A Day in the Dark

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Why did you give Afrah your pin?"

I looked up from my laptop. Isaac was sitting opposite me, his own laptop perched on his lap.

I shrugged, "I felt like it."

"But it's literally your most prized possession," he said.

"Mhmm."

"The only real memory of your parents," he continued.

"Yes," I drawled.

"You gave it to her because Asha might recognise it!" he exclaimed.

"Bingo!" I said, giving him a finger gun and playfully shooting him.

Isaac bellowed in laughter, doubling over and slapping his knee. I stared at him, half in annoyance and the other half in concern.

"You finally use that brain of yours," he said, in between deep breaths.

I rolled my eyes, "I've been using my brain this whole time, Isaac."

"Have you really? I mean, you did just take on a case that is probably impossible for you to even complete," he said accusingly.

"I am going to finish it. Look at this, I've already started some notes about the Kenyan justice system. And boy is there a lot of corruption," I said.

"It's a bit expected, to be honest. There's corruption all around the world, why would Kenya be an exception?"

"I guess. Hey, do you think Maha's behaviour is a bit odd?" I asked, leaning back in my seat.

Isaac looked up, a curious expression on his face, "Hmm, how so?"

"She's suffered through so much more than any grown adult would have to go through. And MashaAllah, she's so strong! The things she's been through, the physical and mental pain must have been unbearable," I said.

"You're right, she is incredibly strong. But why is that odd? Isn't it good that she's manages to overcome all of the suffering?"

Shaking my head, I licked my lips, "But that's just it, she hasn't overcome the suffering. She's putting on an attitude and pretending like this doesn't affect her as much anymore but it does."

"But that's also quite normal? A lot of abused kids have a hard time adjusting," he said, furrowing his eyebrows.

"No, you don't understand. When she was telling me her story, she sounded only a little upset, Other than her voice cracking, like, once, she was perfectly fine."

"I am so confused right now," Isaac exasperatedly said.

"She doesn't feel anymore. She's been through a lot of pain but I don't think she's told anyone just what kind of effect it had on her. I know this because I did that too," I explained.

"When your ex step-dad was abusing you and your aunt," Isaac realised.

I nodded, "Yes. I don't think she's told Asha either. When Maha mentioned the name of the rapist, Asha looked shocked. That meant she hadn't told her that detail. There's probably a lot more she hasn't spoken about."

"She's keeping everything in. She hasn't just put on a front, she hasn't told anyone," Isaac said, shutting his laptop and getting up.

"Apparently she's also stopped praying."

Isaacs eyebrows shut up, almost disappearing into his hair, "Has she now?"

"Mhmm."

Maha was hiding her feelings. But I had observed the way she had dug her nails into her palm, or the way sweat had coated her forehead. And he 'don't care' attitude. The girl had completely shut out everyone and wasn't giving away anything. If she kept this up, there would come a point where she would explode. I shuddered just thinking about it. When my ex step-dad had been abusive, I had done the same thing. I avoided telling anyone, until I met Isaac in my second year of university.