Break Of Dawn

Chapter 14.

I was woken up by someone sprinkling cold water on my face, I tried opening my eyes but my actions were met by a mighty headache,

When I finally did open my eyes,  the conductor  was hastily telling me to disembark the bus,

When I tried getting off the seat, I almost fell,
I felt unstable and my knees felt like they could cave in any moment,
I held on to the seat to gain my bearing, wondering why I had been sleeping so heavily, then I remembered the old woman.

As if on instinct I felt for my cross bag. No bag!
That is where I had put all my valuables, some money, directions, contacts and the address of the lady who was taking me in, everything that would ensure I got to my destination safely.
My heart dropped to my knees.

I checked up the racks for the rest of my luggage, nothing.

And my heart now plummeted to the floor.
I rushed out of the bus not really sure what I was planning on doing,
I ran hitting people who in turn cursed loudly,
but I didn't care at the time.

If there was a way that I could recover my stuff from that
evil woman I would do it ,

I looked around and got sight of the hem of a pleated brown skirt disappear at a corner, into a dark and shadowy alley. No doubt, it was her.

I ran towards the alley, determined to get back my stuff,
Anyway how fast can an old woman run, I would surely get her, I thought.

At the entrance of the dark alley, I was met by two huge men, tall and very heavy,
I had bumped into one, and looking at his  angry face I knew he wouldn't hesitate punching the lights out of me . The other one licked his lips very unattractively, and I backed away.

Even a fool like myself surely valued his life over property.
I scampered off feeling  surreal, like I playing the unlucky girl in a horror movie.

I was far away from home, in the middle of a new city , my luggage had been stolen by a woman whose hands smelled like a chemistry lab.
Things could not get any worse,
Wait, they could!
A car raced past me and
I felt myself get splattered with black, smelly water. All over, even on my face, I reeked of sewage,

I staggered unseeing to the middle of the road, and heard several hoots from vehicles on either side of me. That shook me out of my reverie, and I got off the road.

I got sight of my reflection in one of the glass windows of a restaurant, I looked bad, really bad. A number of black stains on my oversized clothes, and traces of another that was drying up on my tear streaked face,
No wonder everyone was laughing,
I had never been so embarrassed in my life,

"Habibti, "she hugged me, despite the fact that she had never met me before and that I looked a mess,
I sank into her hug, and revelled in the motherly warmth.

I had called Aisha, who had in turn helped me contact Mrs. Shariff,
She and her husband had come on short notice after learning what had happened to me.

She then cupped my face in her warm hands and clucked her tongue, and shook her head pitifully,
"You poor child! "

I didn't like people taking pity on me, but I too exhausted and emotionally drained to get angry, and anyway she was just being nice.
She led me  the washrooms of a restaurant, and helped me get cleaned up. I didn't utter a word, the whole time,she didn't seem to mind my silence.

She introduced me to her husband, a tall huge man who was wearing a long white garb and a cap on his head.
On the drive to their house, I learned that they had four kids,
Who were waiting for me eagerly at me at home,

All this I was told by a very talkative Mrs Shariff, who was speaking to me like she'd known me all her life. Her husband drove silently, barely saying anything except when answering a question or two.

It was already dark, when we pulled into their driveway
. A big white house that had two floors, and was roofed with red tiles. Identical to the rest of the houses in the neighborhood.

I smiled when I saw three eager faces pressed against a window looking at us curiously ,
it reminded me of Tracie and I looking out the window when Joshua brought a girl home ,

Before Mrs Shariff even knocked at the door, it swung open revealing three very excited children all of whom were wearing very goofy smiles,
Then as quick as lightning their mother had cuffed the ear of a tall skinny boy,

"Ouch mom, ouch!! "he said trying to escape his mother's grasp unsuccessfully.
" What did I say about peeping through the window? "she asked her squirming son,
The rest of kids, a teenage girl who looked about my age and a little girl who had a missing tooth, giggled. And Mr Shariff laughed heartily,
Even I managed a smile.

******     *****     ****    ****
As-salaam aleikum, beautiful people.

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See you in the next chapter,

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Happy reading.

Xoxo,
Evanne61 😊😇.