She dey hold her belle, dey point pot. Her face dey pale, but her voice dey beg.

She point her belle, dey beg me—make I hold myself for the sake of pikin.

Her eyes dey red, tears dey pour. "Abeg, make this wahala end. I no fit shout again."

With anger, I throw fish balls for pot. Morayo sit, dey hold her belle, sweat dey pour for her face.

My hand dey shake, oil dey splash. My heart dey burn, but my mind dey focus on her voice.

The man dey smile. "You see? I no wicked. Once I get my fish balls, wahala end. Remember pepper this time."

He dey tap table, dey hum song. My mama dey squeeze Morayo hand, dey whisper prayer.

I put the bowl for counter. My mama quickly put pepper for am. "You dey okay now?"

Her eye dey red, but she dey force smile, dey try settle matter.

He nod, point me. "Throw all the kitchen knives out, then I go allow una go hospital."

He dey use mouth control everywhere, like say na king he be. Shop people dey quiet, dey fear.

I hold anger, bring all the knives, put for counter.

My leg dey shake. I dey count knives, my hand no steady. My mind dey pray make this wahala end.

He look my mama. "You no go bring am come?"

She rush bring am, voice dey shake. "My daughter-in-law fit go hospital now?"

Her wrapper dey fall, her hair dey rough. She no even care, na only Morayo matter dey her mind.

He pick fish ball, blow am, chop, talk, "Open door."

He dey chew loud, pepper dey choke him, but he no show. He dey use food do power.

He gather knives, waka reach door, open gutter cover for entrance, throw all the knives inside.

He dey laugh, like say na film. My mama dey cry, "God, abeg, protect my pikin."

My mama rush unlock door. I wan carry Morayo out, the man come back.

He dey block road, him face dey squeeze, like person wey dey plan new wahala.

As he dey chew fish balls, he talk, "Pepper too much. Taste am yourself."

He dey smile, but him eye wicked.

Morayo dey sweat from pain, but the man grab her face, force her mouth open.

He dey strong, Morayo weak, her voice no fit come out.

Then, he spit the chewed fish balls inside her mouth.

People for shop shout. Small children dey cry, one woman dey shout, "Abomination!"

Morayo just dey vomit, but he cover her mouth, dey shout, "Too much, abi? Taste am! Pepper too much, how I go chop am?"

He dey force her, her hand dey beat his chest, her tears dey roll.

He cover her mouth and nose, she no fit breathe or spit am out.

For that moment, my heart nearly stop. Shop people dey beg, some dey shout, "Leave her! She get belle!"

As she dey suffer, she no get choice but to swallow the chewed fish balls.

Her body dey weak, her face dey white, her hands dey cold. She dey cough, dey spit, dey try breathe.

Already sick, she just begin vomit heavy, her belle dey shake.

Shop floor dey messy, some people dey run out, my mama dey shout for help.

The man just laugh, waka come meet me, spread hand. "If you vex, beat me. But I tell you, my family know say I dey here—if anything happen, dem go call police."

He dey stand for my front, dey shine teeth, dey boast, dey look my face like say na nothing.

I dey clench fist.

My eye dey pepper me like person pour ata for inside, blood dey my mouth, my mind dey pray, "God, no let me lose guard."

But Morayo hold my arm.

Her grip weak, but she manage, "Husband, abeg...hold yourself. For my sake, for pikin."

She whisper weakly, "No... You wan be papa. No do anything... for me, for pikin..."

Her words dey save me. Even as I dey see red, her tears cool my blood small.

The man dey smile. "Yes, I remember—you get two years, one suspended. Listen to your wife, no do anything, because if you enter prison..."

He dey use law dey threaten me. Him eyes dey shine wicked.

He bend near, whisper, "If you enter prison, I go arrange boys for your wife. You sabi wetin I mean?"

He dey blow spit for mouth, like agbero for motor park, voice low, like say e dey share secret.

My breathing dey rough. Anger just dey boil inside me.

My chest dey rise, my hand dey shake, but I dey see Morayo face—na only her matter dey my mind.

But e never finish. "Even if you no touch me, I go dey come every day."

He dey talk loud, dey threaten. Shop people dey move away, dey fear for our life.

Morayo dey cry, "Abeg, leave us. Na you first do wrong."

Her voice dey break, she dey hold her stomach, tears dey fall.

He hiss, "I accept say I wrong. But when I beg, offer compensation, your husband still cut my hand. My fingers don spoil, my life scatter—so I no go allow una rest."

He dey talk with pride, like person wey pain dey push, but na only evil dey his voice.

I carry Morayo, run go outside.

My mama dey shout, "Go! Run!" Shop people dey clear way, even aboki for gate dey help hold door. Aboki dey roast suya for outside, children dey run with puff-puff for hand.

She talk true. We no fit fight am now. I wan be papa—I no fit enter prison. I must take care of my wife and pikin.

My mind dey strong, I dey whisper for Morayo ear, "E go better. No let fear hold you."

Suddenly, Morayo scream.

Her voice sharp, my hand dey shake. I dey look everywhere—wetin happen again?

As I dey carry her, I see the man bend, lick her leg.

People shout, "Abomination!" My mama cover face, some dey curse am. Small pikin dey cry.

He look me, stick out tongue, lick lips, talk, "Women dey like make dem lick dem. You no get tongue, make I help you lick your wife."

He dey shine teeth, dey do like say na play, but evil dey his eye. Shop people dey shout, "Go away! E don do!"

Anger almost finish me.

My hand dey shake, my eye dey see red. For my mind, na only God dey hold me.

But I know say now no be the time. Morayo dey danger—one mistake, na double wahala.

Her safety pass anything. I dey remember my papa words, "Man no dey die for pride when family dey pain."

No matter the anger, nothing pass my wife safety.

I dey squeeze hand, dey breathe deep. Morayo dey hold my cloth, dey whisper, "No do am."

The man sabi wetin e dey do. Everything na plan.

He dey set trap, dey wait for me to fall. Shop people dey watch, dem dey fear for us.

From beginning, he no really hold Morayo. Na just to provoke and disgrace us.

He dey use mouth, dey use small-small touch, dey push my mind.

As long as he no hold her down, I no fit talk say na emergency self-defense.

Na so law dey. If I try, na me go enter wahala.

He even follow me, touch Morayo belle, smile, "Small pikin, behave. When you come out from your mama belle, I go dey visit your school."

He dey mock, dey show say na pain he dey give. Shop people dey curse, "God go punish you!"

I just dey breathe, rush go shop door.

I dey sweat, my mind dey fly. I dey pray, "God, abeg, save my wife."

Thank God, keke napep dey outside. I stop am. My mama beg rider, "Abeg, carry my daughter-in-law go hospital, quick!"

Keke man na young Fulani boy, him see Morayo, fear catch am, he shout, "Oya, enter, madam!"

I open door, help my mama enter back with Morayo.

My hand dey shake, but I dey push them inside. Shop people dey clear road.

But I no enter.

My leg no gree move. My mind dey shout, but my body dey wait.

My mama see am, wind down, beg, "Enter! No worry about am—follow us go hospital!"

Her face dey pale, her hand dey wave me. She dey cry, "My son, abeg! No stay!"

As I see her face, I shake head.

I dey wave, dey try smile, but my mind dey bleed. I dey pray, "Make nothing happen to my family."

Morayo, dey pain, talk, "Make we close this shop. Tomorrow we go sell am, move go where he no go see us."

Her voice dey weak, but na plan she dey talk. She wan save me, save herself. My heart dey cut.

I force smile, waka go the other side of keke, bend enter window, kiss Morayo forehead, wave rider.

She dey hold my hand, her eyes dey talk, "Abeg, no fight."

Morayo understand sharp. She no fit hold tears, but the keke don move.

I dey watch the dust, dey hear her voice for my mind, dey promise myself, "I go protect you."

I watch the keke go. The man spit for ground, talk, "So boring. I dey go house."

He dey stretch, dey arrange shirt, dey look me with that yeye eye.

I grab his shoulder.

He stiff, but him smile dey wide. Shop people dey watch.

He dey smile, like say na im plan, turn, talk, "I wrong, abeg. I dey beg, sorry."

He dey loud, dey face shop camera, dey show say na peace e want.

That sorry no be for me.

Na for police, na for video. He dey plan another wahala. My mind dey race.

CCTV dey the shop. He dey talk am for police.

He dey turn face, dey make sure camera dey see am. Shop people dey nod, dey whisper, "E wise o."

As long as I touch am, video go show say he don beg, stop wahala, but I still attack.

Na so law dey, na so street dey. If I miss, na me go chop wahala.

I grab his shoulder, drag am inside.

He dey follow, no dey struggle. Him mouth dey smile, but him eye dey shine. Shop people dey scatter.

He no struggle—he dey sure say no knife dey. He dey smile, "You wan beat me? Abeg, beat me. My people don call police—dem go soon come. If you no beat me today, you be coward."

He dey provoke, dey wait for me to fall for trap. Shop people dey whisper, "No let devil use you."

I talk slow, "You go die."

My tongue twist, my mouth dey heavy, but my words sharp, slow, strong. Shop people dey freeze, dey watch.

My tongue no dey work well, so my words slow and slurred, even after all my practice.

I spit blood, I dey squeeze words out. My anger dey deep, my voice dey low, but everybody dey feel am.

He laugh. "Wetin you dey talk? Arrange your tongue before you talk, abeg."

He dey mock, dey try shame me for front of everybody.

I no answer, just drag am inside more.

My step steady, my heart dey drum. Shop people dey move back, dey pray make wahala no burst.

He follow. Everything he dey do na just to vex me and, as he dey safe, send me go prison.

He dey shine teeth, but I see fear for his eye. Na pride dey push him mouth, but shame dey under.

He sit down for chair, relax. "Police go soon reach. If you vex, beat me. I no go fight back."

He cross leg, dey bounce chair. Na like person wey sure say nothing fit happen to am.

I look am, then tear the shop poster for wall.

My hand dey shake, my eye dey red. The poster na old, but behind am na secret.

Behind the poster for meat pie, na fire cabinet.

My papa always talk say, "If fire catch, break glass." Today, na my own fire dey burn.

I open the cabinet, carry the heavy fire axe, begin walk go meet the man.

The metal cold for my hand, heavy for my spirit. My leg steady. Shop people dey hush, only generator dey hum. Even the ancestors dey watch now—wetin man go do for family?

Everybody hold breath. For this Makurdi night, wahala no dey finish—e just dey change face.