Chapter 3: Palace Games

If you wan thief, you gats behave—no be to waka enter front gate. So I disguise, waka enter the other side on low.

I put small sand for face, wear old shoe, carry tray for head like apprentice. My waka dey low, body dey bend, nobody dey suspect anything. For Naija, na only thief wey act like owner dey succeed!

After I sneak enter big man palace, I knack one steward, collect e uniform.

I hide for back of kitchen, wait till everybody busy, then I quick knock one small steward for head, collect e cloth. I whisper for e ear, "No vex, na small business." Then drag am hide for corner.

The cloth big for my body, but e still manage.

I tie am for waist, adjust collar, try blend in. For my mind, I dey pray make nobody notice say my shoe no match.

Dressed like man, I carry tray of malt, waka where the steward suppose go.

Kitchen dey smell of fried plantain and palm oil, my stomach even rumble small. I balance tray for head, dey practice my boy voice. "Oga, you dey want drink?" I dey whisper, dey giggle inside. Na so I waka pass guard, dem no even look me twice.

Soon, I reach one palace.

The palace door high, with plenty cow horn and old beads for entrance. I wipe sweat from face, knock small before I enter. My heart dey beat like say festival dey happen for my chest.

As I enter, wetin I see shock me.

Na so breeze just freeze, my eye stretch. My own senior brother dey ground, e face red, body dey shake. The light for palace dim, smell of incense full everywhere. E be like shrine more than room.

My gentle, fine, moon-like senior brother don turn to mess—cheek red, dey ground like person wey chop pepper soup wey too hot—face red, body dey shake. Tears dey shine for e eye. My heart dey cut.

E dey roll small, mouth dey open, e voice dey shake. If person see am, you go fear say e dey sick. But na love potion wey hold am, according to the novel plot.

Beside am, one man in black agbada dey relax, chin on hand, dey watch with wicked smile.

That man na true big man. E feet cross, e hand wear gold ring, e eyes dey sharp like blade. E smile dey wicked, as if e dey enjoy waiting for film climax.

Na here the big man and pretty boy first 'game' go start!

For my mind, I dey shout: "See as story don start for real life!" My palm dey sweat. I dey find where to hide, but I freeze.

For the story, the big man wey like to dey watch go throw senior brother give e boys to use am play.

Na that plot wey dey pain everybody for book. The big man na observer, e no dey do, e just dey use others dey do film.

But where the boys?

I dey reason, dey scan room. No other person, just we three. My leg dey shake.

I look everywhere.

My eye dey sharp like cat. Under bed, behind curtain, I check, but nobody else.

But only three of us dey for palace: big man, senior brother, and... me.

My mind jump: "So na me dem dey wait?" My throat dry.

As I dey reason am, big man eye catch me.

E sharp eye hook me for corner. E smile just wide, e tongue lick e lips. I dey fear for my destiny.

E eyes shine with excitement.

I fit see spark for e eye, like when small pikin see Christmas meat.

"You."

E voice deep, thick like ogbono soup. The whole palace quiet. My hand dey shake, tray almost fall.

"Sit for bed," big man talk like say na nothing.

The way e talk, e be like say na normal order. If you see the swag, you go fear.

Who? Who suppose sit for bed?

I dey look left, right, dey hope say maybe another person dey behind me.

I look up, fear catch me.

Goosebumps run my hand. My back dey cold.

Big man just point chin at me.

No doubt. Na me e dey talk to. My leg dey weak.

My head blank. So na me e dey call!

Omo, I dey sweat under my armpit. My heart dey race. For my mind, I dey pray make ground open.

As I dey delay, e just wave sleeve, I fly land for bed.

Before I even move, na so breeze just blow, carry my body land for bed like magic. I reason say this man get serious power.

As I sit up, one soft, warm body fall for my hand.

Before I fit arrange myself, Ebube don land for my lap. E dey shiver, face hot, e breath dey quick.

I look down, see senior brother eye red, watery.

E look like person wey chop pepper soup wey too hot—face red, body dey shake. Tears dey shine for e eye. My heart dey cut.

E still get small sense. As I hug am, e try struggle.

E hand dey weak, but e dey push my chest small. E dey fight, but na play fight.

But as if e catch familiar smell, e calm down.

As e inhale, I feel e whole body relax. Like person wey find home after long trek for sun.

E slim hand press my shoulder. E warm, soft breath dey touch my neck.

The feeling dey sweet and somehow, my own body dey tingle. I dey try maintain face, but my heart dey misbehave.

Senior brother bury face for my neck, dey sniff me like puppy wey dey find comfort—my body catch goosebumps, the smell of my own soap and small dust dey mix.

The sound of e breath warm for my ear. I dey try hold laugh, but e dey tickle me.

After e sniff finish, e body just relax for my hand.

Like person wey finally chop after fasting. I hold am tight, dey pat e back small.

I confuse die.

If dem ask me to explain, I no go fit. Na spiritual wahala be this.

Wetin be this? Sniffing to know if person na woman?

I dey reason, dey check myself. I remember say my voice still dey deep, my wrapper still tight.

I almost laugh, tell myself say I dey paranoid.

I wan burst laugh, but I hold am. No be now person go suspect.

After all, to sneak enter the other side, I no only change my face—I even dress like man!

My disguise set! Even my own mama no fit recognize me. I brush powder for my nose, wear cap, even pad my chest.

No way e fit know me.

I tap chest, dey thank God.

I breathe relief.

I sigh, relax shoulder. I talk for mind, "Omo, I don survive."

Big man don tire, frown, dey look me bad eye.

E cross leg, eye dey narrow. Like say my own dey spoil e plan.

"You dey dull, abi you wan make I vex for here?"

E voice sharp, like teacher wey catch pikin dey chop for class.

I stiff, dey act slow. I dey wait make wahala pass.

I freeze. "Do wetin?"

I open mouth, dey pretend say I no understand. My heart dey hope make breeze carry me commot here.

Big man raise brow, sly smile full e face.

E dey look me like say e sabi all my secret. If to say na olden days, I go say na juju man.

E eye move from my face reach my waist.

I pull cloth well, dey protect myself. My mind dey run.

"If you no wan do that one... do another thing."

E lick lips, finger tap for table. My body catch cold, my leg dey shake for inside.

E look make my body stiff.

Na that kind look wey dey undress person. I dey swallow spit, my hand dey sweat.

Na that time I understand wetin e mean.

The signal clear. For my mind, I dey curse my stubborn spirit wey bring me here.

My face burn from shame and vex.

Cheek dey red. If to say na home, I for run go tell mama. For here, na only me and my God.

But I remember say na why I come the other side, so I calm myself.

I close eye, dey gather courage. "You no fit cry for here. E go shame family name."

As big man dey eye me like hunter, I look down at senior brother.

I adjust body, dey hold Ebube well. E chest dey rise and fall, e eye dey beg me.

E don chop love potion—mind no clear, cheek red steady.

I dey pity am. I fit see say na the potion dey work. The Ebube I know no go ever do this kind thing.

Right now, e dey my arm, dey nuzzle me like kitten.

I dey remember how e dey act gentle before. Now, e be like baby goat wey dey find mother.

If I really do anything to am for front big man, when e regain sense, e go wan dig ground for shame.

I dey imagine tomorrow when e go see me for compound. E fit run leave village. My heart dey pain.

That one pain me. I begin think how I go escape.

I dey scan room, dey plan say if light go off, I go carry Ebube run. I dey pray for miracle.

"Big man, this one no too rush so?"

I dey speak like pikin wey dey beg for market. My eye dey low, voice dey shake small.

"Make we take am slow," I try beg, dey find time.

I dey use sweet mouth, dey hope say e go pity me. For Naija, sometimes if you beg well, e dey soften heart.

Big man frown, no happy.

E face squeeze, nose dey wrinkle. E be like person wey dem deny meat for rice.

As I see am, I quickly put smile for face.

Na fake smile, but I dey hope say e go work. For my village, dem dey say smile fit calm lion.

E stare me for some seconds, then e frown disappear, smile come back.

E teeth white, e voice mellow. I dey thank God for small mercy.

"You dey right. To take am slow dey romantic."

E nod, eye dey shine. I fit see say e dey expect serious film.

"Start with kiss first."

E voice low, but e eyes dey sharp. I swallow spit again.

E rest chin for hand, dey watch us like say na Nollywood film.

I dey imagine soundtrack for background. My hand dey shake, mouth dey dry.

My smile freeze.

I try hold face, but my lips dey tremble. My leg dey tap floor, I dey find courage.

As I still no move, e face cold like harmattan breeze.

E eye dey cut like razor. I dey remember when my papa catch me chop meat wey dem keep for visitor.

"Wetin? You no wan?" e voice cold.

E voice carry weight. For my mind, I dey beg all my ancestors for help.

E glare make me panic, so I rush put fake smile.

I nod, dey try act normal. My heart dey race.

"No be so, I go do am."

I talk am, but my voice dey shake. Ebube dey look me, e hand still dey hold my cloth.

Just like that, e mood sweet.

Big man face relax, e dey smile like person wey win bet9ja.

As e dey eye me, I take deep breath, gather courage, bend down.

I hold Ebube jaw soft, dey pray make e no bite me. My hand dey cold, my heart dey jump.

As our lips touch, the softness shock me.

I never kiss before, but this one different. E dey soft, like puff-puff wey fresh from oil.

Big hand climb my shoulder.

I freeze, dey wonder who dey touch me. E grip dey gentle but strong.

As I dey distracted, those hands move up, gently hold my neck.

The grip surprise me. I wan push am, but Ebube just dey hold me like say e no wan make I run.

Senior brother pull me close, tilt e head back, surrender.

E soft, e body dey warm. The smell of powder and small sweat full my nose. My own body dey react, I no fit lie.

As I hold am, I use eye check big man, dey plan how to run with senior brother if e look away.

I dey scan e face, dey reason if I fit distract am throw chair or tray, then carry Ebube escape.

But as I see big man face, I wan laugh.

E mouth dey open, eye no dey blink. E look like pikin wey dey watch cartoon for first time.

E dey shake with excitement, eyes no gree blink.

If to say e fit record, e for don do am. I dey roll eye for mind.

See as e dey behave like over-sabi! Real observer wey get kink!

I dey imagine say if e fit, e go call all e boys make dem dey watch together. Na wa o.

I curse am for mind.

I dey pray for thunder, but thunder no gree fall today.

As if e know say I dey distracted, senior brother bite me small.

Omo, na small bite, but e pain me. I shift small, wan ask am wetin e dey do.

No choice, I focus on the matter.

I close eye, dey concentrate. I fit hear big man dey clear throat for corner.

I look down at senior brother.

E eyes dey shine, e mouth dey open. E dey look me with all the trust for this world. I dey weak.

E eye red for corner, misty, e normal gentle self don turn to confusion and want.

E voice dey low, e breath dey heavy. I never see Ebube like this before. Na only for film dem dey act am.

E release soft sigh, broken and sweet sotay my ear dey hot.

The sound dey make my heart dey dance. I dey try keep my own face hard, but I dey melt.

I shift my eye.

I dey look ceiling, dey count bead for curtain. I dey fear say if I look am again, I go forget myself.

By chance, I see big man again.

E still dey there, e head dey shake, e smile wide.

Wait, why e face dey eager like this?

E no blink, mouth dey open. I dey fear say if I stop now, wahala go burst.

I get bad feeling.

For Naija, if big man dey eager like this, better run. But I no fit move.

Next thing, big man no fit hold body again.

E clap hand for knee, stand up. My own body stiff.

"Enough. No kiss again."

E voice deep, command full am. I dey thank God for small mercy.

As e talk, I pull away.

I quick break the kiss, dey wipe my mouth with back of hand. My body still dey hot.

Senior brother never recover from the kiss. As e see me stop, e pout, lean come my side again.

E dey drag my cloth, face dey beg me. My own resolve dey weak small.

As e wan kiss me, I quickly cover e mouth.

I use palm press e lips, dey whisper, "No vex." For my mind, I dey talk, "Abeg, make this potion clear!"

E long eyelash dey tremble, small tears for eye. E look me, pitiful and aggrieved.

My chest dey cut—if my mama see me now, e fit faint. I dey promise myself say if this wahala pass, I go buy am suya every market day.

My heart nearly melt. I almost give in.

If to say big man no dey, I for don hug am reach tomorrow. But my sense hold me.

But as big man dey there, I force myself look away.

I dey bite lip, dey focus on wall. For my mind, I dey count every mistake wey bring me here.

"Oga, wetin happen?"

I dey use my sweetest voice, dey hope say e go free me.

I put my best fake smile.

My mouth dey stretch, eye dey shine. Na only God fit save me now.

Big man stand, waka come meet me.

E shoe dey make kpo-kpo for ground. I dey ready for anything.

E look my face, then just wave hand, fling senior brother aside.

Na so Ebube fly land for bed edge. I rush look am, e dey fine but e dey groan.

I shock.

Na real shock hold me. I dey blink, dey reason if na dream.

Wetin be this? No be your real babe? How you go throw am like old nylon?

If to say na my village, elders for don call meeting. You no just fling fine boy anyhow!

As I dey process am, big man raise brow, smile at me.

E dey come close, e mouth dey curve. I dey shake, dey hope say e just dey play.

E sit for my lap, just as senior brother do, wrap arm for my neck.

E heavy sotay my thigh dey pain me, but I no fit push am—na big man wahala be this.

I freeze. E heavy small, but I dey fear to push am. I dey sweat for everywhere.

My body stiff. I look down, no believe am.

I dey whisper prayer inside my mind. "Baba God, help your daughter o!"

Big man face full of hope. As e catch my eye, e even look more excited.

E face dey shine like say e just win election. I dey wonder if na me be prize.

"Abeg."

The voice low, but e sweet. Na that kind voice wey person use beg jollof rice for party.

"Kiss me."

Na so the wahala enter new level. I just close eye, my only prayer be say make this night pass without dem carry my matter reach village elders.