He Promised Me Work In Lagos, Na Trap I Enter (EPISODE 31)

EPISODE 31 – Freedom No Make Noise

The first thing I noticed that morning was the quiet. No footsteps pacing behind me. No whispers in my ears. No subtle demands disguised as care. Lagos was still loud, chaotic, and suffocating outside my window, but inside me, a small corner of peace had finally opened.

I didn’t celebrate. I didn’t shout. I didn’t even smile loudly. Freedom, I realized, no dey make noise. It creeps in slowly, quietly, like a gentle breeze after a storm. I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at my hands. For months, they had trembled at his presence, at the threat he carried without even raising his voice. Today, they rested calmly in my lap.

I walked around my tiny room, touching the walls, opening the windows wider, letting the Lagos morning sun spill in. “Finally… I fit breathe,” I whispered, almost to myself. My heart still pounded — fear had left a permanent rhythm in me — but it was a rhythm I now controlled.

I went to the small kitchen corner, brewed tea, and looked out at the streets below. People hustling, shouting, fighting, loving, stealing — Lagos life moved on with its usual madness. And for the first time, I felt like I was part of it, not trapped under someone else’s hand.

Even with relief came reflection. All the lessons I had learned — the hunger that made me desperate, the loneliness that made me cling, the fear that kept me compliant — they were my teachers. I had survived not by luck but by noticing the shadows, by recording the whispers, by keeping my mind awake when my body obeyed.

The church woman visited later that day. She didn’t lecture. She didn’t make big promises. She simply sat with me, poured us both tea, and let the quiet stretch between us.

“Nkiru, you dey learn one thing today: freedom no dey shout. E just dey. And if you respect am, e go grow,” she said softly.

I nodded. I understood. Freedom was not fireworks or dancing in the street. Freedom was waking up without dread, walking outside without fear, choosing your own small victories.

But Lagos has a way of testing even the smallest liberties. I knew this peace was fragile, temporary. Every corner, every stranger, every phone call could still bring danger. And I had to be ready.

That evening, I started jotting down a plan — small steps, cautious moves, careful preparation. If he returned, I wouldn’t be the same girl he controlled. If Lagos tried to swallow me again, I’d fight differently.

For now, though, I just breathed. Quietly. Carefully. Relishing the small victory that no one could see, no one could take.

Episode 32 Coming Soon
Nkiru begins to rebuild her life: learning skills, making connections, and slowly stepping into independence — all while keeping an eye on Lagos and the shadow that could return at any moment.