Chapter 6: The Evil Spirit Revealed

I call my master, explain everything, draw the tattoo send am for her on WhatsApp make she check am.

Even as I dey type, my hand dey shake. My master na old hand for tattoo, forty years for the game, sabi book and sabi work.

She slap her lap, shout, "Ah ah, na Five-Pass Evil Spirit be this! Why you no talk before?"

Her voice loud, as if she dey my room. True true—I suppose know say na the simple version of Five-Pass Evil Spirit.

The Five-Pass Evil Spirit get five heads, but sometimes dem draw am with one body.

She explain further, "This spirit na old palava for our side. E dey suck life, e dey chop woman happiness, e dey give pikin wey no get father."

For legend, this deity like woman well, dey bring money wey no pure, and people dey call am evil spirit of fortune.

Cold just catch my body.

I remember how elders for my papa village dey talk say money wey you no fit trace, no dey chop am. My mama voice just flash for my head—"No let money spirit draw for your shop, or you go chop bad luck." That girl, the young prince dey use am do sacrifice, she no go live long. Your uncle-master set you up. As you do the tattoo, you no fit run. She don carry spirit belle—her own don finish. Anybody wey Five-Pass Evil Spirit suck, after dem die, na angry spirit dem go turn. The night she die, she go find anybody wey harm am. Both mother and pikin na wahala!

My leg dey shake, sweat dey drop from my nose. "So wetin I go do?"

I wan cry, my body dey do me like say ants dey crawl for inside, my hair just stand.

This hundred thousand naira no worth am at all.

She sigh, "Close shop. Go hide for church or mosque for like half year. When everything calm, come out."

The advice strong, but I dey reason how I go leave my shop, my house, everything just because of one tattoo. E make sense, so I pack my bag sharp sharp. But as I reach outside, two men in black just press knife for my waist, push me back inside shop.

For Lagos, if two men jam you for night, e fit be thief, cultist, or juju messenger. Okada horn dey blare for distance, Lagos night life dey remind me say wahala full ground. Wetin be this? Yusuf wan use me do scapegoat?

My body cold. Who know wetin Yusuf tell Halima wey make her think say na me cause am. If she die, like my master talk, she go come for my life.