Chapter 9:

I pull out my phone, wan call my son make I warn am.

I dey fumble pocket, dey search phone, hand dey shake.

But as I open contacts, I realize—

Everything dey different. No recent call, no new app. Na old numbers, no WhatsApp, nothing.

Na my phone from five years to come I dey hold.

The wallpaper still show new government logo, not the old one. Even the calendar wrong.

No MTN network, nothing.

I press *556#—nothing show. I even try flash person, network just dey do like NEPA light.

I try dial, e no go. Service bar blank. My heart cut.

Since I no fit reach am, I just rush commot café, dey try catch up with my son.

I push table, dey waka fast. Boys dey shout, 'Uncle, no break computer!' I ignore.

I go use him own phone call class teacher.

That na my last plan. If I fit see am for road, I go borrow phone, call school direct.

With that plan, I run pass myself—harder than I don run in five years.

I dash, leg dey pain. My slippers dey fall off, I no care. I dey curse under breath.

But wahala be say, the time wey I land, e don too late.

My eye dey watch clock for café. Time dey fast, e dey run faster than me.

Just five minutes run, I never even reach half road.

Street dey long, people dey block way. Okada no dey. Sun dey set.

Far ahead, smoke don rise.

I see am—small black for sky, then e dey grow. My hope dey die.

Fire don dey burn sky.

The whole place dey red, people dey scream. I dey run, heart dey break.