Chapter 10: Fire in the Real World

I shock small, rush tell Baba Musa, "I no sleep o, I just dey think. Baba Musa, why you come here?"

Baba Musa breathe out, "Your cousin just get accident here. Wetin carry you come?"

His voice low, but his eyes dey full of wahala. He tap my shoulder, check my face well.

"Na Mallam Danladi—Baba Danladi—follow me come," I stand, talk. "He just commot. I dey reason my cousin."

Na that time I see say evening don reach. I sleep for hours.

The sun dey set, orange and purple for sky. Birds dey fly go their nest, bush quiet.

As I mention my cousin, Baba Musa sigh, "Go house, here no good. Halima grave dey near here. And that old iroko tree for her house... e just catch fire."

My heart jump, "What? Wetin you talk?" I shock. "When Halima tree burn?"

"Just now," Baba Musa talk. "The fire just start, e big. Before people see am, the whole tree don burn finish."

Villagers dey rush go see, some dey pour water, some dey shout. The smoke from the tree dey rise like spirit dey leave body.

I just burn tree for my dream. As I wake, Halima tree—na real e burn finish.

Wetin dey happen? Na me burn Halima tree? E fit happen?

No... No, e no possible. Dream na dream, e no fit turn real. Na tension dey do me.

My chest dey beat strong. But as I think am, my mind come calm small. I follow Baba Musa quick go down mountain.

As I reach my uncle house, night don almost fall. I see plenty burial things for compound: white cloth, candle, paper figure, paper goat, paper bicycle, paper cock, plenty things.

Women dey tie scarf, dey arrange things. Some dey cry, some dey pray. I hear one woman whisper, "Make God no let this boy follow Halima road o."

I think say my cousin don finish, fear catch me, my face just change.

The air for compound choke with smell of incense and burning candle. Children dey hide behind mothers, elders dey consult quietly. For Naija, when this kind thing happen, you go know say spirit waka really pass. Tonight, everybody go remember say spirit fit waka anyhow for our village.