“What animal scratched you up?” Jumoke blows a puff of smoke into Ayo’s face. She twirls the blunt between her fingers, staring at the scar on his cheek.

“You don’t remember doing it, you feral monster?” Ayo ducks and a jar of chin-chin sails over his head. It crash-lands onto the tile floor and leaves pieces of pasty and glass everywhere. They both wince at the mess.

“You’re cleaning that up. And how the hell are you smoking?” Ayo coughs at the smoke. She shrugs and hands him the blunt. He took it, hoping it would help his nerves settle down like it did most nights. Nights where he and Jumoke would sit outside to talk about anything. 

Jumoke grabs the broom from behind her and sweeps the glass. Ayo watches her as he put on his badge. The sunset makes the glass sparkle as it gets packed away. Glittering Garbage. Ayo thinks that would make a nice epitaph on a tombstone. Not his though, his looks were beyond anything one would call “glittering”. Maybe if he dyed his hair and covered himself with fae dust. But as he watches Jumoke, he thinks maybe death isn't a real thing. Maybe everything is random.

As he is lost in his morbid contemplation, he does not notice Jumoke looking at him till she clears her throat.

“Seriously, what happened to your face?”

“Shaving accident.”

“That’s a big accident.” He scratches it and .

“Hey, it’s almost October 13th.” She nudges his shoulder playfully. He remains stiff.

“Yeah, the day before you leave, huh.”

“Well, that’s not the reason I brought it up.”

“So? What's so special about that day?” He hands the blunt back to her.

“How do you forget your own birthday?”

The wool in his chest gets thicker as realization dawns on him. His birthday! His subconscious has instinctively blocked out the memory of that day. He hasn't had a reason to celebrate it. 

After all, his birthday would make 3 years since he fled from his home.

“I don’t care. It’s just a stupid day.”

“You’re gonna be 20 right?” Jumoke doesn’t seem to notice the look on Ayo’s face. Or she's intentionally ignoring it

“21." He corrects with grit teeth. "How’d you even know my birthday? I never told you about it.”

“Because I care about birthdays, and you. And because there’s a note on the calendar behind you.”

Ayo turns around to look at the grimy calendar. Sure enough, October 13th is circled in blue maker ink and has a smiley face drawn on it and the word "Ayo" written on it. The writing belongs to neither Ayo nor Jumoke, but seems oddly familiar.

“We should throw a party or something. A birthday/going away party! We can invite Mr Balogun, he always seems fun.”

“Is that why you wanted to leave on the 14th?”

“Yeah, I wanna hang out before I go. ”

“You seem to care a lot.” He draws his words out hoping some of the sarcasm gets to her. She misses it entirely.

“You’re one of my only real life friends here.” She looks away as she mutters "Probably ever."

A long-standing silence moves between them for a while. Jumoke breaks it with a question.

"Why don't you like your birthday?"

"It's...nothing."

"Oh, come on! I'm sure it's not that bad. I promise I won't laugh."

“At least not to your face.” the girl sneers from behind him. He doesn't have to turn around to know her lips are split into a wicked smile, her eyes locked ono him with judgement.

“Go away.”

“I'm sorry, man.” Jumoke looks hurt.

 “Touchy like the sissy you are.” The girl's lips are to his ears.

“Oh piss off”

“Ayo why are you being such a bitch?” The insult hits a nerve in Ayo. He lashes out in response.

"Why are you being so annoying?"

"Annoying? You're the one who got touchy over a fucking birthday!"

"I'm sorry my birthday is a bad day for me! I'm sorry I don't want to tell you about how shitty my childhood was or how my father threatened to kill me for the abomination I am! I'm sorry I got you killed and now you have to leave me here all alone! I'm sorry that every part of my life has been an inconvenience to everyone ever!"

Ayo heaves. The wool in his chest unravels and leaves him with nothing but a cavernous sadness and a blazing fury. He feels the strength of his repressed emotions and can’t control it. He brushes past Jumoke as he heads past the door, tears welling in his eyes. 

He plops down on the front steps of the store and sobs.

He hears Jumoke sit beside him and smells the blunt off her breath. He doesn’t look at her. Only stares at the setting sun above the dark trees.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you back there. That was wrong. I shouldn't have taken out my issues on you."

“Ayo, I have seen a lot of shit in [REDACTED]. I’ve seen a ghost tell me about my life and myself, I've found pictures of myself hanging out with people that never existed, I've seen a human baby crawl out from the inside of a horse. Hell, I’m dead! And I’m still talking to you! Out of all the things I have witnessed in my life here, you are the furthest thing from an abomination.”

The wind rustles through the leaves and carries a familiar whistling tune. Jumoke points towards the source as if to say “See what I mean!”

“Jumoke, I appreciate your words. Honestly, I do. But I don’t think you’ll ever understand what it’s like to live my life. Ever.”

“Y’know, I always wondered why someone like you found themselves in the middle of [REDACTED]. You never talk about home or your birthday, or anything. But now, it actually makes some sense.”

"How so?"

“You remind me of a woman I know.”

“What’re you getting at?” He didn’t like being compared to a woman, especially with that ghost of his former self tormenting him.

"She used to think she was an abomination too. And she hid it for a long time, knowing her parents and family wouldn’t approve. Despite all the other weird shit they'd seen in their stupid town. Then one day she died and woke up. She realized she had a chance to restart her life."

Ayo chuckles and shakes his head as he remembers certain things. Jumoke changing her clothes immediately after her shift and running home, changing her voice when talking to her parents. He remembers doing the same thing at her age. She is the same as him. 

“How’d you know?”

“It was just a hunch.”

“Why’d you- I mean this woman- decide to leave her friend behind after saying they’d do this together? You just made plans up immediately.” 

Jumoke’s lips let out a soft sad laugh.

“I was going to ask you, after the birthday thing. Truth be told, you never seemed ready. You were always waiting for the right moment, waiting 'til everything was set. I thought like that until I got everything that kept me here taken away from me. I have nothing to lose anymore and I can’t wait around for another chance.”

They sit together for another beat of silence as Ayo looks into the fading light, thoughts swimming.

“I’ll do it. I’ll leave with you. I have no idea if this will work or not, I don’t know what’ll happen, but you’re right. I can’t just sit here waiting.”

She puts a hand on his shoulder and squeezes tightly.

“One more thing: don’t call yourself an abomination anymore. Okay?” 

“Okay.”

They stay staring at the full moon as the whistling from the forest starts up again.

*

For the first time in Ayo's short career at the grocery store, it was crowded. And the use of crowded really means five people. There are people, or rather "beings", in every corner of the store. If one walked by, they would find it suspicious that such a small grocery store would be crowded on a Friday night.

Then again, it is Friday the 13th of October. Most people are suspicious of today regardless.

Ayo had never been to a party, let alone one in his honour. It's overwhelming in a very good way. It was Jumoke’s idea to have a party and say goodbye to whoever made them feel safest at the store. They sent a few emails, whispered in a few vents and made a few summoning circles. The five who arrived were Mr Balogun, one of the Adze, Opeyemi, the ghost of a witch condemned to die by missionaries and James. James showed up 

Mr Balogun walks up to him with that same mischievous smile that Ayo had come to know and is going to miss dearly. Jumoke doesn't seem as excited as he walked up. She almost looks afraid.

"Ayo! The day has come, eh?" He sticks out the hand with scars towards Ayo. He pauses when he looks at Jumoke. Then shakes her hand as well.

"It has, sir." He takes Mr Balogun's hand and shakes it vigorously. "I guess I won't be seeing you around."

"Well, not physically..."

"What?"

"Oh, don't mind that."

"Oh! I have something for you!" He pulls a small black rhinoceros horn from his shirt pocket. It has gold engravings on it.

“Oh, thank you?” He holds his new gift in his hand as if it could attack at any moment.

“It’s for protection. Blow on it if you think you’re in grave danger. You’re a good kid, Ayo, I don’t want anything bad happening to you out there.” Then he pulls him in for an embrace. Surprised, Ayo pats him on the back in an awkward fashion. 

"What about me?" Jumoke looks at the two of them, the smile on her face anything but genuine. Mr Balogun eyes her and 

"You can ask me one question about anything." 

Ayo scoffs. "That's not a fair g-"

"Why do you show your scars if you can hide them?"

A sly smile spreads 

"They opened your eyes, didn't they?" Mr Balohun clapped his hands and laughed. "The best answer I can give you is this; if you know the type of pain a man has been through "

Without warning, Mr Balogun got up and walked out of the store with not so much as a goodbye.

"What was that about?"

"Being dead helped me see things a bit...clearer. I noticed something that I don't think I would have ever seen."

"Which was-?" Ayo begins but stops when she puts up her hand.

"Maybe I'll explain later when they can't hear us"

As the night wore on, the party guests trickled down. Then it was just Jumoke and Ayo left. Jumoke looks around her, slides her hand on the counter, taking in the store one more time. Ayo watches her and follows her gaze. They share the same thought; despite the hell of this place, they will miss it.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah almost." He scrawls a few more lines in an old jotter.

"I thought we’d finished with the guide already." 

They had decided to leave some advice for the next workers, hoping that their work shifts would be easier. It's the least they could do for the poor unfortunate souls tasked to work at the store.

"I wanted to add one more thing."

"Can I see it?"

He slides the book down the counter and it lands in her hand. She thumbs through the pages quickly and scans writings and drawings and blood seals.

"Are you sure it will help?"

"I have...no fucking clue." Jumoke plops the book back on the counter and shakes her head. She knows he’s right because surviving the grocery store requires less skill or knowledge and more of...luck. But isn’t that the same requirement for most things in life? 

The owners had found replacements almost immediately, which was odd because they never seemed able to do so when either of them wanted to slack off from work. They said the new workers would show up 8 am on the 14th. Ayo looks at the wall he popped out of and stares at it thoughtfully. He wonders if they changed the interview process.

The busted clock on the counter chimes midnight. In 30 minutes, the last train to Lagos for the week leaves from [REDACTED]. Ayo grabs his bag and slings it over his shoulders. He never thought this day would come. 

Then, he sees his past self standing in front of the door and doubts make him seize up. Why am I doing this? Will it work? Do I even have a chance?

Then he feels fingers slide into his own.

"It's okay, I'm here with you." Jumoke squeezes his hand and smiles at him. He smiles back, finally not feeling alone for the first time in his life.

Ayo and Jumoke walk hand in hand into the darkness of the night, carrying their bags, hopes and fears on their shoulders.