Chapter 8: Love, Lies, and Baba Oke

I check time—Umaru go soon finish meditate, come find Sade.

I need make her comot before e reach.

I waka go front, chin up, dey do like say I dey proud but my finger dey pick.

Anytime I dey lie, I dey pick my finger.

I like Umaru.

Umaru like me too.

Suddenly, I hear gbam outside, like something fall.

Sade no send, her face full of disdain.

Na lie! Your useless papa wipe all crocodile clan—how Umaru go like enemy pikin?

I nearly reply sharp.

My papa na my papa, I be me—we no be the same.

My eyes full, tears wan fall but no gree drop.

E look like say I love Umaru die.

System encourage me:

Correct, continue! Now, give her evidence.

Sade face cold:

Wetin make you think say Umaru like you?

I reason small.

E no like my papa, my papa no like me—two minus make plus, so e like me.

I proud small, hope system go hail me.

System sigh:

Abeg, just read script.

System pull up script.

If Umaru no like me, why e carry me go Crocodile Valley?

E don ever let you touch crocodile scale for him chest?

I don touch am.

Every part of Umaru body, I don touch. You? E ever let you near?

I finish.

As expected, Sade wound, she run.

I stand dey wait, ask:

Why Umaru no come find Sade?

System say:

As you talk say you like Umaru, e don dey there. As e hear, e disgust, cover face run. Now e dey outside dey knack palm root.

I nod.

So na palm root make that gbam.

I remember—last time Umaru carry me, e still knack palm root.

Umaru like to knack palm root.

System sure:

Because palm root resemble crocodile horn. E no fit grow him own, so e no wan make anybody get am. Stingy, petty.

System check panel—e dey enjoy the crash. Excitement value dey up.

System give me life lesson.

No marry man like this. E go knack wife for future.

I copy am.

No want.

System happy with me.

Continue. Sade don run reach Baba Oke—quick, go push her.

I don sabi my tail now, I dey swim fast.

Before you talk, I don reach Baba Oke.

The place cold, mist dey everywhere. Na sacred forest for merfolk, where spirits dey play draft with old fishermen spirit. If person no wise, na there dem dey disappear. My heart beat, system dey shout, "Do am sharp sharp!" I square my fin, ready for the next wahala.

Mist full everywhere, spirits dey whisper, and my heart dey pound—if I miss this step, wahala go land.