UNDER 168 HOURS [BOOK 1, 168 HOURS SERIES]

Chapter 4: It Happened For A Reason

A flash of happiness struck through Humaira's unsettled face. She was happy that Alhaji Musa actually wanted to help her family this time. Suddenly, he closed the suitcase and kept it aside. It was locked with a kind of code.

"If you won't eat the suya, then at least, take a bit of juice before going." He poured her an hollandia orange juice into a very transparent glass cup and handed it to her.

"Hand over the money to me sir. It's just 11:00 p.m, I can still meet the doctor to discuss all about my mom's treatment before time runs out."

"You wouldn't visit a place like this and leave without taking anything, mana. A good child don't reject things from an elder. At least, if you wouldn't spend the night here, then take this juice and give this suya to Zainab for me…" He handed her a pack of suya and she collected it.

The juice on the other hand was cold and mouthwatering as she was very thirsty. Humaira wasn't interested in the drink as she was in a hurry to still meet up with the doctor before midnight.

She took a sip and dropped the cup on a small shelf.

"Just hand me the money already sir," She pleaded.

"No, not until you complete at least, half of the bottle. See it as a way of telling me 'thank you' and I'll be grateful also. Perhaps, why are you rushing? This money is yours already. You'll save your mother anyways." He persuaded with a smile.

Frustrated with all his pestering, She gulped the whole bottle down her throat. Suddenly… She felt very dizzy and passed out.

***

6:00 a.m,

The Next Morning.

The room was dim and chilly. She was lying on the bed, alone. Humaira quickly sat up in fluster, pondering about the thought of what happened last.

'Where am I? What am I doing here? This isn't my room, is it?' The questions flooded through her mind as if she was still dreaming. The coldness of the room gave her chills. Humaira sighed repeatedly, snapping at the thought of it.

Suddenly, the bathroom door slided open. A huge, chubby figure came in, walking towards where she was.

"Astagfirullah! It's Alhaji Musa!!" she mentally cried.

He tied a soft white towel around his waist, sitting close to where she was.

"What did you do to me, sir? Why was I here at the first place!!" She panicked.

Heated tears formed in her eyes, following a drop and pouring out. She felt so confused and used... with the crooked smirk that he wore.

Alhaji Musa turned to her and crawled to her body, humaira still felt weak and a dizzy but she pushed his wet body off hers.

"You came here for money last night didn't you? And you decided to be intimate with me… I mean. I couldn't I say no to a very beautiful virgin like you? No... That was until last night." He laughed out aloud. Wanting to steal another kiss from her neck, she pushed him away.

It was just then she noticed that she was lying naked and Alhaji Musa actually drugged and raped her.

"What have you done?!" Her cry thundered in the room as she threw herself out of the bed. The spot she slept on, on the white soft bed was stained with blood as she stood up. Tears steamed down her face with regret for coming to the hotel in the first place.

"You drugged me, you wicked old man! How dare you drug me? I mistook your wickedness for kindness! You're like family, Alhaji Musa. My late dad's friend."