Tears of Zubaida.

•••••TEARS OF ZUBAIDA••••• •••Chapter Twenty•••

She sighed heavily and pull down her blouse, she's already five months gone, and her stomach is already protruding to a small bump.

She finished dressing up and put on a grey wool sweater with a long brown hijab and left the room.

Outside, she met her mother bleaching some red oil and watched as the little smoke filled the atmosphere, she watched every movement of her mother; like she's learning everything for the first time.

"You're out already?" Her mother rhetorically asked as she wasn't expecting an answer from her.

Zubaida nodded her head and sat on a stool with different thoughts running through her mind.

Malam Musa walked out of his room adjusting his cap and cleared his voice.

"Sannu da fitowa." Zainaba greeted which she got a nod as a reply.

"Are you ready?" He turned his attention to Zubaida whom was plotting on how to escape what she's about to face.

"Yes sir." She answered.

"Let's get going." He ordered to which she stood up obediently.

"Malam, won't you have a change of mind? She's already five months gone. Think of the dangers of what you are going to do, why not just register her for an antenatal?" Zainaba said and watched as Malam Musa's face deepened more with annoyance.

"Woman! Don't tell me what to do, this is my house! And I have the right to say whatever I wish to. I'm the dictator here."

"If you have anything to take along with you, go and get. The place is far." He turned his attention towards Zubaida.

Zubaida walked into her room and stared at it for so long, she remembered the piggy bank she has that was in between her bed and the chesterfield, she brought it out and threw it roughly on the floor, the clay bank shattered into pieces and the money she has been saving were now on the floor, she picked them up without bothering to count them and tied it around the hem of her wrapper. She quickly gathered three sets of clothes and tied them in a wrapper. She clung them underneath her arm and left the room.
She had wanted to see Mariya for the last time, but knew it's impossible, so she shrugged the thought.

"We won't be coming home soon, we will be late as the place is very far."

"Malam, why don't I come along?" Zainaba suggested.

"You are not going anywhere." He said and they left the house.

Zubaida was in a room that has only a hospital bed, the room smells so unpleasant for her liking as it smells like an egg has been broken in the room, she examined it very well and noticed some used cotton wool that has dried blood stains and some that are still fresh and in a lumpy form, which made her think that someone must have left few minutes before their arrival, there was only a large window adjacent to the bed, the window had no rails which will enable anyone to jump into the room at anytime.

A small door was opposite the bed which Zubaida found herself walking towards to, it is a small toilet that has an old rusty shower and the bowl that is finely decorated with gory.

She decided to go out and hear what her father is discussing with the man they met in the building, but stop to eavesdrop what they were saying.

"She's five month gone you say?" A voice which she thought belongs to the man they met said.

"Yes." Her father's voice whisper yelled.

A disturbing silence prevailed the room, as Zubaida was afraid they might have noticed someone eavesdropping, or maybe her breathing is loud for them to notice.