UNDER 168 HOURS [BOOK 1, 168 HOURS SERIES]

Chapter 53: True Colours

"Sir... I had no idea where you were going? I thought you'll come home hungry and it's dinner I prepared sir..." She tried to explain but a hard slap hit her across the face. It whirled so fast that she almost fell to the ground.

Flabbergasted.

"Where's the porrage? Where's the porrage you wasted?!"

"It's already in the dustbin sir..."

"What? You wasted all of that?!" He clamoured.
"I can't believe this. You had no food to eat when I brought you home. Now what did you do now? You waste my food?!"

"No.. no... Sir." She shivered to so much tears. She cried as she knelt down in front of him.
"I...I tthought no one would eat it sir."

"What about you? Can't you eat it?"

"She kept quiet, not knowing what to reply him with."

"Ehn?! Am I not talking to you?! I said why can't you eat it?! Perhaps, you cooked it yourself!"

"I'm sorrry s..ssir, forgive me."

"If you say that word one more time, I'll give you another hot slap, you'll forget how to speak."

Zainab trembled to the ground. She's never seen Mr. Abdullahi beat a student in school let alone insult one like this. He's been the definition of a true father and a perfect gentleman but today, he's been a different person entirely.

"I'll give you one minute, go and bring that stupid food you cook from the dustbin."
" Yes Sir..." she looked at him, convulsing incoherently like a leaf.

"Are you deaf or you want me to make you one!" He raged at her as she ran out immediately to bring it.

The three boys hide themselves by the door of the kitchen, watching what was happening. Ibrahim and Isah felt happy for this. Finally, their father seem to treat her how they've wanted to. Idris just kept quite, watching all the drama.

She came back with the wrapped leather of porrage in her hands.

"Since you enjoy wasting food, this is going to be your food in this house from now on. From today henceforth, I dare not see you eating in this house, else! I'll show you the other side of me, and you'll hate me so much. Do you understand?"

"Yes ssir." She stammered, still in tears.

"Good!"

He was about to leave when he turned back to her again. As if he remembered something.

"What about the clothes I gave you to wash. Have you washed them?"

"No sir. I'll do that tomorrow."

'Twaaack!'

She heard another hard slap on the other side of her cheek.

"I gave you that cloth since last weekend and you're giving me excuses?!" He looked at her with fire in his eyes.

He took out a plug of their electric kettle to wipe her with it. After receiving five lashes, she ran away, trying to avoid any more lashes. Mr. Abdullahi ran after her... Like a goat that's escaping death.

"If you move one more inch from where you are, I'll make your life more miserable than it already is!"

She then decided to stay.
He kicked her into her room and banged the door, locked. Idris didn't feel settled at all. Everything was wrong. Why would his dad. Of all people in the world. Why would his dad ever treat Zainab like this? This was unfair and it needs to be corrected immediately before it gets out if hand.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim and Isah rushed to the room with so much amazement. They burst out into an uncontrollable laughter and praised themselves for planning things so well.

"She broke the plates because we placed the banana peel at the entrance. Meanwhile, we had already completed the kitchen work." Ibrahim started.

"Yes, nobody would ever suspect us, Ibro. Imagine if mum was around, this fun would have been unbearable. But... Let's wait for her arrival." Isah smirked.

Just then, Idris walked in. He overheard everything they just said.

"So, it was both if you. Right? Subhanallah! How can one be so heartless and wicked?!" He turned to them almost in tears.
"Later, you'll call yourselves my brothers? I'm so disappointed in both of you. I can't imagine you did this to our only sister."

"Hey! You better shut the hell up already or I'll give you your own slap right now. Who are you talking to like that ehn?! Or are we your mates? Perhaps, that stupid girl isn't my sister! She can be yours for all I care.

"I hate both of you so much! Isah, I can't believe you joined hands with Ibro too." Idris cried.

"You better keep quite there, else. I'll teach you your own lesson." Isah warned. "Didn't you hear she's bad luck?"

"You both are bad luck!" Idris hissed and left the room.

He wanted to report them to his father but the door to Zainab's room was locked. And all he heard was her screaming and shouting for help and forgiveness.

Idris felt so angry and he left the house. It was just 6:00 pm in the evening. He wanted to be alone, away from the devils he call family.

'How can dad beat Zainab with all that has happened to her? She's gone through enough. She's been through a lot already. As if the slaps and insults weren't enough.' He sat on a log of food somewhere along the street. Then he passed a corner. He once heard there was a river somewhere at
the back of their house. So, he divided to visit there to relax his mind and think of how to convince his father of Zainab's innocence.

**

After beating Zainab blue black, Mr. Abdullahi went into his room to take a shower. It was time for Magrub. Mr. Abdullahi called his boys to get ready for prayer when he noticed Idris's absence.

***

Zainab's P.O.V.

Zainab laid herself on the ground, she started thinking...

'Is this going to be the end for me? I thought he loved me like his own child? I mean... Why the sudden change?'

But.. Another voice inside of her replied.
'No... Don't think about it, Zainab. Dad is just doing what he needs to do. He can change his mind on me for a while but he wouldn't hate me. He loves me so much and that isn't debatable.'

***

Enjoy reading  and please, don't forget to press the tiny orange star ★ at the end of each chapter to notify me you've actually read it… So! What are we waiting for! Continue reading this story of family, adventure, mystery and plot twists and leave your comments.