Twenty

I tossed and turned for minutes but couldn't drown the noise out. I would have placed a pillow over my head but I didn't want to suffocate in my sleep.

Marcel and his father had made it a tradition to settle their scores at night leaving me with no other option than to wait for them to conclude and go to sleep. I was never able to make out what they said but the gravelly undertone of their voices travelled through the walls. 

I wondered if my mom slept through the whole thing or just decided to stay away from it. For the past couple of nights I'd wanted to go out there and find out what the problem was but I always managed to hold myself back. I knew they had their differences and didn't exactly see eye to eye but neither did my mom and I but you'd never find us disrupting nightly peace so, letting my curiosity get the better of me, I tiptoed out of my room to the front of the visitor's room. 

I leaned against the wall feeling like a creep.

'Stop being ungrateful'. His dad said sternly. 

'I'm grateful enough to those I owe gratitude, you are not one of them'. His voice was steely.

There was a silence so tense I felt it from outside the room. It stretched out for too long so I retired to my room to avoid getting caught eavesdropping.

In the absence of their vibratory disturbance, I easily fell asleep.

I was up pretty early the next morning. My body had adjusted to the school's allocated time for rising so at 5:00am every day, I wake up. I lay on my bed scrolling through my phone and thirty minutes later, Kunle started his usual morning devotion. 

My mom backed him up as he murdered the tune of regular worship songs. They spent fifteen minutes praying while I listened and subconsciously said amen to some prayer points I agreed with.

Five minutes after they were done, I moved to my bathroom, brushed my teeth and washed my face. I got out of my room to proceed with chores. I swept through the living and dining rooms after which I proceeded to do last night's dishes. 

Mom walked in while I was doing them, already dressed for work.

'Good morning mom'. 

'Morning dear. I have to be at work early today, we are expecting some inspectors. There is nothing in this house so I left money in your room so you can go to the market and get some things. There is bread in the fridge, all of you can have that until you are back'. 

'Okay. What am I making?'

'Anything you like, I trust you with this stuff. Don't go to the market alone, let Ekpe accompany you'. 

'Yes ma'. She placed a grateful hand on my shoulder. 

'What would I do without you? Take care of the house, I love you'.

I smiled as she walked out. Whatever magic Kunle was working, I was a fan.

'You know it's weird to smile at yourself while washing plates'. Marcel remarked as he sauntered into the kitchen. This whole living arrangement would have been a little more bearable if he wasn't a part of Kunle's luggage.

I finished with the dishes and turned to face him after rinsing and drying my hands. He wore a grey polo and black sweatpants that almost completely covered his feet. He had this tired yet cocky look like he was exhausted but too stubborn to admit it.

'What's for breakfast?' 

A plate of humility and a glass of lime juice to slap that pride out of your body, I thought. 

'There is bread in the fridge and tea on the dinning, help yourself'. 

He nodded and shuffled out of the kitchen.

I returned to my room and drafted a text message to Abike. She was getting operated on today and she made me promise not to show my face there or call her, she said it would make her nervous and I didn't want her running out of the hospital with her mom at her heels. 

I spent two hours reading my books, I had a great fear of letting my grades fall back even by one mark. I was ready to leave for the market a few minutes to 10:00am. Marcel was slushed on the sofa watching football, still in those sweatpants. He had a talent of making himself feel at home.

'What do you guys do for fun around here?' He asked as he heard me approaching. 

'Read and sleep'. I replied and he nodded. He turned to look at me. 

'Going somewhere, browny?' 

'Look at us getting friendlier'. I rolled my eyes at the enhanced stupid nickname.

'We are flat mates after all. So, where to?' 

'The market. Can't let my esteemed flatmate starve to death now, can I?' 

I said as I got to the door. 

'Good idea'. That was the last thing I heard before closing the door behind me. 

Ekpe smiled as he saw me and rose. He rushed into his room to get whatever he wanted then opened the gate and we were on our way. It wasn't long before he started talking. 

'Na watt we de go? E no too far?' 

'Where do you want us to go?' I asked 

'We fit go Ikot ishi market or Marian. Watt too far'. He suggested

'I heard things are expensive at Marian'. 

'Who tell you? E no cost oh and we fit trek sev save transport'. 

'Okay'. I agreed.

An hour later and we were still walking. I was glad I hadn't worn heavy clothes because I could feel the sweat rolling down my back into forbidden areas.

'Ekpe'. I called for the twenty-seventh time. 

'Small madam. No vex, we go soon reach'. 

'You said that thirty minutes ago'. I flared and he flinched. 

'No vex, make I carry you for back?' I glared at him and he kept quiet for twelve whole seconds.

'That your mama boyfriend good oh'. He initiated and I ignored him but he wasn't deterred. 

'The man de try. Him de always help madam'. 

'How?' 

'Sometimes when madam too tire, na him de cook, even wash cloth sev. The other day him say make I carry am go show market and when madam been sick na so the man de pet am'.

Maybe Kunle wasn't that bad but our world is filled with fakes, you have no idea how long one can put up an act just to get what they want from you. 

'Even dat him son too na beta pikin'. I turned to face him. 

'Why do you say so?' 

'Ah, that your brother? Him...' 

'He is not my brother'. I quickly intercepted.

'Sorry. That oga son, him de come yarn with me sometimes. Yesterday na him wash madam motor sev'. 

I knew Marcel wasn't the devil but I never pictured him washing my mom's car, maybe he did it out of gratitude or his dad made him do it but talking to Ekpe, a gateman? The demigod I knew was too high to mingle with commoners. 

'See the market there'. Ekpe pointed ahead and I sighed in relief.

The sun was already out and blaring, these days it woke up before the early birds. People said it was God's way of punishing us for our indiscretions and I agreed. He promised not to destroy us with water but He didn't say anything about melting our flesh from our bones. 

Although I wondered who would be the Noah of our time because I am not that big of a sinner so there has to be some sort of ark for people like me to lounge in while the rest are grilled to their deaths. I envisioned Marcel crying out in agony and chuckled. 

The woman packing fresh pepper before me gave me a weird look like I was one of those werey people that pick rotten corn cobs from CUDA. She hesitated before handing me the pepper and I was tempted to walk away with my money.

The market was boring compared to Urua watt. Everyone appeared to have a shade so the hawkers were minimal. A group of boys wearing light green shirts were dancing to one of Baddo's many singles being blasted from the open bus behind them while their colleagues handed Glo sim cards to passersby. 

One of the girls offered Ekpe a card and he just stood there gaping at her. It was amusing for a while but turned embarrassing when she asked him to hide his brown teeth from the rest of the world.

'Unam ikot'. He muttered under his breath as she sashed away. 

'All this kparakpo girls, because Glo manage give am shirt. Na dem de do borrow pose go show body for Crutech. I no blame am, na my papa bin no gree hustle'.

I kept quiet because saying anything would make it a topic for the next week. As we walked further we came across a group of people gathered in a circular form, staring at whatever was in their middle and whispering amongst themselves. Most of the angry looking area boys spoke loudly in Efik language while others shook their heads in sympathy. 

Ekpe began inching towards the crowd.

'Ekpe, let's go'. 

'But we gats know wetin de happen'. 

He tapped one of the guys close to him. 

'Ikpa, wetin happen?' The boy turned, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm at being given the role of narrator.

'Na dis DOPT wey de waka about de harass people. Dey don kill person man now now. The guy just de hustle him market der, him be de sell charger, dey come seize de things say him de obstruct traffic. As him go to beg, dey push am put for road motor crush am him die flat. They get luck say dey enter motor run if not street for don burn dem join with their motor'.

'Na wa oh. Pesin papa!' Ekpe exclaimed.

There was a breaking in the crowd and I got a glimpse of the body sprawled on the tarred road. His white shirt was quickly turning dark red, a rib at his left side was popping out and his leg was angled oddly. 

A picture of iya in a pool of her blood flashed in my mind. I grabbed Ekpe's hand and boarded the first taxi I saw.

I dumped the things in the kitchen when I got home and retired to my room where I spent the rest of the day. I kept thinking of how law enforcers are the biggest law breakers and how a man's life could be snatched away from him with one push.

'Amanda!' I heard my mom storming to my room. It was then I remembered I was supposed to cook. I sat up and got ready for the backlash as my door handle twisted but it never opened.

'I don't think she's okay. She has been in there all day'. Marcel's voice came up. 

'What happened?' Mom's voice was worried but demanding. 

'I don't know, she got back from the market seeming off'. 

Mom sighed.

'I will rush something up for you to eat'. 

'Don't worry, I ate. You should rest'. 

'Are you sure?' There was no response, I think he nodded. 

'Thank you'. 

I lay back down and forced myself to sleep.