THE TALE OF SARAH

Chapter one

"How much will that be?" Ma'am munirah asked. Sarah just smiled and said "The normal price ma."

Madam munirah was one of a kind. She was just a super nice woman by nature. She was the best of Sarah's customers. She always gave her tips and even if she didn't have any female children, she will go to the orphanage and bring female children just because she wanted Sarah to gain more money through her 'little income business' which was hairdressing.

Madam munirah returned her smile with one of pity and grabbed her purse from where it lay beside her on the floor and opened it then retrieved some notes. Sarah opened her mouth to remind her that the normal price was at the rate of 200 even of she knew she didn't forget. It was normal. Since Sarah won't accept money from anybody, madam munirah just had to add it to her fee saying it is part of tips...but Sarah knew her too well...

Madam Munirah sensed her hesitation and quickly stuffed the note in Sarah's hands saying "Keep the change my dear." With that she kissed her forehead and stood up, prayed for God to bless and guide Sarah and headed for her car which was across the street where her driver will be awaiting her.

Sarah then stood up and gathered her tools into her old leather bag then slid it on her shoulder and said her closing prayer and began to head home...well the tiny room she illegally inhabited.

She lived in an uncompleted building. She had heard that the owner was a government official who looted public funds to  build it in  the first place, then he became a politician aspiring to occupy a high position...it was not clear to her too...well somewhere in the middle of the rallies and campaigns he became broke and could not finish the building later on. Some youths seized the opportunity and broke into the building were many of them now lived; including her.

That time she had just entered the city after fleeing from her IDP camp which was in the northeast after it had been bombed twice. She just snuck into the back of a trailer and well she found herself here. Life hasn't been easy for her after that. She had to do all sort of petty jobs like fetching water for people, transporting goods from place to place and what not to sponsor her life. She didn't have any reason to live, but she just did, she always thought.

Then she started her hair dressing business. Its not that she knew plenty hair styles but the ones she did know, she knew them well. She had perfected them back in the past when she used to style her sibling's hair and other handful of people in her village before the insurgency started.

Her life had gotten a tad bit better after that because of the tips she did receive from different people who knew her a little. None of her customers knew her full story except madam munirah. She didn't know too much about madam Munirah, but she knew she was rich.

Her work area was a 40 minutes walk away from where she stayed. It was just a little room with concrete walls and a concrete floor...well that was how she met it. She had gotten her metal cot made and had bought a second hand mattress which was very flat. But at least it was better than sleeping on a mat. She had also purchased a small wooden chest in which she put her clothes and other belongings. She also had a bucket in which she filled with water to bath.

She was just surviving. At first when she found out that all her family were dead, she wanted to commit suicide but then she had a second thought that if God did not kill her, then there was a reason. Since then she had been strengthening her faith.

Reaching home, she turned on her lamp because it was already dark. She then dumped her bag on her cot and then went around the building where a tap was located and performed ablution. Then she returned to her room to pray maghrib. Then she went to a nearby food stalk to buy food for dinner. She always bought food since her earnings could not afford any kitchen set.