Chapter 7: Arrow and Ancestors

Sweat dey my palm, even as cold dey bite. The fear dey grow, as if person dey pour sand for my heart. The world suddenly big, my own small life dey shake like leaf for storm.

By mistake, I jam one iron hoe for the hut.

The sound loud, echo for night. My heart fly enter mouth. I freeze, eyes wide like owl, dey beg say maybe nobody go notice.

“Bang!”

The noise loud pass thunder. I press back for wall, hope say darkness go hide me.

“Who dey outside?”

The man voice sharp, ready for trouble. I no fit breathe. My leg dey prepare to run, but fear dey tie me.

My heart skip, I run.

Legs move before mind. Sand dey fly, my body dey push forward. I hear their steps behind, voices dey rise.

The two of them quickly lift the curtain come outside.

The sound of curtain, footstep, all mix together. I no fit look back, only run. My mind dey pray, 'God abeg, no let arrow touch me.'

“Everywhere too dark, I no fit see well...”

The man dey curse under breath. I fit hear the frustration, the way darkness dey blind even wicked people.

“Go bring my bow.”

My heart stop. Arrow for night? I dey finished. My legs dey run faster, but sand dey drag me back.

Next thing I hear, “whoosh!”

Arrow tear air, na so my blood cold. My eyes wide, body dey duck by itself. The sound still dey my ear.

My body stand, fear grip me. I dodge, but arrow still catch my back.

Pain explode for my back, like fire wey enter wound. I stumble, ground dey rush to meet me. My mouth open, but no sound come out.

Pain rush me, everywhere black, I fall for ground.

Time slow down. Na only my heart I dey hear, beating, as pain dey drag me down. My hand dey scratch ground, dey look for small strength.

Na that time, one big white dog jump out from the tall grass, grab me for back, and run with full speed.

Teeth grip my cloth, body dey bounce. For my mind, I dey think say na spirit dog come carry me. For our side, dem dey talk say when dog rescue pikin for night, e fit be ancestor come to help. My head dey dizzy, pain dey mix with fear and wonder.

As the dog dey carry me, I try look back towards where my mama dey. For my blurry eyes, I see her dey lean on the fence, looking for me with worry.

For small second, I see her true face—pain, fear, love—all dey fight for her blind eyes. Her hand dey reach out, even as chain dey drag her back. For my heart, I dey beg say make she see me, make she know say I dey alive.

Small bitter smile just show for my mouth.