CAPTIVE

CHAPTER 18

Unknown POV

The drive to the masjid was quite long. It gave me time to think and clear my mind. If I do find her or get information on where she is what do I do next? What's my next move?

I just realized I actually didn't have a plan. I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

I parked where we parked the last time. Just across Iya Beji's Spot.

I came out and looked across the street. It was quiet. Just two women mixing something in a large basin, two girls happily chatting away and a baby playing in the dirt

I crossed the street and made my way towards them. I stopped in front of the women and cleared my throat.

"Good morning"

They looked up at me and kept mixing whatever it is they were mixing. The one I'm blue looked up and spoke.

"Akara never do. Go come back"

It took a while for me to understand. What is akara? It then dawned on me.

"I'm not here to buy akara"

She looked at me and fired again.

"You no hear me? I say akara never do. I never start the fire sef"

What's this woman's problem? Doesn't she understand English? I was about to open my mouth when all of a sudden the stuff they were mixing flew out and splattered on my shoe.

My new black leather shoes. My expensive new shoes. My shoes.

I was really about to loose it.

"Ah oga na you now. I say akara never do. Abi na the mixture you wan chop! Buko come clean his shoe."

This lady has guts. She spoils my shoe and still has the guts to shout at me. Unbelievable. I'm about to give her a piece of my mind then the other lady came to her help.

"I'm sorry sir. She has anger issues. I am Iya Beji"

The nasty hot tempeted one fires at her. "Wetin you talk? I no get anger issues o.'

We both decide to ignore her and get back to the matter at hand.

I finally found my voice. "Sorry I came to ask if you've seen a girl here yesterday. I've been looking for her and a friend said she saw her in the mosque yesterday. Have you by any chance seen her?"

She is quiet for a while and dissapointment sits in my stomach as she shakes her head. "No o. But what is her name?"

Hope rises in my stomach. "haniyyah"

She shakes her head again. "Ah I no know am o. I never hear that name sef."

Just then the little girl cleaning my shoe stands up eagerly. "Mama Hanni's real name is Haniyya. It is her!"

My joy knew no bounds as I got a little hope.

"Ahh Anni. I didn't know now"

The little girl turns to face me. "Yes she was here. She was with us"

I felt like hugging the life out of this girl. "Do you know where she is now?"

Suddenly her excitement dissapears. Oh no please. I can't receive another disappointment. Not after I've gotten this far.

"Em something happened. She started shaking and sweating. She was even shouting. Then she fell on the floor. I don't know why or what happened. Next thing she just fainted."

Subhanallah. "Where is she?"

She looked really sad. "Mama didn't have money to take her to the hospital. We tried waking her up but we couldn't."