Chapter 3: Earthworm Spirit

I just tell myself say na prank this guy dey do.

But my mind no calm. I waka quietly go bedroom.

As I dey waka, I dey tiptoe like thief wey dey fear torchlight. Generator hum dey for far corner, mosquito dey whine for my ear, but na fear dey loudest. That kain fear wey dey hold man for chest, e get weight. Na so I balance for door, dey peep my wife for bed, my phone dey shine small light.

My wife dey sleep already. I tiptoe reach her side, use my phone torch shine her neck.

The way her chest dey rise and fall, I dey remember the time I first see her sleep, dey thank God for peace. But tonight, everywhere cold.

If I no look, I for dey okay. But as I look, my leg almost fail me.

My phone almost fall from my hand. The line wey I dey look don red sotay e resemble cutlass mark. For my mind, na wahala dey knock door tonight.

The red line for my wife neck don red pass before—e red sotay e be like say blood fit come out, like say the thing get life.

My hand dey shake, I open group chat:

"Guy, na so e be o. Wetin dey happen?"

I dey hope say maybe na prank, or say person go just drop one funny meme wey go make me forget fear.

"If I no miss, your wife dey raise 'earthworm spirit' for her body. E dey suck your life dey go. Once e mature, na that time you go kpai."

This kain message, na only for old woman mouth you dey expect. For chat group, my heart begin jump. Earthworm spirit ke?

Other people for group begin dey laugh:

"The more you talk, the more e dey fear person."

"Other people ghost story na masquerade or talking tortoise. Your own na earthworm!"

Person post gif: 'Earthworm Jim' dey fight boss. Everybody drop laugh emoji.

"Hahaha, maybe na new style."

I talk serious: "But na true I see am, the line really don red and thick."

I dey expect say maybe person go support me. Instead, another guy type:

"Guy, na simple thing. Maybe you dey see double, or her hives just dey worse. Make we use sense, abeg."

My heart dey race. The mysterious guy vex reply: "Una wey never see something before go dey call person liar. Ask am—him wife dey behave like earthworm? She like to bury body for sand? Or she dey insist to waka out if rain dey fall?"

People begin drop sand emoji. Another person type: "Hahaha, bury for sand? She be that woman wey dey live for tomb for Nollywood film?"

My mind dey race back to one night for village when I see woman dey dance round grave, dem say na ritual. E no clear that time, but now I dey reason say Naija get plenty hidden matter.

My leg dey shake, I waka go balcony, snap picture of sand wey full everywhere for backyard.

I remember say my wife dey always insist make I order sand, even when we never do any building project. She dey use broom arrange am every morning, dey lie down for am at night when I think say she dey pray. Dem talk say woman wey sleep for sand dey carry earth matter for body—no be ordinary eye. That kain sand dey scatter everywhere for veranda.

"My wife talk say na her village tradition. To sleep for sand everyday dey help her regain strength."

Na so group scatter:

"Aaaah!"

"See sand o!"

"Admin, abeg remove these people! Dem dey plan some juju scam."

Another guy: "This kain story get as e be. You sure say na marriage you enter?"

I protest: "I dey talk true! I no even sabi this guy."

But nobody gree hear me.

One minute later, notification enter: dem don kick me commot for group.

As I dey stare at my phone, the group icon dey fade. My heart just dey heavy. E be like say I dey alone now for this wahala.