Chapter 7: The Ghost of Musa

I look down, see familiar figure dey pull me from under. I think say na actor director arrange, so I fight back, kick leg. Director dey happy:

"Good, very good! Hold am small!"

As the bubbles dey rush for my nose, I dey shout for inside mind, 'Who dey there?' But water dey swallow my voice.

But after I kick small, I notice say wahala dey. This 'actor' dey too serious—e wan drag me go bottom for real. Underwater movement hard, my strength dey finish. I quickly signal make dem pull me up.

I wave hand, try shout, but water just dey enter mouth. My heart begin beat like talking drum. Na that moment I understand say film fit turn real if you no careful.

"Okay, cut! Nice one!"

I feel person dey pull me from back, but the grip for my ankle strong. My breath finish, I swallow water, begin faint. Inside the bubbles, I hear panic for my ear and above water. I struggle, try bend reach my ankle with my wrist. Because of harness, I tie the palm-wood charm for my wrist. Water dey heavy, I no fit reach my ankle.

As I dey try reach leg, I see hand wey black, long, no get finger nail. My skin dey goose. My mind dey run prayer—'Jesus, abeg, help me!'

The figure for under water come wicked, dey drag me more. As strength finish, I just surrender, let myself sink.

My eye dey turn, vision dey blur. For small second, na only peace I feel. Like say cold hand dey carry me go.

"Daddy!"

Suddenly, I hear Chikamso voice for my ear. My eye open sharp, strength rush enter my body, I manage touch my ankle with the palm-wood charm. Instantly, the force disappear, the figure vanish.

The cold shift, the grip lose. E be like say I dey wake from nightmare. Na so dem pull me up with the steel cable. After I cough water, I fit breathe again. I stand up, vex, dey look the staff, voice weak:

"Where Musa Iliyasu? Call am come here!"

Inside water, I see am dey drag me. Why him go do me like that? If anything happen nko?

I dey shake. Even my teeth dey knock. For that moment, everybody freeze. My mind dey replay the face wey I see.

My assistant, Ejiro, wey dey towel me, freeze. Towel fall for ground. She jump back like person see masquerade:

"Brother Chijioke, wetin you dey talk? Musa Iliyasu... he don die three days before shoot start!"

People for set shout 'Jesus!' Some carry hand for head, some begin run. Ejiro cross herself and whisper, 'Blood of Jesus!' I stand like wood.

Today na the seventh day after he die—the 'head-seven', when spirit dey most restless, fit enter person body.

For Igbo land, dem dey say 'Ojo-Iketa'—third day after burial, spirit fit waka come check body. Seventh day, na wahala day. I remember my grandma gist—make person no dey waka for bush at midnight on seventh day after burial.