Chapter 2: Night of Blood and Temptation

Me and another guard, Musa, dey patrol the quiet corridor with lantern. Since nothing dey happen, we dey gist to pass time.

Night breeze dey blow, trees dey whistle, but Musa mouth no dey rest. Him sabi all the tori for this estate. Sometimes, I dey wonder if him ear big pass my own.

Musa lower voice, whisper: “I hear say chief vex for council, so everywhere for inner house dey tense. Lucky say small guards like us no dey see chief often—no reward, but at least wahala no go reach us.”

As he talk, I dey nod, dey pretend say I dey listen. True true, if chief wahala reach us, na only prayer fit save person.

Him sister na maid for inner house, she sabi all the gist. Musa no dey fit keep secret, always dey tell me everything. I just dey nod, no dey put mind.

He fit talk from now till cock crow. Sometimes, I dey wonder why him no join women for market, gist for free. I just dey enjoy the breeze.

When he see say I no answer, Musa come near, talk even lower: “The chief vex, so the men for Hibiscus Court dey suffer. My sister talk say one of them chop serious beating last night—fit no survive.” Na so dem dey say for market—when chief vex, even cockroach dey pack load.

As he mention am, my body cold, my mind dey run. This estate na real jungle—only strong dey survive.

I remember that hibiscus spirit, my heart jump.

His fine face flash for my mind. I dey imagine say na him dey inside that trouble. My leg weak.

Me and Musa reach the outer wall of Hibiscus Court. Him belle run, so he rush go latrine, leave me for gate.

I wan laugh but na serious matter. Musa na real food hunter, but him belle dey betray am steady. I just stand for gate, dey watch moon.

I just dey look the entrance, next thing, like person dey control me, I waka go inside.

My feet dey move on their own. Sometimes, I dey suspect say jazz dey for this estate. Person no fit control wetin dey happen.

Lantern dey shine small for pavilion, smell of palm wine mix with blood just dey hang for air.

That kind smell wey dey make person skin crawl—like old market after heavy rain. I hold my breath, dey peep round.

I move closer.

Lantern dey cast long shadow for ground, my heart dey race. I dey tiptoe, dey pray make no spirit waka near me.

That hibiscus spirit curl for ground, back full of blood, wine bottles scatter everywhere. Who know how much he drink?

His body dey shake, him hair scatter. Even for wound, him beauty no gree hide. My spirit pity am small.

If he sleep here till morning, sickness go catch am sure.

Mosquito fit chop am finish, cold go enter bone. This kain place no be for human being.

I look am small, then turn begin waka commot.

For my mind, I dey talk say, "Oga, na your matter." But body no gree go. Still, I force myself make I waka quick.

From back, I hear him voice: “You no go help me?”

His voice weak, like pikin wey dey beg for akara. My leg stop, but my sense dey shout make I run.

As I hear that one, I no even look back—I just run commot from Hibiscus Court.

My leg touch ground, I no stop. I fit win relay that night. Fear dey push me, wahala dey chase me.

My heart dey beat anyhow.

E dey beat like talking drum for festival, no even dey follow normal rhythm.

When Musa come back see me, he look me up and down. “You see masquerade?”

His eye big, him dey check whether spirit don enter me. I just smile weakly, no fit talk.

I shake head, no talk. For duty room, I wash my face.

Water cold, I dey hope say e go wash fear commot from my soul. But my mind still dey wander.

As I look my face for water, I understand why Musa ask—my face white, fear dey show everywhere.

I see say my eyes red, hand still dey shake. Musa go fit swear say I see ogbanje for road.

Ah, see me dey crush on the chief’s man. How I no go fear?

Love for this estate na curse. I dey fear both man and spirit, but see where my leg carry me.

I be person wey dey fear both death and wahala.

If you see me for street, you go think say na church rat. I no dey form gangster for anybody.

I lie down to calm myself. After a while, I carry wound medicine from my box, sneak go out.

I cover my body, carry lantern, dey hope say patrol no go catch me. The kind fear wey dey my chest, na only God fit understand.

Mosquito dey bite, frog dey croak, but everywhere still dey heavy, like night wey get secret. No moon that night—cloud just full everywhere, like rain wan fall. I dodge patrol, enter Hibiscus Court again.

My body dey sweat, even breeze no fit cool me. I dey walk like thief, every step na prayer.

Everywhere quiet, my heart nearly jump commot from my chest.

The silence heavy, even cricket no dey make noise. My shadow long for ground, my back dey cold.

I reach lily pavilion—inside, na only empty wine bottles I see. Nobody dey.

I turn round, dey search for sign of life. The place smell like old festival, nothing move.

I breathe out, my hand dey sweat.

I wipe am for wrapper, dey try balance. I dey blame myself for entering this kain wahala.

As I wan turn go, na that time I hear splash for back.

Water move like say fish big pass normal. I freeze for ground, no know if na human or spirit.

Hibiscus spirit come out from water, lie for bank, dey look me with small smile for him face.

His hair wet, water dey drip for ground. He look like river god, but smile dey corner his mouth. I fit feel say he dey enjoy my panic.

“Small guard, you sneak enter chief inner house for night—if dem catch you, na death straight.”

His voice low, but e sharp. My skin prick, I dey ask myself if I go survive this night.

This man na ghost wey dey follow me up and down.

I just dey wonder, "Which kind jazz this man dey use?" Because my mind no fit rest as long as him dey waka near me.

“You like me reach say you fit risk your life just to see me again?”

As he talk am, I no fit reply. My leg dey shake, but my heart dey answer him—yes, but mouth no gree talk.