Chapter 4: Plaza Trouble

I born for November, so Morayo enter primary school one year before me. I wan follow am, but I never reach age. I no see am for whole day, I cry sotay I no fit chop.

That day, I scatter everywhere. Mama dey beg me, dey promise sweet, but I no gree. I even go hide for under bed, dey sob. Morayo come back, see my red eye, she hug me sotay I sleep for her chest.

My parents pity me, so dem allow Morayo dey come house every afternoon to check on me.

Neighbours dey talk say my own too much, but mama say, “If na Morayo go calm am, make she dey come.” E shock some people, but e work—anytime I see Morayo, my wahala go reduce.

The school far from house. Morayo go come house by twelve, go back by one-thirty. Sometimes, she no even fit finish her food.

She go rush eat, sometimes just lick ogbono soup, then run go school again. Even rain no dey stop her. If e too much, she go tie nylon for leg, dey waka like say she be superwoman.

That time, na to grow quick dey hungry me. If I grow finish, I fit go school with Morayo, see her every day.

I dey even measure my height every week, dey pray make I quick tall, dey disturb mama, “When I go grow reach Morayo?”

When I finally start school and see as book hard, I know say I too small that time.

First week, I cry sotay teacher tire for me. Homework dey look like punishment. If no be Morayo, I for run comot.

But Morayo no ever complain say school hard. Her book dey always on top.

She dey bring home star sticker, dey smile with teacher. Sometimes, I go see her dey help others for class. Even teacher dey praise her for assembly, dey call her “our future doctor.”

When I start school, my parents make her repeat one class so she fit dey same class with me, dey take care of me.

Neighbours dey gossip, say why dem go do am like that, but papa say, “Family first.” Morayo no argue, just accept am, dey smile for me. I no even know say e pain her.

Me, I dey struggle to pass, but Morayo, wey no dey even read for house, always dey carry first for whole grade.

Sometimes, I go hide dey peep her exercise book, dey wonder how she dey do am. I go try copy her answer, e no ever work for me. She go just smile, help me correct my mistake, dey say, “Try again, you go get am.”

After school, weekend, holiday—if her mates invite Morayo go play, my parents no ever gree. Dem just make her dey house dey read with me.

Sometimes, I go see her dey look window, dey watch as children dey run for street. She go sigh, then turn back, carry book, dey teach me times table. I dey feel guilty sometimes, but I no fit talk.

For primary five, one day both my parents travel, I tire for book, beg her make we go play.

I use all my small power beg her, dey roll for floor. She look me, her face soft, then she just gree. I jump up, dey dance.

Morayo think am well, but finally gree.

She look left, look right, then say, “Okay, but we go come back quick. No tell mama.” Her voice low, like say she dey plan big escape.

She carry me go plaza near house, hold my hand, we dey watch older girls dey play dance game.

Na first time I see arcade game. The place dey smell of burnt popcorn, akara oil, and children dey shout “Game over!” everywhere. I dey look the older girls dey jump, dey laugh, dey sweat, dey shine for light.

I dey look her leg as she dey tap ground, my eye full of envy.

I dey imagine say my own leg fit move like her own. I dey tap my foot for ground, dey try copy her.

I beg her, “Try am na.”

She look me, her eye dey shine small, then she smile, say, “I go try, but you go stay here, no run.”

“Abeg, no run go anywhere,” Morayo warn me serious.

She hold my shoulder, her face serious like teacher. “If you run, I go vex.”

I nod my head well.

I cross my heart, dey swear for myself, “I no go move.”

When my sister climb the machine, I shock say she sabi am well.

She dey move like person wey don dey do am since. Even the older girls dey clap for her. I dey proud, dey shout, “Na my sister be that!”

That free, happy smile wey she get as she dey dance—I never see am for house before.

Her teeth dey show, her eye dey close small, her body dey flow with the music. She dey like person wey forget say world dey exist.

For house, she dey always quiet, dey behave like small adult, no dey smile.

She dey always dey careful, dey serious. But here, na like say she fit breathe. Even the small pikin wey dey sell groundnut dey stop, dey watch her.

Morayo happy, me sef happy.

I dey jump for joy, dey clap, dey shout, “Go, Morayo!” My heart dey sweet me.

She finish, score high again, I run go shout for her.

I run go hug her leg, dey shout, “You be champion!” People dey look us, dey laugh.

That time, one girl wey dey next dance machine fall, come push me for ground.

I land for ground, dust enter my mouth. I dey try stand, my leg dey pain me.

“Femi!”

I hear Morayo call me, run come, her voice dey shake.

Her voice loud, like say something big happen. I see her face—fear full am.

My knee don peel well, blood dey come out.

I dey see red everywhere, the thing dey pain me sotay I dey shout.

I never wound reach like that before, so her chest stuck like eba when water finish—she no fit move.

The pain enter my chest. I dey roll for ground, dey gasp. People dey look, dey pity me.

Morayo carry me go house.

She carry me for back, dey run. Her own leg dey shake, but she no stop. She dey whisper, “Sorry, sorry, e go soon stop.”

My parents vex when dem see my wound. Dem shout for Morayo, even wan beat am.

Mama dey shout, dey cry, dey threaten. Papa just dey look Morayo with red eye. “Who send you? You wan kill am?”

I bear the pain, rush block my papa, dey repeat say na my fault—I beg my sister take me out, na me no stand well.

I dey shake, dey cry, dey hold papa leg, dey beg. “No beat am, abeg. Na me cause am.”

Papa still slap my sister two times, point her nose, talk wicked, “Two of una na one. If brother mess up, na sister dem go beat.”

The slap loud, echo for parlour. Her cheek red, palm print dey show, but she just carry herself waka slow go her room, no single tear.

Morayo cover her face, quiet small, then nod head.

She waka go her room, lock door. I dey knock, she no answer. That night, she no chop.

From that day, I never see Morayo play dance game again.

Even when we pass plaza, she go look another side. If I beg her, she go just shake head, say, “No be for me again.”

I beg her, she no gree.

I try everything—promise say I go dey careful, say I go protect her. She just smile, rub my head, say, “No worry. I don old for that one.”

But Musa’s voice chase her like curse, and each word cut fresh wound for her chest.