Chapter 1: The Midnight Link

Late at night, one strange link just show for our estate WhatsApp group-buy chat:

As I read that strange message, my heart do one kind for chest. The air for room thick, like when rain wan fall but never start. The way e be, e no just look like normal prank wey people dey do for online. For Naija, we sabi play rough sometimes, but this kain play? E pass joke.

"Corpse of 202—group-buy, six people needed to claim."

I just freeze. I even check my phone time, dey hope say maybe I dey dream, but sleep still far from my eye.

Because na me dey stay for 202.

As I stand for my small parlour, fan dey rotate slow, my mind dey race. E be like say cold breeze just enter, even though NEPA no gree give light since evening. I dey sweat, but my hand cold. This kain thing no be wetin person go use laugh. My chest tight like say hand dey press am.

This one no funny at all.

I call am out for group, begin vex for anybody wey think say na play. But curiosity still catch me. I tell myself say make I no reason am, but my finger stubborn. For Naija, curiosity na wahala. I click the link.

My finger dey shake small as I tap the link. E resemble normal group-buy page—just say this one need six people to claim six body parts: head, two hands, chest, two legs. Na so I see am, clear for phone screen. My mouth dry. I remember all those Naija horror stories wey mama dey gist us when light off, but this one na real life.

My body just begin get goosebumps.

Goosebumps just run my body like say cold water pour me. I dey hear my neighbour generator for distance, but e dey far. I begin reason whether na yahoo boys dey do new format, or if juju dey involved. Na estate wey supposed dey safe, but tonight, everywhere get as e be.

Before I fit even react, the thing don already complete.

Na so the group-buy show say all slots don full—people don claim am finish. My hand begin shake. Na only me dey my flat, so nobody to ask or confide in. I feel as if wall dey close in on me.

I rush comot for the page, go back group chat, some neighbors dey joke, dey tell me make I help deliver the goods reach their door.

The way people dey banter for chat, e tire me. One say, "Guy, abeg remember me for leg oh!" Another drop laughing emoji. I dey vex, but fear dey ground too. For Lagos, dem say anything fit happen, but this one pass the usual, abeg.

Anger just catch me. I mute the group, off gen, try sleep.

I throw phone for bed, carry wrapper, cover myself, but sleep run from my eye. Na only mosquito dey sing for my ear. My mind dey fly. I dey pray small, dey bind any bad belle wey fit dey for estate.

I no even sabi how long I sleep before my phone begin vibrate, wake me. Time don reach three for morning.

Na 302, my upstairs neighbor, send me plenty WhatsApp messages: "You see the group? Wahala don shelle."

My eye still dey heavy, but as I see 302 message, my body stand. 302 no dey talk anyhow. The kain urgency wey him message get make my heart begin beat kakaraka. For this estate, we dey mind our business, but tonight, everybody dey involved.

I no even wan check group. I reply am sharp: "Wetin happen?"

Him reply quick-quick:

"Person die for our compound."

As I see that text, I sit up well for bed. My leg dey shake. My mind dey fly reach village. Estate wey dem say na new, peaceful place—see as wahala land.

"Next door, Block A, Flat 401. Same as you—dem make am group-buy product, post am for their building group. Some neighbors think say na joke, dem join."

I press my phone tighter. My palm dey sweat. Wetin be all these group-buy wahala? How e take cross from joke to real matter?

"Then, now-now, dem discover—401 don die, dem cut am scatter. Dem deliver the body parts go those neighbors’ doors."

I cover my mouth as I read am. My spirit wan fly comot my body. Na real life, I dey hear about ritual, but this one na my neighbor! My chest dey pound, as if masquerade dey dance inside me.

"Police dey run things now."

As e mention police, I hope say maybe e go better. But if police dey, why e still dey message me for 3am? That one make my mind no settle.

"Dem say na person from our building do am, so everywhere lock down."

My head just dey spin. So na our own block get killer? Everywhere just dey tight. For Naija, if police say lockdown, dem dey serious. My eye dey look window, dey calculate how to jump if kasala burst.

"Better find where to hide quick."

I just dey look my screen like mumu.

No strength for mouth, no idea where to run go. My feet dey root for ground. My heart dey drum, no gree slow. I begin hear my own breath loud for the quiet room.

Where I wan hide go? E no be just now you talk say everywhere lock?

I shake my head. My mind dey reason say, if dem lock everywhere, even if I turn spirit, where I wan waka pass? My leg heavy. Even if I try, police go see me. Wahala dey!

And if I just rush outside like that—wetin if the killer dey outside dey wait? No be so I go waka enter wahala?

I try peep my curtain small, streetlight faint, breeze dey blow, I no fit see person. But for my mind, everywhere dey suspicious. If I rush out, e fit be say na my own end be that.

As confusion dey my head, I type message to 302: "I no get where to go. I fit hide for your side?"

I dey reason say at least e go better make I dey with another person than alone. But my hand dey shake as I dey type. I pause small. Wetin if na 302 set the trap?

Before I press send, cold just catch my mind—

I no even know 302 like that, but e dey rush help me for midnight, dey even dey push make I run.

Na so e just dey make my mind suspect. For Naija, you go fit greet your neighbor for stairs, but everybody dey mind their business. We never share drink before or even do up NEPA meter wahala together. Why e dey quick to help?

E fit be say na plan make I enter him house?

My mind dey replay crime film. I dey imagine as person go dey act friendly just to set up another person. E dey possible. Na Lagos, anything fit happen. Street wise na key.

Dem never catch the killer. Wetin if na him be the killer?

I dey remember all those stories for news—na who you trust go turn your downfall. I keep my finger for send button, but I no press am. I dey look my door, dey think whether to jam am with fridge or carry kitchen knife go hide for toilet.

For this estate, trust don die. Even police fit turn suspect. I dey wait, but fear dey wait with me.