Chapter 3: Red Line Wahala

Me, I no dey believe all those things.

For my head, na all these old people story wey dem dey use hold small pikin for night. My mind dey do fast-forward, dey blame myself say why I no just ignore the man.

I sharply try remove him hand and waka.

I try shift am comot, but e be like say him grip dey tap extra power. The kain way e hold me, e heavy pass my own papa handshake.

But the thing surprise me—this old man wey look like say breeze go blow am, e hand strong like iron, e grip my arm like say e weld am there.

Omo, if you see the way I dey twist arm, but him hand no gree move. If to say na play, I for don laugh. But this one be like say juju dey work for background.

He look me, come laugh small. "Young man, abeg hear wetin old man dey talk."

He face serious but e still get that small smile, like say him sabi secret wey fit change person life. For my mind, I dey think, wetin this baba want? Wetin concern am with my own wahala?

"If you no hear now, na afterlife go turn you to yam for spirit market."

He yarn am as if he dey curse me, but I just bone face. I dey reason say, even if na juju, make e try first, make I see. But for my chest, my heart dey beat like fufu for mama put.

I bone face, dey look am anyhow.

I no even gree show am say e dey fear me. I adjust my cap, do like say nothing dey happen, dey form hard man.

As I wan insult am, the man just roll up my sleeve.

The kain way him hand fast ehn, I never expect am. Before I fit talk, my sleeve don high reach elbow.

He point my arm.

Him finger long and dry, like say e no dey chop better food. E point reach one side wey I no dey ever look.

Where my skin suppose smooth, I see one faint red line. If you no look well, you no go notice am.

E dey like scratch, but this one deep small. My mind start dey do arithmetic, dey remember if I jam wall yesterday or if I fall for gutter. Nothing.

I rub the place wella—even try use kerosene small, but the thing no gree shift.

I use all my power rub am. Even spit join, but the thing no commot. E just dey there like tattoo wey never finish.

The red line still dey—no be say na marker.

I check am with phone torchlight, still e red dey shine. My mind dey race. No be say I go carry am go house come explain give my wife say na mosquito bite.

The old man eye dey sharp. "Dem dey call this one 'spirit mark'—na sign say something from underworld don touch you."

E talk am with him mouth close to my ear, like say if another person hear, wahala go burst. My skin dey do me somehow.

"Tonight, she go come find you again."

He pause small, like say e wan make sure I dey listen well.

"She go show face for seven nights straight, and that red line go dey show more."

E bend reach ground, use stick point my leg. "By the seventh night, she go peel your skin follow that line."

Omo, the way cold just catch me from leg reach head, if NEPA bring light now, you go see my skin don rise.

As he talk am, cold just catch me from leg reach head.

My teeth dey shake, but I still dey form say nothing dey happen. The breeze wey blow that time, e be like say even the spirits join hand dey chill me.

Fear begin enter my body.

E be like say pepper enter my eyes. My palm start to sweat, even as early morning cold dey catch everybody.

But I still form. "Abeg, na scratch I scratch myself."

I talk am with my voice low, but inside me I dey pray say make e be true. I dey beg God say make all this na old man play.

"Baba, no dey use all these your ghost talk try collect money from me."

I look am with side eye, dey find whether e go ask for transport fare or money for medicine.