Chapter 3: Toilet Finger

I still dey reason am when Madam Miejue waka enter and start roll call.

Once she show, everywhere quiet, you go hear pin drop. Even the stubborn ones dey hide phone, arrange table. My name dey front, so she call me sharp sharp.

After small time, she call, "Femi Adeoye. Femi Adeoye. Femi Adeoye." Three times—no answer.

Normally, if Femi no show, na wahala for him. But this morning, everywhere still dey, people dey look back, some dey whisper. Even Miejue class, Femi no show? This boy don dey craze.

Even though the guy dey always disturb, I no fit just watch am enter wahala.

So, on the fourth call, I pinch my throat, shout, "Present!"

The thing surprise my body. I never try this before o, but na sharp sense make me run am. Madam Miejue stop, look me well well through her gold-rimmed glasses, eye dey shine my side.

Everywhere quiet like grave. Sweat dey pour from my body.

I dey try hide my face, but my body dey betray me. My hand dey shake small. I dey pray make she no remember my papa name join.

Thank God o! She no talk anything, just continue.

I breathe out. E remain small make wahala burst.

People for back dey whisper, one guy even dey laugh for under table. My chest dey beat, I dey thank God say e no loud reach.

Na that time my phone start to vibrate like say e wan scatter.

Another message from that strange number:

[Thanks say you answer for me, but no try am again.]

See this guy! E still dey do prank? Wetin dey funny for here?

[Who you be?] I reply, vexed.

[I be Femi,] the reply land quick quick.

[Femi? You dey dodge Miejue class? I nearly enter wahala for you! Where you dey? Show face jare!]

[I dey inside pot before. Now, I dey your belle.]

This Femi don dey overdo.

Still dey joke for this kind time?

My mind dey race. This kain yarn no pure. My hand dey shake, I wan reply, na that time one wicked pain grab my stomach, like say something dey tear me from inside.

I raise my hand. "Aunty, my belle dey pain me well—I need go toilet!"

Madam Miejue look me with vex, wan talk, but as she see my face wey don white and my shirt wey sweat soak, she just wave make I go.

I run go toilet.

The speed wey I take waka, e fit win Olympic. Other students dey look me as I dey hold my stomach, bend like say I wan faint. For corridor, one guy even talk, "Omo, see as Kunle dey run—dem go say na wahala!"

After I vomit and purge finish, small relief enter my body.

The way I purge that morning, na only person wey chop wrong thing fit understand. I hold wall, dey try breathe, my hand dey tremble.

As I try stand up—

—I freeze. Inside the mess, I see one small human finger wey dem cut.

Tattoo dey the finger: "FA"—exactly like Femi own.

For my mind, e be like film. I bend again, try rub my eye. Fear catch me. Who dey play this kain play for April Fool? Sweat burst for my face, my leg weak. I dey look the finger like juju, dey pray make e disappear. The thing dey smell real, no be ordinary.