ORNAMENTS✅

Chapter Sixty

Dasuki State, Nigeria

2023

"Zakir and Tariq—A newfound cousin of mine—we landed in Abuja together," Nabeel sighs. "Unknown to me, they didn’t come here to attend my wedding. They came here to execute Bello and Alh. Yabo." Umaimah's eyes widen at his confession. "I arrived just in time."

"Zakir, what are you doing?" I ask, looking at the tortured figures of Alh. Yabo and Bello, yet Zakir and Tariq continue to beat them senseless.

"Punishment," Zakir replies curtly, his whip landing on Bello again.

"Stop it!" I say through gritted teeth as I approach them, but Zakir doesn’t even flinch or pause. He keeps whipping Bello.

"You better stop where you are. There’s nothing you can do to stop this. Don’t defy my orders!" Zakir shouts.

"Too bad. This is Dasuki, not Egypt. I don’t take orders from you," I retort, continuing my approach until I stand between Bello and Zakir.

"I told you, if your court doesn’t punish them justly, I’ll do it myself. Move out of my way."

"The person they murdered is my family, Zakir, not yours."

"She was my aunt." Zakir replied

"—She’s my mother, the mother I spent years with in the UK. Do you think you know her better than I do? Do you love her more than I do? You’re not thirsty for revenge like I am, but I don’t want it this way. I want justice."

Zakir scoffs. "Justice? I heard you asked the judge to tamper justice with mercy. Mercy? On what grounds? Educate me, Nabeel Shamaki. You were there. Didn’t you see the pain in Teta’s eyes? The same in Khalti’s?"

"If you could see the pain in their eyes, then why can’t you see the pain in mine?" I shoot back.

"This man here murdered my younger brother, not yours. Tell me, do you feel the same anger I do?" I turn to Bello. "But that doesn’t change the fact that this man is still Umaimah’s father."

"Oh, I see. This is about love then. You’re blind, Nabeel. Don’t forget, all’s fair in love and war." He gestures to Tariq. "Tie him up. Nobody will stop me from dealing with these men today."

"I tried to stop them, Umaimah. but the men were too powerful, and they quickly tie me up. Zakir heats a knife in the fire, then presses it to their skin. They scream, but Zakir is blind with fury" Nabeel says

"Zakir, please, listen to me." I yelled.

"I don’t think you have anything more to say, Nabeel. I’ll punish the murderers of my Khalti."

"Zakir, she’s your Khalti, but she’s my mum. Please listen to me and don’t do this." I begged hoping my words will get to him.

"Bello is a father to Yazid and Umaimah. Yazid is my brother. No matter how much I loathe his father, I can’t do this. What do I tell my children if I killed their maternal grandfather? Please, leave. You’ve helped me enough, but I don’t need your help anymore." I added

"Alh. Yabo and Bello are going to be executed in court. Please don’t get your hands stained." I begged again

"You keep saying not to get my hands stained. The blood my hands have seen, I’m not sure if my veins have seen that amount before, and if they ever will." Zakir yells at my face

"If you kill them here, Zakir, I’ll never forgive you. To me, it won’t seem like justice for my mum or brother. It’ll feel like the murderers got off scot-free and were assassinated. Please." I give him a pleading look.