Chapter 2: When the Land Opened Its Mouth

Three months ago, small earthquake happen for Okpoko Hills. The thing cause serious landslide for the western side, everywhere scatter. Later, satellite pictures show one strange bronze tunnel wey dey exposed for the hillside. From the photos, e resemble lost ruin or ancient underground palace wey dem discover.

The hills never shake like that before. All the hunters from villages nearby dey talk say the land don vex, that spirits dey wake. My uncle, Baba Femi, swear say he see smoke wey no get fire. We no too take am serious that time.

As higher authorities talk, Professor Okey Nwachukwu from our institute lead team go Okpoko Hills go do field work and dig the place. Dem put plenty people and resources, so work dey go well. E almost sure say the site na ancient underground palace.

I remember as dem load those big yellow caterpillars and army trucks, everybody for village just dey watch from far, children dey run follow the convoy. To some people, na big opportunity. To others, na sign say wahala don land.

But as we enter the tunnel reach inside the underground palace, things begin dey somehow. The way dem build this underground palace no be like any kingdom wey we sabi. No burial chambers, no skeletons, no sacrifice pit. The place just empty, too big. The only thing wey dey inside na twelve giant bronze pillars, each one nine meters wide and eighty-one meters high, just dey stand for the middle of the palace.

Even the ground, e smooth pass waiting we dey see for other old sites. The air for inside get one cold wey no fit explain, e be like say spirit dey blow breeze for your neck. Musa, my partner, whisper for pidgin, "Guy, na juju be dis o."

Test wey dem do show say the bronze pillars na from ancient Ife time, about eight thousand years ago. The pillars get plenty fine patterns wey dem carve on top. Professor Okey and him team interpret the patterns, and wetin dem find shock everybody—

As they trace those patterns with torchlight, one old mama for the local staff just kneel down dey pray, sweat dey drip from her forehead. I see am use small leaf touch the pillar, then rub am for her chest, as if e fit ward evil.

All the patterns talk the same thing: na prophecy from eight thousand years ago:

"For the year 2012, the false ones go come, and humanity go finish."

Even the village head, Chief Okonkwo, wey no dey ever show fear, call his first son that night, say, "Lock all the goats inside, no let pikin waka anyhow till dem finish their work."

Prophecy about 2012 no be today e start; even people from faraway land and old prophets talk say that year na end of the world. Dem talk say that year go be humanity last. But now, na 2025 we dey, and e clear say the prophecy no happen.

Some of us joke, "Abeg, na oyibo talk say world go end 2012. See us, we still dey chop yam." But for inside, fear dey, because Okpoko no dey ever show you all the secrets at once.

But as government people wey dey see many secrets, the departments still take the matter serious. Na because thirteen years ago, for 2012—

For government circle, if dem say "matter dey serious," na say the thing pass ordinary. Security boys wey never smile before begin dey pray small small before shift.

The country secretly send one scientific expedition team enter Okpoko Hills go do special investigation. But after three days, the team no gree answer call again. All seven members just disappear, nobody sabi where dem dey till today. The only thing wey remain na one radio for their camp wey dey repeat the same message for all frequency:

Humans no be humans again; dem dey right beside us.

Humans no be humans again; dem dey right beside us.

Humans no be humans again; dem dey right beside us.

……

My skin dey crawl the first time I hear that radio tape. E get as e be, as if something dey try warn us, but we too stubborn to listen.

If humans no be humans, wetin dem be? False ones.

Old mama Ifeoma for my area go say, "If bush dey quiet, no mean say nothing dey. E fit be say lion dey sleep." This one na warning wey dey loud, but nobody gree hear.

Because the two incidents join together, my oga order me and Professor Okey team make we help the army investigate. Na when I enter the matter by myself I come see say the truth pass wetin I ever imagine.

I tell Musa as we dey inside that Hilux van, "Guy, if wahala too much, na you go first run. No look back for me." He just laugh, slap my back, "Who go leave you for Okpoko bush? Na two of us go waka commot or two of us go turn spirit join."