Chapter 3: The Countdown and Mama's Secret

I drop the paper, grab phone sharp-sharp. I check, see message:

"5:"

Na countdown? This number make me pause.

I dey reason say my time dey finish. Another message land:

"4:"

I shock. My breath dey hang for throat. So if I no answer quick, e go start countdown force me answer.

My hand dey shake so tey, I almost drop torch for ground. Sweat dey drip for my eyebrow. I dey panic, my leg dey weak. I wan run, make I go answer later.

I dey tap door, hope say I fit escape. Because I no get choice, I must pick 3.

Na trap be this? My heart dey shout. But that time, the door no gree open.

I pull, push, nothing. Another message:

"3:"

My phone dey close to fall from hand. I dey panic, dey shake the doorknob…

Everywhere just dey squeeze me. Phone vibrate, I no check—fear no let me.

I sabi say na "2." Sweat dey run for my forehead. I no even know wetin go happen if I no answer.

My body dey stiff. But e no go good.

My mind dey race. Just as phone vibrate last time, the door open.

Na miracle. But person dey stand for the door…

Na shadow first, then I see leg. Fear grip me.

But thank God, her voice calm me: "Wetin you dey find for store room? I no tell you make you no enter?"

The voice na my mama own. E dey soft, e dey stern. Na my mama voice.

I rush comot, dey stammer: "No, I… something happen…"

She cross hand for chest, eye dey hot. She cut me: "You no dey hear word, always stubborn…"

I dey fidget, just shift one side, dey shake as she dey scold me. If na normal day, she for don use slippers chase me comot.

Old gist wey I dey hear since pikin. But I thank God say na only scolding. Phone for my pocket stop to vibrate.

I sigh. E mean say if person no choose, nothing go happen?

E no too make sense.

Maybe na the answer itself dey open wahala. But since my mama dey, my fear just dey calm…

I draw chair, sit down, try cool body. "You gats hear word now, you hear?"

I nod. My neck stiff, but I gree quick. I no wan provoke her more.

After she finish, she waka go parlour.

Her steps dey slow, as if she dey carry burden for heart. Since NEPA never bring light, I just dey feel say something off about her back.

My mind dey turn. Suddenly I remember—she suppose dey work trip these two days.

No be lie. I remember her call, say she go Port Harcourt for training. And na far, over hundred kilometers.

So I ask, "Mama, you no dey work? How you take come back this night?"

My voice low. I dey try hide fear. She stop.

Her back still dey me. The more I look her back, the more my mind dey shake. My back cold. Wetin I dey see? Abi I dey dream?

She talk: "Because I get urgent thing to tell you."

Her voice still sound like mama, but my mind dey warn me: make I shine eye.

I confuse: "Wetin be that?"

She still face back, talk: "Na about your papa."

That moment, my ear stand, I even forget all the strange things wey just happen.

If to say mosquito bite me, I no go notice. Because since I small, I no get papa, and mama no dey gree make I ask about am.

If I try ask, she go vex, her face go change. Any time I try talk am, she go shout, "Face front!" Why she suddenly wan talk now?

"Mama, something happen?" I move go front small, but she still never turn. "Make we talk for parlour na."

My hand dey shake. Truth be say, I still dey fear, dey expect more strange message.

But she shake head: "No need for parlour, I go talk am here."

She steady, voice still cool. "When I carry you for belle…"

My heart dey jump. I dey wait. Wetin she wan talk? Wetin I go hear tonight? For this darkness, truth fit be more scary than ghost.