Chapter 6: The Truth About 302

Na from 602, the person wey dey top floor.

I dey try remember who 602 be. For this estate, people dey keep to themselves. I never greet am, no even sabi whether na woman or man.

As I remember, I never even see am before.

E fit be say na new tenant or person wey dey travel plenty. I dey suspect everybody now. My mind dey prepare for anything.

Why e come dey message me?

Na the question wey dey my head. E fit be friend, e fit be foe. For Naija, you no dey quick trust who dey poke nose for matter wey no concern am.

I reply quick: "Wetin dey happen? You sabi something?"

I dey try form calm, but my finger dey sweat. My grammar dey scatter as I type fast. I dey ready for any response.

E answer sharp: "I sabi small. But tell me first—any neighbor dey push you make you run comot?"

E dey direct. The kain question dey make my mind dey alert. E sound like person wey sabi something, but e fit still dey test me.

I pause.

I dey reason say if I talk too much, e fit use am against me. If I talk too small, I go remain for darkness. My head dey heavy.

Na exactly wetin 302 dey do.

E clear now say 302 really dey push me to comot. Na trap? Or na way to help? I dey weigh the two.

But I no too sure if 602 really wan help or e get another plan, so I no quick answer.

For Lagos, if person help you too fast, e get as e be. E fit be helper, e fit be set-up.

My naija sense dey shout: shine your eye! No let anybody use you do mugu. I dey read every message with suspicion.

E send another one: "Na 302, abi? I get chat log. Na him post the group-buy, then delete am after e finish."

E attach screenshot.

My heart stop. My eye wide. I click the pic. Na WhatsApp screenshot. I zoom, see username, number—e match 302 own. The group-buy link clear for screen. My mouth dry.

Na so cold catch my body.

E be like say breeze from freezer blow me. My hand dey shake, I drop phone, pick am again. 302 na the snake wey dey hide inside grass.

The screenshot show clear say na 302 post the group-buy link.

No be hearsay. Evidence dey. My mind dey fly. I dey thank God say I no go meet am for e house. Na so person dey waka enter lion den for Lagos.

My suspicion correct—e really dey inside.

I dey imagine if I don rush upstairs, na so dem go use me do night ritual. My chest dey drum loud.

Thank God I no send that message to go hide for him house. I for just waka enter lion den.

I dey shake, dey remember how small mistake fit end person life. My mama voice dey echo for my head: "No trust neighbor anyhow!"

But 602 nko? E get him own agenda?

I dey try reason if e fit be another setup. For this estate, e fit be game inside game. I dey look at phone, dey watch every word well.

I ask am: "Why you save chat log? No be just curiosity, abi?"

E reply: "I move enter this building to find out wetin dey happen tonight."

That line dey mysterious. I dey suspect e get deeper reason. Nobody dey enter estate for midnight just to watch drama.

Wetin that one mean?

I dey try connect the dots. E sound like person wey dey do undercover. Abi e be police? Or e dey find something personal?

E sabi say something go happen today?

My mind dey open, dey imagine all the scenarios. For this estate, e be like say everybody get agenda. My leg dey shake. I dey prepare for anything.