Chapter 1: Blind Eyes, Open Secrets

You lose your sight, then one day, as if by magic, you just get am back. But as you dey happy, one voice land for your head: "No let dem know say you fit see."

For that moment, your body just jump like say NEPA bring light for night, heart dey beat gbagam gbagam like church drum. But you no too send the voice—maybe na the wahala of happiness dey disturb your ear. After all, person wey get miracle dey always suspect any small thing, abi? You just wave am off, like mosquito dey worry.

The evening sun dey shine through your window, everywhere dey glow with that golden light wey dey make person feel good. Outside, you fit hear distant gen dey hum, children dey shout for compound. You look around sharp-sharp, eyes waka everywhere: the old posters for wall, the books wey arrange well for table, the fresh flower for your bedside. Na now you really see as everything fine reach. You just dey wish say you fit carry all of them enter your eyes. Your mind dey sweet you like fresh akara, you just dey smile anyhow, blessing dey dance inside your chest.

Ring—ring—ring—

Before you fit enjoy finish, your alarm clock start to ring. The clock for your table dey show say na already afternoon [6:00], soon everywhere go dark. Na that kain tiredness wey dey come after long day dey hang for air, you dey feel am small for your body.

You plan say you go go downstairs, make you see as evening dey fall, make you see people wey dey waka up and down for street. Maybe you go even see that mama wey dey sell boli for junction, or the small small pikin wey dey run for gutter, dey pursue football.

Before you comot, you look the white cane wey dey corner, but you no carry am. For your mind, you dey reason say you no need am again, but e still dey there like reminder, like one old friend wey you no sure whether to greet or ignore.

But before you fit open the door, your papa and mama push am open enter. E shock you small say dem come back early from work, but you no think am too much. Na so you tell dem say your eye don clear. Dem happy no be small, even prepare better jollof rice and fried plantain for you. Mama dey turn stew for pot, pepper aroma choke everywhere, papa dey hum old Ebenezer Obey song. The aroma choke the house, belle just dey rumble, and you dey thank God say you dey alive see this kain love.

You chop well, talk many things wey you dey shy to yarn before. Na all those tori wey you dey keep for chest, you just dey release like tap. Your voice dey soft, but e carry joy inside.

Dem just dey listen, dey nod head, no too talk. Sometimes, mama go just touch your hand, papa go clear throat, but dem no interrupt you. Na their own way to show say dem dey happy for you.

Maybe na the happiness, but as sleep dey carry you that night, smile still dey your face. Even as you dey turn for bed, pillow dey soft, you dey thank God for inside your heart, dey wonder if miracle go still happen for other people.

For that half-sleep, half-wake state, e be like say time pass—maybe e never even reach one minute—

you open your eye again. That soft orange light dey shine. You dey sit for your desk, dey reason. E resemble say you dey dream, but everything just dey real, like say you waka enter another day without moving.

Suddenly, that voice come again for your head: "No let dem know say you fit see." The voice loud small this time, like person wey dey whisper for inside market noise.

You look the alarm clock, confused. This time, e show afternoon [5:45]. You rub your eye, dey wonder whether you dey mad or na sleep dey carry you go where you no know.

This na your first death. Your chest tight small, you no understand, but your body dey cold, like say spirit waka pass you. Mosquito dey whine for ear, but you no even fit vex.

This time, you hear the voice clear. You just dey look, then you quickly ask, "Who you be?" Your voice low, fear dey hold your throat, but curiosity strong pass.

No answer. Everywhere just quiet like when NEPA take light for night.

You look the room, you begin notice say something no pure. Everywhere just dey dull, like say life don comot from the wall. Goosebumps dey your skin.

Like, the poster for wall show Rashidi Yekini dey score goal. Na that USA '94 goal, every Naija pikin sabi the pose. You remember say na both hands he dey raise, but for this one, na only one hand. The books for table open, but the words inside dey blur, with big big blank space and plenty mistake. E be like say the room dey play with your sense, dey test if you sharp.

As you dey process am, alarm clock ring again. The sound loud, but no carry normal ginger—just dey echo, scatter for your ear.

The bell just dey echo for the empty room. Even though window lock well, harmattan breeze still enter body. E cold, your skin dey prickle, but no leaf dey shake outside. For Naija, na only juju fit do that kind thing.

E be like say cold breeze from graveyard dey pass, na so fear hold you like pikin wey see masquerade for night.

The time reach [6:00] again. Na that time wey night dey swallow sun for Lagos, everywhere dey hush, like say spirit dey waka for street.

This time, you no go out. You calm yourself, ten minutes waka pass. You just dey count clock tick, dey pray for mind, dey beg say make wahala no burst.

Strangely, this time your papa and mama no come back. Everywhere still, like village square wey masquerade never enter.

You begin reason say maybe na you dey overthink. Maybe all wey happen before na just dream. So you decide say you go still go downstairs. You dey encourage yourself, dey talk small-small for mind, "Guy, nothing dey happen."

But as you just hold the doorknob, the door open by itself. Na cold rush enter your body, like when NEPA bring light and fan shock you.

Your papa and mama push door enter. Una look each other, everything wey happen next be like say dem dey act Nollywood script. You tell dem your eye don clear, dem cook big food, but as dem dey look you with that their shine-shine eye, you just dey chop, no too get interest, you sef no know wetin dey your mind. Na like spirit dey watch you, make you dey shake small.

Your mind dey scatter, body weak, spirit dey float—na jazz fit dey this house.

That night, you no fit sleep well. When moon high for sky, as sleep dey catch you, you hear door open. E be like say rat enter, but na heavy step you hear. Fear just dey do marathon for your mind.

You squint, for the dim light, you see shadow dey waka come your side. Your heart dey jump, your hand dey find torch under pillow, but na only darkness dey answer you.

Your throat begin pain you, then you no fit breathe. You struggle, your body dey shake, then everywhere dark. Like say strong hand dey squeeze your neck, you dey try call Jesus but voice no gree come out.

You dey fall, darkness swallow you, but fear no wan let you rest—even for death.