Akata Witch

On Saturday morning, Sunny and her friends catch the funky train, a magical bus, to Abuja with a driver named Jesus’s General. In the city, they stay at a suite in the Hilton, paid for by Leopard Knocks. Sunny is excited about the accommodations, but Chichi and Orlu are skeptical of its extravagance. There is a football (soccer) match scheduled that day. Although Anatov seems only to remind Orlu and Sasha about it, Sasha encourages Sunny to play, too. Orlu cautions Sunny to be careful in the city, reminding her and Chichi that the city is different and more dangerous for girls than boys. Orlu and Sunny discuss Chichi’s mother, who is a Nimm priestess, chosen at birth, and Sunny wonders if she’ll have to keep her Leopard identity secret from her family forever. Orlu speculates that Sunny’s mother might know more than it seems.

Anatov takes them to the Junk Man in the Abuja Market, and Sunny looks at the juju knives. The Junk Man comments that Sunny is both American and Nigerian, a dual identity, and she likes him. He tells her to reach into the box of knives, and a simple knife with a clear green blade cuts her.