Chapter 1: Canary in the Guest House

I was Chief Lanre’s canary for three years. In this city where thunder dey clap and danfo horn no let person think, I dey learn say freedom na luxury.

Sometimes, for the quiet inside his guest house, I go sit by the window dey count birds wey dey fly above the mango tree, dey wonder if any of dem dey feel as caged as me. People dey talk say if you dey chop life for Lagos, na person dey chop you back, you just no know yet. Dem say, if you dey chop life for Lagos, just know say na another person dey chop your own for back—shine your eye.

The day I discover say I carry belle by mistake, na so I hear his twin brother voice say:

"Guy, I don dey pose as you dey play with your canary since. If she find out, wahala go burst o! She fit vex japa."

That statement choke me. My hand dey shake where I hide near corridor. Sweat dey my palm even though AC dey blow. My legs weak like person wey never chop. Mind dey run upandan. For Naija, if gist like this leak, na real gbege.

Chief Lanre answer with no emotion, "Wetin you dey fear? She no get mind to do anything."

His voice dey always dry, as if he dey talk business for boardroom. Sometimes, I dey wonder whether that man ever get blood wey hot for body.

"Besides, this switching no be today e start."

Omo, the kind confidence for his tone get as e be. Men like Lanre, na dem get liver for this Lagos.

"But abeg, just make sure say you no go give her belle. That one dey turn my stomach."

As I hear that, I for laugh if no be say my heart dey heavy. Even dem, na belle dey make dem fear pass.

Plenty comments just dey fly for my mind:

[This thing funny die, side chick carry belle dey happy dey go, she no even know say na Chief Lanre twin dey run am—Chief Lanre never even touch am.]

For this Lagos, no be everything wey dey shine be gold. E fit shock you how e dey go behind curtain.

[Na the main babe Chief Lanre dey reason. Even if the side chick carry him pikin, he go still pursue her and the pikin commot.]

That one pain me pass. So na like this dem dey do women?

I no cry, I no shout. I just continue to dey be the canary for the fake Chief Lanre. Tears no dey come again. My heart don harden like kpof-kpof wey stay overnight.

Sometimes, e be like say my tears don dry finish for all the suffering I don chop. I just dey move like spirit, dey play my role, dey wait for light to reach my turn.

Quietly, I book appointment for one small clinic for Yaba, the kind place wey nurse dey pray before injection. I also buy flight ticket to travel abroad.

As I dey type my details for the booking, my hand dey shake. If anybody see my heart, dem go see say e dey bleed small small.

The day dem catch me for health centre as I wan do abortion, Chief Lanre craze. He grab him brother neck: "Who give you the right to touch her?"

The wahala wey burst that day fit scatter house. Even nurse dey run commot for consulting room. For this Lagos, if God no hold you, street go swallow you whole.