Chapter 6: Laughter Remain

Everywhere still.

Nobody move.

For the dim light, I see Efe face white like paper. Morayo just collapse for my body, dey shake.

With small sense wey remain for me, I try compose myself.

"No fear. Police don clear Halima. No be she do that murder. Maybe she just dey sleepwalk..."

I no even know if na Morayo I dey try comfort or myself.

"Besides, our door dey lock..."

But before I finish, Morayo start dey shake bad.

I look her, "Wetin happen?"

Morayo face don white, voice wan cry.

"I...I just remember, na me last sleep last night. I forget lock door..."

Fear just catch me for bone.

Same time, Halima cheerful voice sound again outside.

"Oh, so una no lock door. I dey come in o!"

Click.

Door just open small small from outside.

The room cold reach bone, even harmattan breeze no get power reach this one. I dey pray inside my heart, "God abeg, no let my head be watermelon tonight o!"

"Ahhhhhh!"

Morayo no fit bear am, she rush hug me.

Efe jump up, wan hold Halima, but she freeze.

Na that time I see Halima waka enter under the nightlight.

Her feet shuffle for the tiled floor, the knife flash small for the moonlight wey enter from window.

She dey carry half watermelon for hand, her eyes bright, dey smile.

All the tension for my body just disappear.

Efe recover, slap Halima for arm.

"Halima! You dey craze?! You dey play with us?!"

"Ouch!"

Halima rub her arm but still dey smile.

"Na una deserve am! See as una dey think say na me be killer! I just wan scare una small, pay una back. And I no lie—I really bring watermelon come."

Everywhere relax small. Morayo calm down, go hold Halima hand.

"Halima, sorry for before. No vex, we no mean doubt you, na just..."

"I know," Halima smile cut in. "E hard to trust person wey dey sleepwalk, I understand say una dey fear."

"But no worry, I don take plenty measure. My parents go carry me see doctor next week. I no go harm anybody."

"Abeg, forget that one. Make we chop watermelon!"

As she drop the watermelon, she sigh.

"Una know how e hard to get this watermelon? I no fit keep knife for my room, so I use hand break am. Juice full everywhere."

We look the watermelon—true true, na hand she use break am, e no even smooth.

We all burst laugh, relief dey our body like breeze after rainfall. The watermelon sweet, but the tori sweeter. That night, we come dey gist till cock crow, as girls for hostel dey always do—fear go, laughter remain. For Naija hostel, tori no dey finish—today na sleepwalking, tomorrow fit be ghost. But as long as gist dey, girls go survive.