Chapter 1: Betrayal for Oxygen

When my wife hear say I get serious injury and fit no fit waka again for life, she use sweet mouth take deceive our eight-year-old son make e pull my oxygen tube.

As I remember that day, e still dey pain me for chest. See as my wife look my son with that her crocodile tears, she just lower voice, whisper like say na play, “Junior, help Daddy, remove am for him face, abeg…” She sabi manipulate better. For hospital, na only my weak breathing dey disturb the silence as my son, innocent as he be, just obey her, no know say na him own papa life e dey cut short. Him hand dey shake, eye dey look my own, like say e dey find permission. I wan shout "no", but my mouth no gree move. If na village, dem go say she don use jazz.

As police reach, she carry our son for hand dey cry, dey shout, “Na small pikin he be, wetin he sabi? Na only to charge phone e wan do…”

Her crying too loud, like say she wan win Oscar. Tears dey flow like rain for August, but nobody trust am. Neighbours and nurses just dey look am, some dey shake head, others dey try calm her down. Even police self dey confuse, no know who dem go suspect. My son dey grip her wrapper, face full of tears, yet na only God know the kind lie wey she dey cook for that moment.

The day after I kpai, one big madam waka come hospital. Na she be the mama of the small girl wey I save.

You for see as she waka enter, body full of class. Gold chain for neck, gele tie well, even the nurse dey greet am with respect. Her perfume carry strong vanilla and sandalwood, the kind wey dem dey use for wedding. E clear say she get money. She no talk too much, just dey look my wife with pity, dey shake head. The girl wey I save, her daughter, just hold her hand tight, eyes red, like say she sabi wetin happen.

As she hear say I don die, she just give my wife ten million naira for burial matter.

Na cheque wey get plenty zero. She say na thank you for saving her only pikin, make my burial no get wahala. Some people for ward dey even clap small, talk say good Samaritan dey rare for this world. My wife eyes shine like torchlight for NEPA blackout.

My wife no even waste time, she carry the cheque call her ex-boyfriend, Tunde.

Na so she disappear from hospital sharp-sharp, her phone dey ring for hand, mouth dey whisper. Before anybody fit blink, she don meet Tunde for one corner, dey plan like fowl and goat wey wan chop new corn. People wey sabi her for compound begin notice say her mood don change. Na money dey cause am.

Two of them plan together, scatter my body anyhow till person no fit recognise am again, then call my papa and mama.

Dem no get fear of God. Na so dem tear my burial cloth, scatter am like say dem dey roast goat for Christmas, even pour palm wine for ground like ritual wey no get respect. E pain me for where I dey float. Even mortuary attendant dey look dem with side-eye, dey talk say some people no get respect for dead body again. After dem finish, na so Tunde call my papa and mama, voice dey fake shake, say make dem come see their son.

As my papa see my body, na so heart attack catch am, he fall die for ground. My mama, as sorrow too much, drink otapiapia, join her husband for grave.

My papa face still dey haunt me. Old man wey never enjoy life, just collapse for floor, chest dey drum like bata drum, before e kpeme. My mama too, pain hold her, she just carry small bottle, drink poison, shout my name three times before darkness cover am. For Benue, dem say curse dey follow pikin wey bring wahala for parents, and na my own matter dem go use teach children for village.

My wife and Tunde carry the big money buy new house for Palm Grove Estate. My son rush go meet Tunde, jump for him hand, shout, “At last I fit call you papa for everybody to hear!”

Palm Grove Estate na place wey big men dey stay. Dem no even fear. Tunde just open door, my son rush go meet am, dey shout like say e win lottery. My wife just dey smile, her hand dey her waist, e clear say na true love dey her eye for Tunde, not me. Neighbours dey watch, some dey gossip say woman wey move on fast na spirit wife.

So na im I know say the son wey I pamper since no even be my own.

My whole body cold. Na betrayal wey no get cure. My chest just dey heavy like cement. I remember how I go market buy sweet for am, help am do homework, even carry am go church for Sunday. All na for another man pikin. For my spirit, I wan cry, but tears no dey come for dead man.

As I dey float for up, anger dey burn my belle, I nearly lost myself.

Everywhere red. My mind dey scatter. If to say ghost fit slap, I for don slap thunder enter Ngozi and Tunde. I dey toss, dey turn, dey vex for spirit world, as if dem tie me for hot coal.

Next thing, I open eye, I land back for the day wey the motor accident happen.

My heart dey beat gbagam, confusion full my head. Sun dey shine small, dust dey fly, I dey wonder if na dream. The breeze wey blow for my skin different, like say God dey give me warning: "Na your second chance be this."