Chapter 6: The Price of Innocence

The idea hit me like thunder.

E be like say Sango strike my head. The plan begin build for my mind, every corner dey arrange sharp sharp.

Even just thinking am, my body dey shake with excitement.

Na so my hand dey sweat, my heart dey beat gbim gbim. The thing dey make me smile, even as fear dey catch me.

As Mr. Nwachukwu enter house, I sharply follow the two boys.

I keep distance. I no want make dem suspect. As I waka, I dey form like say I dey find cold drink for night market.

For the dim light, Yellow Hair and Tattoo Arms dey laugh Mr. Nwachukwu.

Dem dey gist, dey mock am. "See as that old man dey reason like mumu."

"Today open my eye—man wan sell him own pikin."

Tattoo Arms dey shake head. "Street get levels."

"No be new thing, plenty useless gamblers dey like that."

Yellow Hair spit for ground. "E fit sell him wife join, if chance dey."

"One million for one night—you go try?"

Tattoo Arms laugh. "Me ke? Na me dem go trace if yawa gas? Abeg o."

"Me ke? I look like mumu? Na diamond dey her body?"

Dem dey talk as if the matter na joke, but their eye dey sharp. All of us dey street for different reason.

As their voice dey fade, I take deep breath, wear face cap, cover myself, rush go meet them.

I reason say I go package myself like one small runs guy wey wan do business.

"Bros, abeg wait."

I use soft voice, make dem know say I no be threat.

The two stop, eye me well.

Tattoo Arms dey frown. "Who you be? You dey follow us?"

"Who you be? Wetin you want?"

Yellow Hair dey size me up and down. Dem dey ready, if na wahala.

"I wan do business."

I talk calm, no shakara. For street, you suppose talk straight.

"Business?"

Dem dey curious. Street boys dey like money matter.

"I hear person wan sell him daughter’s first time."

I use their word, make dem no suspect me.

"Who you be?"

Yellow Hair eye sharp, signal Tattoo Arms to move behind me.

I see as Tattoo Arms dey form security. I gree for them.

I calm my mind, bring out cigarette, give them.

I no too smoke, but for street, e dey help run matter. Dem collect am, light am, e cool them small.

"Na the first time I wan buy."

I dey look them for eye, make dem believe me.

They look me, then look themselves, confuse.

Dem dey reason if I be police, or just another madman.

"You wan buy the girl? Go meet her papa. Why come us? We just collect debt."

Dem dey protect themselves. For street, you no dey put mouth for another man family unless money show.

Yellow Hair pause, answer.

He adjust trouser, blow smoke, then listen. Dem dey feel say maybe na lucky night for dem.

"Bros, no worry. I go settle una. Once e happen, I go pay off his debt and give una extra two hundred thousand for appreciation. How e sound?"

I dey use street language, make dem know say I dey serious.

The two dey tempted, so I press am.

I dey watch their eye. Na money be everything for here.

"You really believe say he fit get one million in one week?"

I dey shake their confidence. Street boys like fast money, dem no get time to wait.

Yellow Hair eye shine. He nod Tattoo Arms, both collect my cigarette.

Dem dey reason say maybe na legit deal.

"How you wan run am?"

Dem ready to listen. As street dey hot, every sharp move dey matter.

"Make una tell Mr. Nwachukwu say buyer dey. Make he bring his daughter come house, give her medicine, in three days’ time."

I talk as if na normal business. For their mind, e be like movie script.

"How we go trust you?"

Tattoo Arms dey serious. Dem no fit trust stranger for money matter.

I bring out wallet, count fifty thousand naira.

I flash the cash, let dem see say I dey mean am. Fifty k for street fit solve small wahala.

"Take this as deposit. When I see her that night, I go transfer two hundred thousand more. The rest after everything finish."

I dey run the street way. Small deposit, then balance later. Make dem know say I no be yahoo boy.

Yellow Hair collect the money, still dey think.

He squeeze am, check if na real. For street, dem dey always suspect.

I tap am for shoulder, as street boys dey do, make e know say I no dey fear.

I talk straight.

I look dem for face. "If you play me, na wahala for all of us. Make we just reason am as business."

"We all dey hustle. You want money, I want my own. For this small money, e no worth to play person, abi?"

Street boys dey respect who dey reason like them. For here, trust na small thing, but money dey rule.

He reason am, step on cigarette, nod.

Yellow Hair wipe mouth, look Tattoo Arms, then gree. The deal done set.

We arrange the plan, then dem waka.

E no take five minutes, plan set. Dem no look back, just dey talk as dem dey go. Na so street dey run.

As they go, I run far before I remove disguise.

I check all corner, make sure nobody dey watch. I reach one small junction, remove face cap, use hand clean sweat. My body dey vibrate.

I dey breathe heavy, sweat don soak my body, cold breeze dey blow me, but inside, excitement dey burst my head.

I dey reason say this plan fit change my life. But for Naija, nothing sure until you see am with your eye.