By Maryam Muhammad Lawan
“Baby sis! I’m craving for something spicy,” I said in a cosseted voice.
“Don’t worry, please. Your lazy sis will take care of you today. Guess what! No, I’m not even telling you anymore. Just wait for it,” sis said.
I jabbed at her amusingly while saying, “Go and prepare whatsoever it’s please”.
“So, you’re poking fun at me. I’ll surprise you today”, My sister said while cackling.
“Yeah, don’t surprise me with rubbish, please, “I teased while she guffawed and moved on. “What a sis? Bless her ya Allah, “I said silently.
I was left alone in the room when I logged into my Facebook account and started scrolling. Why do I see Haneefah’s pictures on almost every post? Did those other sets of humans release her? So I decided to read, to discover what it is.
SubhanAllah! AstagfiruLah! I read as many updates as possible, for I couldn’t believe what I read from the first update. But eventually, I realized even the first update was as right as a trivet.
“Don’t tell me you couldn’t wait for me to finish. I want to cook delicious food, so be more patient, please,” My sister said as she heard my footsteps towards the kitchen. I stood there, and she quickly looked at me. “Okay. Cry, cry, baby, what’s wrong again? Let me turn off this cooker before this mood of yours spoil my hot spicy meal,” sis said aggressively.
I couldn’t spell out even a word, maybe because I was emotional. So all I could do was to extend the phone to her.
She used her hands and closed her mouth. Tears had no option rather than to roll out of her eyes.
“Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilaihi raaji’uun! AstagfirulLah wa atubu ilaik! Ya Allah, have mercy on us. The girl I so much like? Though I don’t know her, the girl I always pray for Allah to protect her wherever she’s, and from the evil of those men?” she said with a sorrowful voice. She continued reciting, “HasbunalLahu wa ni’imal wakeel”.
“Her school teacher did this, then, if learning places are not safe, where on earth then? What a wicked world, Ya Rahman, have mercy on us. Ya Razzaq, grant her parents the fortitude to bear this loss,” My sister prayed
I replied, “Ameen ya Rabb,” while giving her a shoulder to cry on.
Maryam Muhammad Lawal wrote from Kaduna via mmafamam@gmail.com.
