Chapter 5: Juju Bargain

I give the old man one stick of Benson cigarette.

I bring am from my pocket, na last one wey I get. "Baba, make we knack gist, abeg." I dey hope say e go calm the matter small, or at least e go make the man yarn true.

"Make we reason."

I use am do like say I no too fear again. For Naija, if you want make old person open up, just give am small something. Even if na cola nut, dem go talk.

He eye me, then drag me go one corner for road.

He no wan make passersby hear us. The place wey he choose, breeze no too dey, but mosquito plenty. I just dey slap my leg as e dey bite me.

"You wan live, or you wan die?"

Omo, the way he ask am, e serious. My heart beat double. This life sweet sha, even as e hard reach. I dey wonder if this one na threat or real warning.

I throway the cigarette. "Who wan die if e fit live?"

I talk am as street guy, but my voice no strong like before. For this Lagos, everybody dey struggle to survive.

He hand me one small piece of wood. "If na life you want, e simple."

The wood short, black, and e get mark wey be like thunder strike am before dem pick am for bush.

"Tonight, as you dey drive, block your car door with this thing."

He yarn me low, make nobody hear. He put him mouth close to my ear, like say e dey whisper strong secret.

"No ghost or spirit fit enter."

He do hand sign as if he dey draw cross for air. For my mind, I dey hope say this wood go work true true. I dey remember all those Nollywood films wey baba dey give wood wey dey chase ogbanje.

The wood black, e say na thunder strike am—thunder wood, wey dey chase ghost and all those bad spirits. He say for village, dem dey call am "Igba agbara"—stick wey dey chase away evil.

He talk am with pride, like say e na him family treasure. He say for his village, this kind wood no dey easy to see. E dey use am for real juju matter.

I collect the wood, dey look am with side eye. "Why I no just stay house? Why I go still go drive when I sabi say ghost dey wait for me? No be to die be that?"

I dey reason say, if this thing na real, why I no just lock myself for house, drink cold beer, sleep till next week? Na die I dey find?

The old man squint, eye me. "E no reach like that."

He voice low, as if he dey pity me. He look me up and down, see say my fear don increase.

"Ghost don already tie you."

E yarn am like say I don chop curse for belle. For Naija, once old person talk this kind thing, you go know say matter don pass ordinary.

"And after last night, e be like say curse dey your body."

He shake head, talk am slow. I begin remember all the bad dream wey I get since last week. My mind dey race.

"If you go work, you fit still get small hope."

He tap my hand, like say make I get small faith. For street, hope na the only thing wey dey keep man alive.

"If you no go, na finish be that."

He look my face deep, as if he dey see my destiny for inside my eyes. I gawk, dey fear.

As he talk, fear hold me, my face white like say NEPA just take light.

My mouth dry, my body dey tremble. E be like say all the sweat for my body dry up instantly. I dey imagine how my mama go feel if she hear say her pikin don die by ghost matter.

He pat my shoulder.

Na that kind old person pat wey suppose calm you down, but e just make my fear increase. Him hand cold, and I no even sure say e be ordinary human again.

"No fear too much."

He try smile small. "As long as you no comot for car, this wood go protect you from that thing."

He tap the wood, like say e dey assure me. For Naija, if elder swear for something, e dey mean say e sure.

"But..." Him face change. "But ghost sabi deceive well well."

E look me, eye red. "Dem go try use trick. No let her fool you."

I hug the wood tight.

Na so I hold the wood, press am for chest. My mind dey turn. E no easy to dey fear for Lagos, but this one pass my level.

Whether na true or na lie, tonight I no dey leave my car for anything.

I vow for my mind, I go sleep inside car. Even if rain fall, I go use this wood block everywhere.

That small enjoyment no reach to use life play.

If to say I sabi, I for waka pass that woman. See as small shine take carry man enter wahala.

We plan say we go meet for the same place tomorrow, then I go my way.

He talk say make I come report if anything happen. As we dey part, I dey pray make this night pass quick.

That night, I start work early, fear just dey my body.

I carry my ankara shirt, wear two singlet, carry small Bible for pocket. Even as I dey drive, every shadow for road dey look like person.

I drive slow, dey look everywhere.

E be like say my eyes turn torchlight. If I see keke pass, I go slow down. Even wind dey blow, I dey check mirror.

Before I know, daybreak near.

The road dey quiet, only few people dey waka. My mind begin settle small, e be like say nothing go happen.

I no see that woman at all.

I even dey expect make her perfume choke my nose again, but na only diesel I dey smell.

No be old man talk say she go come for me seven nights?

I dey count for my mind—this one na night one. Maybe the man no sabi math.

I look the thunder wood wey I jam for my car door, just sigh.

The thing dey my hand like remote, but e no do anything. I dey wonder if na ordinary stick be this.

But as I dey talk, breeze blow enter my ear—na so fear catch me again. Maybe tonight, true story go show.