A Place Called Darkness

Chapter 4

He felt a sharp pain soared through his heart. The way she looked at him with so much hurt in her eyes, the way the tears were slowly cascading down her cheeks,the way she hiccupped the sobs back;it made him want to kill himself at the moment.

"Ibrahim?" She called him "What have you become?"

His tongue hitched on the roof of his mouth. He didn't know what to say to make her stop looking at him that way.

"Na shiga uku" her voice cracked and she quickly covered her mouth with her palms, muffling her sobs. She gave him one last loom and hurried back to her room.

She was Lucky the girls were asleep in the tiny living room that was attached to the bedroom so the moment she got in,she shut the door behind her and collapsed on the mattress. Her heart was aching so much she couldn't even bear it. Her own son? With cocaine? Ya subhanallah. Wasn't it enough that her husband was in prison?. And now this? How is she going to deal with this? What had gotten into him?

She knew by God she raised her kids with good Morales and disciplined them very well. She taught them the their religious obligations and she was contented. She was hoping for a better future for her kids. Her Ibrahim will by God's grace grow into a pious gentleman with a good character.

But upon seeing her one and only son inhaling cocaine crushed all her dreams. How is she going to handle this matter?

She suddenly sat up and wiped her face furiously. She's not just going to cry her heart out like that and be a coward. She grabbed the kettle that was on one corner of the small bedroom and rushed out to perform ablution. She rushed back in, hurrying to pray to her Lord.

The ringing sound of his Nokia 1310 revived him from his reverie. He quickly picked the call upon seeing it was Amadu.

"I hope you haven't forgotten our plans" Amadu said in a slurred speech. There was no doubt he was high on alcohol.

"Yeah I haven't...but..."

"No buts!" Amadu snapped. "This is the only way you can get that money and go to Abuja. There is no other way"

Ibrahim heaved a sigh as he closed his eyes. The look on his mother's eyes few moments ago flashed in his eyes. The way she looked at him with so much hurt broke his heart. But he had to do this to save the family. He had to do it for her and the kids. Everything will be fine,hopefully.

"Okay" he finally said.

"That's my man. I'll pick you up at midnight sharp" he said and hung up before Ibrahim could say anything.

He laid back down on his thin mattress waiting patiently for midnight to strike,hundreds of thoughts raiding his mind. If he can finally get the money to go to Abuja then he's one step closer to saving his dad and everyone will be happy again. Their family will turn back to normal and everything else will be sorted out. His mother never has to cry her heart out again in the middle of the night. All the grief she's feeling now will vanish.

He was deep in thought and didn't even hear the gentle tap tap noises on the Zaure door.

"IB!" someone hissed and he abruptly sat up.

"Amadu?" He craned his neck out to hear a reply.

"You fool. Come out here. Or do you want me to wake all the neighborhood?" Amadu hissed from the other side of the door. Ibrahim quickly grabbed his shirt from the floor of his room and slipped into it. He picked his phone and quickly made his way out of the house stealthily. He met Amadu by the door and without uttering any word,Amadu turned and started walking ahead and he followed him behind. They kept walking till they reached an uncompleted building some few metered away from the neighborhood. There,they met five other men standing around in circles and talking in hushed tones.