Chapter 6: Blood and Thunder

I just carry cup from table, break am for him head.

The cup burst for him head—kpash!—like firecracker for Christmas. The sound loud like thunder for parlour. Glass scatter everywhere. If you see my hand, e dey shake, but anger dey power me.

"You dey mad!"

I no even know when the words fly come out. My chest dey vibrate, spit dey fly. Even my voice shock me.

Cup scatter. Old man hold head, dey shout, blood dey rush for him hand.

Blood dey drip for floor, him shirt stain. E dey stagger, dey shout curses. For my mind, e never do.

E still no do me. I wan kick am again, old woman rush hold me, dey shout, "Son, beat am! Beat am!"

She dey scream, dey pull my cloth, as if she wan join fight. Her own pain don turn to rage, e dey confuse the whole matter. For that moment, I no even sabi who dey on my side.

Kunle wake up, punch me.

Him fist hard, na the one wey dem dey use for factory. My chest jam wall, but I dey stand gidigba. Street no dey fear street.

I no dodge. I collect am for chest, then kick am for belle, the guy fly land for ground.

I channel all the pain, all the anger wey don dey inside me since. My leg no dey shake, my spirit dey command my body.

I shake off old woman, raise hand, carry old man head jam floor.

People dey shout, furniture dey shake, neighbours fit dey peep from window. E be like small war dey happen.

"You useless old goat! You think say you get power? Make we see now!"

I dey roar like lion, my anger dey fuel my hand. I dey see my own shadow for wall, but I no care.

I beat am till head dey bounce for ground.

I dey lose count, knuckles dey pain, but I no dey stop. For that moment, na only revenge dey my head. My eye dey blind with rage.

Suddenly, sharp pain jam my back.

Na cold pain, the one wey dey cut person deep. I shout, spin round, no know who dey behind me.

Na that yeye son, break bottle for my back. Vase scatter, cold water soak me.

Kunle hand still dey shake, glass dey ground, my shirt wet. My back dey burn, but I dey stand. For Naija house, fight no dey end until person collapse.

My sister scream, dey point my back. "You dey bleed! Blood full everywhere!"

Her voice choke, she wan run come help, but fear hold her leg. For Naija, woman dey always want stop fight, but sometimes e pass their power.

But pain no reach me. Na anger dey rush my body. Everywhere just quiet. My body dey boil, na only one thing dey my head:

I no even dey feel the wound. Anger dey power me, my spirit no dey hear word. E be like say my ancestors dey push me, say "no stop!"

"Finish them. All of them."

I no fit reason, I no fit hold myself. My blood dey hot, my hand dey find next person wey go collect.

I look Kunle for eye, punch am for face. As he bend, I knee am for belle. Him face red, eyes dey pop, he fall, dey hold him stomach, neck vein dey show.

If you see the way I punch am, you go fear. He collapse, dey wheeze, like tyre wey puncture. The room dey smell blood and sweat.

I turn face old man. He just stand up, dey try run enter room, but my nephew inside lock door, no gree open.

Small boy get sense. He hear noise, close door, lock am tight. Old man dey panic, dey knock, voice dey tremble.

Old man dey beg, "Good boy, open door for Grandpa!"

E voice crack, like person wey dey drown. Old men wey dey do evil always dey act like victim when table turn.

My nephew cry, "No! No! You be bad person!"

If you hear the boy, e go pain you. Small pikin, voice dey shake, but he know good from bad. For that moment, he stand for truth pass all the adults. Small boy dey shiver, key dey shake for him hand, but he hold am tight like Bible.

I drag old man back by neck, dey laugh.

E dey struggle, but I hold am. My laugh dey come from deep anger, no joy inside. For Naija, to drag elder na taboo, but this one don cross line.

"Where you dey run go, old fool?"

My voice low, dangerous. I dey show am say today, no escape. For my mind, I dey tell am say, respect no be for evil people. The whole house quiet, only our heavy breath dey echo. But I no dey fear. Tonight, evil go meet im match.