Chapter 8: Burning for the Dead

After Tobi go, Tobi Junior no even do like before again.

The boy calm down. E face serious, voice low.

E just ask me straight, 'Why you dey pretend say you be Ngozi?'

No more small talk. E want hear truth.

I balance, look am eye to eye, ask, 'How you take know say I dey pretend?'

I no dey fear again. Na spirit confidence I dey use now.

Tobi Junior look me small, then surrender.

E breathe out, like say e dey drop heavy load.

'Pretend or not, no try near my uncle again. All these years, e no too well. After serious sickness, e just dey recover. Abeg, if na money, house, car you want, I fit give you. Just leave my uncle.'

The boy dey beg me like say e dey beg spirit for crossroad. E voice get pain inside.

I hold my breath. 'When e sick?'

I want hear everything. Maybe my heart go settle.

'Na year before last. E dey hospital almost one year. Sade dey take care am, after e well, dem plan engagement.'

The gist heavy me. So all this time, Tobi dey fight for life. Na why e no fit remember me.

So na true.

My spirit just relax small. The pain for my chest reduce.

Tobi no burn money for me because e dey sick.

Na reason. For Naija, if person dey hospital, no be today you go remember to do every ritual. Life hard sometimes.

Honestly, na my fault. I no plan well.

I just dey chop spirit money, no think of tomorrow. Like say tomorrow no dey for spirit.

I always believe say as I no enjoy life well when I dey alive, after death I fit flex.

Na that kain mind dey land person for wahala. Spirit or human, you must plan.

I buy mansion, car anyhow, even keep fine boys as servants.

Spirit boys dey run errand for me. I go dey snap finger, dey order party.

I no sabi business, still wan try. I no fit handle people, not to talk of those sharp spirits for spirit land.

If you see the way spirit dey do business, ehn! Na cut-throat market. Dem go run you street if you no wise.

Before I realize, wahala don full ground.

Spirit creditor begin dey chase me, my own servants run, only one old spirit still dey greet me.

Since Tobi Junior offer, I no form.

I collect am with both hand. I no get shame again.

When I ask for mountain of hell money, e open eye, look me like say I be ghost.

The boy just mouth 'ha!' but e still try help.

Well, na ghost I be.

If to say e make sense to burn money for myself, I for just ask for real cash.

If na naira dey work for spirit land, problem no go dey. But na only hell money matter for there. (That spirit money wey people dey burn for dead body, so dem go fit chop for afterlife.)

But Tobi Junior still run am.

The boy loyal, e arrange everything sharp.

Two hours later, e bring trunk full of hell money.

Trunk big like say dem wan use am do wedding. The smell of new notes dey everywhere.

E carry am go open space for compound, without look up, ask, 'You suppose talk who make I burn am for, else e no go reach the person.'

Spirit law strong for that side. If you no call name, na waste be that.

'Ngozi,' I talk am clear.

My voice no shake. The name sweet me for mouth.

Tobi Junior stand, shock. 'You really be Ngozi?'

E look me up and down, like say e dey see miracle.

I sit for bench, dey watch fire dey burn, smile. 'I don already tell you now.'

The flames dey dance, my mind dey rest. I dey feel my spirit debt dey burn with the money.

Tobi Junior squat beside me, just dey confused. 'So you dey alive or not?'

E dey scratch head, look ground, then look me.

'How you see am?'

I no even answer direct. Na spirit wahala.

'Then why you no tell my uncle just now?'

The boy dey push matter, e want know why I dey hide.

'You dey reason like this? You want make e dey okay, I too want am.'

I no wan spoil Tobi happiness. Even as spirit, I still get small heart.

Tobi Junior hug him knee, hide face, voice just low. 'Sorry, as I take think of you that time.'

I fit see say e dey regret. I just dey smile.

As I see am dey blame himself, I rub him hair, dey form say I no send: 'No worry yourself. In fact, na you I suppose thank as you burn me that plenty money.'

I dey tease am small, but my mind dey thank am true true.

He pour small gin for ground, say, 'Ngozi, take manage.'

Once I clear my debt for spirit land, make dem try rubbish me again.

I go show dem pepper. This time, na me go buy land for there.