Little Rot

Content Warning: The novel and this section of the guide contain references to violence, murder, drug use, rape, human trafficking, child abuse, and child sexual abuse.

At 2:03 on Saturday afternoon, Souraya is getting ready for Ahmed to pick her up. She hesitates before strapping on her thigh harness with a delicate but sharp knife but reminds herself that she is in New Lagos and “it [is] better to be safe” (152). She is more nervous to see him than she expected, and complicated memories from their last meeting threaten to overwhelm her. When she meets him downstairs, Ahmed kisses her cheek and leads her to his car.

At first, their conversation is awkward. When Souraya asks Ahmed how he is, he admits that “today is not great” but doesn’t go into detail (156). Souraya feels angry at his evasiveness, snapping that he will “have to pay” for her to be his “escape” (156). Ahmed apologizes and pulls over when Souraya still won’t look at him. He takes her hand, kisses it, and pulls her to him, telling her he missed her, even if it “sound[s] crazy.” Souraya reminds him that they don’t “really” know one another, even while thinking that Ahmed feels like “both a stranger and an old friend” (158).