ACT EIGHTEEN
LATER IN THE NIGHT
Sekinat was guided out of the dressing room and out of the building. She realized that the environment had changed, filled with decorations and flowers.
Sekinat: (whispers to the escorts) What is happening tonight? And where are you guys taking me?
The Ladies: You will soon find out. Come on!
Sekinat: This better be good! I can't believe the empire can hold a party when his head of armies is unconscious. His heart is filled with stone.
They arrived at their destination, and Sekinat realized how big and well-beautified the house was. It left her speechless. As they reached the door, the escorts stepped back and headed back to where they came from.
Sekinat: Wait, are you guys leaving me here? Hey!!! (Immediately, the gate opened wide for her, and to her greatest shock, it was a big hall filled with lots of beautiful views and breathtaking decorations, with a small crowd. She hesitated to move inside, thinking of turning back when she got blocked by three men) Now what?
The Men: Get inside! (They held her hand, led her into the hall, and took her to the empire's table surrounded by rich men) Here she is, sir.
Sekinat: (Uncomfortable as she stood stiff)
Empress: (Rolls her eyes)
Empire: Well... my guest! Here is one of my fighters, the strongest woman in battle that I have. (The guests admired her appearance.) She has killed two of my enemy leaders and is also a professional surgeon, excellent in her skills. (The guests were amazed by her capabilities).
Sekinat: (Confused) What exactly am I doing here? And what are you talking about?
Empire: Oh! I forgot to mention, she is arrogant but strong. I use her brains, and she uses her arrogance. So, don’t be surprised by whatever she says.
Guest 2: Wow! I love her already… 100 million to buy her.
Sekinat: (shocked) What?
Empire: (bright smile on his face) I’m sorry, my friend, but she isn’t for sale.
Guest 3: 500 million!
Sekinat: (confused) Excuse me, sir, but I’m not for sale. In fact, I don’t...
Empress: (she cuts in) We wish we could sell her, but she is ours.
Sekinat: Excuse me?
Guest 5: 1 billion naira! I love her despite her skills. She is religious in appearance.
I love that.
Sekinat: (laughs in confusion)
Empire: The money is tempting, but we are absolutely sorry. She's worth more than a billion naira. She is my army.
Sekinat: That's it! (she hits the table, startling some guests) Let me get this straight into your skulls! I am not a robot or a slave, and I can never be for sale because I am priceless, okay?
Empire: That’s my girl.
Sekinat: (gives him a deadly look) And also, I am not his army or whatever he
called it. Yes, I am a surgeon from the real world, not from the mafia world, okay?
I was kidnapped by him (points at Empire), and now I’m stuck here. All I want is to get out of here, and look at the rubbish he is doing to me. Trying to use me for money?
Guest 5: That is why I want you! Look, dear, I can get you out of here alive. So just say it, and you will be free, okay? I am here for you! (the guest and Empire burst into laughter)
Sekinat: (can't believe her eyes, then suddenly recognizes his face and the rest)
Wait!!!! Wait a minute! I know you people! Aren't you the Governor of Kebbi State? And you! Governor of Taraba State! Even you! Governor of Ekiti State! So!!! You, who we think could lead states in Nigeria, happen to be partners with mafias? Now I understand why the police and soldiers couldn’t find your hideout! They are the ones protecting you!... Now this makes sense! You are the ones destroying Nigeria. Do you even have any idea how many Nigerians are forced to work under this monster over there? Thousands of lives have been lost for him.
Empire: (signals to his guards)
Sekinat: And mark my words, all of you shall be exposed, insha Allah! Every one of you will face the truth! (Suddenly, she feels herself being forcefully dragged away from them and out of the hall)
Guest 4: Don’t harm her! Just prepare her body for me tonight! I adore resilient girls like her!
Guards: Copy that, sir!
Empire: (laughs mockingly)
An hour later
Sekinat finds herself confined in a lavish room, her hijab forcibly taken from her. She chooses to remain composed, mentally and physically preparing for a possible confrontation with a man who desires her. After hours of waiting, fatigue sets in, and she finally locates a corner to sit.
Sekinat: Why am I locked in this opulent room if not for what I overheard? But I swear, Empire will pay for his sins before he meets his end. The only one capable of dealing with him is none other than Hat Man. (She sadly bows her head, shedding tears) My life is in shambles. Taken away from my family, coerced into this situation. I attempted escape but was unsuccessful, even when the opportunity presented itself. Is this to be the ongoing narrative of my life? No home, nothing. They didn't even afford me time for solat. Ya Allah, liberate me from this captivity, I implore you. (She scans the room, searching for something to cover herself) Ah, this will suffice. (Tearing the curtains, she wraps them around her head, then performs a tayamum) Ya Allah, I acknowledge that this may not be ideal for worship, but accept it as an act of ibadah. (She commences her prayer beside the bed just as the door creaks open)
A few days later, Sekinat endured severe beatings from the guards ordered by
Empire for disrupting his business plan. She was also confined to a room with Hat Man's unconscious body. She cried day and night, contemplating the purpose of her life or wishing for it to end. Her freedom was cruelly snatched away, and her only glimmer of hope rested in Hat Man. Even though he had once asserted that there was no escape for her, she had risked her freedom to save his life. Now, she was bound to him indefinitely. Amidst the anguish, caring for the unconscious body brought her a strange sense of peace, as opposed to being commanded to carry out vile tasks.
Each time she gazed at Hat Man's face, she marveled at how he had fallen in love with her despite causing him nothing but pain. Determined, she rose to her feet and moved closer to him.
Sekinat: (fakes a smile) I know you can't see me, but I hope you can hear me. You might be thinking that I escaped, but I didn't. I risked my freedom to save you. I couldn't bear to watch you die after all the pain you’ve endured. So, if you have no reason to come back to life, please, at least for my sake. I know you warned me about returning here, which I failed to heed, but you're the only one who can help me again. I can't survive in here without you. Please, come back because I'm here again. Please. (She breaks down in tears again) I don't know if you can hear me, but I really need you more than ever, and I will do everything to get you back on your feet because I believe you are stronger than that. And I need you. Please, wake up and fight for what is right. Pleeeease. (She wipes her tears and heads to the bathroom to perform ablution. When her stomach grumbles, she moves to her prayer spot and begins her solat. Throughout the process, she can't help but shed tears.)
Seven minutes later, Sekinat exclaimed, "As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah!"
Immediately turning to her left, she was shocked to find Hat Man staring at her from the bed. Sekinat hurriedly wiped her face three times to ensure she wasn't seeing things or dreaming.
Sekinat: Hat... Hhhat man! Is that really you? (She jumped to her feet) You... You...
You are awake! You are awake!!! (She jumped with joy, embracing him in bed) You really came back!
Hat Man: (forces a smile with his dry lips, shocked to receive an embrace from her)
For... how long... have I been in bed? I feel so weird and weak. (His hands began to shake, and he felt dizzy)
Sekinat: Oh my God! Masha Allah! You must be starving; that's why. Let me go get you something to eat from your subordinates.
As she tried to open the door, a crowd rushed into the room, jubilating and screaming in joy. Unaware, they pushed Sekinat to the ground, stepping on her in their excitement. Eventually freeing herself, she realized she was bleeding from her nose. She then bumped into some chefs pushing a large table towards the room. In seconds, the room was filled with a multitude of people, all trying to witness if Hat Man was truly alive. Sekinat stood by the wall next to the stairs, waiting for the crowd to disperse. She spotted Empire and his wife majestically entering the building with their guards. Sekinat found a place to sit and hoped not to be noticed until they passed by.
Empire: (spotted Sekinat but looked away, stopping by the door for the guards to announce his presence, causing the crowd to fall silent and make way) Well, there's my boy over there! Welcome back! (He tapped Hat Man's shoulder) I know this must be really hard for you, but I'm so glad you're back.
Empress: (excited) You have no idea how super happy I am to hear this good news and see it for myself. Look at what I made for you. (She clapped her hands as a signal, and the chef slid in a table filled with different delicacies) I made it myself with love, so you can fully recover.
Hat Man: (looks away without saying a word to any of them)
Empire: This calls for a celebration!
The crowd roars in excitement, but Hat Man isn’t comfortable with their presence. His eyes wander around the crowd, searching for Sekinat.
Sekinat: (she finally pushes herself in) Uhm, I’m sorry to interrupt, but he needs more time to recover, and all these noises aren’t helping him. He needs lots of rest. So, if you don’t mind, kindly leave the room—except for the Empire and his wife. So please, if you truly love Hat Man, the best gift you can give him now is time to recover. (she speaks in a low tone)
Hat Man: (smiles at her)
Empress: (notices the chemistry) Oh really? Now everyone, out! Now! (the crowd all moves out, murmuring) Well, my dear. (she picks one of the meals and tries to feed him) Here, my dear, open up.
Sekinat: (excuses herself)
Two minutes later, she sees the Empire and his wife finally take their leave and head towards her.
Empress: If anything should happen to him, consider yourself dead! Ok?
Sekinat: (no response)
Empire: Take it as a threat! (they finally take leave)
Sekinat: (she heads back into the room) As-salamu alaykum… welcome back.
Hat Man: Can… can you… please… pl-please feed me? I wish I could eat it myself.
Sekinat: Absolutely. (she happily picks up the food and sits at the edge of the bed) Open!
Hat Man: (suddenly realizes she shouldn’t be here)
Hat Man: Wait! What are you doing back here? I thought I… why did you come back?
Sekinat: I don’t want to talk about it. Just get better first. Please, open your mouth.
Hat Man: You shouldn’t be back in here. You've put your life in danger. Wait! Are you bleeding? (looks worried)
Sekinat: I’m fine, okay? Just open!
Hat Man: Oh my God! How many times have you tried to escape from here ever since you came back? How long was I gone?
Sekinat: For a month, but you are indeed a fighter. I came back because of you. I couldn’t watch you die after risking your life to save mine. It's the least I could do to help you.
Hat Man: You came back into this dungeon because of me?
Sekinat: Yes! Watching you die was unbearable for me. Please, just open your mouth.
Hat Man: (finally obeys and becomes speechless)
Sekinat: (doesn’t realize when tears gush out of her eyes) It's okay! I have accepted my fate.
Hat Man: How many times did you try to escape again?
Sekinat: Zero.
Hat Man: Really? You never tried to escape? Then why are you crying?
Sekinat: It's nothing. I don’t even know why tears are gushing out.
Hat Man: (pauses her hand) Put the food down.
Sekinat: No, I can't! You need food to remain strong. I can't bear to see you on bed again. Please.
Hat Man: (stares at her for a few seconds) It must be really hard for you, trying to survive in the Empire’s den without me. I am sorry for not being there for you. But I am here now, and I will find all means to set you free again, even if it takes losing my life. But you have to promise not to save me this time around because I don’t care if I die after that. I'm tired of being an errand boy too, and I want to finally rest.
Assuming you didn't come back to save me, I would have died a peaceful death.
Sekinat: I am sorry. (she bows her head in tears)
Hat Man: They must have hurt you badly… this is all my fault.
Sekinat: That’s not the point. The enemy leader I killed that night was my sister’s husband.
Hat Man: Wait, what?