Asma'u yawned; she nuzzled her pillow enjoying the mild humrah scent. She curled up into a ball, and slept off instantly. She's had a long day, after the shopping spree, Hajiya Ruqayya had taken her to a saloon. She watched in awe how the staffs had loosed the old braids; wash the hair before oiling and combing it. She knew she would have cried if she didn't have her silky hair gene. The unnecessary caressing of her scalp would have given her a migraine. Ahmed had left to run an errand leaving her with Hajiya Ruqayya who had busied herself with a fashion magazine. After four hours of combing, oiling, stretching and braiding, Asma'u's butt was numb, as she kept twitching and moving to flex her butt muscles at least.

"All done" the hair dresser said smiling at Asma'u. Asma'u took a look at the mirror, she gasps in amazement, and beautiful is an understatement to describe her hair. She could not believe this woman had been twisting and turning her braids in different directions. It looked like a spider web, well a beautiful spider web; it amazed her that the braids were so clean. She could see the white lines of her scalp. The last time her hair had relieved such treatment was in like never.

"MashaAllahu, it's amazing. You've outdone yourself Zainab" Hajiya Ruqayya said peering at Asma'u's happy expression, with a nagging feeling as to how such a beautiful innocent girl ended up in kirikiri.

"Can you braid the hanging braids? I don't want her hair dangling around" Hajiya Ruqayya said looking at the braids, resting on Asma'u's back. The popular shuku style did her justice.

"Okay ma" Zainab replied. She separated the tiny braids into three, and then she started braiding it to a big one. She used a band to hold the tip in place. Then she handed Asma'u a ribbon. Asma'u packed up the hair, slid the ribbon on it, before twisting her hand to tighten the hair. Then she folded the hair, securing it with the ribbon. Hajiya Ruqayya stared at the now short hair in satisfaction, before going to pay at the cashier's desk. She called Ahmed telling him to get them some snacks, so they'd eat before going home to eat a main dish. Asma'u and Hajiya Ruqayya munched on some delicious muffins and a bottle of fanta drink each. Ahmed was asking Asma'u questions, while she answers. On getting home, a hot plate of wheat meal and Egusi soup awaited them. After eating, Asma'u had prayed then slid into her bed.

She yawned again, staring at the ceiling, as she thought of her life in Kano. She sighed softly remembering the busy roads, and the distinct smell of the motor park, a mixture of petrol, sweat and food. She felt her head swell when she remembered her friend, Amina they used to call her. Amina had gone missing a week before she got dumped in Kirikiri. She closed her eyes forcefully trying to get rid of the bad memory from that night. She couldn't remember how she had slept off but, she had screamed so loudly. She trashed the bed as she screamed louder. Today's nightmare had been different; she didn't stab the buff man. He had been the one who stabbed her today; she had been the one jerking and vomiting blood, her eyes loosing their light.

"Mumina wake up" She heard a distant voice calling her. She wondered if it was the Angels. "Mumina! Mumina! Mumina!" The voice chanted lowly. She felt her throat constricting of pain, she couldn't breathe properly. She was dying. Her body jerked again making Hajiya Ruqayya burst into wails. Ahmed was sweating, he held her close to him, calling her. She bolted up with a sharp intake of air, her eyes flied open. She kept trying to regulate her breath but it came out in pants instead. She kept heaving, her eyes as wide as saucers as she tried taking in her environment. She kept moving her gaze from Ahmed to Hajiya Ruqayya. She was blank for a minute and they felt like strangers to her, it took a few seconds for her brain to register them as her saviors.

"Are you okay? Should we go to the hospital?" Hajiya Ruqayya asked no one in particular. For a moment there she believed Asma'u was dying, with the way she was jerking and trembling. Neither of them could sleep a wink, Asma'u had never had her nightmare scare her like this. She was sure she'd sleep like a log of wood because of the day's stress. The next morning, Hajiya Ruqayya kept following Asma'u with her eyes. She didn't want any strange thing happening to the poor girl. Ahmed on the other hand had gone to work. Even though he hadn't been able to take last night off his mind, he had to go to work. After eating breakfast on the dining table, Hajiya Ruqayya kept practicing how to ask Asma'u what her dream was all about. She needs to know if Asma'u had those kinds of dreams frequently. She needed to know what triggers the dreams. Asma'u had already evacuated the dining area to the kitchen to wash the plates.

"Mumina" Hajiya Ruqayya called waiting for her reply. She had been so engrossed in her thoughts; she didn't see where Asma'u had gone. She turned around as she kept calling Asma'u.

"In here!" Asma'u called out from the kitchen. Hajiya Ruqayya slowly headed to the kitchen, battling with words in her head. MamaNanah the help was no longer in the kitchen.

"Mumina. Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Hajiya Ruqayya asked. She noticed Asma'u's body go stiff for a moment. She was quick to shake her head indicating she didn't want to go to a hospital.

"Can you tell me what you were dreaming about?" Hajiya Ruqayya asked not hiding the fact that she needed to know what was wrong with Asma'u. Ofcourse she got nothing from Asma'u. She watched Asma'u doing the dishes gracefully. She watched the little girl's slender fingers going in and out of the bubbly water. Asma'u is 5ft6, fair and slim in a good way, her curves visible to the eyes. Her lips are so tiny in a good way. Asma'u is the definition of a beautiful person, everything about her moving with Grace. No wonder Ahmed picked interest in her, she stands out in a hundred groups of girls.

Asma'u on the other hand kept thinking why she had dreamt the dreadful dream. She remembered praying before going to bed. Her prayers were supposed to chase every demon away. After the dishes, she moved to the living room. A Hausa subtitled Indian movie was playing on the screen. Seeing she had no chores to do, she decided to watch it, halfway through the movie had she slept off. She was running as fast as she could, the buff man and some goons chasing her. She had slid into a motor park, hoping she could hide from them, but they followed her there. Her heart beat hammering really fast made her feel nauseous. If only she hadn't tried looking for Amina, maybe she would still be in Mallam's house sleeping peacefully.

"Better come out Yarinya. If we find you, we will kill you" the buff man said in a deep voice making her quickly hide behind a bus. Unknown to her, they shared separate routes, trying to get a hold of her. The buff man had seen her shadow. Maybe she should have just lain under a bus, but she was scared of dark, what if there's a dog under there?

She didn't know how he had located her, but someone grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth so she doesn't scream. He brought out a knife, threatening to slit her throat if didn't stop struggling. Asma'u was never the type to take orders. That was what landed her into this trouble and many other troubles in the past. She started wriggling, trying to get away by all means. She must have irritated him because he had stabbed her with the knife. She shrieked, tears blurring her vision. He pushed her away, making her fall on the ground. Smell of petrol, mixed with dirt and blood filled her nostrils. She tried breathing in, but ended up spurting blood from her mouth. She shuddered in fear, seeing how the buff man stared at her with no remorse.

"Mumina" A faint voice called out. She was still coughing and heaving when the voice became louder. "Mumina" This time it was louder. She jerked up breathing heavily. Hajiya Ruqayya, Bala and the gate man hovered above her head with concerned looks on their faces. She was still shuddering from how scary the dream was. It felt so real.

"We are going to the hospital right now" Hajiya Ruqayya said yanking her veil from the sofa. Bala had run outside, with the gate man who was prepared to open the gates. This wasn't normal. She was screaming and shaking in her sleep. If she was possessed by jinn, then she wouldn't have to be asleep for it to emerge. This is something else. Asma'u reluctantly slid on a grey long hijab. She knew no hospital could treat her. This is a matter she didn't want anyone to know about. They were already half way to the hospital by then.

"Smith&Sidi Health Centre" it read on the signboard by the clinic gate. Two friends decided to open up a clinic under their names. They had graduated from ABU Zaria back in the days with Alhaji Nasiru_Ahmed's father. Each one of the men had a child who studied the same course as them, working in the health centre today. It's more like a co-joined family business.

Hajiya Ruqayya had Dr Fredrick Smith as her and Ahmed's family doctor, while her co-wife had Sani Sidi as their own family doctor. She knew her husband kept tabs on them, which had been the reason she chose Fredrick, she could get him to help her without her husband's knowledge. He knew how to keep secrets and he knew when to interfere. They were issued an entry card by the gate, which they were expected to return when leaving. Bala parked the car at the parking lot. He attempted coming down from the car to get the door for Hajiya Ruqayya, but she stopped him. They got off the car and headed into the building. Hajiya Ruqayya in front with Asma'u trailing behind her, being a private clinic, it took less time to see a doctor. She noticed they had more staffs. The clinic looked much better than the last time she came.

"Hajiya Good evening" Doctor Fredrick greeted happily. The last time he saw her was during Christmas, when he drove his kids to her house to give her, her own Christmas food.

"Evening doctor" she greeted making herself comfortable on the chair. Asma'u murmured a greeting which the doctor answered peering at her. The longness of her hijab and her beauty in it bothers him. He's come across fair people, but this certain one is breathtaking. Others had black knuckles to show how they'd turn fair, her case is different. One look and you'll know she's naturally this fair.

"What can I do for you today?" He asked looking from Hajiya Ruqayya to Asma'u wondering why they were here.

"My baby here is having trouble sleeping well, I was hoping you'd check her" Hajiya replied not wanting to start explaining how she had found Asma'u.

He turned to Asma'u who sank further into her chair not liking how the attention was on her. "What's your name?" He asked seeing how terrified she looked.

"Asma'u" came her reply.

"What a beautiful name. How old are you Asma'u?" He asked again peering at her.

"21" she replied sinking further into the chair not liking his piercing gaze. He looked as if he would pounce on her for any mistake.

"Can you tell me about your dream Asma'u?" He asked. She became alarmed. He could see fear evident in her face. It's either the dream is too heinous or she's hiding something. He saw her hands trembling at the mention of the dream. She started crying loudly making Hajiya Ruqayya scared. Was Asma'u going crazy? She wasn't going to keep a crazy person in her house. Hajiya Ruqayya's eyes were as wide as saucers. "It's okay. Don't cry. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to" Dr Fredrick said handing her his tissue box. She handpicked a few, wiped her tears and blew her nose. "A problem shared, is a problem half solved. If you tell me what is bothering you, I might be able to help you and take away the bad dreams" he said slowly watching her relax a little bit.

"You can't take it away. Nobody can" she mumbled staring at the picture of his family on his table. They looked so happy. She used to be this happy in Gylbade with her family. She used to be happy with Amina in Kano. When Dr Fredrick noticed she wasn't going to open up to him, he sighed softly.

"Asma'u, can you give me a minute with Hajiya?" He asked. Asma'u nodded and stood up as if her pants are on fire. Hajiya Ruqayya watched how Asma'u quickly left the office. She breathed in deeply before turning her attention to Dr Fredrick. "Where did you get her from?" He was quick to ask. Hajiya Ruqayya kept mute much to his surprise. He didn't think she'd hide anything from him. They had all attended ABU Zaria. She was a junior student. They were there when she started dating her Nasiru. They were there when they got married. They were there when she gave birth to Ahmed. He's her confidante. She tells him everything. "It's okay of you don't want to tell me....."

"I got her from Kirikiri. Ahmed promised she was okay. He said he felt it in his heart that she's a good person. I can testify that she's good. It's just that, she's too quiet and has series of nightmares" Hajiya Ruqayya said all at once making Dr Fredrick smile.

"Have you told Nasiru?" He asked making her scoff. "I'll take that as a no then. Did she tell you how she got there?" He asked again. Hajiya Ruqayya shook her head, indicating it was a no. He sighed softly. She's always been a big softie. She relayed how they had found out she had no record and how they suspect her lack putting up a fight when she was dumped in Kirikiri had to do with her nightmares. She also told him that Asma'u had no idea that she has no record in kirirkiri.

"Wow! That's a lot. Are you sure you won't tell Nasiru. He might approve of her stay......"

"I told him she's a distant relative" Hajiya Ruqayya relayed making Dr Fredrick nod in understanding.

"You'll have to talk to Dr Zinat. I'll call her and inform her you'll be coming to see her. She'll crack her for you" he said scribbling down Dr Zinat's phone number on a paper.

"Isn't Zinat Sani's second wife?" She asked disapproval lacing her features. The last thing she needed was for Zinat to go blabbering her mouth.

"I know she's friends with your co-wife. But Allah she knows her work well. She's a professional" Dr Fredrick said with a serious expression. Hajiya Ruqayya refused to collect the paper he was passing to her.