Chapter 4: Nightfall and Brotherhood

"Student union fit attack us? You just see them attack teacher, abi? Dem see plenty students, but no touch anybody," Musa ask, like say e still dey hope.

Musa dey look round, voice low, like person wey dey find confirmation say e go survive this lockdown.

"If na so you reason, I no fit help you. I go pack your load later, you go sleep for student union office. When you kpai, I go help carry your body," Tunde talk.

Tunde dey always use joke cover fear. Na im way.

Efe think small. "Since student union dey, e no possible say dem go just dey look. Two things fit dey: One, dem need trigger—like person offend them. Two, time never reach."

"Time never reach?" Musa ask.

Musa dey blink, like say he dey try decode riddle.

I understand wetin Efe mean, so I explain, "E mean say maybe for first few days dem no go do anything, but for the end, dem go clear everybody once."

"We don finish."

I pat Musa for shoulder. "No dey think like that. Na just seven days. Endure, e go finish."

I try put smile, but my heart still dey race. Na Naija style, we dey use ginger cover fear.

If you talk of negative people, na Halima. The babe dey research whether coffin make sense with flip-top or sliding cover.

Everybody laugh, the tension reduce small.

Tunde join, "E get touch screen one? Any recommendation?"

Efe just laugh.

[Try your best to protect your roommates. To survive alone hard.]

As I hear this, I think back: na true talk. For this kain wahala, only you no fit carry the load. You need people, even if na just to dey laugh small.

I suddenly understand how important e be.

If no be Efe and others, I for no survive even one day.

All of us must make am commot alive.

After food, time pass eight, we head hostel.

For the first time, darkness dey fear me.

Normally, I dey brave for night, but today, my shadow dey run pass me.

"Person see dog! Run!"

Front, one girl shout, everybody scatter run.

We sef run, but I notice Efe still dey.

I stop, grab Efe sleeve. "Efe, you dey craze? Why you no run?" I shout.

"Una go, I go watch from far… Person need get mind for this life. I need get more info… If anything do me, no reason am."

Efe mouth dey set like person wey dey play bet9ja. E no dey fear.

"Oloshi! After all this, you no know us? If you kpai, we go follow. I dey stay! If we die, we die together!"

As I talk am, all my hostel mates decide to stay. I no expect am, e touch me small.

Brotherhood dey sweet when wahala dey. Nobody wan carry last for this matter.

This time, Musa give us better info:

When e buy malt, e see that same girl wey talk say e see dog—she buy meat pie.

"I see her buy meat pie, face just blank. I think say, this small girl wicked o."

As we hear am, Efe just shout, "Run!"

Efe face serious like NECO invigilator. I no know why, but we all just run.

We dash reach hostel like say na race, finally relax.

Our heart dey beat like drum for new yam festival. Everybody dey pant, but nobody fit talk.

We ask Efe why e say make we run.

"People wey dey see dog fit attract student union."

As e talk am, everywhere just cold.

The silence wey land that time na heavy one. E fit cut yam with am.

"But for cafeteria, why…" Musa start.

"I never know yet."

Now we get two half-clues:

[People wey see dog go chop meat pie.]

[People wey see dog fit bring student union.]

My mind dey process everything. As if na mathematics without calculator.

Maybe, to see dog na trigger for student union wahala.

"Abeg, make we talk tomorrow! Before 8 a.m., I no dey commot hostel even if I wan die! Una too! If anybody go out, you dey against me, Musa!" Musa lock door, lean on am, announce.

We all burst laugh, but deep down, nobody wan risk am.

No need to talk much—nobody wan go out.

With private bathroom, no reason to leave.

We safe till after ten.

[After 11 p.m., hostel inspectors go come. No open door for them.]

Almost eleven.

I dey fear, my roommates dey do like say dem get mind.

"Tunde, abeg drop your game. E don almost reach eleven, hostel inspector dey come."

Even Tunde quiet, e just off phone.