The Queens Vengance

Chapter 9. Rebirth

 A tapping on my feet woke me up turning from my curled position to stretch and pain shoots up my body I whimper at the burning sensation. Opening my eyes to find a pair of beautiful brown eyes that belonged to a small girl staring at me when she saw I was awake she smiled and before I could speak with her she ran away. I wanted to call her back but as I sat up pain made me rethink. I sat for a few minutes contemplating on what next to do, I tried standing up but when I moved my feet to the floor the pain was unbearable I sighed in anger, guess I will just sleep in today.

Not long after that and someone is nudging me again

" hmm, what?' I muttered eyes still close.

" we should be asking you that question ?" a dramatic Mariam says in a motherly tone while uncovering the sheets from my body. I did not want to stand up I did not want anyone to know what had happened.

" just leave me alone Mariam I am not in the mood" I say

and close my eyes there is silence for a bit before Zara speaks,

" are you ok Zainab?" she asks

concern laced in her voice while Mariam kept nudging me.

" I will be fine if you people just let me sleep," I say adding more tone to my voice,

" ah ok oh sorry madam we just came to check on you seeing as you didn't come for breakfast," Mariam says retreating.

I sigh" Look I'm sorry guys I'm just not feeling too well," I say opening my eyes to look at their faces they both had concern written on their faces but Zara looked at me with something more something I couldn't quite put a name to. Mariam puts a hand to check my body temperature

" but your temperature is normal" an incredulous Mariam says and this time it is Zara's turn to hiss. Looking at me she says

" don't mind her, just rest we will bring your lunch later" Zara says

and I thank her with a smile. They stayed with me for a bit and I had to pretend I had fallen asleep so they would leave me alone.

 I woke up a little later to find food placed by my bedside must have been Zara and Mariam I remember hearing them in my dream but I thought it was just a dream so they actually came. The tent was empty and I was alone or so I thought, I needed to use the restroom I placed my feet on the floor with difficulty the pain was intense and I wondered how I was going to get up, only to see a figure walking towards me from the corner of my eyes. It was the woman with blue eyes she walked to my bedside," are you alright?" she asked looking me over.

" yes I am fine" I say quickly to avoid telling her the truth.

She merely smiles back, " I can see you are in pain let me help you," she said and her voice reminded me of mama my eyes stung with tears.

" Thank you" I whispered. With great care she helps me get up and walks me towards the toilet area, I couldn't bend down to pee and she told me to just stand and urinate. After she finds out I haven't had my bath she bathes me gingerly and even without telling her anything she knew what had happened to me.

 She dressed me and put me to bed massaging my tighs and singing me to sleep with Hausa songs that translates

" oh my dearest strong child you have been told so much that you are afraid to show so much you are your mother's jewel and you wear her happiness with a smile, oh child adorned with your mothers love how beautiful you look"

she sang for minutes she sang with such passion and when I peeped to see her face as she sang I saw a longing in her eyes her face was sad I wonder what her story was. She sang for a bit until I slept.

I was nudged awake again and this time I groaned why wouldn't everyone just let me sleep I chose to ignore whoever it was hoping that they would go away but they kept nudging and I felt another hand touch my forehead as though to check my temperature I opened my eyes at that to find Zara and Mariam's worried faces staring me down. Mariam spoke first,

" You haven't eaten your lunch yet and you didn't eat breakfast, what's really wrong with you?" she asks sitting on my bed

I looked at her face and saw how serious she looked Mariam rarely ever had a serious look on her face and I knew I couldn't escape her. Zara was also looking at me waiting for my response to Mariam's question.

" guys I'm fine not just feeling good today " I say and Mariam was still looking at me waiting for an explanation I sighed again she wasnt going to give up

" its just a stomach ache, " I say shrugging it off,

" oh you should have said so since its probably menstrual pain," Mariam says and she reaches for the plastic plate they had brought my food in. They didn't leave until I ate the food they brought.I fell asleep soon afterwards and this time I had a dream.

 I had a dream I would never forget I saw mama the bruise Baba had given her was open and she was bleeding

" oh Ummi you are bleeding" I say

rushing towards her to help stop the bleeding. She stops me before I could touch her and points to my garments

" but you are bleeding," she said a sad look on her face

" who beat you, who bruised my gimbiya was it Baba ? has he now started beating you too?" she asked amidst tears.

And I woke up with a start looking round there was still sunlight though it was getting dim evening had come already. I sighed and my mind went back to that dream and realization dawned on me Farouq the soldier had always smelled like how Baba used to smell after he was drunk how he used to smell when he would beat mama this time the tears rolled down the signs were there how had I missed them? a part of me wonders if Baba ever escaped the village I guess I will never know or so I thought.