Mrs. Shola: babe! this girl is not responding oh.
Mr. Suraj: (running and panting heavily) what did you say? (he entered the room) what did you do to her?
Mrs. Shola: what kind of stupid question is that? Have you forgotten we locked her in this room, Mustakeemah! (still tapping her) honestly she is not responding oh.
Mr. Suraj: nothing must happen to her oh, Mustakeemah!! (he tried to lift her up) go get a bowl of water so I can sprinkle it on her face, hurry up please.
Mrs. Shola: ok am coming (she rushed out)
Mr. Suraj: (quickly covered his nose) this place stinks! Babe hurry up please!
Mrs. Shola: am coming (she rushed into the room) here it is… (she sprinkled it on her face several times before she finally responded) thank God she is alive.
Mustakeemah: (weak and shivering as she coughed bitterly)
Mrs. Shola: let’s carry her out of this room first, I don’t think she can get up.
20 minutes later
Mustakeemah’s pov: unfortunately I came back to life again, back to the hell. I looked up to the ceiling and exhaled softly. God why are you making both my life and death worse for me, why did you reject me? I miss my parents, at least I can finally be with them up there… I have no reason to live again, why didn’t you take my soul? Why? I didn’t know when tears began to fall from my eyes again… these eyes don’t you get tired of raining water? Am tired of everything. God just take me back please. I was left in the living room with a cup of hot tea to drink but I could barely lift the cup, wondering what they put inside. What if they poisoned it? Well they can’t poison me for their own benefit but I want to die! I turned the cup upside down into my mouth praying they poisoned it… I waited for 5 minutes wishing my soul would be taken away soon but I didn’t feel any pain. Instead I began to gain my energy back. I angrily hit the cup on the ground… then an idea came into my head. What are you still doing here alone? This is your opportunity to run away and finally be free from these wicked people. I got up immediately and wore my lifeless slippers gently as I slowly opened the door without leaving any trace of my movement. I happily opened the gate… as I finally realized I was outside, I felt the peaceful wind blow around me. I responded to the wind with a bright smile on my face. Immediately I removed my slippers as I awakened the entire energy inside me, ready to run as fast as I can like I have never run before… I increased my speed and continued running without looking back. People passing by the roadside also noticed how happy I looked as I ran for my freedom until I bumped into this annoying guy I always bumped into anytime I was outside my sorrowful life… but he quickly recognized me and tried to block my way. I didn’t let him stop me, I tricked him and continued my speed without looking back but to my greatest surprise I found him running after me as he shouted my name!
Abdulhakeem: Mustakeemah wait!!!! (panting as he ran after her) please! Wait!
Mustakeemah: (didn’t respond to his call but increased her speed)
Abdulhakeem: Mustakeemah wait!! I beg you with the name of Allah! Wait please!!!! Gosh this girl can run! Please I just want to help you, please, I know you are running away from them but trust me I’m not here to add to your pains, just please stop running and rest!! Do you even have a destination? Where exactly are you running to?
Mustakeemah’s pov: immediately I heard that statement from him I realized he was right. I had no one to run to, I was just running for no reason. My speed decreased instantly, that’s when I realized my toes were bleeding and it hurt a lot, leading me to fall on my feet… the pain increased as I panted heavily, the sweat on my face draining into my shirt.
Abdulhakeem: Are you ok? (panting heavily) you are hurt! I told you to stop running now see how you injured yourself.. just stay still please (he bent towards her and tried clean the wounds) does it hurt?
Mustakeemah: (she nodded)
Abdulhakeem: gosh you are so stubborn! Are you happy now that you are hurt? now you cant run nor walk anymore! Lets go to the hospital.
Mustakeemah: no!!! am fine! Thank you but I need to get away from this place…I don’t want them to realize am not in the house now! I don’t want to be caught by them please just go home while I run for my life, I promise to be fine.
Abdulhekeem: well… I cant leave you like this, (he bent in front of her) hump on!
Mustakeemah: (surprised) wha?
Abdulhakeem: hump on! You are hurt…so I can take you to the nearest pharmacy for wound treatment..
Mustakeemah: am fine you don’t have to back me… (as she tried to get up by herself she fell back)
Abdulhakeem: you are hurting yourself now, hump on hurry up before your family start looking for you.
Mustakeemah: (she obeyed as she is reminded of them) thank you.
Abdulhakeem: (surprise) you are so light! Are you sure you’ve been eating well? (he lift her up and head straight to the junction)
---
30 minutes later
Nurse: don’t worry after taking this medication she will be fine.. but she need enough rest.
Mustakeemah: thank you.
Nurse: you are welcome my dear…. You will be fine ok?
Mustakeemah: ok ma.
Abdulhakeem: thank you nurse, where should I make the payment? I will use my ATM card.
Nurse: at the reception over there.
Mustakeemah: (thinking) the man is so nice to me, I have never met someone as caring and loving like him, he doesn’t know me but since day one I met him he had been so nice to me, or is he the angel my parents sent to protect me? what a nice man…. (admiring him from afar).
Abdulhakeem: thank you ma, (he walk up to her) how are you feeling now? I hope you are getting better?
Mustakeemah: yes sir, thank you so much for everything.
Abdulhakeem: its ok (he didn’t wait for another minutes when he lift her up like a baby leaving everybody speechless and murmuring)
Mustakeemah: what are you doing? put me down!
Abdulhakeem: (he responded with a smile and exit from the pharmacy) so where are you going to?
Mustakeemah: uhmm I have my mom’s sister, I mean am going to my aunt’s place not the this one but the second aunt.. but please put me down first everyone is staring at us.
Abdulhakeem: (thinking) where in the world are you going? She look so innocent and naïve, where could her parents be?
Mustakeemah: put me down please.
Abdulhakeem: are you hungry? Should I take you out, I mean…
Mustakeemah: no thank you just put me down first…
Abdulhakeem: don’t worry about that besides am not complaining… (he stop a cab) please take us to the nearest restaurant.
*******************
Mrs. Shola: (sweating as she comes out of the master bedroom with her husband) babe you are one of a kind… gosh I really enjoy this.
Mr. Suraj: me too…. (walking down the stairs) this girl must be awake now, lets just hand her over to Mubarak before she run away.
Mrs. Shola: that will be a good idea because if she finds any opportunity like this she will run away so before that happen lets take actions (as they got to the living room she was nowhere to be found) babe! She is not in the living room!
Mr. Suraj: then where could she be? (they began to search the entire house but she was nowhere to be found)
Mrs. Shola: heeeey! Babe I can’t find her oh! Please don’t tell me she ran away?
Mr. Suraj: (he fell on the couch) we are dead! Ahhhh! Why did you leave her in the living room? You should have locked her back inside.. gosh am dead!
Mrs. Shola: oh! So now its my fault? Were you not the one who insisted I give you attention now you are being ungrateful right now..
Mr. Suraj: anyway no time to waste time, we need to look for her, let me get my car key.. ehehhh! And Mubarak will come get her in two days.. what are we gonna do if we cant find her?
Mrs. Shola: I will wait for you in the car.. kids! We will be right back make sure you have your lunch..
---
Abdulhakeem pov
Staring at this girl makes me wonder why on earth could people be so mean to such a beautiful soul? I couldn’t get my eyes off her as she rushes the food right in front of me! She reminded me of the first time we met!
Take it easy girl, the food is all yours.
She didn’t listen to me but the rate at which she rush the food I think she might choke! So I quickly pour a glass of juice for her, take it easy Mustakeemah! Don’t hurt yourself.. she finally raise her head..
Sir? She asked surprisingly.
Take it easy the food is not running away.. it is all yours, anyway do you want more?
Let me finish this one first then I will know whether to take more or stop there, she responded as she rush the food like a hungry Lion.
But I couldn’t stop staring at her, wondering where she would spend a night! What if she is lying to me about her aunt? What if she has nowhere to go? Or should I take her home with me? because am very sure by now her guardians will be searching for her…. Innocent girl..
Should I pour another glass of juice? I asked in low tone.
Yes sir please make it full this time, she responded excitedly.
I realize people were staring at us she eat without caring about her surroundings, only Allah knows the last time she had a good meal like this..
Uhmmm Mustakeemah, I call out her name in a low tone.
Sir? She responded as she rush the glass of juice into her mouth…
What if………. What if I take you home with me? for just today then we go find your aunt tomorrow? How about that hmmmm?
She raise her head in surprised..
Mustakeemah pov
I felt so cold inside me hearing that from him, it was right there I knew he is God sent, but what if he is just trying to bribe me with food and kidnap me? what if he isn’t what I think he is? But I have nowhere to go anyway, it is better to go with him rather than going back to that hell, I quickly responded without thinking any further.
Mustakeemah: Yes I will come with you but on one condition.
Abdulhakeem: yes whats that dear?
Mustakeemah: promise you wont hurt me or try to rape me!
Abdulhakeem: (shocked) what the hell? No! why why would I do that? Subhanallah! I live with my family not alone! Jeez! Please o am not that type of person….
Mustakeemah: ok sir, I will come with you then since you live with your family but what if they chase me out?
Abdulhakeem: leave that to me ok? Are you ok with the food?
Mustakeemah: yes sir! Thank you so much.
Abdulhakeem: we should get going its getting late…
Mustakeemah: uhmm sir can I put the bone inside nylon so I when I get to your place I can chew it better.
Abdulhakeem: (he burst into laughter instantly) you are a funny girl! If you want chicken I can buy another one for you but you don’t have to take the bone with you now.
Mustakeemah: don’t worry again sir, lets go.
Abdulhakeem: right then.
***********************
Later in the night 8:23pm
Mr. Suraj: (stressed out) babe am dead! We cant find this girl, my life is ruined.
Mrs. Shola: ajhhh! If we finally find this girl I must destroy her face! See how she is stressing us and she has no where to go! Ahhhh Mustakeemah! If I catch you lasan! You are dead.
Mr. Suraj: are you speaking of the girl we are yet to find! Please pray we find her first then you can do what ever you want to do with her, where on earth can she be right now?
Mrs. Shola: our kids are home alone, assuming Bolanle is still at home my mind would have been at ease…
Mr. Suraj: they not kids anymore, Ayomide is 15 while Olumide is 13! So put your mind at ease.
Mrs. Shola: easy for you to say.
At the dining table
Abdulhakeem: (he enter the house and found his family having dinner) as salam alaykum am home..
Everyone: walaykum salam..
Abdulhakeem: come in dear!
Everyone: (wondering who he is talking to)
Abdulhakeem: don’t be scared they wont harm you, come in dear!
Mustakeemah: (she finally showed her face as her body shivered in fear) good… good evening sir… ma.
Everyone: (shocked)
Dad: who is she?
Mum: yeah who is she?
Taiye and Kenny: (looked at each other and smiled)
Idowu: what are you two smiling about?
Mum: Abdulhakeem! Cant you talk? Why did you bring a stranger into our home?
Abdulhakeem: mum dad! This is Mustakeemah!
Mustakeemah: (sweating as her heartbeat faster) maybe I should go (as she tried to leave Abdulhakeem held her hand) sir please let me go!
Abdulhakeem: am not leaving you out there alone! Stay!
Dad: Abdulhakeem! I said who is she?