Chapter 1: Bar Betrayal

I get two childhood friends: one na fox spirit, the other na incubus.

From when we dey small pikin, na so life balance reach for me—one side na Dapo with him sly fox smile and sharp sense, the other side na Musa, quiet like early morning breeze, but e get that thing for body wey dey make person dey reason. Dem two dey different as beans and yam, but na me tie them together.

One early morning, both of them enter adulthood at the same time, dey desperately need comfort from their partner.

You see for our side, adulthood no be just birthday for non-humans—na strong thing, dem dey even fear am pass NEPA bill. That time, their body dey burn like harmattan fire, all their spirit energy dey waka scatter. Dem dey find who go calm dem down—if person no help, e fit reach say wahala go bust for body or even for mind.

And na me be their best option.

That kain recognition fit sweet belle, if no be say e carry wahala join. Since dem small, na me dey patch quarrel, dey do peacemaker, even when Dapo and Musa dey bite ear for anything. I dey always wonder if one day, the thing go blow for my face. E come happen so.

Without even thinking twice, I abandon the incubus and rush go meet the fox spirit—only to jam am dey brag for other people.

I fit still remember as my heart dey beat anyhow as I dey waka enter bar that night, thinking say I dey do the right thing. If person tell me say e go end like this, I for just sidon for house jeje.

As I push bar door, the smell of stale beer and suya pepper jam my nose, music dey faint for background. I just brace myself, my mind dey on Dapo.

"Just watch, between me and Musa, Ifunanya go surely pick me. Wetin Musa sabi do? As long as I dey control Ifunanya, he go always dey lose to me."

The way Dapo voice just carry pride, e be like say the guy don chop one big achievement. E get as e dey pain person—imagine say person wey you care for dey use you dey play bet for corner, dey take your name brag anyhow.

"Abeg, abeg, you fox spirits sabi this thing well. You hate Ifunanya reach ground, but you still dey use sweet mouth confuse her. But this time you don too much. If incubus no get comfort from him partner during adulthood, e fit die o. Now you don use trick bring Ifunanya here; if wahala burst, e go hard to settle."

As the other person yarn that one, you go know say for their world, all these adulthood things no be small play. For human being, maybe na just big party or first salary, but for spirits, e fit turn to matter of life and death. I just dey there dey hear, my spirit dey shake small.

"Wetin dey fear there? When e reach that time, just push Ifunanya come collect the blame. Which one be destined partner? Na only incubus dey carry that kind nonsense—low-level creatures, make them die sef..."

One guy for corner cough, shift chair, but nobody talk.

As Dapo yarn that last one, the wickedness and bad belle inside am just full ground. You go fear who get spirit but no get conscience. That kain joy when person dey see another dey suffer, e dey inside im tone well well.

My hand reach wall make I balance, everywhere just dey turn me... I close my eye small, try hold back tears. My chest dey squeeze, like say I swallow stone. I wan shout, but my throat lock.

I just wan disappear, make ground open swallow me. My mind dey vex—abeg, how I take blind reach this level? All the trust, all the childhood memories—everything just dey scatter for my front like pack of akara wey fall for gutter.