Chapter 3: Escape Plan

Makurdi na small town, only three big supermarkets: Shoprite, Market Square, Everyday.

I dey remember the last time I go Shoprite, the suya for gate sweet die. I wish say I fit order am join, but zombie no dey chop suya.

Each get like two branch for the whole city, and all dey different area.

If wahala burst, e go hard buy food for town. I dey thank God say our new house close to market.

I wan order direct from app, but I see say no big supermarket near our new house.

Network dey slow, all the big shop wey dey, delivery no dey my area. My hand just dey pain as I dey tap.

My mind fall. I open Facebook Marketplace, search supermarket, finally see one small shop wey still make sense.

I dey happy say small business dey try. I message dem, dem reply, "Aunty, na who dey buy this kain load for one house?" I laugh, say "Na family of ten!"

I no dey cook for house, always dey buy food from mama put, so I no even sabi the kind oil we dey use. As I dey add things for cart, na there I know say foodstuff dey cost die.

I dey calculate garri, rice, beans, oil—omo, money dey fly! Even crayfish wey I dey think say cheap, na gold dem dey sell am.

As for meat, I no trust the small shop. The price dey mad, and who sabi the quality. Better wait buy for market with my parents.

I dey remember the story of meat wey dey smell for last Sallah. Better suffer today than chop bad meat tomorrow.

Just to pay for the foodstuff, na over 200,000 naira, and na because the car don reach my estate, I rush pay to secure the things.

I pray make money no hang for POS. I dey sweat as I press pay.

As I drop, the shop owner call me.

E voice dey rough, "Aunty, abeg confirm say na you dey order all this." I answer quick, "Na me, abeg package am well. I go tip you." Shop owner relax small, but I know say e still dey fear.

E confirm say na me really order am, then e hang up, still dey suspect.

You fit hear market noise for e background. Na true Lagos hustle. E no go trust person just because of money.

I check the order address: “Palm Grove Estate, Block 12, Flat 1, B1 Floor,” I just hail myself for sharpness.

I dey reason, if wahala burst, nobody go trace am reach my real flat. For Naija, sharpness dey save person pass prayer sometimes.

I know say to order bulk like this go make the owner suspect, so I no use my own flat for 3rd floor, Flat 3. Better make I carry the things by myself than let anybody suspect wetin I dey do.

I dey reason how I go carry all this load. I no even strong, but fear dey give person extra muscle.

As I see the full list of things I buy, I finally rest small.

My mind calm, small hope enter my chest. If I fit survive this one, e mean say my head correct.

Even though I no know wetin we go face, I no relax because I escape today. Instead, I come dey shine eye more.

I dey watch news, dey check Twitter, dey update family. My eye dey red, but I must dey alert.

Wetin really happen to that patient wey bite person for video?

I dey reason, "Abi dem don carry this thing come from oyinbo country? Or na our own wahala?" The matter still confuse me.

How super big city wey get millions of people, transport hub, just lock like that?

Na Lagos be heart of Nigeria. If Lagos lock, e mean wahala don pass national level. Who go dey dance for Owambé again?

Why dem go dey evacuate country economic and cultural center—e don pass their power?

No be small thing to close Lagos. Me I dey reason, even if government lock everywhere, people go still find way waka. Na so we dey.

Wetin dey happen for this world?

My mind dey jump. I dey think of all my friends, family, how wahala fit spread. Na only prayer dey my mouth.

As I reach house, enter my master bedroom wey I rent, I start family video call with my parents.

As I dey wait make dem pick, I dey arrange small things for bag. Mosquito dey hum for window, but my mind no dey there.

My papa pick sharp sharp, already pack, dey wait for my call before e move.

E just dey wave car key for camera, say, "I dey ready, my baby." My heart warm small.

My mama pick after some rings. She dey wash ugu leaf for kitchen, hand still dey wet.

I fit hear the sound of water for background. She drop leaf for bowl, wipe hand for wrapper before she talk.

As I see their face, my mind break, my voice begin shake, I no fit talk.

Tears wan drop, but I dey form hard girl. Na only family fit see your real weakness.

I no be strong person, and the thing wey I see nearly break me.

I just dey bite lip. If no be my parents, I for don cry since. Lagos fit harden person, but blood still dey hot.

I no fit talk, fear say dem go laugh me.

For our house, if you talk say you dey fear, papa go talk, "Abeg, be man." But this one pass power.

My papa face squeeze: “Wetin happen, my baby? Wetin dey sup?”

E voice dey crack. I sabi say e dey worry for me. E never shout like this before.

My mama off tap, pause small, then ask, “My pikin, na this make you rush come back?”

She dey squint for phone, eye full worry, but mouth still dey strong.

I nod, know say no time. I force myself, hold the shaking voice, finally talk.

Na so voice dey crack, but I still talk my mind. Na my family, dem no go shame me.

“I no sabi exactly wetin happen, but I know say e serious.”

My hand dey shake. I dey look them, dey beg with my eye.

“Dem go lock city by 8 a.m. tomorrow. Person tell me make I run, make I buy food.”

My papa eyebrow raise. Mama drop bowl, dey stare phone like say e fit see my heart.

“I dey fear well well. Mama, Papa, abeg believe me. We need buy food wey go last us one year.”

I never talk am like this before. The matter serious, no time for gra gra.

My papa just talk, “No fear. Your parents dey your back.”

E voice calm me down. If papa talk like that, e mean say wahala go pass. The man fit carry rock if e mean save family.

My mama try form calm, but her face show say she dey worry: “If we no believe you, who we go believe?”

She dey force smile, but I fit see say e dey pain her. She dey clean hand, ready to move.

She take deep breath, remove apron: “Stock up, abi? Forget the food tonight, I dey go market now. Send me your list, make I see wetin you forget.”

Mama dey always get plan. Once she tie wrapper for waist, wahala dey run. She dey use market sense do everything.

My papa stand, light cigarette: “I go buy my own for Jos too. No worry, our family go dey alright. No fear. Pack your things, go airport, no miss your flight.”

He puff smoke for window, face strong. I fit see say the man dey serious. Na so papa dey protect.

As my family trust me, my body just dey warm. I rush talk, “I don order foodstuff already, but I no wan make dem suspect, so I put am for B1 garage of Flat 1. E go land after 8 p.m. Abeg, when una dey carry am upstairs, shine eye—no make anybody see una.”

I dey reason say people fit suspect if dem see load. For Naija, if you dey buy food plenty, people fit reason say you wan start business. I dey warn make dem dey smart.

My mama grab car key, ready to move: “No worry. You forget say every harmattan we dey stock yam by the hundreds? Relax, nothing go happen to you.”

She dey tie scarf, dey clean hand for wrapper. Na real Naija mama—when pikin dey fear, na action she dey show.

I nod, end call, try calm my shaking hand and leg, begin pack my load for the house.

I dey thank God say NEPA bring light. I dey plug all my device, dey charge power bank. My mind dey run checklist.

Nothing much really dey wey I need carry.

Na only small bag and cloth I fit move quick. My eyes dey shine, no be say I go carry pot or stove. Light load, sharp waka.

Since we get pot and bed for house, I just pack two big Ghana-Must-Go of clothes, my laptop, and my medicine. Food, I no bother.

I add my old photo album, one small Bible, and my secondary school ID card—person never know where luck go come from.

Even though flight na 2:40, I commot by 11.

Better to reach airport dey wait than miss flight. Lagos fit surprise you with traffic any time.

Normally, from Palm Grove to airport na just 30 minutes, but as I see traffic, I check airport expressway for Google Maps, everywhere jam. I drag my two bag enter keke napep.

People full keke. One mama dey complain, "Young girl, abeg help me with small space." I drag bag, squeeze well, sweat just dey run my face.

If Lagos dey lock, e mean say even stubborn spirit go dey fear. But me, I never ready for the kain wahala wey dey come.