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Na popular yarn for Abako say na when something happen to mad person, naim u go know say na pipu get am. Police don quickly start to shook eyes for the matter. Everybody wan know who be the person wen dey cause all these katakata for Abako. Even popular boys wey dey area don dey low-key finish because of the cult clash wey happen the last time.

Mama Monday sef don enta police wahala. Dem dey ask her questions about Shaba. She claim say she pursue her when she try to go see her; but her death too quick. E no gree let anybody understand. Even people wey dey close to her come begin dey doubt her.

“Me no first trust that Mama Monday of a woman…” na wetin Oga Vulcanizer dey tell person wey come gauge him wheelbarrow tyre. “Her eyes no good for head, and woman wey no fit stay husband house, they can do and undo!”

The customer begin laff. “Vulcanizer, abeg lemme o. Na tyre I come pump. Murder case no be wetin u go just open your mouth anyhow dey vomit all the rubbish wey dey your head”

“Haba! Suffry na! We dey quarrel before?”

“No o, abeg take your money. I don comot.”

Na so the man waka leave Oga Vulcanizer. Oga Vulcanizer put hand for waist as e dey look am waka comot.

“Nawa o! Person no fit talk again for this Abako?” Na so him hiss like cobra wey see big rabbit.

***

This no be the first time wey faya don scatter Abako market; the funny thing be say na almost the same time of the day e dey happen. Na when pipu don sleep for house. The goods wey burn pass millions. If e no touch you for hand, e go touch you for leg; the thing affect everybody.

Even Mr. Jude Tabi shop burn too. All the clothes wey him dey sell, all catch faya. But the person wey e really affect pass na Mr. Thompson; that one no know where e go from start, only goods wey e bring come that night reach million, talkless of the ones wey first dey inside warehouse. If no be say the man strong, maybe he for die of heart attack.

That midnight, na so pipu run come out. The market full. People just dey corner dey cry as the faya dey burn. The kind faya no be wetin faya brigade abi na water brigade go fit quench. People stay there dey cry till the next morning. The funny thing be say even shops wey the faya no reach, boys break dem loot everything wen dey inside, in the name of say dem wan help.

That night wey e happen, Mama Tasty son, Michael, been no quick return from where him go. Normally e no dey too stay late, but nobody know wetin happen that day. As e return, na better quarrel naim him papa, Mr. Jude give am. Na as e dey quarrel, naim dem call am say market don dey burn. He quickly wear cloth run go there. Na there naim all of dem stay till the next morning.

***

E no tay wey Shaba die, when police come begin investigation. Even as Mama Monday dey with dem, dem still enter Abako Community School go check where Shaba been dey stay. The place rough wella, and dem take their time take search the whole place.

For the place, dem see so many things; some na normal mad woman property, but e still get some other stuffs wey surprise dem. Dem see food wey she chop remain, provisions, and her rag cloths. Wetin still dey there na mirror wey don break, and one baby rubber. But the main things wey really concern dem na the man wristwatch wey dem see, footsteps, and dem even come see person flesh for ground. The thing resemble person ear. E be like na when dem dey follow Shaba dey drag, naim she bite one of them ears troway.

Na so dem put all of dem for nylon carry comot. Dem still carry tape take measure how long the footprint be.

Written by Chuky One Pilla