Chapter 7: The Riverland Boat and the Real Face of Death

That night, sleep no gree me, so I waka outside to cool my mind. Musa dey suck blood, Red-Eyed Army dey chop meatball, Baba Ojo don wake from death—this world get too many secret.

Moon low, air heavy with ash. I waka alone, grass brush my leg. I try pray, but tongue tire. World feel haunted.

I reach bush edge, alone. I hear movement for grass, tense, but na old man and young soldier dey roast bush meat for fire.

Dem see me, old man share bush meat leg give me:

"Brother, abeg no tell anybody—we no fit chop those meatballs again."

I collect am, come know say dem be father and son. Son join army by force, papa no gree, follow am. Dem dey take turn chop food, small warmth for this kind crazy world.

I wan talk, bell ring. Both of them hold head, dey groan—the second bell don sound.

When bell stop, I help old man stand—na so the son just pull knife, cut him papa head.

Shock hold me, I use reflex wound the son back. As he dey die, he talk:

"Why you be papa, me be pikin? Just because you first born? If na me first, you for dey respect me."

Na so he die.

I stagger back, whisper 'Na so the bell dey turn pikin to enemy?', cold run through my bone. The night colder than before. Evil no dey hide again; e dey dance for open.

I look bush meat leg the old man give me, just sigh. Before I fit bury them, horn blow—enemy dey do night attack.

No time for mourning. I cover their face with grass, mutter prayer, run back to camp as horn wail like banshee.

Back for tent, everybody don alert. As fire show enemy general, everybody freeze.

Flames flicker for armour, reveal shape wey no suppose dey. My heart stop.

Gold crown with three points, red brocade robe, beast-face armour, lion belt, bow and arrow, big spear—na Dogo, Dogo the Lion, wey don die since.

Whispers rush: 'Dogo, Dogo the Lion, God of War!' Men shake, women cry. World don turn upside down.

"Soldiers, follow me charge!" Dogo voice low and rough, like grave dey talk. "No leave anybody!"

Han soldiers rush follow Dogo. Before, na only Musa dey fight like madman—now, God of War don show? Red-Eyed Army try charge, but no fit near am. Dogo wave spear, cut plenty into two. Everywhere scatter—nobody fit stop am.

Mallam Sani see am, close eye in pain. After long time, he sigh:

"Na so God want am? Pass my order."

With help, he climb horse:

"All soldiers, retreat."

He talk am loud, hope shrink, fear grow. We begin run, world dey burn behind us.

As the gourds dey cry, my own spirit begin shake—Riverland don show us him real face.