Barakah

| P r o l o g u e |

5th April 2020.

-ᴇᴀʀʟʏ ғʟᴜᴛᴛᴇʀs

. . . . .

Barakah

The Sky was manifesting dawn as she swayed to and fro on the backyard swing set. Every new day felt like infancy to Barakah. It was new, refreshing. . . As she took in those lungful breaths and it was needless to say,  bitterly cold.

Albeit, it didn't mean growing light. The more she took in the glowering, gathering clouds, the more it registered to her. It was only just the onset of a new season, the rainy seasons.

"Get down Barakah. We're already late, let's try not to get drenched too." Whisking her head back from the swing. French Braids springing back onto her mid-back, Barakah gave her identical twin sister a generous once over before getting off the swing.

"Alright, alright. Just please change the dark green sweater you're wearing. We're already identical twins, I don't like it when people usually refer to us as just twins. Mammy and everyone already do that here." Barakah gawked at that sweater with obvious appal. As if she wasn't wearing the same thing.

"I certainly will not! What's so wrong about being my twin?" Bara'a Zulfa was the great confusion, Barakah thought as she watched her sister's nose flare.

"There's nothing wrong with that. I'm just saying, too many people associate us together just because we're twins. Don't you want individuality in school since we can't have it at home?" Barakah wanted the best of both worlds. Especially now, because they were just about to start ticking into their youth.

Barakah paid attention to her sister's gestures. Bara'a shrugging before sinking into her shoulders. Barakah understood her sister didn't mind being known as just a twin, like she did.

After all, it wasn't their fault they both shared the exact same genetic makeup or even to some degree, the same phenotype.

"Okay. . . But I get to wear this shade tomorrow." Bara'a relented with a groan. Barakah had no idea how they were going to cope and maneuver around what type of clothes they were going to wear. Since she had now made it a guideline. Especially because they choose clothes in a like manner.

It didn't matter that she was smiling fondly to Bara'a at the moment. Barakah knew it would, in future, become a bone of contention. But they were going to have to make it work.

"I'm completely fine with that. Hurry back up and find some other sweater to wear. I'll come up with the perfect excuse when I get to the car." Barakah waved off her sister striding to the front of their home in loud breaths.

Sometimes, she wished they lived in a more humble home. Maybe, it would have made things beautiful. It wouldn't have been so lonely.

"Barakah!, where's your scarf?" The taunt in her father's voice shook her entire body. As she turned and spotted him on the front porch, expensively dressed as usual.

She didn't even know he was home. Was it yesterday he got back? She thought as she swallowed.

"I'm talking to you so you answer me. How many times should I chastise you? Stupid child." She stood through the hullabaloo of her father.