Akata Witch

“Sasha’s from Chicago,” Anatov said. “He’s been sent here to… cool down. In the meantime, he’ll also be taught by and going through Mbawkwa with me.”

“Did you just get here?” Chichi asked.

“Yeah, three days ago,” Sasha said. “My first time on a plane. Can’t wait till I pass Ndibu, so I’ll never have to use a goddamn plane again.”

“What makes you so sure you’ll pass Ndibu?” Chichi asked.

“Watch me,” he said.

Chichi seemed to like this response. “How do you like it here?”

He shrugged and smiled. “It’s cool.” He laughed to himself. “No, it’s hot, damn hot. But it’s cool. I dig Leopard Knocks. Wish we had a community central space like that in Chicago. Most of us are in what I consider hiding.”

“Oh, we hide here, too,” Chichi said. “But we get by.”

“Orlu, Sasha’s things are already on their way to your parents’. You’re all free to go,” he said, shooing them out. “I’ve got things to do. I’ll see y’all in four nights.” He paused and looked at Sunny. Then he smirked. “And take care of her.”

“We will,” Orlu said.

“Of course,” Chichi added.

Before Sunny knew it, Anatov had pushed them out through the IN door.

“What’s wrong with that guy?” She went to lean against a nearby tree, feeling nauseous, tired, and irritable. Not a good combination. “And why does he have those ‘in’ and ‘out’ signs if no one uses them?”

“To him, his hut is outside the average rubbish-filled world,” Orlu said, looking back. “Only with reluctance does he leave.”

“Here,” Sasha said, reaching into his pocket and bringing out what looked like a fresh chewing stick. “Gnaw on this for a while. You’ll feel better.”

It was minty. She did feel better. “Thanks,” she said.

“Yeah,” Sasha said. “Man, I wish I’d have known. I’ve never seen an Ekpiri initiation on a free agent. I was half asleep outside when I heard your return. Splat!” He laughed.

“It was loud like that?”

“Yep,” Sasha said. “Like a load of rotten entrails dropping on the floor.”

“How come I’m dry now?”

“That’s the way it works.”

Chichi looked at Orlu as if waiting for him to say something. When he didn’t, she turned to Sasha and asked, “Are you ready to go?”

Sasha cocked his head. “Why doesn’t he ask me?” he said, looking at Orlu. “He’s the one I’ll be living with.”

“Because I don’t speak to dangerous people,” Orlu grumbled in Igbo.

“Yo, what is your problem?”

Orlu turned to Sasha. “I know about you,” he said in English, scowling at Sasha. “My parents told me everything. Why would I want to live with someone like you?”

“Orlu!” Chichi said.

Sunny leaned back against the tree, chewing the mint stick.

Orlu scoffed. “Why don’t you tell them why you’re here? Give them some details.”

Sasha thrust his hands deeper into his pockets. “Selfrighteous African,” he mumbled.

“Troublemaking black American,” Orlu spat. “Akata criminal.”

“Hey!” Sunny said.

“As if I don’t know what that means,” Sasha said, looking mildly annoyed.

“As if I care,” Orlu said.

“Both of you, shut up,” Chichi said. “Ugh, this won’t do! Sasha, what’s your story? Just tell us.”

“Why should I?” Sasha said.

“Because we asked,” Sunny said quietly, sitting down at the foot of the tree.

Sasha paused, then sighed.

“So you know,” she continued, “I was born in the States, too. I came back with my parents when I was nine. That’s only three years ago.” She paused and looked meaningfully at Orlu. “I may not talk about it much, but most days I feel very much like an… akata.”

Orlu looked at his feet, obviously ashamed. Serves him right for being so thoughtless, Sunny thought.

Sasha seemed a little calmer. “Fine. Okay. Like it matters.” He ran his hand over his cornrows. “I got into one too many fights at school. My parents were stupid enough to move into a neighborhood that was not only all white but all Lambs.”

“Lambs?” she asked.

“Folks with no juju,” he said. “There wasn’t a sorcerer, healer, or seer, for miles and miles. Anyway, so yeah, because of all that and because I don’t take crap from anybody, I got into a lot of fights. And,” he added quickly, “maybe I worked some stuff on some kids who were giving me problems.”

Orlu laughed scornfully. “He set a masquerade on three boys in his class!”

“What?” Chichi exclaimed.

“They talked smack about my parents and were harassing my sisters!” Sasha shouted.

“You can do that?” Chichi asked, impressed. “That’s Ndibu level juju!”

“Who cares what level?” Orlu said. “He’s Ekpiri like we are.”

“Man, there are books and I read them,” Sasha said. “Plus, it was only a minor masquerade.”

“So?” Orlu cried. “There are rules! And two of those boys are mentally messed up because of what you did. I heard my father on the phone talking to your father just after it happened.”

“Oh, well,” Sasha said with a shrug. “Shouldn’t have disrespected my parents or touched my sisters.”

“Sasha hasn’t mentioned that he also switched the minds of two police officers,” Orlu added.

“They were harassing me and my friends,” Sasha said. “They were pushing around this girl I know. And they were just… they were abusing the power they were given! Y’all don’t know what it’s like for a black man in the U.S. And y’all certainly don’t know Chicago cops on the South Side. Here everyone’s black, so you don’t have-”

“Oh, don’t give me that!” Orlu said. “You rationalize everything. That’s why your parents sent you here.”

“Enough,” Sunny said. “How are you two supposed to live together? Sasha, turn over a new leaf or something. It’ll be easier if you and Orlu try and be friends.”

Sasha and Orlu looked at each other and then away.

“You’ll feel better if you walk around some,” Chichi said, helping Sunny up. “Let’s take her to Leopard Knocks.”

“What?” Sunny said, nearly sinking down again.

“Relax,” Chichi said. “You’ll be fine.”

Orlu chuckled.

“I checked it out yesterday,” Sasha said, brightening up. “My parents would love that place.”

Chichi smiled. “Let’s go, then. While we get lunch, we can explain more things to Sunny.”

Sunny tried to stand up straight and stumbled to the side. “No way! I’m not crossing that-”

“Here,” Chichi quickly said, pushing it into her hands. “Take your purse.”

“Aha!” Sunny exclaimed. “It’s heavy, o!”

“You’ve got at least a hundred chittim in there, I’d say. Maybe more,” Orlu said.

“What’s chittim?” she asked.

“Currency,” Orlu said. “You earn it when you learn something. The bigger the knowledge, the more chittim. I didn’t receive half as many chittim when I went through Ekpiri!”

“Ekpiri is level one,” Chichi explained. She turned to Orlu. “That’s because you