Game Of Thorns

2

"Here", mom said handing me a crumpled one thousand naira note.

It's twenty past six in the morning, we finished the dawn prayer minutes ago and mom as usual already got ready for work. 

She dressed in a flowing, ankle length gown with a blue turban neatly tied on her head and a brown sling bag to fit.

Dad was the first to leave the house and as always followed by mom.

Sultan and Aaliyah peacefully drool in the room while they both left.

"Don't go back to sleep forgetting you have to take my kids to school o"

Mom warns while I nod and lazily yawn,  raising a tardy hand to cover my mouth and shut the door behind her.

"There's still a whole of thirty-seven minutes before the clock strikes seven.. "

I shrug, with a light hiss and slothfully crept on the sofa, drifting to sleep almost immediately. 

I tighten the shut on my eyes and flash them open, at the earsplitting cry from the room, jerking up from sleep almost immediately.

Aaliyah stood steps away from the sofa, with Sultan trying to wipe the bright red fluid trailing off her index.

As though brain got slapped into my head, I rush out of the sofa, my eyes blinking in horror and unshakenly glaring at the unceasing blood slowly dripping down her finger.

With my hands quivering, I snatch her palm in mine and try numbing the slit, by slowly sucking on it.

It's a slight blade cut, but Sultan still stood and comforts her while quietly sucking back the tears lingering his eyes.

My shoulder sags in relief, accompanied by a sigh after the bleeding ceases.

"How many time has mom warned us about playing with sharp objects, uh? "...

"Must you always cause trouble, ehn"!

I angrily scold them.

Aaliyah stood stiff, looking quite sorry for her action.

Cloud of tears fills her full almond eyes, and freely rolls down her chubby cheeks.

Sultan, looking all suspicious with his left hand tucked at his back and discomfort written over his chillied face.

"Please don't tell me you also... "

My eyes roll in exhaustion.

I snatch his arm from his back, confirming my assumption.

He tightly hid a blade in his palm, which left a deep slit running across his index to pinky finger.

"What a perfect way to kick a day started", I mentally curse.

It's very obvious, he tried covering for Aliyah's mistake.

The bond between them is much stronger than the Hausa's gum.

He'd always cover for her troubles, most times at his expense.

It melts my rage seeing him trying to be a big brother and the itch to continuously yell at them, instantly got relieved.

Sultan cut's a little deeper and I had to  rinse with water and applied ointment, also a little on Aaliyah's to prevent germs like Mom would always scream in our ears.

I pull them closer for a trio hug, to ease the fear on their 8 and 5yo minds.

"How foolish of me to leave them alone in the room, while I recklessly snore on the sofa".