The water they splashed on her body caused her to wake up in a panic, drawing a massive, ragged breath. Immediately, her body began to shake violently like a spinning bobbin, both due to the agonizingly cold water and the enveloping darkness. She tried to stand up but found she couldn't budge even an inch; she couldn't move so much as a finger because of the tight, restrictive binding securing her to the chair she sat on. She struggled and squirmed, but it was completely in vain. Only then did she begin to take in her surroundings, her eyes eventually landing on the hulking men standing rigidly over her, staring down at her. Their faces were entirely contorted in grim, ominous scowls, devoid of even a single drop of mercy. It was only then that her brain began to piece together, step-by-step, the reason for her presence there. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly. 'Indeed, I knew all along that things had gone awry, but I made a promise to myself. No matter the hardship, no matter the trouble, I will stand firm as an immovable anvil on this path I've set out on to achieve my goal, even if they tear the flesh from my body,' she resolved in her heart. The sudden, violent ripping of the black tape covering her mouth snapped her out of her brief reflection. She let out a small cry of pain, for they had not been gentle. "Hurry up and give us all the information and evidence you've gathered, otherwise, your afterlife will be far more pleasant than what awaits you here," the leader said, his face completely devoid of any playfulness. She gave him a piercing look before opening her mouth to say, "I don't understand what you are talking about." He didn't answer her but glanced at the man next to him. Before she could react, she felt him grab her hair tightly before using his strength to begin striking her mouth. The agony made her close her eyes as she tried to break free, but she couldn't; she felt as if she were no longer in this world. To her, it felt as though her mouth didn't even belong to her body. Immediately, her head began to spin, and blood had already completely soaked the front of the cream-colored maxi dress she was wearing. "You still don't understand what I'm talking about, right? This is beyond your imagination. Who are you working with to unearth the secrets we spent so much time burying deep in the earth? I assure you that you will deeply regret this. For this is a needle that will unearth a plow; you are about to stab yourself with your own knife. Just like the chicken that scratches the ground only to unearth the knife meant for its own slaughter." With her breath coming with great difficulty, she tried to speak, "Even if you kill me, I will never give you the information I spent such a long time gathering. I am no coward to be intimidated by your threats. Furthermore, I am working entirely alone without anyone's help. My job is one where I've put my life on the line; I have accepted whether I live or die just to bring an end to the crisis plaguing the people of my country." "Hahhhhh, you haven't been beaten enough yet. Once you taste real pain, you'll speak," he said again. She didn't realize he had stepped right up to her until she felt her face being forced upward, her mouth pried open by brute force. He held a strange metal instrument in his hand and thrust it into her mouth. She felt him trying to wrench a tooth out. From the nerves of her eyes down to her head, the agony reverberated, causing her entire body to shake violently. Feeling the tooth being ripped from her mouth caused her hearing and sight to instantly black out, and from that moment, she lost all consciousness of the world around her. She sat with papers spread out before her, reviewing them one by one. She pulled a notebook she was writing in closer, aligned it with one of the documents, and began gathering the papers. She returned them to where she had taken them out and then focused on copying the writing from the document into the notebook. Hearing the sound of someone entering, she looked toward the doorway. She stood up quickly, putting down what was in her hands, and hurried toward him, hugging him tightly in sheer delight at seeing him. "Welcome back, my Daddy." He also let out a smile, patting her head before saying, "Welcome, Daddy’s girl. Still hard at work, I see?" He finished with a smile, and she simply smiled back without saying anything. "Well, may God grant you success." "Amen, my Daddy." "Where is your Mamy? I haven't heard her voice," he said, peering at her face. Releasing him, she turned around and pointed her hand toward the stairs. He looked in that direction and his eyes locked right onto her, standing on the second-to-last step of the staircase with her arms crossed over her chest, smiling as well. "Oh, wow, I didn't even hear you coming down, let alone see you," he said as he walked further into the living room and embraced her close to him. She finished stepping down, sat down, and said, "Oh, please, Alhaji, whenever you're with Nuratu, you become completely oblivious to everything else." He smiled before saying, "Are you blaming me, Iyami? She is the mother of the household, after all. Isn't that right, my girl?" She simply lowered her head, continuing to smile. "Alhaji, dinner first or a shower?" Hajiya Iyami asked, looking at him. "No, a shower first. After I'm done, we'll eat. Where is that boy, Nura? Hasn't he come in yet?" the Alhaji asked. "He hasn't come in yet, but wherever he is, he must be on his way by now since it's already sunset," she replied. He didn't say anything further, stood up, and went upstairs, with her following closely behind him. Nuratu returned to her work, when suddenly she heard his voice approaching the living room as he sang: "You know the cunning tricks to play on your boyfriend or groom so that when he asks for anything, he gives it to you completely... (A verse from Ado Gwanja's song 'Warrr')" "Oh great, God brought him back. Now he's going to come and annoy me," she said aloud, just as he sauntered into the living room, walking with an exaggerated, effeminate sway. "What are you saying?" he asked, putting his hands on his hips. He was a young man of at least twenty-seven years old. He was tall and slender, his face heavily made up with makeup covering small pimples, and he bore a striking resemblance to Nuratu. He wore a white jellabiya and had a scarf tied around his head like a woman's headwrap. "I didn't say anything," she said, pouting. "You're lying, you said something, and I can tell you were gossiping about me. You're always doing that! By Allah, you better watch it before I unleash a storm on you." He finished by pushing the headwrap on his head forward onto his forehead, then walked forward, deliberately kicking and scattering her papers, stepping over them as he went inside. Filled with frustration, she watched him walk away as he sat on a sofa. "Are you trying to get me beaten?" he added, shaking his leg. She ignored him and began gathering the papers. He hissed before adding, "That's always your job, every day the same thing. Don't you ever get tired? From one thing straight to the next. Go ahead, blow your brains out over useless work. By Allah, you'll age prematurely burdening yourself with all this work. As for me, none of it concerns me." He said all of this in a heavily effeminate, 'yan daudu manner, exaggerating his voice so much that it sounded entirely like a woman's. He spoke while loudly snapping and chewing gum. Once she finished gathering her papers, she headed toward her room. Just before stepping inside, she popped her head back out and said, "By Allah, I am a thousand times better off than you. Allah created a person biologically as a man, and then he forcefully tries to turn himself into a woman. What a shame! After all, you can never change the true nature of a thing." He lunged toward her, and she quickly slammed the door shut. "You should have waited for me to reach you! By Allah, I wouldn't mind stripping down to fight you, even if it means grabbing you by the collar!" "Well, welcome back, okay? I've been hearing your voice from upstairs for a while now," Hajiya Nuratu said as she descended the stairs, with the Alhaji following behind her. He began scratching his head, then batted his eyelashes dramatically. "It's Nuratu, she's being completely disrespectful to me. By Allah, she's pushed me to my limit, let's just settle this." He finished by glaring at her bedroom door and scoffing. "Well, you are the one who doesn't maintain your dignity sometimes; you're always provoking her," Daddy said as he headed toward the dining table. "Call her to come out so we can eat," he added. "No, Daddy, I have to shower first. Look at me, I just walked into the house and I smell entirely of the harsh sun," he said, shaking his two middle fingers pressed together. He then turned and headed toward his room, swaying his hips. "May Allah guide us," Mamy said. "Amen indeed. Call her on the phone to come out so we can start eating, because we aren't going to wait for him," Daddy said. "Exactly, because by the time he finishes all his primping and preening to come out, it will take a whole hour," Mamy said, pulling out her phone to call Nuratu...! Please comment and share [6/23, 7:16 PM] HILFAT: WOMEN OF WORDS Writers Association (WOW) TURMIN DANYA BY FATIMA UMAR KAS HILFAT (2) He sat on a chair, resting his head against its back, his hands resting along the armrests. His eyes were closed so tightly that one would assume he was asleep, until you noticed the constant tapping of his foot, confirming he was wide awake. He was a powerfully built man with a warrior's physique, likely around thirty-eight years old. He had a slightly light complexion, his lips were dark, and the hair on his head was completely disheveled like a vulture's nest. The young men standing before him adjusted their stance, keeping their heads lowered. They were exhausted from standing, but they dared not leave until he gave the word of his own volition, for they always followed only his commands. Slowly, he opened his bloodshot, bleary eyes and settled his gaze upon them. He then opened a pack of cigarettes, pulled one out, lit it, and began inhaling, blowing out the smoke. After taking five drags, he threw it to the ground and stomped on it with his massive boot, crushing the cigarette. Like someone who loathed speaking, he began, "Are you telling me they still haven't brought the ransom money for those children? What are they waiting for? Have they been told we have time to waste?" "They are simply playing with our intelligence, Gadanga. Let's just send the children to the afterlife and send them their corpses since that's what they've chosen," Goje said, gritting his teeth with the hardened demeanor of a seasoned thug. "If it were up to me, we would have finished them off after three days, since the parents have the ransom money but love their wealth more than the lives of their children," Maiyagi said, panting with anger. He fell silent again, lowering his head. He took at least ten minutes before raising his eyes to look at them and said, "Give them until tomorrow. Today, we will pressure them. Send them audio clips of the children's voices and emphasize to them that we will kill them by tomorrow if they don't pay the amount we demanded." "Consider it done, war captain," Goje said. "You may leave," he said as if reluctant to speak, returning to his initial posture with his eyes closed and his foot tapping. Just as they turned to leave, a young man entered the room with a greeting. From his appearance, he clearly belonged to the local street thugs, judging by his outfit, his haircut, and his darkened lips. "Boss, greetings," he simply raised a hand to acknowledge him. "Greetings, business partners," he said to the others. "Welcome, brother. Is there any news?" Maiyagi asked him. "Hot news, in fact. This time, there will be a massive profit if everything goes smoothly." "Hurry up and tell us, you can sit down," Goje said. He settled down properly before he began speaking. "There is a girl I found for you. She's a young woman, probably not older than twenty-five. Her father is incredibly wealthy—it's said he doesn't even know the extent of his own wealth. His name is Alhaji Tahir Mai Nasara. They live right behind our street. The girl's father loves her dearly; she is completely pampered and has never lacked for anything she desires. Though she has a brother—making them only two children—if we use her, we can bleed him dry exactly as we want. Right now, he is in town, so everything will go perfectly." "Where is the neighborhood? Give us the exact address," Goje said. "Well, as I said, it's right behind our house. I will give you the full directions and send it to you as usual. The girl goes out to work because she is a journalist." "A journalist?" Only then did he speak, opening his eyes. "Yes, she works at a media house, and I know the days she goes out and the times she returns. Furthermore, I advise you to demand a massive amount of money because I am certain her father will pay whatever you ask." "Very well, excellent work, brother. Go on, we will talk. Next, observe carefully and be very cautious. In your position as our informer, do not leave any opening that could expose you." "I will never let myself be caught. Or have you forgotten my nickname? I am called Dila (The Fox), and a fox is known for its cunning. I'll leave you in peace, and I hope my share will be special too." "You won't have any problem." "Thank you." With that, he bade them farewell and left. Alhaji Ubale Lamido sat in his massive office, filling out some documents. He was a well-built, tall man, seemingly in his late fifties. His phone began to ring. He glanced at the phone, his eyes freezing on the screen upon seeing the name flashing across it. He put down his work and picked up the phone, pressing it to his ear. "Aliyu, what's the situation?" After picking up the phone, the voice from the other side couldn't be heard, but he continued, "Ok, well, if it's operational equipment, you have no problem with that. It will be delivered to you in two days. Keep watching. Alright, then." With that, he hung up the phone. He then searched for another number and dialed. When it was picked up, he said, "The stock in those boys' hands is running low. What's the status of the goods that were brought in? Did they clear successfully?" He fell silent, listening to the response, then added, "Good, make an effort, please. I don't want any hitches, and my name must not be involved. Alright, I'll await your update." They said their goodbyes, and he hung up the phone, adjusting his glasses before returning to his work. At around four in the afternoon, he emerged from his room after locking it and walked into the living room. There, he found Hajiya Iyami sitting and making a phone call. He waited until she finished before leaning his head, "Well, Mamy, may Allah grant us a safe outing." "Alright, Nura, may Allah protect you. Please don't stay out too long, come back early." "Oh, Mamy, what kind of talk is that? I told you it's just a celebration I'm attending and then I'll be back. I'm only going so he doesn't say I stood him up since I promised him, and you know he is a very special friend." "Alright, I hear you, master of chatter. You start talking like an unripened ebony fruit." Just as he was about to speak, Nuratu said her greetings and walked into the living room. She slumped onto a sofa, removing her headwrap and placing it on the chair. "Hello, Mamy," she said exhaustedly. "Welcome back, Nuratu. How was work?" "Alhamdulillah, you see me here completely worn out," she finished, closing her eyes. "The body is completely exhausted," they heard his voice interject. He unzipped his handbag, pulled out a compact powder and mirror, and took the powder puff to touch up his face. "Brother, where are you off to again?" she asked. "None of your business! I don't like prying and unsolicited interference." "May Allah grant you patience, it was just a question?" "Keep your patience, it might be useful to you someday." "He was invited to a reception, that's where he's going," their Mamy answered her. "Mamy, at this time of the evening?" "None of your business, you hypocrite!" he said, delivering a sharp rap to her head with his knuckles, which were adorned with rings. "Ouch, my head!" she cried out loudly, clutching her head as tears welled up in her eyes because the blow had really hurt. "You better watch it, Nura! You're going to crack her head with those heavy rings on your hand. Get out of my sight right now, or by Allah, I will forbid you from leaving!" "Oh, my Mamy, the blessed one with a pure heart, let's not be like this. It's the girl who keeps poking her nose into my business, that's why I checked her. Uhmmm, see you later, I leave you in peace." He bowed before her dramatically with an effeminate flourish, then turned to leave. "Hey, didn't I forbid you from going out with that headwrap? Come back and take it off." "Oh, sister! Come on, my sister! You completely forbade me from wearing a wrapper, despite how much I longed for it, and I let it go. Now you're going to forbid me from wearing a scarf too? Should I just walk around completely naked? All my girlfriends walk around fully styled. You know a woman, wherever she is, is known for covering her bo...!" "Just go, please, I've heard enough, go! Today I'm a sister now? May Allah guide you," she said out of sheer frustration. "Amen, Mamy, thank you." He turned and strutged out, swaying his hips. Mamy let out a sigh, watching him leave while shaking her head. As soon as he went outside, he headed to the parking space, but he didn't see his driver. "Hey, where is Yawale?" he asked the security guard. "He went to the restroom, your highness," the guard replied. He shot him a piercing look, narrowing his eyes, "Didn't I forbid you from grouping me with your gender? What kind of stubborn person are you? If you won't respect me and call me 'her highness,' then just leave it alone. But do not ever group me with men again; remove me from the male gender and place me among my fellow women, understood?!" He finished his speech by batting his eyes and slapping his thigh, then headed toward the exit gate. "I can't wait for him. Right now he is defecating, and his stool takes forever like glue, he won't be out until after sunset. As for me, I'm in a hurry, I'll take a tricycle (Napep)." Without waiting for the guard's reply, he walked out of the house with his characteristic swaying stride. The security guard laughed, then sat back down, shaking his head. Reaching the main road, he stood waiting for a tricycle. Soon, one approached, and he hailed it. Inside sat a young woman and a young man. Since the young man was sitting further inside, she stepped out so they could adjust. "You could have just stayed seated, sister." "No, you're the one who should enter and join him, then I will sit on the edge." He opened his mouth to argue, but then grabbed the handrail, climbed in, and sat down. She climbed back in, and the driver took off. Even so, he still couldn't hold back his thoughts, "But my sister, I didn't appreciate that. This didn't sit well with me at all. All at once, you removed me from among your rank and grouped me among them! You need to change your attitude, you're going to someone's house eventually." Astonished, she could only gape at him, staring blankly. The man sitting next to him also turned around and stared at him intensely. "Look, mister, please look ahead and don't stare at me like you want to swallow me whole! And adjust your sitting, I see you are squeezing against me. If you dare touch me, by the Qur'an, you will pay for it...!"
The water they splashed on her body caused her to wake up in a panic, drawing a massive, ragged breath. Immediately, her body began to shake violently like a spinning bobbin, both due to the agonizingly cold water and the enveloping darkness. She tried to stand up but found she couldn't budge even an inch; she couldn't move so much as a finger because of the tight, restrictive binding securing her to the chair she sat on. She struggled and squirmed, but it was completely in vain. Only then did she begin to take in her surroundings, her eyes eventually landing on the hulking men standing rigidly over her, staring down at her. Their faces were entirely contorted in grim, ominous scowls, devoid of even a single drop of mercy.
It was only then that her brain began to piece together, step-by-step, the reason for her presence there. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly. 'Indeed, I knew all along that things had gone awry, but I made a promise to myself. No matter the hardship, no matter the trouble, I will stand firm as an immovable anvil on this path I've set out on to achieve my goal, even if they tear the flesh from my body,' she resolved in her heart.
The sudden, violent ripping of the black tape covering her mouth snapped her out of her brief reflection. She let out a small cry of pain, for they had not been gentle. "Hurry up and give us all the information and evidence you've gathered, otherwise, your afterlife will be far more pleasant than what awaits you here," the leader said, his face completely devoid of any playfulness. She gave him a piercing look before opening her mouth to say, "I don't understand what you are talking about."
He didn't answer her but glanced at the man next to him. Before she could react, she felt him grab her hair tightly before using his strength to begin striking her mouth. The agony made her close her eyes as she tried to break free, but she couldn't; she felt as if she were no longer in this world. To her, it felt as though her mouth didn't even belong to her body. Immediately, her head began to spin, and blood had already completely soaked the front of the cream-colored maxi dress she was wearing.
"You still don't understand what I'm talking about, right? This is beyond your imagination. Who are you working with to unearth the secrets we spent so much time burying deep in the earth? I assure you that you will deeply regret this. For this is a needle that will unearth a plow; you are about to stab yourself with your own knife. Just like the chicken that scratches the ground only to unearth the knife meant for its own slaughter."
With her breath coming with great difficulty, she tried to speak, "Even if you kill me, I will never give you the information I spent such a long time gathering. I am no coward to be intimidated by your threats. Furthermore, I am working entirely alone without anyone's help. My job is one where I've put my life on the line; I have accepted whether I live or die just to bring an end to the crisis plaguing the people of my country."
"Hahhhhh, you haven't been beaten enough yet. Once you taste real pain, you'll speak," he said again. She didn't realize he had stepped right up to her until she felt her face being forced upward, her mouth pried open by brute force. He held a strange metal instrument in his hand and thrust it into her mouth. She felt him trying to wrench a tooth out. From the nerves of her eyes down to her head, the agony reverberated, causing her entire body to shake violently. Feeling the tooth being ripped from her mouth caused her hearing and sight to instantly black out, and from that moment, she lost all consciousness of the world around her.
She sat with papers spread out before her, reviewing them one by one. She pulled a notebook she was writing in closer, aligned it with one of the documents, and began gathering the papers. She returned them to where she had taken them out and then focused on copying the writing from the document into the notebook.
Hearing the sound of someone entering, she looked toward the doorway. She stood up quickly, putting down what was in her hands, and hurried toward him, hugging him tightly in sheer delight at seeing him. "Welcome back, my Daddy."
He also let out a smile, patting her head before saying, "Welcome, Daddy’s girl. Still hard at work, I see?" He finished with a smile, and she simply smiled back without saying anything.
"Well, may God grant you success."
"Amen, my Daddy."
"Where is your Mamy? I haven't heard her voice," he said, peering at her face. Releasing him, she turned around and pointed her hand toward the stairs. He looked in that direction and his eyes locked right onto her, standing on the second-to-last step of the staircase with her arms crossed over her chest, smiling as well.
"Oh, wow, I didn't even hear you coming down, let alone see you," he said as he walked further into the living room and embraced her close to him. She finished stepping down, sat down, and said, "Oh, please, Alhaji, whenever you're with Nuratu, you become completely oblivious to everything else."
He smiled before saying, "Are you blaming me, Iyami? She is the mother of the household, after all. Isn't that right, my girl?" She simply lowered her head, continuing to smile.
"Alhaji, dinner first or a shower?" Hajiya Iyami asked, looking at him. "No, a shower first. After I'm done, we'll eat. Where is that boy, Nura? Hasn't he come in yet?" the Alhaji asked. "He hasn't come in yet, but wherever he is, he must be on his way by now since it's already sunset," she replied. He didn't say anything further, stood up, and went upstairs, with her following closely behind him. Nuratu returned to her work, when suddenly she heard his voice approaching the living room as he sang: "You know the cunning tricks to play on your boyfriend or groom so that when he asks for anything, he gives it to you completely... (A verse from Ado Gwanja's song 'Warrr')"
"Oh great, God brought him back. Now he's going to come and annoy me," she said aloud, just as he sauntered into the living room, walking with an exaggerated, effeminate sway. "What are you saying?" he asked, putting his hands on his hips. He was a young man of at least twenty-seven years old. He was tall and slender, his face heavily made up with makeup covering small pimples, and he bore a striking resemblance to Nuratu. He wore a white jellabiya and had a scarf tied around his head like a woman's headwrap.
"I didn't say anything," she said, pouting. "You're lying, you said something, and I can tell you were gossiping about me. You're always doing that! By Allah, you better watch it before I unleash a storm on you." He finished by pushing the headwrap on his head forward onto his forehead, then walked forward, deliberately kicking and scattering her papers, stepping over them as he went inside.
Filled with frustration, she watched him walk away as he sat on a sofa. "Are you trying to get me beaten?" he added, shaking his leg. She ignored him and began gathering the papers. He hissed before adding, "That's always your job, every day the same thing. Don't you ever get tired? From one thing straight to the next. Go ahead, blow your brains out over useless work. By Allah, you'll age prematurely burdening yourself with all this work. As for me, none of it concerns me."
He said all of this in a heavily effeminate, 'yan daudu manner, exaggerating his voice so much that it sounded entirely like a woman's. He spoke while loudly snapping and chewing gum. Once she finished gathering her papers, she headed toward her room. Just before stepping inside, she popped her head back out and said, "By Allah, I am a thousand times better off than you. Allah created a person biologically as a man, and then he forcefully tries to turn himself into a woman. What a shame! After all, you can never change the true nature of a thing." He lunged toward her, and she quickly slammed the door shut.
"You should have waited for me to reach you! By Allah, I wouldn't mind stripping down to fight you, even if it means grabbing you by the collar!"
"Well, welcome back, okay? I've been hearing your voice from upstairs for a while now," Hajiya Nuratu said as she descended the stairs, with the Alhaji following behind her. He began scratching his head, then batted his eyelashes dramatically. "It's Nuratu, she's being completely disrespectful to me. By Allah, she's pushed me to my limit, let's just settle this." He finished by glaring at her bedroom door and scoffing.
"Well, you are the one who doesn't maintain your dignity sometimes; you're always provoking her," Daddy said as he headed toward the dining table. "Call her to come out so we can eat," he added. "No, Daddy, I have to shower first. Look at me, I just walked into the house and I smell entirely of the harsh sun," he said, shaking his two middle fingers pressed together. He then turned and headed toward his room, swaying his hips. "May Allah guide us," Mamy said. "Amen indeed. Call her on the phone to come out so we can start eating, because we aren't going to wait for him," Daddy said. "Exactly, because by the time he finishes all his primping and preening to come out, it will take a whole hour," Mamy said, pulling out her phone to call Nuratu...!
Please comment and share
[6/23, 7:16 PM]
HILFAT: WOMEN OF WORDSWriters Association
(WOW)
TURMIN DANYA
BY
FATIMA UMAR KAS
HILFAT
(2)
He sat on a chair, resting his head against its back, his hands resting along the armrests. His eyes were closed so tightly that one would assume he was asleep, until you noticed the constant tapping of his foot, confirming he was wide awake. He was a powerfully built man with a warrior's physique, likely around thirty-eight years old. He had a slightly light complexion, his lips were dark, and the hair on his head was completely disheveled like a vulture's nest.
The young men standing before him adjusted their stance, keeping their heads lowered. They were exhausted from standing, but they dared not leave until he gave the word of his own volition, for they always followed only his commands.
Slowly, he opened his bloodshot, bleary eyes and settled his gaze upon them. He then opened a pack of cigarettes, pulled one out, lit it, and began inhaling, blowing out the smoke. After taking five drags, he threw it to the ground and stomped on it with his massive boot, crushing the cigarette. Like someone who loathed speaking, he began, "Are you telling me they still haven't brought the ransom money for those children? What are they waiting for? Have they been told we have time to waste?"
"They are simply playing with our intelligence, Gadanga. Let's just send the children to the afterlife and send them their corpses since that's what they've chosen," Goje said, gritting his teeth with the hardened demeanor of a seasoned thug. "If it were up to me, we would have finished them off after three days, since the parents have the ransom money but love their wealth more than the lives of their children," Maiyagi said, panting with anger.
He fell silent again, lowering his head. He took at least ten minutes before raising his eyes to look at them and said, "Give them until tomorrow. Today, we will pressure them. Send them audio clips of the children's voices and emphasize to them that we will kill them by tomorrow if they don't pay the amount we demanded."
"Consider it done, war captain," Goje said. "You may leave," he said as if reluctant to speak, returning to his initial posture with his eyes closed and his foot tapping. Just as they turned to leave, a young man entered the room with a greeting. From his appearance, he clearly belonged to the local street thugs, judging by his outfit, his haircut, and his darkened lips.
"Boss, greetings," he simply raised a hand to acknowledge him. "Greetings, business partners," he said to the others. "Welcome, brother. Is there any news?" Maiyagi asked him. "Hot news, in fact. This time, there will be a massive profit if everything goes smoothly." "Hurry up and tell us, you can sit down," Goje said. He settled down properly before he began speaking. "There is a girl I found for you. She's a young woman, probably not older than twenty-five. Her father is incredibly wealthy—it's said he doesn't even know the extent of his own wealth. His name is Alhaji Tahir Mai Nasara. They live right behind our street. The girl's father loves her dearly; she is completely pampered and has never lacked for anything she desires. Though she has a brother—making them only two children—if we use her, we can bleed him dry exactly as we want. Right now, he is in town, so everything will go perfectly."
"Where is the neighborhood? Give us the exact address," Goje said. "Well, as I said, it's right behind our house. I will give you the full directions and send it to you as usual. The girl goes out to work because she is a journalist."
"A journalist?" Only then did he speak, opening his eyes. "Yes, she works at a media house, and I know the days she goes out and the times she returns. Furthermore, I advise you to demand a massive amount of money because I am certain her father will pay whatever you ask."
"Very well, excellent work, brother. Go on, we will talk. Next, observe carefully and be very cautious. In your position as our informer, do not leave any opening that could expose you."
"I will never let myself be caught. Or have you forgotten my nickname? I am called Dila (The Fox), and a fox is known for its cunning. I'll leave you in peace, and I hope my share will be special too." "You won't have any problem." "Thank you." With that, he bade them farewell and left.
Alhaji Ubale Lamido sat in his massive office, filling out some documents. He was a well-built, tall man, seemingly in his late fifties. His phone began to ring. He glanced at the phone, his eyes freezing on the screen upon seeing the name flashing across it. He put down his work and picked up the phone, pressing it to his ear. "Aliyu, what's the situation?" After picking up the phone, the voice from the other side couldn't be heard, but he continued, "Ok, well, if it's operational equipment, you have no problem with that. It will be delivered to you in two days. Keep watching. Alright, then." With that, he hung up the phone.
He then searched for another number and dialed. When it was picked up, he said, "The stock in those boys' hands is running low. What's the status of the goods that were brought in? Did they clear successfully?" He fell silent, listening to the response, then added, "Good, make an effort, please. I don't want any hitches, and my name must not be involved. Alright, I'll await your update." They said their goodbyes, and he hung up the phone, adjusting his glasses before returning to his work.
At around four in the afternoon, he emerged from his room after locking it and walked into the living room. There, he found Hajiya Iyami sitting and making a phone call. He waited until she finished before leaning his head, "Well, Mamy, may Allah grant us a safe outing."
"Alright, Nura, may Allah protect you. Please don't stay out too long, come back early."
"Oh, Mamy, what kind of talk is that? I told you it's just a celebration I'm attending and then I'll be back. I'm only going so he doesn't say I stood him up since I promised him, and you know he is a very special friend."
"Alright, I hear you, master of chatter. You start talking like an unripened ebony fruit." Just as he was about to speak, Nuratu said her greetings and walked into the living room. She slumped onto a sofa, removing her headwrap and placing it on the chair. "Hello, Mamy," she said exhaustedly. "Welcome back, Nuratu. How was work?"
"Alhamdulillah, you see me here completely worn out," she finished, closing her eyes.
"The body is completely exhausted," they heard his voice interject. He unzipped his handbag, pulled out a compact powder and mirror, and took the powder puff to touch up his face. "Brother, where are you off to again?" she asked. "None of your business! I don't like prying and unsolicited interference."
"May Allah grant you patience, it was just a question?"
"Keep your patience, it might be useful to you someday."
"He was invited to a reception, that's where he's going," their Mamy answered her. "Mamy, at this time of the evening?"
"None of your business, you hypocrite!" he said, delivering a sharp rap to her head with his knuckles, which were adorned with rings.
"Ouch, my head!" she cried out loudly, clutching her head as tears welled up in her eyes because the blow had really hurt.
"You better watch it, Nura! You're going to crack her head with those heavy rings on your hand. Get out of my sight right now, or by Allah, I will forbid you from leaving!"
"Oh, my Mamy, the blessed one with a pure heart, let's not be like this. It's the girl who keeps poking her nose into my business, that's why I checked her. Uhmmm, see you later, I leave you in peace." He bowed before her dramatically with an effeminate flourish, then turned to leave.
"Hey, didn't I forbid you from going out with that headwrap? Come back and take it off."
"Oh, sister! Come on, my sister! You completely forbade me from wearing a wrapper, despite how much I longed for it, and I let it go. Now you're going to forbid me from wearing a scarf too? Should I just walk around completely naked? All my girlfriends walk around fully styled. You know a woman, wherever she is, is known for covering her bo...!"
"Just go, please, I've heard enough, go! Today I'm a sister now? May Allah guide you," she said out of sheer frustration.
"Amen, Mamy, thank you." He turned and strutged out, swaying his hips. Mamy let out a sigh, watching him leave while shaking her head.
As soon as he went outside, he headed to the parking space, but he didn't see his driver. "Hey, where is Yawale?" he asked the security guard. "He went to the restroom, your highness," the guard replied. He shot him a piercing look, narrowing his eyes, "Didn't I forbid you from grouping me with your gender? What kind of stubborn person are you? If you won't respect me and call me 'her highness,' then just leave it alone. But do not ever group me with men again; remove me from the male gender and place me among my fellow women, understood?!"
He finished his speech by batting his eyes and slapping his thigh, then headed toward the exit gate. "I can't wait for him. Right now he is defecating, and his stool takes forever like glue, he won't be out until after sunset. As for me, I'm in a hurry, I'll take a tricycle (Napep)."
Without waiting for the guard's reply, he walked out of the house with his characteristic swaying stride. The security guard laughed, then sat back down, shaking his head.
Reaching the main road, he stood waiting for a tricycle. Soon, one approached, and he hailed it. Inside sat a young woman and a young man. Since the young man was sitting further inside, she stepped out so they could adjust. "You could have just stayed seated, sister."
"No, you're the one who should enter and join him, then I will sit on the edge."
He opened his mouth to argue, but then grabbed the handrail, climbed in, and sat down. She climbed back in, and the driver took off. Even so, he still couldn't hold back his thoughts, "But my sister, I didn't appreciate that. This didn't sit well with me at all. All at once, you removed me from among your rank and grouped me among them! You need to change your attitude, you're going to someone's house eventually."
Astonished, she could only gape at him, staring blankly. The man sitting next to him also turned around and stared at him intensely. "Look, mister, please look ahead and don't stare at me like you want to swallow me whole! And adjust your sitting, I see you are squeezing against me. If you dare touch me, by the Qur'an, you will pay for it...!"