It's here.

***

Fatimah had grown an unbreakable shell. She learnt to be surreptitious from the outside world for the fear of stigmatization. Although before the court verdict, she had mentally prepared to face up whatever comes her way but still she was loosing her self-confidence demeanor.

It was a Monday morning when she heard the news of girl that died of the same tragedy that happened to her. It sailed her to deep thought. Was that how the culprits would be going scotfree while young girls die in silence? No one cares? Really? It made her reached a decision. She was going to fight for justice.

And then, she contacted Leek. They began to process things, gather all the evidences and sought for Inna's permission.

Inna declined their idea at first. She feared that her reputation would be crumbled and so many fingers would be pointed at her. Fatimah didn't care because she had been cicatrixed for a lifetime.

Fatimah made her understand that, all those would do nothing. Nothing would change except which Allah willed. Inna gave them the permission and it came out as a success.

Now as Fatimah sat on the cushion, being interviewed by the most populous radio station, she felt all her fears overlapped with victorious happiness.

"Miss Fatimah can you tell us how you feel right now?" Fatimah took a sharp breath.

"Alhamdulillah. For a cord of days before the court session began, I was afraid. Really afraid. But for now I'm as happy as a newborn baby. At least I have made a move in my life. The incident threw me into darkness upon darkness. After the verdict, all the dark boundaries broke. And I feel alive again. This add it up, I feel so fulfilled like never before."

"May Allah bless your life with more happiness." Fatimah mumbled an ameen.

"What can you say to the girls out there? With all the stigma, will you still advice them to stand up for themselves?" Fatimah kept quiet for a minute before she responded.

"Stigmatization is one of the things one won't want to face in life. But it all depends on the type of person you're. Before I reported, I knew the stigma was coming so I prepared for it. The thing is even if you decide to keep mute, you will still be wallowed in sadness. Keeping shut won't change anything. So I will advice they speak up." Fatimah didn't know if that really was an answer to the question.

"Despite knowing that Honourable Bala was an influential person in the society, a known politician, you still went ahead. Were you not scared that you may fail?" Fatimah clenched her eyes shut.

"I was scared to infinity. I prayed and prayed to Allah for help. I was pessimistic though. My gratitude goes to the judge because it's hard to find someone as honest as him now a days." The journalist nodded.

"That means you were dependent on Allah."

"He said whoever depends on Him, He will be sufficient for him." She added.

"So I have been talking with malama all the while." Fatimah laughed.

"I know you've received the news that Hon has died. How did you feel?"

"I was supposed to be happy but I wasn't. I felt for him, I wished I met him once again and tell him to repent. I don't know if he has done so or not. I have no gain to be happy of his death. Because, he's someone's father, someone's uncle, brother and so on. May his soul rest in peace." Fatimah finished with a mist on her eyes. She wondered how Muhseen was faring. She would have been happy of honourable Bala's death if only he died without being humiliated. But now, since he died after being humiliated, that had sufficed and erase the pain she felt.

"Ameen. Such a mellow heart you got there." Fatimah smiled.

"Thank you."

"Thank you for your time Fatimah. This is end of our interview. On behalf of the federal government and state government, I present this to you." Fatimah was handed a check. She didn't checked the amount but she knew she saw so many zeros.

"And also Barrister Nuraddeen Bashir has offered you the admission into any university of your choice. I mean he has offered to pay for your education till you finish."

"The radio station have this for you." Fatimah collected the bag he gave her and bursted into strings of cries. The overwhelming feeling in her heart escalated to a point she couldn't describe.

She continued sobbing until she was moved out by her sister Maimuna.

Outside the premises, she sat and cried until when she felt better. She rinsed her face and walked back to where her family awaited her.

Fatimah saw Barrister Nuraddeen clad in his beautiful outfit.

"Will you marry me Fatimah?" Her legs felt so jelly to carry her. Soagain, fresh tears began their way out of her eyes. Fatimah was crying because she can't say yes to him. Not after she has become a tainted celebrity. She wouldn't even dare start the love thing because she was almost certain it would end in tears. No one would love a de-dignified girl for themselves.

Barrister Nuraddeen had done a lot to her. He was the catalyst, coenzyme or whatever you decided to call it, to the reaction of her life. It would be ungrateful of her to say no to him.

What could she do? Marriage was the least on her to do list. Not because of anything but because she wasn't ready to dwell in another phase of sadness. She wasn't ready for it at all.

She needed a breath of freshy atmosphere for a while.

****

The forest was always quiet, carrying immeasurable mass of sadness. Several hard and gloomy faces were sleeping. It doesn't matter if it was day or night. Both were shrouded in darkness all the time. The inhabitant had accepted their fates and finally adjusted to their new home. Some had been there for months some even for a year.

Ghadbaan finished hearing the news on the radio and switched it off. An honest smile got smeared on his face but it only stopped by the left corner of his lips. It had been long since he heard something that made him happy as this.

He loved shooting people and stare as their souls thread away from their bodies. He loved the sight of blood gushing from veins uncontrollably.

But it doesn't make him happy. He only love doing the act.

He was the assistant to the new appointed leader of the Almujahidun. Sheikh Kabeer, the former leader had been killed in an ambush. Since being appointed, he became more merciless and crookier.

People around him had never seen smile hence why they named him ghadbaan. His face was always hard, brutal and cold. He had no mercy in him.

One of the girls that were abducted by them came to pass with a bleeding leg and she mistakenly stepped on his leg.

She took a deep breath knowing that it would be her last. No one dare approach him but now she stepped on him. She was already a rotten meat.

"Go." He said in a gruff voice that made all the hearts in their cages stopped beating. What happened to him today? Well, the girl must be really lucky. The other jihadists noticed the way he loved women but he never associated himself with them.

That's simply his nature that made them wonder if he was really human.

"Treat all wounded human being in this forest today. No beating, rape or shooting." He commanded and went back into his tent with that still look on his face. The day was a better day for him.

******

"Are you mad Noor?" Nuraddeen ducked his head low. He knew it was coming to this point. His mother will never allow him to marry Fatimah. Not even his mother, every mother would act that way at first but if luck happened, she might cool down. That, he wasn't sure of his mother.

"Mother, please listen to me." He pleaded with joined hands. He had zero hope but he couldn't help but try. Fatimah's case had done a lot to him. It had made him trust his affairs to Allah.

"Listen to what? Answer me first. Are you mad?" He shook his head sideways. He just wanted her to give him her attention. That was all he was asking for. He was a barrister; an attorney therefore he knew the ways to manipulate the thought in his mother's head. If only she would cooperate and listen for at least two minutes.

"Now I'm sure. Get this into your head. You're not going to marry that garbage. Okay?!" Her earrings dangled as she bawled. Nuraddeen watched her fair skin turned to red due to the way she was raging. She was proving harder than she was.

His eyes wandered in her eyes trying to make her understand. "Mother please give me a hearing ear. You will be convinced." Her bangles clung against each other whilst her leg shook from her sitting position.

"You're not marrying a low class. I was a governor's daughter. Your father was a governor. Of all this, you want to dilute my blood with penury huh? It's not happening." She shook her head in finality. Hajiya Ajidde was her name, a native of Maiduguri. She wasn't a tough woman but was really cautious of what will affect her reputation.

"Please don't do this to me mother. Please." His eyes were a shade of brownish red, ready to start crying. He was her last child. He can cry to blackmail her but that wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to change her view, in a way that it will remain instill to her memory for as long as she lives.

"I don't know where you got all these trait. I heard that your step sister initially loved a poor man but God saved her mother she married someone responsible. Now it's you Noor. Are you trying to disgrace me?" She began to clap her hands. She was Mimi's fathers' first wife. She had two children; Muhammad and Nuraddeen.

"Rest well mother." He exited the room not because he gave up. He needed some space to gather up his words and web them perfectly. At the veranda that will lead him out, he met his brother Muhammad coming in with his wife and son.

"Little man." He picked the boy and they went in chattering. When they went out for asr prayer, Nuraddeen stopped his brother. Perhaps Muhammad will help him sort everything out.

"I have some issues." He scratched his head.

"Don't tell me it's about that girl. It's the same news going all over. That you're in love with her. You know social media propaganda." His brother lamented.

"It's only their guess work. But truth is I have feelings for her.

"Don't even start it. An offal for you? No." Muhammad waved his hand in the air in disapproval.

"Brother listen."

"No." He shouted.

"Go and die!" Nuraddeen shouted back and they went separate ways.

*****

Sadiqu turned off the ignition and fixed his eyes on Leek. They had just went out for some shoppings here and there in virtue of the preparation of their wedding which was going to hold the next month.

"See you tomorrow wifey. Remind me where are we going tomorrow?" Sadiqu sighed. The wedding prep was draining all the energy in him. They were always enroute to places since the month began.

"We're going to shop for furniture."

"Can't you go alone?" He teased her.

"Perhaps Armaan should escort me." She rolled her eyes. Sadiqu held the steering wheel stronger. He hated this Armaan guy. He hated the way his name slips off Leek's tongue easily. He knew it was a joke but still he hated it.

"I don't want to hear this Armaan guy's name again. Ever." Leek blinked.

"Okay but don't you dare shout at me again." She was pissed too. It was obvious.

Sadiqu sighed. "You should have used a softer tune though. I'm your husband to be and you have to heed to my commands soon. I'm not trying to be bossy but please I don't want to hear any man's name again from you." Sadiqu smiled when he was done.

"Suit yourself." She rolled her eyeballs and stormed out.

Sadiqu followed her. "Leave me alone." She shouted as she leaves.

He gripped her wrist, pushed her into the car and locked the door.

"Steady your heartbeat first. You can't just walk past me like that. Where is the respect you had for me?" Sadiqu remained as calm as he could

"I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"You still didn't say anything. I just don't want to hear about him again. There was a thing you shared, he was a family friend. Well, it's all understandable. I know you were joking and I don't like it. Is that too much to ask wifey?" He stared at her.

"Okay. Just know Armaan is my friend and nothing will change. I shall call him whenever I wish and answer his call whenever I wish. We're only friends. Besties I mean. And also he helped in finding you a job. You have to res..." She talked with nonchalance before Sadiqu stopped her.

Albeit, She didn't do it to hurt him.

"Get out of my car Leek!" He unlocked the doors. So today it was Leek not wifey. Fine.

"I..am.."

"Get out!" Leek made a scowl on her face before she stormed out, banging the door of the car. With the same force being heard from the screeching of tires, Sadiqu drove away.

*****

Assalamu alaikum.

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