Chapter 1 continued.
1593 Words
The men carrying Chidi reached the narrow path leading to the jetty, their footsteps stirring clouds of reddish dust that clung to his bloodied body. His bound arms had already turned numb, while the rope around his ankles bit deeper into his flesh with every jolt. He no longer struggled. The beating had drained nearly all his strength.
The crowd followed closely behind.
Some walked in silence, avoiding one another's eyes.
Others shouted insults to convince themselves they were doing the right thing.
Children watched from doorways, clinging to their mothers' wrappers. A few women quietly wiped tears from their faces but dared not speak. In Olowo-Ina, challenging a mob was often the quickest way to become its next victim.
Amadi stumbled after them, his heart pounding so violently it felt ready to burst from his chest.
"This is murder!" he shouted.
"Leave the boy!"
Nobody listened.
Chief Alimi walked calmly behind the men carrying Chidi, his flowing agbada untouched by the chaos around him. His expression remained cold, almost bored, as though he were supervising ordinary business instead of an execution.
Amadi pushed through the crowd once more.
Before he could reach Chidi, one of the enforcers drove an elbow into his ribs.
The blow stole his breath.
Another shoved him backward.
He crashed against a wooden stall and fell heavily onto the ground.
Pain shot through his shoulder, but he forced himself back to his feet.
He would not stop trying.
As they approached the jetty, the creek stretched before them like a sheet of black glass. Evening had settled over Lagos, and the first lights from distant buildings shimmered faintly across the lagoon.
The old wooden planks creaked beneath dozens of feet.
A fisherman untied an extra length of rope from a nearby canoe.
Without waiting for instructions, he wrapped it around Chidi's waist.
The young apprentice finally found enough strength to speak again.
His voice was barely audible.
"I swear... I no steal..."
He coughed violently, blood staining his chin.
Then his eyes searched the crowd until they found Amadi.
"If anything happen... tell my uncle..."
Emotion closed his throat before he could finish.
Amadi's vision blurred.
He had watched one innocent boy die before.
Now history was repeating itself.
Only the method had changed.
The crowd formed a wide circle around the edge of the jetty.
Nobody stepped forward to stop what was about to happen.
Nobody asked for evidence.
Nobody demanded justice.
Fear had silenced every conscience.
Chief Alimi looked at the bound apprentice for several long seconds.
"You should have minded your business," he said quietly.
Only Amadi heard the words.
Chidi managed the faintest shake of his head.
"I only... saw..."
A heavy slap silenced him.
Chief Alimi turned toward his enforcers.
"Finish it."
Two men lifted Chidi by his shoulders.
Two others grabbed his legs.
His bound body swung helplessly above the dark water.
Once.
Twice.
The creek below reflected nothing except darkness.
Three times.
The men released their grip.
Chidi's body struck the water with a violent splash before disappearing beneath the surface. The heavy rope and soaked clothing dragged him downward almost instantly.
For a few desperate seconds, bubbles rose through the black water.
Then the creek became still.
Amadi stared in horror.
"No..."
His voice broke.
"Chidi!"
He rushed toward the edge of the jetty, but two men seized him before he could jump.
"Leave me!" he shouted, struggling wildly. "He fit still dey alive!"
The men held him tighter.
One shook his head without meeting Amadi's eyes.
"It's over."
Amadi continued fighting until his strength gave way. His knees buckled beneath him as he watched the water, praying for another bubble, another splash, any sign that Chidi had survived.
Nothing came.
Only the slow current drifting toward the lagoon.
Silence settled over the jetty.
The same people who had shouted moments earlier now stood motionless. Some stared into the creek. Others looked at their bloodstained hands as though seeing them for the first time.
A woman began to sob quietly.
An elderly fisherman removed his cap and lowered his head.
Even the evening breeze seemed to pause.
Chief Alimi broke the silence.
"It is finished."
His voice was calm, almost emotionless.
He turned to face the crowd.
"Nobody here saw Chidi today."
No one answered.
"He left this morning to buy spare parts on the mainland. That is what everyone will say."
Mama G swallowed hard.
Her earlier anger had disappeared, replaced by fear.
"Yes," she murmured. "Na so e happen."
Several others nodded.
One after another, they accepted the lie.
Not because they believed it.
Because it was safer than telling the truth.
Chief Alimi scanned every face.
"If police come, remember your story."
His eyes settled briefly on Amadi.
A warning.
Not a request.
Then he turned and walked away from the jetty.
The crowd slowly dispersed behind him, returning to the market in uneasy silence. Conversations were hushed. Nobody laughed anymore.
Within minutes, only Amadi remained.
He stepped to the edge of the wooden platform and looked into the dark creek.
The tide had begun to change.
Water flowed steadily toward the vast Lagos Lagoon, carrying with it whatever secrets rested beneath the surface.
He remembered the burning boy from two years before.
He remembered the crowd celebrating justice.
Tonight there would be no celebration.
Only fear.
Because this had never been about a stolen battery.
Nor had it been about missing money.
Chidi had tried to reveal something.
Something hidden inside Chief Alimi's warehouse.
Something important enough to make powerful men choose murder over truth.
Amadi clenched his fists until his nails dug into his palms.
He had failed to save Chidi.
That failure would haunt him for the rest of his life.
But he made a silent promise as he stared into the black water.
He would discover what Chidi had seen.
He would uncover the truth buried beneath the lies, no matter how long it took or how dangerous the journey became.
Behind him, the market slowly returned to life, pretending nothing had happened.
Ahead of him, the dark current flowed toward the open lagoon.
Amadi knew one thing with absolute certainty.
Water could hide a body.
It could never bury the truth forever.Three times.
The men released their grip.
Chidi's body struck the water with a violent splash before disappearing beneath the surface. The heavy rope and soaked clothing dragged him downward almost instantly.
For a few desperate seconds, bubbles rose through the black water.
Then the creek became still.
Amadi stared in horror.
"No..."
His voice broke.
"Chidi!"
He rushed toward the edge of the jetty, but two men seized him before he could jump.
"Leave me!" he shouted, struggling wildly. "He fit still dey alive!"
The men held him tighter.
One shook his head without meeting Amadi's eyes.
"It's over."
Amadi continued fighting until his strength gave way. His knees buckled beneath him as he watched the water, praying for another bubble, another splash, any sign that Chidi had survived.
Nothing came.
Only the slow current drifting toward the lagoon.
Silence settled over the jetty.
The same people who had shouted moments earlier now stood motionless. Some stared into the creek. Others looked at their bloodstained hands as though seeing them for the first time.
A woman began to sob quietly.
An elderly fisherman removed his cap and lowered his head.
Even the evening breeze seemed to pause.
Chief Alimi broke the silence.
"It is finished."
His voice was calm, almost emotionless.
He turned to face the crowd.
"Nobody here saw Chidi today."
No one answered.
"He left this morning to buy spare parts on the mainland. That is what everyone will say."
Mama G swallowed hard.
Her earlier anger had disappeared, replaced by fear.
"Yes," she murmured. "Na so e happen."
Several others nodded.
One after another, they accepted the lie.
Not because they believed it.
Because it was safer than telling the truth.
Chief Alimi scanned every face.
"If police come, remember your story."
His eyes settled briefly on Amadi.
A warning.
Not a request.
Then he turned and walked away from the jetty.
The crowd slowly dispersed behind him, returning to the market in uneasy silence. Conversations were hushed. Nobody laughed anymore.
Within minutes, only Amadi remained.
He stepped to the edge of the wooden platform and looked into the dark creek.
The tide had begun to change.
Water flowed steadily toward the vast Lagos Lagoon, carrying with it whatever secrets rested beneath the surface.
He remembered the burning boy from two years before.
He remembered the crowd celebrating justice.
Tonight there would be no celebration.
Only fear.
Because this had never been about a stolen battery.
Nor had it been about missing money.
Chidi had tried to reveal something.
Something hidden inside Chief Alimi's warehouse.
Something important enough to make powerful men choose murder over truth.
Amadi clenched his fists until his nails dug into his palms.
He had failed to save Chidi.
That failure would haunt him for the rest of his life.
But he made a silent promise as he stared into the black water.
He would discover what Chidi had seen.
He would uncover the truth buried beneath the lies, no matter how long it took or how dangerous the journey became.
Behind him, the market slowly returned to life, pretending nothing had happened.
Ahead of him, the dark current flowed toward the open lagoon.
Amadi knew one thing with absolute certainty.
Water could hide a body.
It could never bury the truth forever.
- Writer
