Chapter 7: Aftermath and Disappearance

Last night nightmare just rush me. The picture clear for my head: Auwalu bloody eye, the red shoe, the woman for shadow. My hand dey shake.

I remember Auwalu bloody eye, the red shoe wey him dey find, I quick ask: "Where Auwalu?" I dey pant, eyes wide, hope say e dey okay. My mind no gree rest.

Room leader look me, no talk. Him just sigh, as if him no know how to break news.

"E don die," Tobi talk. Tobi voice low, e pain show for him face. Na their padi, from same area.

My head just turn. "D-die?"

The room cold suddenly. I no even fit move again.

I waka go window, see police car for downstairs, ambulance, students full everywhere. I see crowd gather, some dey whisper, some dey record with Tecno phone, one aunty dey shout Jesus, dey call her pastor for WhatsApp. The hostel never quiet like this before.

Two medical people dey carry stretcher. Na Auwalu dey there, white cloth cover am, cloth wet, dem carry am enter ambulance. As dem cover am, the wind blow the cloth small. I see him leg, na the same leg wey I see for my dream.

I die for your sake. Auwalu words just dey echo for my head, and that woman with red lace wrapper for him back. The voice dey ring for my ear, I dey try shake am commot, but e stick for brain.

"How e take die?" I ask Tobi. My voice small, like say e wan break.

Tobi and Auwalu na padi, from same town. He talk with sadness: "We no really know. As we hear noise this morning, ambulance don reach."

Tobi eye red, like person wey cry. The whole hostel dey shake for the news.

Teacher talk say na sudden death from all night game. The news dey spread for hostel, boys dey argue. Some say na prayer matter, others dey talk say e be spiritual attack.

I no gree. For my mind, I dey shout. E no add up. Wetin my spirit see no be ordinary.

Room leader mutter: "Sudden death kill you there. School just dey dodge responsibility. Me, Tobi, Musa, all of us see am."

The way room leader talk am, e be like say e dey swear for the system. E pain me for chest, like pepper enter my heart.

Auwalu no just die like that. Person wey die sudden, e dey look like that?

Na so. For village, elders go say make dem call pastor or alfa make dem pray. This one pass normal sickness.