Chapter 2: Study Room Palava

From today, na Day One start.

Musa and Halima waka go library.

Before, Seyi and Tunde wan skip class together, but now dem just bone and attend.

Me and Efe decide go study room to find info.

[The students in the study room may not all be normal.]

Before we enter, Efe remind me of the rule.

As we dey near the study room, the air thick, like say small tension dey everywhere. My mind dey race, but Efe just dey nod head, dey sharp.

Study room full—people dey gist, some even carry groundnut and agbalumo, like say na party. One babe dey sip zobo with puff-puff, dey laugh like say wahala no dey anywhere.

One guy dey even balance leg for chair, dey read old past question, as if nothing dey happen for this campus.

Everybody, even me, never really understand how serious e be.

"Na just seven days. If you follow rules, nothing go do you," one guy wey wear thick glasses talk.

He dey talk like say na normal exam season we dey. Some people laugh join, like sey this na cruise.

"No be so e easy," one babe with high ponytail and English face talk. She adjust her ankara scarf, side-eye the glasses guy. From her accent, e clear say she sabi book well.

Efe join, "So far, we sabi three wahala: teachers, hostel inspectors, and student union."

Efe no dey waste time, e just dey focus, dey tick rule for mind like person wey dey mark attendance.

"But e still get ones wey we never know," one guy with blue cap talk. "My name na Chukwudi."

We exchange handshake, that quick snap-snap, Naija style. The glasses guy na Sulaiman, the babe na Morayo.

After introduction, I feel small comfort. For this kind wahala, e good make you sabi who dey your corner.

Efe no waste time: "If library, study room, and hostel dey safe, why we dey run from one to another? Wetin we dey dodge?"

Sulaiman breathe in. "I just remember something."

Efe cross leg, dey ready for gist.

"Remember wetin?" I ask.

"That classmate wey die. Just now, as I dey come here, I see my classmate—but e die for classroom."

The talk shock us. Even the guy wey dey chew groundnut stop, hand mid-air.

Efe quick ask, "E attack anybody?"

Sulaiman shake head. The way e shake head, fear just dey show for e eye. Everybody hold breath.

Everywhere quiet.

The dead come back, dey behave normal—wetin be their plan?

Everybody dey reason am for mind. For Naija, when something dey too quiet, e mean wahala dey front.

Just then, one new student enter study room. As I see e face, my hand just fly cover my mouth—na only juju fit explain this kain comeback. Na that TikTok guy from class.

Goosebumps full my body, like say cold water just pour me. E waka in, dey bounce as if nothing happen. E even greet person for front row, dey gist and laugh like nothing dey.

I look Efe; e dey frown too, e notice am. Efe eyes dey sharp, like police wey dey watch pickpocket for Oshodi.

[The students in the study room may not all be normal.]

That line just dey ring for my head. My mind dey run race. If the dead fit waka about like this, wetin be their plan?

I begin suspect: the dead no dey attack living direct. But dem get reason to dey here. So wetin be that reason?

Chukwudi talk, "I get one idea. The dead no dey kill direct, dem fit dey use another way—indirect."

Efe nod. "I dey your side."

As I hear am, goosebumps just full my body. That kain fear wey dey make your skin dey tight, I just dey pray say make no be my own turn next.

[The dead like to kill indirectly.]

Morayo clear throat, "Na just first day. Most people for study room still dey normal. But as time go, trust go finish. At the end, most people wey remain, you no fit trust them," she talk. "Why we no create secret question wey only us sabi? Next time we meet, we go ask. If person no fit answer, na impostor, make we bone am."

Efe clap small, e like the idea. I dey nod head, but fear still dey catch me.

"You sure say after person die, e go forget?" I ask.

"Go test that TikTok guy," Efe give me eye.

E mean make I go talk to dead person.

Chai! Na who send me? My leg dey shake.

"You wan make I go talk to dead person? Abeg o."

I fear small.

Efe just give me that look, like say, "Omo, na you go do am."

"No worry, here na study room."

True sha.

I gather mind, waka go meet am. My heart dey beat kpom-kpom. I dey sweat for palm, but I brace up. "Bro... fit ask you something?"

"No wahala, ask," e answer, like normal guy.

I relax, continue, "Which class you get last period?"

"College physics."

"Okay, thanks."

"No wahala, you fit come anytime."

God abeg, I no wan see you again.

As I waka back, my leg dey light. I no look back, just dey thank God for my mind.

I waka go meet Efe and others, tell them wetin happen.

So, the dead get confused memory.

Morayo give us three code questions:

One: The puff-puff for cafeteria No. 3 sweet. Wetin you like chop for there?

My answer: white moi moi.

Efe: malt.

Morayo: rose.

Chukwudi: basketball.

Sulaiman: No puff-puff dey cafeteria No. 3.

Two: Which film you watch recently?

Me: You get tissue?

Efe: No crow dey school.

Morayo: Hamlet.

Chukwudi: I like chop broccoli.

Sulaiman: Abeg, stop to dey form.

Three: Wetin time you dey sleep?

Me: I no dey sleep for night.

Efe: Sleep when light go off.

Morayo: I dey try dey healthy.

Chukwudi: People still dey sleep?

Sulaiman: 11:30 p.m.

After this code question talk, my mind rest small. Na so we dey use Naija smartness hold body.

Time don almost reach one hour. People don dey leave study room.

The way people dey rush commot, you go think say dem dey share money outside.

"Make we no stay too long. Everybody take care."

Me and Efe waka commot.