Chapter 2: After the Confession

After the class prefect talk, laughter just die for the table.

Silence scatter everywhere, like when NEPA take light during Champions League. You go hear only the hum of the old ceiling fan and some plates dey knock for kitchen. People just dey look themselves, eye dey waka left and right.

Even the harmattan breeze wey sneak from window pause, as if e wan hear gist. Everywhere quiet like grave.

One fly even pass, and the buzz loud for my ear.

But e no last. One person just burst laugh scatter the silence:

"Abeg, prefect, you don high. Na so you go dey see spirit for gutter. Wetin be this yarn wey you dey talk now?"

Another person join, voice sharp, make everybody try laugh forget the wahala:

"Na true. Everybody sabi say na suicide kill Hajara. Even police for our side close the matter since."

Person wey never talk since just add own, voice low: "E shock me say na almost fifteen years since she die. Time dey fly o."

As dem dey gist, the talk just waka go back to old secondary school stories.

Everybody start to dey remember who thief spoon for boarding house, who sneak go bush bar, laughter dey try come back small small.

But class prefect, Musa Lawal, see say nobody dey reason am. He knock table, raise voice. Him voice cut through the hall like cutlass—nobody fit dodge am:

"I no dey talk rubbish! I really see person push am from roof!"

As he talk, saliva splash, voice rise pass music wey dey play for background. Some people shift back small, some dey clean their cup, like say dem no hear.

"And e no end there—"

He pause, breathe deep, then continue:

"The person wey push am dey here—one of una."

As he talk, he use him eye scan all of us, one by one, sharp sharp.

You go think say him eye be torchlight, dey find who dey hide for darkness.

My heart beat increase again.

Blood dey pound for my ear like drum. I dey feel like say table go collapse on top me. My finger dey tremble where I hold cup.

He no look like person wey just dey talk anyhow because of drink.

That look for him eye na the kind wey person get when old wound open again. No be play.

But that day e happen, na we lock Musa Lawal for toilet with our hand.

I dey remember how we use belt and stick block that toilet door, make sure say the guy no fit commot. We dey fear say him voice go loud pass generator, but by luck, nobody hear.

E fit escape without us know?

No chance.

For my mind, I dey try run the old memory like film, dey reason if we make mistake, if Musa fit come out. I even dey imagine say maybe na ghost dey give am this story.

Musa Lawal and Hajara na padi from small—dem parents sef dey close. After Hajara die, Musa scatter. Him book work fall, na just average university he manage enter.

I remember the time we dey do old boys’ reunion, some people talk say Musa just dey carry himself like empty drum. No ginger again, life just dey drag am.

After school, he rush marry, born pikin through family arrangement. For office now, I even senior am for level.

If you look am well, Hajara death change him whole life.

The kind wahala wey enter him house after that time, some people say na curse, some say na him own hand do am. Even for street, old people dey pity am if dem see am.

Plus, after Hajara mama almost kill herself from wahala, if truly Musa see wetin happen, he for don run go chief's court. E no fit wait till today talk am.

I remember that time, Hajara mama scatter market, dey cry for junction, almost jump enter well. Everybody for town remember.

I no know wetin dey push am, but I sure say Musa dey lie.

As I reason am, I just breathe small relief.

My chest come down small, like say person remove stone wey dey press my neck. I adjust my shirt, try smile like say nothing dey happen.

Before I know, I adjust my back, just as I jam him worried eye. He look like person wey dey drown, dey find who go save am.

Na the kind look wey goat dey give before dem slaughter am for Sallah.

"Old Bala, you believe me?"

Everybody sabi: when wahala too much, na your padi you go run meet first.

Old people for our side dey always talk say, na your guy you go call if fire dey your roof. E no surprise me say Musa dey find my face.

After university, two of us jam for same company by luck. For this place, na me and am close pass.

We dey eat lunch together, dey gist about old school days, sometimes dey play draughts after work. The bond tight.

But now, I no sure if na comfort he need or na test he dey test me.

I force smile wan talk, na there one babe for back just ask with confused voice:

"If you see am that year, why you no tell police?"