Chapter 10: No Escape from Lagos Wahala

E be like say no way to run.

For Lagos, when wahala don pass your power, na only faith, wisdom, and prayer remain. Only plan na to find Baba Mo, ask am wetin really dey happen.

If wahala too much, I go fight with all my power, no go just sit down dey wait.

That time, my phone ring—na Baba Mo.

I pick, voice dey shake. "Aman, from now, no go anywhere, no trust anybody. I dey tell you, we don enter big wahala. The young prince no dey play. Wait for me, I dey come now."

My heart dey beat gbim gbim. As I drop call, phone ring again—na my master.

Her voice calm, but strong. "Aman, how your body? You don comot? If you must go out, go St. Michael Church. E near, and the statue there na gold."

I quiet, think, but I no fit hold the question for my mind.

"Master, abeg, I wan ask—are you... alive or dead?"

For my mind, after my master recover from last sickness, her body no too strong, but she still dey for sanatorium.

But for that illusion last night, "Baba Mo" talk say my master don die since.

Even though that "Baba Mo" no get truth, the strange thing be say, as I try remember, my mind blank whether my master dey alive or not.

E mean say, I no sure if my master dey alive or dead now.

My chest dey tight. My eye dey search memory, but na only fog I dey see.

"So you don grow, Aman, you don dey curse your master? Which kind bad thing you jam?" My master voice come vex small.

Suddenly, my eye just dey hot, and my mind tell me say my master still dey alive. That thing for illusion don wipe part of my memory.

Na so juju dey do—e dey confuse mind, dey shift reality. I pack my things quick, carry my bag, close shop, wan comot as Baba Mo land.

Him face dey sweat, hand dey shake, shoe dey dusty like person wey run from express.

"I no tell you make you wait for me?"

My mind dey reason—this one na real Baba Mo or fake?

"That deity too wicked, all the eyes don open now. E wan chop person. Halima almost die—two of her souls don scatter."

I look Baba Mo wey dey panic. For Yoruba side, if dem say person soul don scatter, na serious matter. "Uncle-master, I no want this wahala. Abeg, make I go."

Baba Mo hiss. "You think say if you run, you go safe? Aman, you too naive. Once you jam am, even if you hide for end of the world, e no go help. You hear of Bone-attached Deity before?"

Fear catch my throat, I dey shake. "No be Five-Pass Evil Spirit you talk before?" I shock.

For my mind, I dey pray say this wahala no go swallow me. Jesu, cover me, wahala no go finish for this Lagos.

E be like say, my story never end.