The Woman I am

||Chapter 2||

Within the blink of an eye, the news about Baba Shallo's death reached the citizens of Jada, as they came and filled the small house watching in awe.
"Maryama has killed another person."

Was the dirty news that was circulated.
The news had reached Safna as she came back quickly and managed her way through the throng of people to her mother that was in the middle of the throng weeping. She panicked as she heard what people were saying.

"I knew it! Remember what happened with Malam bello." One said looking at her in disgust.

"Alhamdulillah (All praise be to Allah) I came by, I saw her hands on his neck." Hansai said confidently.

"So she strangled him to death. Wonders shall never end." Hansai's friend said.

"Yes, I saw her strangling him murmuring some things under her breath." Hansai replied repugnantly.

"Even malam bello when he died, he died in the same spot Baba Shallo died. And she claimed that it was a snake that bit him." Another added her voice full of hatred.

"Yes yes I remember."

"Remember the movie we watched in the public television room the day before yesterday." An illiterate teenager of about eighteen years of age asked the person beside her who seemed to look like her friend.

"Oh yes that Arab lady that killed Salim in her house and played fool like she didn't do anything meanwhile she was the one who did it." The friend said in ignorance.

"Maybe they are related." She said rolling her eyes at Maryama in abhorrence.

"So she really is a witch?" Another said clapping her hands in a dramatic way.

"We have to make a move about it, before this continues. Handu in boni( Indeed it has happened)." Her neighbour said hissing.

"There is nothing we can do."

"If we allow her she might end up killing more of our people!" A woman shouted amidst the crowd.

"There is!" A female lady shouted from amongst the crowd. "She has to leave Jada today. We cannot stand doing nothing as we watch our people get taken by a filthy witch." She concluded as they all shouted in support.

Safna seeing the vulnerable state her mother is in began to weep too. She tried to fight off the women that were trying to drag Inna out of their hut, unfortunately she was outnumbered. Hansai lead two women to their room and the trio began to throw Inna and Safna's belongings out. Most of their stuff were damaged as they made contact with the hard concrete floor. Inna held Safna's hand firmly so as not to lose her in the raging crowd, at the same time, she kept pleading for mercy trying to explain what really happened but, her pleas fell on deaf ears.

"Carry your rags and leave this house immediately!" They ordered.

"Please listen to me. I'm not a witch! Baba Shallo died because it was his time to leave the dunya. And he had a seizure attack! I didn't strangle him! You all know that he has epilepsy in this village!" Inna defended herself as she fell again in a disheveled heap crying.

"Shut Up! Stop lying you Stupid witch! If not a witch how could two different people be found dead in your house?" Hansai shouted and asked her intimidatingly.

Without wasting any more time Hansai threw their belongings again, this time she threw them outside the house. She came back inside and asked the two to get up and leave or else she will make them. Inna's eyes were bloodshot red, the tears kept rolling like a river without an end. She was tired of crying. Her legs couldn't carry her body,as she tried to get up from the floor, she fell down again with a thud.
Impatiently Hansai kept tapping her feet on the floor while her hands were on her waist,she couldn't take it anymore. She held Inna's free hand and dragged them out of the house to where she threw their belongings earlier.

"I think we should burn down the house, to kill any evil thing that may be lurking in the house" someone shouted.

"Yes that's a great idea! Someone should bring petrol and matches". Lami, a woman who lived two houses away from Safna's house ran back to her house to get the needed items.

Few minutes later she came back with a huge gallon of petrol and a box of matches. It didn't take long before the hut was covered with petrol. Gidado, Hansai's eldest son,was in charge of setting the house on fire after everyone has evacuated the place, as to avoid injury. The hypocrites peeped through the small door that led into the house as Gidado set the house ablaze, he smiled as he looked at the damage the fire has caused.

Outside the house Safna helped her mother to get back on her feet and they both began to walk towards nowhere, they didn't know where to go to neither did they have some money to leave the village, talk-less of the state. The only place they could go to was umma's(Safna's maternal grandmother) house but, by going there they will only cause the old woman's high blood pressure to rise and she might end up losing her house and peace of mind too. She would be referred to as the mother of a witch.

Inna decided to go to Mal Ibrahim's house, as that was the last option she had. He will definitely help her, and if not her, his daughter, at least that was what she thought. They started walking towards Malam Ibrahim's house which was far outside the village with a bit of hope in their clenching burning hearts.

When they reached the house, Safna pushed the door open, a bit excited to see her father, stepmother and siblings that she has never seen. She has forgotten what her father looked like. On the other hand Inna was putting on a brave face, seeing the man you were once in love with together with another woman wasn't something easy. She inhaled sharply before following Safna into the house.....

Phew! Another chapter down,many more to go🙃
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