Chapter 8: Goodbye, Mama

Na the kind smile wey person dey get when hope dey die. I dey try hide pain, but the world don show me say I small, powerless. The smile na my own way to tell myself say I fit survive, even as my strength dey go.

“Still dey hope say mama go care for you even as you wan die, fool. You be dirty thing, how she go love you? If you die, at least you no go make her vex again.”

The thought enter my mind, heavy like stone. I dey wonder if na true say I dey bring her pain, or if na world wicked. The voice for my head dey fight me, tell me say love no sure for this life.

“Mama, goodbye. I pray say you go go house soon, see your people, find happiness and peace every year...”

Na silent prayer, the kind wey only God fit hear. For my chest, I dey hold hope say better life dey wait her, even if I no go see am. My own happiness go be to see her free, even if e mean I go disappear.

After that, darkness just swallow me.

Like river wey overflow, e carry me away. Sound fade, pain fade, na only memories dey float for my mind—her voice, her song, the touch of her hand. Sleep dey come like stranger, but na welcome one.