Chapter 6: Devil No Go Win

Cold sweat catch me. I rush give my wife our pikin, tell her make she no let am commot her eye for one second.

I shout for house, "No let her near window, no open gate for anybody!" My wife grab her like handbag, no gree loose am.

I gather some people, we search area, but Musa don disappear. E don run.

Area boys follow me, we search bush, check backyard, even go bus stop. Nobody see Musa. Some say dem see am waka fast for highway.

As I think am, fear catch me. If Musa try carry my pikin go bury for ground nko?

My head dey hot. I dey imagine all the evil things wey fit happen. Na so I just dey pray under my breath, "God abeg!"

I no fit allow am!

I swear for my mind, "Over my dead body! Make devil nor touch my own."

That night, I tell Aunty Hanatu say Musa come find my daughter. Aunty Hanatu eye red, she grab my hand, "Next time, abeg, tell me sharp sharp. I go kill am!"

Her voice deep, hand dey shake. She no fit even cry again, pain don turn her to stone. Na so anger dey make person forget fear.

As I look Zainab black-and-white photo, her small teeth show for smile, I swear for my mind:

"You really wan revenge? I get way—and you no go enter prison."

For Naija, e get some things wey pain fit push person do. My own heart don strong, I no fit just sit dey look.

Aunty Hanatu agree sharp sharp.

She nod, look me straight eye. "If police no fit help, I go help myself."

So, I let my daughter dey play as usual, but I dey hide dey watch, dey look for Musa.

Every evening, I dey observe for corner. My wife dey call me, "Nor stay too long outside o!" But I no fit rest.

Me and Aunty Hanatu dey take turn dey look out. Almost one month pass, I finally see Musa dey sneak near playground.

That day, breeze dey blow, cloud dark, like rain wan fall. I see Musa shadow first before I see am well.

I call my pikin, tell her go house straight. As I expect, Musa follow am.

I dey inside van, cap low, dey watch mirror. My hand dey sweat, heart dey race. I no blink.

I drive van, follow Musa. For one street wey no get camera, I grab am.

I use style, come down, act like say I dey fix tyre. As Musa waka pass, I just hold am, cover mouth, carry am enter van. People no even notice.

I carry Musa go Aunty Hanatu bakery warehouse. Aunty Hanatu bring out Zainab photo, light candle. "Zainab, abeg, today mama go let you rest well."

Everywhere dark, only candle dey shine. The room smell of flour and old tears. My heart dey pound.

Musa dey cry, dey struggle. "Uncle, Auntie, I be small pikin... How una fit do me like this?"

He beg, but nobody reason am. His voice crack like old radio.

Aunty Hanatu no even think am. She drag Musa, try push am enter dough mixer.

She tie scarf tight, face strong, eye no blink. She mutter under her breath, "God, if na sin, forgive me, but make devil no laugh last for my house." The pain don turn her to something else.

Musa get weight reach fifty kg, dough mixer max na sixty-five, so e no too easy to force am inside.

Both of us dey struggle, Musa dey kick, but Aunty Hanatu strong. She no talk, just dey fight like lioness.

One of Musa leg jam for outside. Aunty Hanatu carry big wooden pestle wey dem dey use for pounding yam, break Musa leg, force am inside.

The sound of bone break loud for room. Musa scream, beg, but Aunty Hanatu eye no move. I look away.

To tell the truth, I no too know wetin Aunty Hanatu wan do Musa. The plan na just make I help kidnap am so she fit take revenge for Zainab.

My mind dey race, "How far I go follow this woman? But pain fit turn pesin to something else."

Aunty Hanatu on the machine. The mixer arm tear flesh from Musa body.

Noise of metal dey echo. Musa scream dey loud, but nobody dey for back of shop. Generator dey run for outside, so sound no fit come out.

Musa begin shout. "I no go kill person again... I go change... Uncle... Auntie... Abeg, forgive me..."

The voice enter my soul, but I remember Zainab face, the way she dey run play for street. I close my eye, try hold myself.

I no fit hold am, I off the machine. "No do like this. Just end am quick."

I look Aunty Hanatu, see say her hand dey shake. My own heart dey beat kpokpo.

Aunty Hanatu look me with red eye, slap something for my front.

Na new shoelace, two tie together—just the same length as my pikin.

She no talk, but her eye talk everything. I move aside, give her way. Sometimes, na only God fit judge.

I shift, allow Aunty Hanatu turn the machine to the highest.

Noise loud pass generator. Musa voice fade, only mixer dey shout. After small time, everywhere quiet.

Musa shout dey fade as mixer dey loud. After about thirty minutes, we carry basin of wetin no be body again enter Aunty Hanatu bread oven.

The thing heavy, we wrap am for nylon, clean everywhere. My hand dey shake, but I hold am together. Oven hot sotay sweat dey my nose.

Aunty Hanatu throw dough balls inside to cover the smell. Na her normal bread baking time, so even if smoke full everywhere, nobody go suspect.

That day, bakery smell dey strange, but people think say na burnt bread. Life just move.

After we burn Musa body, Aunty Hanatu clean oven well, then arrange bread wey she buy from outside for shop.

She wear new apron, clean her face, wash hand for long. Even me, I help mop floor, pack all dust.

I give Aunty Hanatu the story and answer wey we prepare. "Now the real test. Police go question you well. You ready?"

She nod, breath deep, voice cold. "No wahala. I don ready."

Aunty Hanatu voice cold. "No worry. I no go die because of devil."

She adjust her wrapper, fix face. I see say spirit of pain and survival dey her eye.