Chapter 2: Childhood Shadows

Me and Dapo don dey neighbors since small—real childhood padi.

Our house just dey opposite, so every evening, na me and Dapo go dey chase tire for compound. From pikin, dem dey call us twins, even though e fox, I be human.

I be just normal human, but him na fox spirit.

That time, my mama go always tell me, "Ifunanya, no dey fear Dapo. E get spirit for body, but e dey good." So, I grow up no dey see Dapo as anything strange. Just my padi, full stop.

For this our society, all kinds of people dey live together.

Some streets, na humans full everywhere; some, na spirits mix with us. We dey try manage am, even though sometimes, e get as e dey be.

But e still get people wey no too like non-humans.

The way dem dey look Dapo sometimes, e no pure. E dey pain me pass as e dey pain am, because na me dey see the small small wickedness from afar. I dey always ready to stand for Dapo back.

When we small, people dey bully Dapo well.

I no go forget one day for school, two big boys dey drag Dapo tail, dey call am all sort of names. I waka reach them, no talk plenty—I knack one correct slap, dem scatter like fowl when rain start. From that day, Dapo dey look me with respect.

And na me dey always fight for am, chase people commot.

I fit collect for mouth, but I no dey fear. My own na make dem leave my friend. Some people dey call me stubborn, but I know say if I no do am, nobody go fight for Dapo.

Then I go touch him small ears wey never grow finish, tell am say e no be monster, say him ears dey cute.

That thing dey always make Dapo smile, even when e dey try act tough. I fit still remember how e dey flush, dey hide face for my chest like small pikin.

From there, Dapo just glue to me, no dey play with anybody else.

E no easy for fox spirit to trust human, but Dapo na my padi. Anywhere I dey, na there e wan dey. We dey do everything together—school, market run, even fetch water for borehole.

Until Musa show.

The first time, he come our house as visitor, elders say make he play with me and Dapo.

Elders sabi say pikin need new friend. So, dem arrange playdate. I first think say na normal boy.

Small pikin circle dey small, so Musa be stranger.

Dapo just dey show him face, no like am at all.

You fit see am for Dapo face—e dey squeeze mouth, dey do like say mosquito bite am. But me, I no dey like dey chase new people.

But me, I like make new friends, so I reach out touch Musa hand—small cold, but I no mind.

Na that first touch surprise me. Musa hand cold, but e soft. My pikin mind just dey curious, I wan see wetin make Musa different.

Na so the guy blush, begin breathe fast, jump back.

For Musa face, I see confusion—like person wey waka enter shrine by mistake. E body begin shake, e dey sweat for small harmattan weather.

Next thing, I see Musa wey just dey normal before, suddenly grow two sharp horns for head, one black tail come out for him back.

For my small mind, I think say na juju. Everybody for room shout. Dapo just stand, dey look Musa with big eye.

That tail no get fur, e smooth, and the end bend like heart shape.

Na that kain tail wey you go see for storybook. For real life, e dey somehow. No be the cute kind wey pikin go like touch.

Which kind creature be this?

My first thought na run. Spirit thing dey always get levels. Horn, tail—abeg, e don pass my power.

I shock, fall for ground, begin cry.

As I dey cry, my mama rush come, dey try calm me. Dapo just dey there, dey shake head. Musa just stand for one corner, dey hide horn.

I like furry things; the ones wey no get fur no dey cute for my eye.

For my mind, if e no soft, no dey try. That kain tail, e just dey fear me. E come add to Musa own wahala.

So, I no like Musa, the incubus.

Na there my mind close for Musa. I dey run from am, even when dem say make we play.

But somehow, he still dey come our house almost every weekend.

Dem say elders get reason. Maybe dem dey try make us bond. Musa go just appear, dey quiet, dey look everybody, e no talk.

Even if I no wan play with am, he go just curl for one corner sit down till night.

Sometimes, Musa go dey peel groundnut for corner, dey wait make anybody notice am.

Sometimes, I go dey pity am, but my stubborn mind no go allow me reach am. E go dey there like plantain, just dey wait.

Later, as we grow, everybody get boundary, my wahala for am reduce small.

I no too dey run again, I just dey ignore am. For gathering, I go greet am, but na Dapo side I dey always face.

I fit manage see am as normal friend.

E no easy, but I try. Sometimes, Musa go do one small thing wey go make me smile.

But for my mind, na Dapo be my real padi.

For anything wey matter, na Dapo I dey reason first. Musa just dey sidon dey watch.

But now, everything don change.

Everything wey I believe before dey scatter. My heart dey heavy, my mind dey run from memory to memory.

Na Dapo mouth I hear say I be just tool to use do competition with Musa.

I no go ever forget the pain wey come with that gist. The betrayal dey sharp like new razor.

Why?

I just dey ask myself. Wetin I do reach that level? Why padi go use my matter dey do championship?