TREASURES AND THORNS

Chapter 66

            

"Be patient where you sit in the dark, the dawn is coming."
                                      -Rumi

*Omniscient*

U

NEDITED

The news of what happened in the mansion spread to the servants quarters within minutes. Atika found the maids speaking in whispers in a circle. She knew something must have happened. She approaches them quietly so as to catch them red handed.

"They said she dragged her all the way from Oga Ahmad's room outside the house, " the plumpy one said.

"Yes!" Another one answers enthusiastically. "You know Hajiya is calm, she calmly asked the Madam to leave but she slapped and pushed our Hajiya. When Hajiya got up, she dragged her all the way to the gate post."

If the names they were calling weren't familiar, she would have sworn the girls were talking about an action film they watched somewhere. Whatever it was, they weren't paid and accommodated to gossip.

Atika clears her throat announcing her presence. The ladies shivers and turn towards the voice.

"Don't you have better things to do instead of your nonsense clattering this morning? "

The ladies scamper off.

If the ladies weren't speaking gibberish, something crazy must have happened. The only way to find out was to ask the guards on duty. Atika made a detour from going in to the house to gate.

****

There are exactly fifteen steps on the staircase that leads to the top. Each one of them have a glittery design on them. It shone brightly, evident of how well the cleaners did their job it was only visible through the tiny spaces that weren't covered with the fur like carpet. The balustrade looked golden and shiny too as if it had just been fixed.

The inscription on the newel was a lot more clear then. She rests her back on the opposite newel, her eyes trained on the excellent carving. She barely blinks while her eyes survey every tiny detail of the bold inscription.

How could I have missed this?

She had sat there on so many occasions but how she had missed it baffled her. Attired in a plain white top over pink sweat pants, She taps her feet softly on the stairs before...there are photographs gently placed on the stair in front of the one her legs rested on.

A pitcher and a glass of juice sat at a short distance away from her.  The step after her feet had series of photographs displayed on it. She arranged them in such a way that they faced the bottom of the stairs.