Patsy (the victim)

2

Pregnancy they say is the beginning of motherhood, zahra'u find it difficult to cope with the changes her body is going through, she has plead with aunty ummi and Alhaji to help her get rid of the pregnancy but they object saying they can't waste there money on useless thing, they blame her for getting pregnant and tell her it's her fault whatever misfortunate that's going on in her life, zahra'u decide to embrace her fate and conitinue life with the little being inside of her,
  It's been exactly 14weeks since she found out she's pregnant, she doesn't really know the state or how healthy the baby is, she neither take any multivitamin or anything, some days she will cry and hope she didn't end up giving birth to a child that will become another liability in the life she's living.

"Aunty zahra'u mummy is calling you." Fu'ad say and zahra'u node.

She's soo tired of working today seems busier than she expected, she cook breakfast do the chores, wash aunty ummi and her children clothes,
She's still in the kitchen cooking dinner, with a tiring sigh she sashy out of the kitchen and head to the parlour.

"Gani aunty." Zahra'u say kneeling few feet away from the middle age elderly lady.

"Aren't you done cooking the dinner?
Look at the time,
I don't understand you this days,
Because of this stupid illegitimate pregnancy you have become lazy and useless in this house.
Toh ni bazan dau wanan rainin hankalin naki ba"
Hurry up and finish cooking this food so you can go buy something for me in the nearby kiosks. "Aunty ummi say and zahra'u node.

" amma dai anji kunya ba'ayi gadon arziki ba anan.
Illegitimate pegnancy, same product from how your useless mum got you."aunty ummi say in disgust staring as zahra'u head back to the kitchen with her now small visible pregnancy bump.

Zahra'u sigh and sit on the kitchen floor, she's been feeling really dizzy this days aunty ummi barely give her enough portion of food and the pregnancy doesn't help with how hungry she gets, she stand up and grab a cup from the cabinet, she fetch some water from the faucet and drink it, aunty ummi has forbid her from drinking or going anywhere near her fridge there are days where zahra'u will crave for cold water badly but she can't have it.

Once the food is done zahra'u call aunty ummi to come dish it, she watch by the side of the kitchen as the woman turn all the content of food in the warmer and leave the small portion in the pot for her.

"I think this will do for you and the stupid thing inside you,
If not because alhaji is a stupid man and don't listen to advice I could have kick you out of this house with this shameful, useless thing you are carrying,because I didn't see how you are benefiting us in this house." Aunty ummi rant and grab the warmer and exit the kitchen.

Zahra'u sigh and grab the pot, she didn't bother turning the food into a plate she sit on the kitchen floor, eat the small content remaining in the pot, she scrap down the little burnt content and eat with a sigh,
She's so still hungry if it's before this food would have been enough for her but she just can't sleep with how empty she feel her stomach, she stand up from the kitchen floor and fetch plenty of water from the faucet and drink it.

"Aunty zahra'u." A small voice call in a whisper and she turn to the kitchen backdoor.

"Fu'ad." She call confuse and the 12years old boy drop the plate of food by the kitchen door.

"Mummy ask me to give it to a almajiri boy but i told him to go and bring it for you." He say smiling and zahra'u node with a smile.

"Thank you." Zahra'u say and fu'ad disappear from the kitchen door head back inside.

Zahra'u sigh and grab the heap plate of food and sit on the kitchen floor, she finish eating the food and she feels alot more better, she wonder how fu'ad always come to her rescue, sure the boy is little but he isn't stupid he knows what his family are doing is wrong but he is just a boy he can't do anything about it.

"Ke zahra'u,
Come and go buy the airtime for me." Aunty ummi yell and she sigh, she wash her hand before quickly exiting the kitchen.

"Take this 1000naira buy me card of 500 and come back immediately.
In ki ga da ma ki tsaya yin karuwanchin ki." She say and zahra'u quietly collect the money before heading to her bedroom, she grab the old purple hijab and put it on before leaving the house.

The place is already dark, zahra'u knows she need to hurry before the thugs in the area start gallivanting around, she take the left turn to the kiosk but stop.

"Who's there?" One of the thugs say and she quietly step back into the dark night.

"Barau check who's hiding behind that building." One among them say and zahra'u waste no time and begin running back home.

If it was before she was pregnant she could have run faster than this, she run to there house gate and quickly enter panting heavily,
  She sigh frustratedly at the absence of the money in her hand, she thought she hold the money tightly, there's no excuse she will give to aunty ummi that will make her believe her ,
She sigh and head back inside the house.

"Where's the card?" Aunty ummi ask once zahra'u enters the parlour.

"Barayin nan ne suka biyo ni." Zahra'u try explaining and aunty ummi instantly stand up.

"Where is my money?" She yell grabbing her by the ear.
"Where did you take my money to?
Shegiya, tsinanniya toh wlh sai na miki dukan 1000 dina." Aunty ummi say and drag zahra'u to the kitchen, she grab the brown turner from the kitchen island and beat her recklessly until she passed out on the kitchen floor.