Chapter 4: Darkness Get Shadow

I press pedal, car dey fly near eighty kilometers per hour.

My leg dey shake, but my hand strong for steering. I dey try block all negative thought. Na only money dey my mind now.

Road camera and streetlight don finish, fireworks and banger sound don die.

No more light, only headlamp dey show road. Even those small children wey dey sell gala, dem don waka home.

I dey speed.

Make I just drop her, no need talk too much. I dey remember say my wife dey wait for house, stew still dey hot.

Na bad luck I get this night. Just drop her, collect my money, go house.

For this Lagos, bad luck dey waka about for night. Person fit just jam am anyhow.

Na New Year’s Eve—my wife and pikin dey wait make I come chop.

Dem don call me twice, dey ask if I still dey road. My pikin go dey roll for mat now, dey wait for papa.

And Junior, my younger brother, just finish school, no job yet.

Junior dey house, dey ask me if e fit come join me for road. No job for youth again, na pure suffer.

Even as my own job still dey, last year dem cut everybody pay, job no dey anywhere, I no fit resign.

E pain me, but I dey thank God say I still get work. At least, e better pass nothing.

Na so so manage I dey manage. After rent, nothing remain.

All my small savings dey finish before month end. Landlord still dey threaten say rent go increase for next year.

Before, my life steady—work, go house. Now, everywhere scatter.

Before COVID, life still get small plan. Now, I just dey waka, dey pray make new wahala no land.

But as man, wetin I go do? I gats bear am.

If I complain, who go answer me? For Naija, man suppose strong head.

Lucky say we get car, so anytime I free, I dey do extra ride.

This car na my papa last gift before e die. If to say e no dey, hunger for finish us.

Later, as ride-hailing app dey chop money, I just off am, begin do illegal cab for more cash.

All those Bolt and Uber dey collect commission tire. As I see say nothing dey come out, I just dey hustle anyhow.

As I dey think of my family, my chest tight.

Sometimes I wan cry, but na only prayer dey hold me. My wife sef dey strong, dey support me small.

I for don reach house since, but this girl flag me down, say she dey rush interview.

If to say I no stop, maybe na better person for pick am, maybe na worse. Life get as e be.

Na big journey—thirty-two kilometers.

Thirty-two! If no be say I dey desperate, I for tell her say no go fit.

I talk ten thousand naira, she gree, dey call people all the way.

At least, the fare go buy small chicken for house. I gree.

For this road at night, even birds no dey fly.

Everywhere dry, bush dey swallow sound. The darkness thick like ogbono soup.

The last fifteen minutes, I clear am for five.

As I dey vex, I no even look road well. Na God save me from pothole.

For that five minutes, as I no talk again, the girl hang call, begin type for phone.

Maybe shame dey catch her. Or maybe she dey think say I be real kidnapper. Everybody dey fear for Lagos.

Maybe she dey feel small shame, so she talk to me, voice low—maybe her boyfriend mouth too sharp, she dey shy.

She clear throat, voice soft, almost beg.

"Sorry, driver. I just dey panic, and as you be illegal cab, fear catch me."

She dey look ground, voice small. I gree, na true—person fit fear anything for night.

"My boyfriend dey vex quick, him mouth bad, no take am personal."

She still dey defend am. Na love dey do her, or na fear, I no know. But you go see say her eye still red.

I just dey press accelerator, make I just drop her, collect my money.

No time to argue again. Wetin don spoil, don spoil.

Person wey don ready to do nonsense, you no fit talk sense enter am.

Na so this life be. Even if you try help, some people go fight you join.

Navigation talk say we don near.

Phone dey buzz for dashboard, "You have reached your destination." I just dey pray make nothing jump us for bush.

I pause small, then park.

I watch, breathe deep. My heart dey beat fast, but I gree—journey don end.

No single streetlight, my headlamp reach, na bush everywhere.

If snake pass here, nobody go see. Even all those area boys no dey waka for this kind darkness.

Darkness full ground, like say night wan swallow person.

The air get smell of wet sand and old firewood. Even sound of generator no dey.

Far small, I see one small building, light dey faint faint.

E be like say na abandoned bungalow, one yellow bulb dey blink for corridor.

Everywhere just quiet.

Even frog stop dey croak. Na only my breath and her sniffling dey enter ear.

Na only my car engine dey make one kind worried sound.

My engine dey groan, like say e dey beg me carry am go house. I dey tap steering, dey thank God say journey never spoil.

To tell you true, even me no get mind drive go front again.

If not for God, I for no even near here. I just whisper, "God abeg, cover me and this girl tonight."

For this kain darkness, even your shadow dey fear to follow you.