Two hours into trying to get that fake wall to blend in with the rest of the lab left Akiba wondering what kind of smile could get them out of this.

She and Mama tried everything. From erecting another wall covering up the first one and realising their stupidity halfway to collapsing in tears. Mama had started wondering out loud the merits of breaking the stupid thing when the kijioo rang. Akiba's heart melting into a puddle somewhere around her midriff, she rushed to get it.

'What are the two of you doing?' Baba hissed from the other side, 'I've taken the idiot to the most expensive barber I know, bought him a new outfit and watched episode 105 of Mtaka cha Mvunguni Sharti Ainame three times...'

'Oooooh,' said Akiba, 'it's already that far? Does Kadogo get the job? Ooh, what about Juma? Is he coming to find her? Did he get the dowry? Will he propose?'

'I know not of this Juma you speak of,' said Baba in a lofty voice, 'but I know who's coming to find the two of you. And he's sure as heck not proposing. So get your head out of that soap opera you watch with fifty-year-old men and tell me you've made some progress. I can't hold him off any longer. '

'Are you coming back with him?' said Akiba, perking up. She could deal with anything if Baba came back. Everything seemed like a soft, warm blanket in a cosy house with him around.

'Now, now, Akiba, you know I-'

Mama snatched the kijioo from her hand, 'it's going terrible,' she sighed, slumping on the floor.

'Something's jammed at the back,' Akiba added, making Mama, for some reason, throw her one of her most menacing glares.

Pattering footsteps sounded, then a door opened and Baba's voice filtered through again, 'Sawa,' he said, sounding out of breath, 'here's what you're going to do.'

Somewhere in the background, they heard a flush and a voice asking Baba to pass a jug of water.

'That corner I was standing in,' said Baba, his voice as nonchalant as could be, 'kick the grass around it a little with your foot.'

'Where are you?'

'Focus, will you?'

'Alright, alright,' Akiba sighed and did as he had ordered. A cloud of glittery purple dust floated up, swirled to the wall, and left a bloom of flowers so thick you couldn't see the bulging sides no matter how much you squinted. She let out a sigh, her taut muscles relaxing.

Until the flowers burst into a wedding rendition of their country's, Mwishoni's, national anthem complete with drums and a dance routine.

Mama jumped and turned around. 'Malifedha,' she growled.

'Ha haaa,' Baba cackled through the trickling of...Akiba didn't even want to think what, 'it worked? It worked? Mungu wangu it worked...'

'Malifedha...'

'Fine, fine,' mumbled Baba. A rustling sound came off the receiver and the flowers stopped singing. Akiba let out another sigh before they started doing the wave with their petals.

'Malifedha, haki ya Mungu,' Mama swore, curling her fingers. 

'Alright, alright, but if you knew anything about the rule of...'

Akiba snatched at the communiror, 'Um...Babangu,' she said, 'listen, let's get Warsame off our necks first, and you'll tell me all about Kiare's rule of growth hormone dust. As for now...'

'Right, right,' his voice slipped into a mumble, 'I should have taken more agency while raising you. Your Mother's turned you into a forty-year-old.'

Mama's head whipped around, but Baba had already turned the flowers back to normal. Well, as normal as could be. When the wind blew, their petals rippled in a hidden dance to the inaudible strain of music. 

Akiba closed the windows just in case, and she and Mama focused on clearing the mess in the rest of the lab, stopping only when footsteps clomped outside. The door opened as she kicked a pile of nails under the table, and Warsame emerged dressed in a black kikoi and a grey button-down shirt.

'Shall we continue then?' he asked, taking a seat. He cocked his head, revealing a large FOOL shaved onto the back.

Akiba stifled a laugh. How much had Baba paid the barber? 'Of course, Mzee,' she said, 'and may I add, you are looking much better.'

Warsame only smiled. 'Tell me the truth,' he said scratching behind his ear, 'how much did your Father mess up my hair?'

Akiba opened her mouth and closed it. Words rose up to her throat and dissipated. How did he know?

'He seemed to be having fun,' said Warsame, picking at his nose, 'so I didn't stop him. Malifedha's like a little child, you know? You tell yourself over and over...'

Akiba clenched her hands. Where did he get off acting like that? As if the past eighteen years never happened? As if Ami Hamisi never happened? How could he sit there, now of all times, and cloak his rotten abyss of a heart with a smile? 'Mzee Warsame,' she said, 'spilt blood cannot be retrieved.' 

Warsame raised an eyebrow. 'But it can be wiped off, can't it?' 

A submerged memory surfaced in Akiba's mind. The ripple it left stung of the delusions of long ago. Of Baba and Warsame laughing over tea as Akiba badgered Warsame with a million childish questions. 'You killed my uncle,' she said, keeping her voice calm. 'So, stop knocking on doors that you locked yourself and leave Eda for a woman and a woman alone.' 

'Ah, I can't beat you people from Pwani and your riddles,' he leaned back, balancing the chair on its hind legs. His eyes, bored and half-closed before, had acquired a sudden light to them. A light that made Akiba shudder as he let the chair fall back on all fours and stood. 'All right,' he said, 'It's my turn now, isn't it?'

Mama let out a chuckle but said nothing. Warsame crossed over to the illusion of flowers sprawled across the wall opposite him. 

And slammed his fist over the fake wall.

It crumbled like the last whisper of a landslide. Clods of dirt fell to the ground. Akiba took a step back. Could she take Mama and run? Would they have to knock him unconscious?

Would they have to kill him?

The hole in the wall appeared. A euphoric smile graced Warsame's face. It dropped in seconds. 

Three puppets looked back at them. One of a mongoose, one of a rat and one of a mouse.

'I'm Zawadi-i-i-i,' the mongoose said, 'and I l-o-o-ve you. I l-o-o-ve you. I l-o-o-ve you.'

Warsame whirled around to face Mama. 'What...'

'Oh, I'm sorry,' says Mama, crossing her arms and shrugging her shoulders, 'I suppose that it takes one rodent to find another.'

Akiba glanced at the sly smile on Mama's face. She looked like she had already won when Akiba couldn't think how Warsame could be taken in by three puppets smiling up at him. Unless they came to life and chased him or something.

Warsame reached for them.

The puppets came to life.

Or rather, Zawadi opened its mouth and leapt forwards, sharp teeth springing from the back of its mouth and fire propelling from its belly. Only a quick leap back on Warsame's part stopped him from getting roasted.

Mama whipped out a remote controller, her eyes flashing. 'Now, now, Warsame,' she said, stepping forwards, 'are you going to use your turn so wastefully?'

Warsame grinned. Nobody could call his eyes half-closed and bored now. He slid his leg back, standing firm.

Akiba blinked. He didn't plan on dodging?

Mama's thumb lowered. Warsame didn't move. A perfect nail brushed against the tip of the controller. Warsame didn't move. She pushed her thumb forward. Warsame didn't move.

And in that split second, Akiba realised why.

'Wait,' she yelled, running to tackle him, 'Mama, ngoja kido...'

A vortex of fire blasted forwards, lessening as Mama dialled back on the remote controller. Akiba slammed against Warsame, closing her eyes against the flash of golden light. They rolled on the floor, a cough tearing through Akiba's chest.

'Are you crazy?' Mama screamed.

'He's not hurt, is he?' Akiba said, sitting up, 'he's not, isn't he? He's n...' her voice faltered.

Warsame raised a bloodied arm. 'Quick thinking, Akiba my dear,' he said with a smile, 'unfortunately, I am hurt. But I suppose that's what our artful Bi Tawa was going for?'

Akiba blanched. 'W...what?' she looked at Mama, who turned her gaze to the wall.

'Don't worry, Tawa,' said Warsame, getting to his feet and cradling his limp arm, 'I'll get my proof someday, but for now,' he bit his lip and winced, 'It...seems... you've bought yourself some time. Let's meet before the council, shall we?'

'Wait,' said Akiba, taking a step forward. Below her feet, the floor shook and swayed. She opened her dry mouth, grabbing at the recesses of a final argument, knowing even then she couldn't win, 'wait. I tried saving you, I...I tried...'

'So, I can't make a case from this?' said Warsame with a slight smile, 'Why not? I'm a councilman, aren't I? I got hurt, didn't I? It's your Mother's weapon that did it, didn't it?'

Akiba opened her mouth again, but her voice had deserted her. No. Her very ability to think had deserted her. She pushed her mind to move, to find a way out of this but came up blank.

Warsame turned back to the door. 'At least look at it this way,' he said, walking away, 'you're safe, your Father is safe, everyone is safe, except, of course, your lovely Mother here.'

He walked out, leaving Akiba to fall to her knees and bury her face in her hands.

What had Mama done?

Eda: The rights a woman has after divorcing that are created to stop her divorced husband from leaving her to raise the child he impregnated her with alone. They exclusively belong to a woman, so I hope you can glean what Akiba meant in the scene above. 

Ami: Uncle from the Father's side. 

This chapter is dedicated to spinthenight. Check out their amazing book, Next of Queens, if you want to glean a little about Nigerian culture. (I live all the way in Kenya, so I'm personally learning a lot) Plus, if you're a fan of Death note, Tokyo ghoul or you just like to see literal psychopaths walking every page of the books you read, then you will really enjoy her gallery of crimina-I mean, characters. 

Gasp! The plot thickens! Warsame turns from Teddy Bear into Wolf! Will it end with this author rectifying her deadly mistake of leaving the Mother alive in a YA fantasy book? 

On a serious note, though, hope you're enjoying yourselves. Comment your theories below, and consider turning that star on your screen from grey to gold. And to anyone reading this, whether from a book club or not, I've posted this book purely for feedback. So, if you see a problem, don't hesitate to let me know!