Chapter 7: The Bet and The Knife

After small time, me and Sade come down from keke for road.

We waka long.

Finally, for one abandoned church, I see the person I dey find.

The person wear black, half face cover with black cloth, lie down for mat.

Under Sade worried eye, I waka go, remove the black cloth from his face.

Handsome no be small—he fine well well.

But the main thing be say, he resemble Musa Garba, Garba Kingdom third prince, as I remember am.

But now, his eyes tight shut, face dey sweat, body dey shake like person wey dey suffer.

I look am from up.

I remember how he go protect Ifeoma later, dey block me—send boys kidnap me, change my gifts for party...

Small vex enter my heart.

Suddenly, one slim hand grab my wrist.

Grip strong like iron.

The man wey dey act like him dey sleep just open eye—not like person wey just wake, but sharp, clear look.

He look me, see my face full of hate and anger.

He surprise small, then laugh:

"Ah-ah, Second Miss, so na like this you dey? I hear say you get heart, but this one pass my power."

"Dem say second miss of Shen family get good heart, always dey help poor. But now, I no see am."

"To treat unconscious person like this, no pity at all, the gist no true. Or na because nobody dey, you show your real face?"

He call my name direct, voice playful and mocking, eyes dark, cold inside.

Na real face, no be mask.

He sure say big girl like me no go recognise am, but wahala dey.

I shock, wrist dey pain me, but I no panic. I talk cold: "Leave my hand!"

"Oh? Why I go leave am?"

Musa Garba talk lazy:

"You rough handle me, I go rough handle you. E balance, abi?"

"I never offend you, Second Miss Shen?"

I just dey look am, make am frown, small impatience show.

My eyes red, voice dey shake, I talk soft:

"You never offend me? You talk say you never offend me?"

"You knock me out, tie my hands, cover my eyes, tear my cloth..."

I talk am, but tears just dey come, my voice break.

I just smile, pain full my face:

"You spoil me."

Tears drop, land for his hand. As if I burn am, he loose grip.

He look up, see my tear face, shock.

Before Musa Garba fit move, I use the knife I hide, try stab am.

But he ready, block am, knife no move.

"Madam!" Sade shout, rush come.

"No come here!"

I turn, shout for her.

Musa Garba use chance collect knife, pull me for chest, hold my hands strong.

If person see us, e go look like I fall for his arms, he dey hold me tight.

Sade eye red, wan fight: "Bad man! Leave my madam!"

"Sade! Go! Na my matter and him own!"

I turn, glare am: "You fit kill me now, because even if you run go anywhere, I go find you."

Musa Garba rough breath touch my ear. He hold am, pause, then talk calm:

"Believe me, Miss Shen, I no plan am. I be hired hand, dem drug me for job, I no get choice but use you as cure. I no mean harm, I just wan survive."

"No be even that, you no fit kill me. Even if you try, e no go change anything—wetin happen don happen."

"I fit promise you, this matter go remain secret. I no go kill you—after all, you save my life. I no dey pay bad for good."

I win the bet.

I breathe out small.

From those floating words, I know say Musa Garba don poison with strong drug, and even more poison.

His sense go dey fail. After he lose sight and hearing, he go find Ifeoma for cure.

And to make sure she no know who he be, he act sharp.

Just after he clear the poison, his hearing return. He hear person dey come, he run.

Everything work for my side.

Instead make he see me as food for Ifeoma later, I better make my own move now!

As I think am, my face change from struggle to empty.

Since he sure I no fit hurt am, Musa Garba release me, knife for left hand.

He dey look me, eyes half dey reason, half dey act sorry.

"You say you no fit live, so you use me as cure, but how I go live? Woman name na everything. Last last, na excuse to run from your wahala."

"You and him, una all dey lie, una dey leave me..."

I no give am chance, just dey laugh and cry small, like mad person.

I no look am, let his confused, thinking eye stay on me.

Then I get up, no mind the dirty for my blue skirt, waka commot, dey stagger.

One, two... I dey count inside my mind.

Low voice come from back.

"I no like owe person. If you get wahala, blow this whistle. I fit help you three times."

I no stop.

I hear something drop—‘pa’—for ground.

That voice come vex, but still sure:

"Hmph, you go regret."

I turn, my pale face get small red. I no answer am, just say, "I no fit kill you today, but one day I go end this bad fate."

I know say this angle show my beauty well.

True true, Musa Garba just dey look me, shock, even stop to breathe.

When he hear my words, he reply like say e no move am:

"Fine. I hope say you get that power."

But, small pain dey my mind.

Because from those words, after he know na Ifeoma he sleep with, he just stay with her as bodyguard, say he wan pay her back.

Why, when e reach my side, na only three help he talk?

I really no reach Ifeoma level?

I bite my lip, no happy.

No wahala. At least I get something. I no go ever let my life dey another person hand again. Call me anything—I just wan survive.