Warden Adunni stood perplexed over the revelation she just got from Warden Taye. He is her Superior and is quite old. He chewed on his lips as he waited for her reaction.

"Where is he now?" She asked exasperatedly.

Warden Taye shrugged indicating he has no idea, after series and tons of questions and answers about where Asma'u's file might have been kept. She realized most of the wardens know nothing about how Asma'u had gotten there talk less of knowing where her file is. Warden Taye happened to be in the office when she had summoned some security guards who must have been in service for the last 10 years. They all claimed knowing nothing about how she was brought to the prison. Warden Taye had dispersed the security guards. Then he had informed her about a certain northerner_ warden Ibrahim who had brought Asma'u to kirikiri.

He further explained that Warden Ibrahim paid a sum of 50 thousand naira to him and security guard who is dead now, to give her uniform and a cell. He explained that Asma'u didn't argue or cry. She had obediently changed into the uniform and quietly got into the cell. As such, she has no paper work attached to her when she came.

"Why and when did he leave his job?" Warden Adunni asked frustratingly.

"He resigned two weeks after he brought her here. I believe he got enough money for bringing her here so he didn't need to work anymore" Warden Taye said enviously. Warden Adunni could not believe they brought someone's child here with no paper work whatsoever. That only meant Asma'u committed no offense. Her name is not even on the list of convicted felons.

"I am honestly disappointed in you. Because of ordinary 50 thousand naira, you deprived an innocent girl of her freedom for so long, how could you do this to her?" Warden Adunni said speaking Yoruba. He looked up at her angrily. How dare she judge him? A man got to do what to do to survive. The country is hard and she knows it.

"Wo! Adunni spare me all this your preaching. I've been working here for so long yet I do not own a car of my own. My salary is far less than yours because you have a better qualification than I do. I have a lot of children. Do you know how many people I owe money in a month? An opportunity like that comes but once. I seized it and paid my child's school fees. So just because some miserable girl who is probably a criminal rots her life away here doesn't mean I will put my life and my family's life on hold for her" Warden Taye said eyeing her wearily.

"Do you know what will happen if this gets out? That little money you get every month will be put on hold. And you might actually get convicted" Warden Adunni stated watching how he shifted uncomfortably. He regained his composure and shrugged his shoulder.

"My daughter is already in the university. I know my wife will be able to take care of her. Go ahead and report me, it will not bring back the years she's spent here" he replied stubbornly.  Warden Adunni shook her head in astonishment, how could a person do something so evil, yet be unapologetic about it.

"When was the last time you heard from him please?" She asked not wanting to argue further. He is unremorseful and there's absolutely nothing she could do about it.

"About 2 years ago. He said he is into fabric business, he goes to Kano, buy the cloths and bring them here.  I think he said something about oshodi fabrics market orile" Warden Taye explained.

She nodded.

"I suppose you do not have his phone number" she stated staring at him questioningly. Her behavior irked him and he started grumbling.

"If I had his phone number, do you think I will still be here. Wo! Adunni don't make me angry" he cautioned. She refused to answer him, avoiding another argument session. This information he has given her is enough to get to the bottom of this issue.

.........................

Asma'u giggled for the umpteenth time. She was reading one of the books she had gotten from Vivian the other day. Atimes she would get confused not knowing what some words meant, but that didn't make her falter. She stood her grounds and continues reading.

"I see this is your new hiding place" Cobra said sitting beside her. Asma'u shifted uncomfortably. The thing is Cobra has been here for quite long and she didn't make any friend whatsoever. It's disturbing that she's trying to make friends with Asma'u. Asma'u is scared she might play one of her dirty tricks on her. "I am not going to bite you. I am just trying to make a friend" Cobra stated the obvious seeing how uncomfortable she was making Asma'u.

"Why would you want to make friends with me? It's not like we are meeting for the first time. We've crossed paths time without number and you've never acknowledge me" Asma'u countered hoping to shoo Cobra away. She knew, she had to be guarded. Just because she lost a friend doesn't mean she'll dash to the opportunity of making a new one. Besides, Cobra had said not everyone close to you is in your best interest.

"I honestly don't know. I don't make friends that easily, and I decided to make one since my stay here is almost over" Cobra relayed smiling. Asma'u turned abruptly to her. This meant only two things, either her time is over or she knows she'll be lucky enough to be acquitted by the government. Either way, it's amazing news. Leaving this hell hole is a miracle. "O yeah, my time is over. I am getting my freedom" Cobra rapped laughing heartily. Asma'u couldn't contain her joy. She hugged Cobra. Cobra was taken aback by the sudden affection; she didn't think Asma'u would be this excited for her. She giggled like a school girl before pushing Asma'u off her with little or no effort. Asma'u had a big grin plastered on her face as she picked up her book and placed it on her laps. She had thrown it away while trying to hug Cobra. "You see the reason why I talk to you. You have a good heart, jubilating over another person's happiness is a virtue. Not everyone would be pleased knowing another person gained their freedom" Cobra said making Asma'u smile shyly.

She didn't know what came over her. Just the fact that someone was leaving gave a sense of joy and revelation that she wouldn't be staying here forever. It is refreshing, besides she could do with good news.

"How long have you been here?" Asma'u asked. Cobra has been here when she came.

"20 years" came cobra's reply. A gasp escaped Asma'u's mouth.  She couldn't believe it. What did she do? She thought staring at the bags under her eyes. "Advance fee fraud, forgery and police brutality and hostility" Cobra added shaking her head vigorously as if trying to get the image out of her head. "My husband and I were so poor, he has a secondary school certificate while I have a national diploma (ND). He did not have any skill. I told him time without number a skill is the only thing that would help us. No one will hire a person with a secondary school certificate. Nothing change because he didn't. One day he went to a company in search of work, he got the job of a gate man while I taught in a nursery school. His salary is ten thousand naira, while mine is eight thousand naira" Cobra said with a sad smile. Asma'u shook her head in pity. The money is too small. It won't feed them and cloth them, talk less of a shelter.

"I lost my job when I got pregnant with my twins. So, we had to rely on his ten thousand naira. We started having issues, sometimes he would beat me up, other times we'd get our clothes thrown out to the because of our rent. We were both frustrated and poor. No one would employ me. At the age of 20, I had nothing to show for myself. I got tired of the beatings and the frustration so I packed my things and went back to my parents in my village. They packed a whole lot food for me and sent me back. They were farmers you see. When I came back home, my husband apologized because we had what to eat at least" Cobra relayed with a smile. Those were the happiest days of her life. They had little but were very much contented.

Asma'u stared at her, if she had been twenty when she was pregnant with her twins meant she's more than forty now. She looked like a person in their late twenties. Her body structure and not being fed well for twenty years would make anyone look younger.

"Wow! I am sorry you had to go through all that" Asma'u stated feeling a wave of pity for the older woman.

"I am sorry for myself too. When I leave here, I will make the best of my freedom. When you get your freedom, make sure you do the same. How long do you have here?" She asked Asma'u whose throat suddenly felt constricted, no words would form. She wiped a tear from her cheeks and looked away quickly. "I am not forcing you to talk about it. With the way you're crying shows you weren't guilty as charged or you took the fall for someone. How long do you have here?" Cobra asked again not giving up. Asma'u shook her head slowly, making Cobra furrow her brows. "is it life imprisonment or on a death roll?" Cobra asked waiting to hear the worst. Asma'u shook her head indicating neither of the two was the case."What on Earth is the case then?" Cobra asked sighing dramatically.

………............

"She isn't opening up to anyone" Warden Adunni stated massaging her temples. Being on Asma'u's case was taking a toll on her. It baffled her that someone would be dumped in one of the worst prisons in Nigeria without any paperwork. Ahmed sighed softly.

"We need to get her out of there. With all indication that girl didn't do anything bad. There's no paper work from the court, absolutely nothing! She needs to be taken out of there the same way she was brought in" Moh stated with so much anger.

"She did do something, not to put on a fight after being brought here. She could have called someone's attention to it, but she didn't. It feels as if she believes, she's paying for her crime. The other day I asked Cobra to talk to her, she ended up walking away." Warden Adunni countered Moh's outburst. Ahmed and Moh had come to visit warden Adunni in her house during the weekend. She had called Ahmed to inform him what she got from Warden Taye. He promised to come see her during the weekend which he is.

"If she believes she's paying for a crime, then getting her out of here with an explanation about being innocent will only agitate her" Moh stated after a few minutes thought.

"What are you insinuating?" Ahmed asked staring at his friend.

"Initially the plan was to get her on the government's pardoned criminals, right?" Moh asked, which Ahmed and Adunni nodded simultaneously.

"How about we add her name to the list?" Moh advised. Both of them kept mute thinking about Moh's perfect plan. Get her out of the prison having her think the government has pardoned her is the best idea. Anything contrary to this idea would only cause an uproar from Asma’u. She will never ever agree to leave on her own terms.

………….........

Ahmed stopped at Domino's Pizza, he needed to compensate his mother for coming late. Even though he knew she's the type to cook dinner, he knew she wouldn't eat without him. A truce pizza is the answer. He called a classmate who is into cocktail drinks, gave his order and headed to get it. Thank God she lives along the way to his house. On getting home, Bala started unnecessary greetings seeing what he was carrying. He handed Bala a pizza for him to share with the gateman. When he got inside, his mother was seated in the living room watching news.

"Assaalamu Alaikum! Guess what I got for my favorite woman?" He chanted making sure to give her a breathtaking grin. She cocked a brown and waited for him to continue.

"I got you Pizza and Sarah's tantalizing cocktail!!" He whisper yell.

"Why are you just coming back now?" She asked without batting a lash. Ahmed looked up the wall clock. It's just five minutes to nine. He's almost thirty, yet he cannot even come back home when he likes. Not wanting to argue, he sighed softly plopping down the sofa. She even has a phone, she could have called him to know if he was okay or not!

"I went out with Moh" he replied. He placed the pizza on the side stool. The he dropped the well sealed cocktail beside it. The stool is quite wide you see.

"Wherever you go, you know you should be back by 8! I was worried. Besides I know you went to see that prison warden! Bala told me you've been sending him on errands to the prison. I was informed you're trying to get a girl out of there! Do you know what people jailed in kirikiri did for them to be put up there?!" His mother yelled.

"I was going to tell you when the time is right. It's not how it seems. This one is different, she didn't do anything.......

"Shut up! I don't want to hear a word of that girl or whoever she is. I forbid you to go back to that prison. How exactly did you even meet a person like that….” She stopped for some seconds. “Wait a minute! During your job interview, you said something about going to kirikiri! Was that where you saw her?" She asked eyeing her son wearily.

"Yes Ummi" he answered gritting his teeth. He clenched and unclenched his fist. How can his mother forbid his movement at his age? What a joke! For peace to reign he will not discuss this matter until she's calm enough to hear him out.

"It's my fault for not stopping you when you refused to work with your father, now this? A convict, how exactly do you want me to look at your father?” That did it because Ahmed picked up the cocktail and smashed it on the wall startling his mother. He's never behaved this way with her. He only does that with his father, not her!

"It's always about Baba! What will Baba say? What will Baba think? What will Baba do? I've had enough!" He yelled walking majestically to his room.