ABETE Part 3
normal all day – popsy had already halad at me the previous night for coming back late with the car – but mehn, no be that one be my priority right now jare.
So that was how I was acting all normal o, but at the same time, I had ma eye on ma dad. Matter of fact, he had started getting irritated at the way I run to fetch his phone for him whenever it rings. Like; “bia this boy. Thank you, no help me again”.
So even though I was jaming 2face’s song – I still gat ma eye on him (you dig?).
That was how I heard it when he told my mum.
“Papa Deji’s third son was shot yesterday, cultists”.
Bam, headache start me automatically. Papa Deji was the man from last night. All this talk about the world been a small place come take sharp meaning instantly.
Vam, I went into my room and called Wire. He picked the call after the fifth ring (yes o, I count am – tension can make you do silly things)
“Olufayo, hafa”
I no even greet am, straight to the point abeg:
“Who una hit last night”
There was a pause.
“Hit ke?” The idiot finally said.
“Fool, una go shoot Papa Deji’s son and the papa been see una as you guys ran like a bunch of catapulted stones into the car”
Another pause.
“We no hit anybody, guy.” Wire said.
“He was a black angel jare” I said angrily. “No give me mumu lie” (Wire na my tight man, e get someone else wey e go be and I would be expecting to get shot the next day, to avoid casting)
“The guy na hit man for Black Angel”. Wire was saying. “He showed up at the bash with like three other guys, was like why Axetate go organise bash for him area o, don’t know what gave him the liver, probably too much weed. The party na mainly Axetate affair. He shot, fire was returned and the idiot got himself a bullet. Before me and them ugo come cut out”
Did I believe him? Well, for a moment I didn’t. Then it struck that the dude might be saying the truth. Now, if that’s true then na good news. One thing about hits is that everybody go get the details for street; one, Wire no go lie because he knows I will everly know the truth. Two, Papa Deji no go link me up to his son’s death because he will know the details too.
“Erhmm, Fayo. You fit show ma area?”
“No”. I replied without thinking.
“Bascad, Ogbeni show jare. I don buy new scrabble board and I won give u one chik number”.
That’s the wahala, the dude knew my weakness for scrabble games.
I had nothing to fear again, so I convinced myself it was cool to play scramble.
I got dressed up and walked to the next street where Wire lived. His pop man was around, I fired a greeting at him. The man bone me. It was when I joined the game that I knew why – the guys were gambling ontop the game and he saw me as a bad boy (you know how old people think na).
“I no carry money come o”. I told the guys (they bin dey like five, plus Wire)
“Then put your watch na”. Wire said curtly, Vooooom, na so two cars drove into the compound, cutting out every route of escape.
Bam – policemen full everywhere. Ghem, we were handcuffed. Na that day I enter boot for the first time; tightest place in the planet.
“What did they do? What do they do” Wire’s father was asking. For where? Nobody look am.
But I knew the answer to that question sha…somehow I knew it had something to do with last night.