SANADI

Babi Na Arba'in Da Tara (49).

Borno, Nigeria.

Face to face sukayi da juna. Sun kai minti biyar tsaye bakin qofa ba me cewa kowa komi kan daga baya dayan matar wadda dattijuwa ce tace mata ta shigo. Samun wuri Inno Marte tayi ta zauna ita kuma dayan matar ta wuce kitchen ta dawo da shayi dan ta san Inno Marte ma'abociya shan shayi ce. Zama tayi itama da nata mug din tea din a hannunta. Har zuwa lokacin cikin su babu wanda ya cewa kowa komi sai dayan matar da ke ta kurban shayin ta jefi jefi. Daga baya tayiwa Inno Marte magana.

"Drink up, I didn't poison the tea i promise you". Ta fadi tana murmushi "Not everybody is as vile as you Fadime". Kamar jira take ace ta sha Inno ta dau mug din tea din ta kai baki. Dan lumshe idanu tayi, ta dade bata sha shayi me dadin wannan ba. Matar ce ta kuma magana "Eight years Fadime, it's been eight years. Me ya kawo ki yau". Shuru Inno Marte bata ce komi ba ta cigaba da shan shayin ta. Sai kamar bayan minti biyar ta ansa.

"I missed you".

"Hell you do". Matar ta fadi kan ta saki yar dariya me sauti "The almighty Hajja Fadime Abiso misses me. I feel honoured".

"You had eight years to escape, why didn't you?".

"I am waiting to see your down fall. That is why". Ta fadi tana kallon Inno Marte cikin idanu. Maganan ta ya sa Inno yin wata yar dariya.

"I never loose Zuhriyya, you know I don't and I never will".

"Kina wasa da ikon Allah koh" matar wadda Inno ta kira da Zuhriyya ta fadi "I was once engaged to be married to the powerful Aadam Abiso. Here I am today, you know what happened?". Ta tambaya.

Shuru Inno Marte tayi bata ansa ta ba "Because my sister dearest kept me captive and continuously poisoned me for thirty good years". Matar ta fadi her tone surprising calm. Shayin ta ta kurba kan ta cigaba da magana.

"If there's any creature in the world worst than the evil himself, it is you Fadime Marte".

"C'mon sister, don't tell me you're still not over me stealing your man from you". Inno ta fadi tana dariya me sauti, irin dariyar mugunta. "You were a fool, I set a trap and you fell right into it. What was my fault?".

"You're pathetic! You really are and wallahi ranar da asirin ki zai tonu yana nan zuwa nan kusa ba nesa ba". Dariya kawai Inno Marte tayi kan ta miqe tana fadin.

"Do you have more of this tea? Our reunion is getting more fun I need another cup". Kitchen Zuhriyya ta shiga ta dawo da kettle din shayi ta ije ma Inno Marte wadda ta dauka ta qara shayi cikin kofin ta. Her sister had always been wonderful at making tea, it was the first thing that attracted Aadam Abiso to her all those decades ago.

"Me ya hanaki tafia Zuhriyya, you had eight years. You could run away, you could destroy me and you didn't".

"That's the difference between you and I Fadime. I am not heartless" ta fadi tana murmushi "I have done good for myself over the years, you've kept me bound to this house, you made sure ba yadda zaa yi in iya barin gidan nan. I've taken that in good faith, I hope it earns me repentance for my sins. Do some good for yourself Fadime, repent". Murmushi kawai Inno Marte tayi bata ce komi ba. Miqewa tayi ta wuce hanyar wani dark corridor tana kaiwa karshen corridor din ta buda qofa ta shiga wani daki which was dimly lit. Zama tayi a armchair inda ke dakin a kusa da gado. Shuru ta jingina da kujerar ta zauna bata ce komi ba. Ta jima zata kai thirty minutes a dakin kan ta futo. Qofa straight ta nufa.

"Leaving without saying goodbye sister". Taji muryar Zuhriyya. Shuru Inno tayi bata ansa ta ta ba, tare suka futa waje har zuwa inda Inno Marte tayi parking gaban gidan.

"How's the boy doing these days?". Zuhriyya ta tambaya amma sai Inno ta share ta bata ce mata komi ba "Will you ever tell him about this house?". Juyowa kawai Inno tayi ta kalli yar uwar nata wadda suke dan kama amma bata ansa ta ba kawai tace.