Midnight Shrub

chapter 7- Nabila

"Wow...there's so much to buy today. I really love going to the market on days like this; many sellers few buyers. It's wonderful anyway, let me get started." I went towards the meat section of the central city market.

Meats of various parts of animals were displayed. Butchers slaughtering animals like they had a grudge against it. It fascinated me. I spotted a particular stall of meat, walking towards the meat and priced the big meat that's the size of a person's arm.

"How much is this sir?"

"This one?" He carries the meat and starts hitting it softly with his knife "take it for twenty silver coins"

"Hian. twenty?!Is it not eight?"

"Ah! Pretty madam, 8? This one is not anyhow meat, touch it, and touch it. It is good meat like this. There's no water inside." He starts to flip the meat back and forth. "Okay, take it for fifteen."

I will. Over my dead body that is. This man thinks I just entered market today.

"Which one is fifteen? I said it's eight I want." I argued. "Okay don't worry. Give me another meat. The one around the 8 since that's what you want."

"Madam, it's not like that. You can take it for 11."

"It's 10 I'm paying, start cutting. Later they'll say there's is love among brothers and sisters.". I fold my arms.

"Madam you be my sister, na why I dey give you for 10 now."

"Oya I have heard."

After cutting my meat I went to the next section. The vegetable section

I'm making moringa soup for everyone today. I'll need to buy moringa leaves and get better knives while I'm at it.

After walking for a while, I found a lady that sells moringa leaves I was about to bring out my pouch when I felt someone's hand stretch towards my pouch. I immediately grabbed the hand but before I could turn to see the face, I felt another hand take the pouch. Wrong move.

The person began to run. I can run too. For god's sake I'm a northerner. Rookie mistake. I was getting closer to him. Under my dress, I got my weapon strapped around my thigh. Aimed my dagger at his left hand to make him drop the pouch, it hit the target. He dropped the pouch. Quickly, I picked up a stone and threw it so hard at his head. It hit a vital spot so he'll lose his remote skills. He fell. I slowed down and caught my breath.

As I slowly approached the thief, I saw him and my gods, this guy was handsome. Too handsome. He was a bit light skinned, had short trimmed nice hair and his eyes were brown, he had a pointed nose and his lips were plump.

"Ah! What did you do to me?" He said while glaring at me. I guess he's trying to move.

"don't even bother. It won't work I gestured at his body with my eyes. "now" I bent down. "Why did you steal my pouch?"

"You're a northerner aren't you? That explains the speed and the heavy impact that stone had on me." He said.

"You made a rookie mistake, you should know the tribe or strength of your victim before stealing. Answer me, why did you steal?"

"Dummy, why else would someone steal?" the audacity!

"Du....dummy? How dare a peasant speak to me that way? Where are you from? You aren't a northerner neither are you a westerner, are you an easterner?" I was getting angry.