ENSHROUDED

33

Abba took a few steps towards them and the guy kept stepping backwards until he was able to grip Aisha's wrist. He pulled her to himself and she fell in his chest. He looked at the guy and grimaced his face even angrier, "What's your name?" He asked, and the guy straightened his collar and looked at Aisha with a beautiful smile on his lips.

"Should I tell him or you'll do me the favour. It's been months we met, I missed you." He was trying to touch her face when Abba punched his face and he lost his balance and fell on the ground.

He looked at Aisha who was shedding distraught tears, she was still held firmly on Abba's chest. "One of your men? Or he's on your list for this month?" Abba hissed and walked Aisha to his car, he flung her on the back seat and Aisha flinched back at the way he closed the door with so much rage.

He looked at the guy and hissed loudly, "Be careful of whose property you mess with, young guy." He drove off in a speed Aisha got afraid that they might get into an accident if luck wasn't on their side. She cried throughout their drive back home, because she knew the best she saw in Abba would surely be revealed today.

He threw her into the living room and her head got in contact with the centre table, she didn't flinch, because the pain was a minor compared to what was awaiting her. He squatted down before she and Aisha pushed herself backwards, the fear and panic making her heart pound beneath its enclosure.

"Who's that guy and what's his name? Who are the other guys you have on your list as he mentioned?" His voice was dangerously cold, and his eyes were a shade of red. Aisha closed her eyes and it gave more way to her tears. She looked at him and shook her head, her veins pumping in an unhealthy rate.

The next thing she heard was her head being deliberately smashed on the centre table and she wailed in pain. Like the beast he was, he stood up and unhooked his belt, "Tell me who the hell is he to guy hug you like that, Aisha!! Was he the guy I saw you within the hotel? Is he the guy you takes you to school and you claim you take the cab? I never gave you a dime, how do you pay the cab driver?! Aisha, it's either you tell me the truth or I'll have your face smashed with this table." He roared and Aisha stood up and tried running to her room when Abba pulled her from behind and mercilessly pushed her down on her face. The pain was so much that she couldn't even cry.

She turned and her nose was bleeding, her lips were cracked and they had blood on them as well. She wished her eyes would bleed too, more than just the salty liquid that fills up her mouth and itched the cracks on her lips. "I swear to Allah that was the first time I saw him, I don't know anything. And it's Ya Firdausi that sends me money. I don't know anyone in this state, Ya Abba. Please you should believe me." She was trembling and her heart was making some move that she was sure would soon end her life.

The first stroke of his belt on her back tore her skin and she laid flat on the floor. "Tell me who it is or I'll beat you till you couldn't treat yourself this time. How can you be in a relationship with a guy while you're married to me? Oh, it's because I let you go to school right? Go and bring me your student ID card and also your credentials. Also, your ATM, let's see the way you can go out again." He escorted her to her room with the strokes of his belt, Aisha crawled on her knees until she got to her bedside drawer, he was beating her mercilessly and she could only flinch when a stroke landed on her bed.

She didn't look at the mirror, because she was sure the Aisha she would see there was nothing compared to the Aisha that walked into this house months ago. With hands trembling, Aisha handed him her student ID card and her ATM card. "Give me your phone, Aisha." She looked at him with her eyes and wished he could see her pain through her eyes.

"Ya Abba, Mama calls me every day, how can she reach me?" The most painful stroke slashed her back and she bent and wailed even more painful. It was getting even more painful.