From The Eyes Of A Spinster - Episode 1

 

2nd May 2006

Ten years later, Abuja. Nigeria.

"Ga Aljanin nan zuwa (the jinn is coming)" safina whispered into the ears of her sleeping sister sakina "Get up quickly kis kis, you haven't prayed and he's going to take you away" she added.

Sakinah yelped and jumped up, it was already past 11pm and it had rained heavily that day which make it possible for everywhere to be dark.

Safina and Nafisa laughed seeing the scared expression on their sister's face.

"Where is the jinn? Please tell it to go back I'll pray" sakinah said trembling.

"Well, you're praying isha very late, so it'll come over and punish you" Nafisa said smiling evily.

"No!" Sakina shouted in her high pitched voice. Mama rabi quickly rushed into their room to find out what is happening.

"What's wrong sakinah?" She asked hugging her.

"Nafisa and safina said a jinn is coming to punish me for praying late."

"Shhhh" mama rabi shushed her . "Its okay dear, it won't be coming. Now, all you have to do is stand up and pray, but always pray on time okay?."

"Okay mama. Thank you." She came down from the bed and walked to the toilet leaving her sisters hiding behind their large bed.

"Now! Come out here girls" mama said in a serious tone.

Nafisa was the first to come out followed by Safina

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/from-the-eyes-of-a-spinster

. They looked guilty.

"Why were you trying to scare your sister?"

"She didn't pray on time, we were only trying to scare her so that She wouldn't repeat it again". Nafisa answered.

"You shouldn't do it that way ever again. You know she's afraid of jinns and you still used it to scare her" mama Rabi scold them both.

"Wasn't that the idea? To scare her?" Safina said rolling her eyes. She happens to be the only one who wasn't scared of mama Rabi.

"We are sorry" Nafisa apologized nudging Safina to do the same.

"Sorry" Safina said curtly. 

"You should apologize to your sister not me" Mama rabi said pointing at Sakinah who just came out of the bathroom.

"We are sorry sister". They said in unison. Nafisa was fiddling with her fingers, guilt eating her up. "Safina brought up the idea, am so sorry if i scared you sis. Forgive me" Nafisa added.

"Its okay . Let me pray before the jinn really comes". And they both hugged her before she took her hijab and got ready to pray.

"Now, that's the spirit girls. As soon as she's done praying, switch off the lights and get into bed. Have a sweet night's rest and don't forget to say your Azkar before sleeping okay?".

"Yes mama" Nafisa and Safina answered since sakinah was still praying.

They were the only ones at home with their step mom. Alhaji Bello and his first wife Hajiya Siyamah were out of the country on a trip to China.

As soon as sakinah finished praying, she quickly changed into her P.Js and slid to her own side of the bed. Her sisters where already in bed and were  saying their azkar. Sakinah  said hers before wishing her sisters goodnight and closing her eyes. Only to open them ten minutes later with shock.

"Naf naf" she whispered through the dark "Are you asleep already?" She added.

"Mmmmnn, no. Are you okay?" Nafisa asked.

"When i closed my eyes, i imagined myself in a grave and it got me thinking, will i die a muslim and enter jannah?"

This is something Sakinah goes through some nights. Insecurities. She'd  feel like someone was watching her or she'll just remember that one day She'll die and she wasn't  sure if She'll be in Jannah. Or She'll just look at herself, how she walks, talks and eats. Speaks to people and even laugh or cry. And then she'll wonder how a clay made her up into what she is today. Or how trees grow and how animals walk up and down without talking. Or how we all are human beings but speak different language and have different body colour. And just like that, a new weird feeling, morelike fear of Allah the more (Imaan) increase in her heart.

Nafisa cleared her throat in an uncomfortable silence before replying her sister.

"Just go to bed kis kis, you're making me scared all of the sudden. Please, sleep".

"I was just wondering, i mean mama is fair and umma is dark in complexion and they are both Hausa. Look at how we eat and then pour out waste (excrete) from our body. Hmmmn! Allah mai iko!"

She lay back on her bed and draw her quilt over her. "Good night sister".

"Night. And don't forget to recite the new prayer Malam Harun taught us today". Nafisa said.

*

"Do we have to go to school everyday?" Safina whined as mama rabi dressed them up. It was a bright Thursday morning. A Thursday bound to change the life of one of the triplets!. "I don't Want to go, why can't i just stay at home and rest for a day?".

"Because you are starting your entrance examination into junior secondary next week, and revision is currently going on in school". Mama rabi answered.

"Aaahhhhggghh!" Nafisa said between gritted teeth "I hate going to school!".

"You still have to go my dear".

Mama Rabi was already heavy as she was pregnant with her first baby. All the same, she tried her possible best to look after the kids left under her Care. Nothing like her being jealous of their mother or something else.

The girls got ready, had their breakfast and moved out to the parking lot where Malam Habu was waiting for them.

"Goodbye mama" they all said hugging her. The drive to school was smooth with the girls talking about nothing but everything. As soon as they hopped out of their car and approached the school gate PINKY AND THE BRAIN. Nafisa shouted upon seeing another car parked beside theirs.

"Saf, Ahmad is here already. Today is our lucky day!'.

"Yes. He looks so cute this morning" sakinah said.

"If only he'll notice us for once and say hi, then I'll jump up and dance all day long". Safina said dreamily.

Funny how the three sisters where crushing on the same guy with same passion. They walked into their school still talking and Admiring Ahmad. Suddenly, they bumped into the most notorious girl in the whole of pinky. Amina.

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here? The famous triplets we have in the whole of pinky"

"What do you want again?" Nafisa asked in an unfriendly mannar.

"Just wanted to say hi, right girls?" She asked turning towards the girls behind her.

"Yeah, just to say hi" Fa'iza chirped in rolling her small eyes which made her look like a witch.

"I heard that they also like Ahmad" hafsah told the girls.

"Well, you girls better stop dreaming about him or I'll deal with you all the hard way!".

*

At 2:00pm, Habu took the kids back home. They were eager to see mama and then talk to their parents through phone. But to their utmost dismay, mama has travelled to keffi to handle some family issues and would be coming back later in the day, leaving them in Habeeb's care.

Three years after the birth of the triplets, Alhaji Bello took in a second wife, Mama Rabi. Habeeb, who Happened to be Alhaji sa'eed's son (Alhaji bello's elder brother) lives with them in Abuja. Both Alhaji Bello and Hajiya siyamah were from bichi, a local government in kano state while Mama Rabi was from keffi.

Alhaji Bello has only one brother who happens to be Alhaji sa'eed. Their father when they were in their early twenties leaving them with only their mom, Inna saude who lives in kano with Alhaji Sa'eed. The two brothers were entrepreneurs and business tycoons. Alhaji Sa'eed has seven children, five of which are boys and two girls. Yaya fatee and yaya kausar are all married and also live in kano. Yaya Usman, Yaya Sameer and Yaya Sageer are also married. Leaving Habeeb and Usama single and still searching.

Habeeb had been living with them right after the naming ceremony of the triplets. He's currently in his final year in Nile university.

They ate lunch in silence under the supervision of Yaya Habeeb, no fights no gossips. Sakinah was the first to leave the dining table only to be called back by Yaya Habeeb.

"Go in and get your school bag. Am giving you a two hours tutorial".

Sakinah was already shaking deep inside, she didn't like the idea of being tutored by him but there was nothing she can do about it.

Read " My Mistake " by the same author ( Murjanatu Alkali )

. She went into the room and got her school bag.

"You two should go in and have a nap while i tutor her. None of you, i repeat non of you should come out without being called, else you'll face the consequences". He warned in a serious tone.

"Okay yaya". They replied and ran to their room.

He took hold of Sakinah's hand and lef her outside to his  room. He locked the door behind them and told her to Sit on the bed. He stood by the door staring at her before he brought out a sharp object from his pocket and moved towards her.

"You know what this is right?" He asked, showing her the sharp knife he was holding. Sakinah swallowed so hard and nodded in response.

"Good, now am going to do something to you and if you ever try to tell anyone I'll cut off your head. Understood?"

Sakinah couldn't bring herself to even answer her. Tears were already rolling down her cheeks.

And yaya habeeb being the yaya Habeeb he is Fingered his sister!.

She whimpered in pain and cried slowly. Habeeb increased the pace enjoying her cries and sakinah felt like she'd die any moment from then.

The story of the triplet, first chappy down. Who likes it? Yeah, first chapters are always boring i know...but please bear with me.

More dramas ahead.
I'm so gonna love this.

With love

Mjay