Chapter 3: Fox Spirit vs. Father Onyekachi

"Ah, no vex, I no mean to disturb you."

I just give am small bow. If no be say na my kettle, e fit last small.

I try flash smile, rub back of neck. Even fox spirit dey shame sometimes.

But the monk just dey look me, eyes black like say e wan swallow me, small red dey the corner like person wey dey craze.

Na so I reason say better waka dey go before wahala reach village meeting. When person dey close to death, eye dey change colour.

Abeg, no point dey apologize to person wey don dey die.

For Naija, if you see agbero wey high, you no dey preach sense—just dey go.

I straighten up, dust my blue wrapper, dey waka go door.

You go think say na movie. My plan na to slide out quietly like rat for garri barn.

But before I reach, door slam, one big force just press me for bed, my head dey turn.

You know that kain heavy hand wey dey pin person for hospital bed? My spirit almost comot body. I dey beg my ancestors for mind—“Abeg, nor let me disgrace spirit world finish.”

Before I fit reason, shadow don cover me, body dey hot like fire, heat dey pass through our clothes.

The thing dey rush me like Lagos traffic. Everywhere just hot, my mind dey shout, "Wetin dey sup?"

I just laugh for mind. This monk dey rush go die, say na me e wan chop?

Shebi na me dey plan sharp exit, now e be like na me dem wan use for last sacrifice. My ancestors dey look me from spirit realm dey shake head.

I use all my power slap am, but e catch my hand, pin am for bed.

Hand strong like iron. I try twist, but na so e just hold am down like pounded yam.

I squeeze face, try kick am, but e grab my leg sharp sharp.

Wetin be all this one na? Fox spirit no dey use leg play, but this one don pass play.

With one move, e press my left leg reach him waist and stomach.

The grip dey pain like say dem tie me with palm frond. My leg dey vibrate.

E grip heavy like Olumo Rock—I no fit run.

If to say juju dey help here, I for don disappear.

Heat wan finish me.

The kain sweat wey dey drip for my body, I never see am before. Even during harmattan, I no dey hot reach this.

Even with clothes, e palm dey burn. My wrist, as e dey touch am, e be like say fire dey catch am.

Spirit fit dey feel fire for skin. Na now I believe those old stories!

For that small light, him eyes don turn red like masquerade—e no dey normal at all.

If masquerade see am, even Egungun go hide face. This one pass village festival.

I try gather my spirit power, wan blast am, but as e be, one golden force from him pinky just spread, seal all my power at once.

E shock me like NEPA wire. Wetin be all this holy force?

I freeze.

For my mind, I dey reason say na which kain village meeting be this one?

Na holy relic be this?

Na Father Onyekachi be this monk?!

E mean say all those gist true. So na the baba himself I jam—no wonder holy force strong die.

...

Chei, I don jam better wahala.

This kain gbege, even strong juju no fit solve am. I dey reason my next move sharp sharp.

We foxes sabi when to humble. I sharply smile like mumu.

You know as pikin dey beg for market, just dey grin anyhow.

"Oga, abeg, I be male fox—I no fit help you. Make I help you find one better babe?"

Even for tight corner, fox spirit dey sell market. I dey look for escape.

No answer. Na only cloth dey tear dey answer me.

I just dey hear the sound: srrrrr... srrrr... as cloth dey go.

My belt loose.

Na so breeze just dey touch my skin. Spirit nor dey use belt anyhow, na only when e sure say nobody dey house.

I...

I just weak, start to struggle.

But this kain struggle be like say you dey wrestle with thunder. I dey twist, but e no dey work.

But as I dey struggle, na so e dey press me harder. E sweat dey burn me, my curse dey turn to small small moan.

Shame dey catch me, but as the heat dey spread, na so body dey betray me. I dey try form but e no work.

Maybe na Father Onyekachi own effect, but heat dey rise for my body, dey make me restless.

My eye dey red, my heart dey run like bus for Lagos road.

My hand sef no fit hold anything, I dey shake.

Even my tail sef dey tremble. Wetin person go talk for spirit elders' council?

Father Onyekachi just cover my mouth, bend talk for my ear, "No make noise again."

E voice low, scratchy, but the kain power inside—e be like prayer and curse join together.

Him sweat dey drop for my neck, dey pepper me like small ogiri.

I vex, bite am for base of thumb.

Bite hard—if to say no be monk, e for shout. E just grit teeth, vein show for neck.

Nonsense!

Spirit nor dey collect rubbish, even for tight corner.

One night wey no get head.

If I talk this story for spirit bar, dem go laugh sotey dem go fall chair.

When my eye clear, Father Onyekachi don faint from the poison.

Na so everywhere quiet. Only small frog dey croak for window. Light dey dim, but my mind dey shine.

I vex sotey my teeth dey itch. I raise hand wan finish am, but my body still dey weak from last night—even to lift hand dey hard.

Spirit nor dey like weak finish, but after this kain drama, who go blame me?

And holy relic still dey with am...

My spirit just dey cold. No be today wahala start, but this one tight.

...Abeg, make I value my life.

Spirit wey no get sense dey do overdo. I just pack my things, waka.

I curse, gather my scattered cloth for floor—see as my fine silk don tear finish, na only small piece remain cover me. My pride dey pain me pass the wound.

I dey eye am, dey hiss, "Wetin I do myself this night?" I manage cover my chest, tie the wrapper anyhow.

I give Father Onyekachi one wicked look, throw him monk robe for body, hug my fox tail, waka comot.

Na only tail dey comfort person after this kain disgrace. If I see am again, I go collect my change.

As for whether e get cloth wear—na him sabi!

If he like, make he dey go morning prayer like that. Na him wahala.