"Who's holding me down? Stop it! I don't want to go!" Darkness.
"Is someone here? Oh my God! I must fight this demon."
She tried to move, but her body refused to respond. "Am I dying?" she thought, her heart pounding. Suddenly, a distant voice pierced through the silence—
"Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!"
The Muslim call to prayer echoed in the early morning air, and Sola jerked awake, gasping for breath. Sweat drenched her face. She instinctively wiped it away, still trembling.
"Thank you, Lord… thank you for waking me up safe and sound," she muttered, groping for her small phone on the bed. "I woke up earlier than I thought."
Her mind was still spinning. What was that? A dream? A spiritual attack?
"Hmm… is this a sign from God? Or maybe… village people are at work again?" she whispered, half-joking, half-serious. "But wait—what if it's medical? Ehn?" She sighed. "Still, I didn't offend anybody. Why should they be after me?" She chuckled weakly. "Hmm, maybe I should convert to Islam—since I woke up when they were praying," she teased herself and rolled her eyes.
A knock on the door pulled her back to reality.
"Adesola mi, you're awake?" her mother's voice came in.
Sola sat up quickly and gave a sheepish smile. "Yes, ma. Good morning."
"Ah, I didn't expect you to be up already," Mrs. Ajisafe said warmly. "Yesterday must have been tiring."
"Hmm, yes ma," Sola replied timidly, trying to sound fine.
"Good. Come on, let's go for morning devotion."
"Okay, ma."
The sitting room was just as she remembered—simple, cozy, and familiar. Three cushions, a center table, and a plasma TV humming quietly. Her cousins Peter, Jide, and Femi were already seated, grinning at her like they'd seen a celebrity. She smiled back, a mischievous curve forming on her lips.
Her dad sat at the center, stern and dignified as always. He glanced at her, offered a faint two-second smile, and went back to his serious face.
"Hi, bros," Sola greeted her brother, Olanshile, who was standing behind their father.
He didn't reply—just gave her a cold glare.
The smile on her face faded instantly. Her brief cheerfulness vanished, replaced by silence and discomfort.
The devotion began.
As they clapped and sang "Darling Jesus, darling Jesus…", Sola's thoughts drifted.
What did I do wrong? Is he angry because I didn't greet properly? Should I say something?
She sighed quietly. Forget it. Let's just get through this.
After the prayers, her father prayed loudly:
"Baba wa l'orun, we thank you for waking us up this morning. Protect us from evil and bless the work of our hands, in Jesus' name."
"Amen," everyone chorused.
When it ended, Sola rubbed her face and tried to ease the tension in her chest. Should I talk to him now? she wondered—but as usual, she said nothing.
She slipped away to start her chores, sweeping the passage and washing the toilet before joining her mum in the kitchen.
Mrs. Ajisafe was stirring a sizzling pot of beans when Sola's stomach betrayed her with a loud growl.
"Ehn, mummy beans, are you done?" she teased.
Her mum laughed. "Almost! You're already salivating, abi?"
Before Sola could reply, a familiar voice sounded from the doorway.
"Good morning oo! Ah, ahn—Sola Solly! Bawo ni?"
Her elder sister, Tife, stood there, carrying a baby on her back and holding a little boy by the hand.
Sola smiled shyly. "Good morning, ma."
Tife looked shocked. "You didn't even let me know you were back! You don't ask of me again, ehn?"
Before Sola could reply, her mother said, "Ah ah, I told you her phone got spoiled."
"Oh… right." Tife's tone shifted to disdain. "So, how did that even happen, ehn? How did you manage that?"
Sola froze. The words stuck in her throat. Her eyes darted to her mother for rescue, but even she was silent, waiting for an answer.
She just stood there, blank-faced, her fake smile melting away like mist.
Mrs. Ajisafe eventually laughed awkwardly to break the tension, but Tife's expression didn't soften. Sola had expected it though—she was used to it.
Trying to shift the atmosphere, she turned toward her nephews. "Jay! Zuu!" she called playfully. The kids just stared at her like she was a stranger.
Tife instantly pulled them closer, making Sola's smile falter again. Maybe I'm really not good with kids… or maybe I'm scary, she thought bitterly.
Her phone rang just in time to save her from the awkwardness. Seeing the caller's ID, her face lit up.
"Ah ahn, Lade's Square! It's been a while oo."
Kolade laughed. "Abegii."
"Which one is 'abegii'? You don forget person after your exam?"
"Ah ahn, dump you as how na? I've just been busy."
"Hmm, busy boy. How you dey?"
"I dey alright jare. You don finish school bah?"
"Yes oo, before nko? You sef for still dey there?"
They both laughed. For a few minutes, she forgot her worries. But when Kolade asked about home, her tone changed.
"Well… I guess I still have a long way to go," she sighed. "Things feel weird. The reactions I get from everyone—it's like being cheerful is a crime."
Kolade stayed silent for a moment, then said gently, "Sola, you don't need to force yourself out of your comfort zone for anyone. But if you want to, take it slow. Try your best."
"Yeah," she murmured. "There's nothing to regret."
"Oh, and something weird happened this morning," she added quickly. "I think a demon tried to hold me down while I was sleeping—like, I couldn't move at all! Then I woke up to the Muslim prayer call. Don't you think that's deep?"
Kolade burst into laughter. "That's sleep paralysis, not your village people! It's a medical thing—stress, anxiety, stuff like that."
Sola frowned. "Is it funny?"
"Sorry jare. I'm serious—it's not spiritual," he said between chuckles.
"Heh heh. Okay, doctor."
"See? You overthink a lot," he teased.
"You just saved me from the pit of hell," she replied dramatically.
Their banter went on with laughter and teasing. Sola was completely at ease—words flowed freely when it was Kolade on the other side.
The next day, she woke up early as usual, swept the house, and joined her mum, who was washing clothes outside.
"How's it going?" her mum asked.
"It's going fine, ma," Sola smiled.
"Hope those children aren't giving you too much trouble?"
"Haa," she sighed playfully. "They're something else."
"Ehn ehn! You see that teaching isn't for the weak?"
"Respect to all teachers, ma," she laughed.
Her mum beamed. "Did I tell you? Sparkle won Best Student of the Year."
"Ah! Opoor!" Sola exclaimed proudly.
"Yes oo. We even talked about how you won the same award back then," her mum added proudly.
Sola forced a smile. She could already imagine her mum boasting in front of people—while those same people probably rolled their eyes with envy or disdain.
Why does she always do this? Sola thought. No wonder they look at her that way.
Still, she smiled quietly, not wanting to ruin her mother's joy.