JIGAWA STATE,
NIGERIA.
"I need every camera to be checked! I want the person behind this to be found if not..." Salma's husband, who had returned home after his daughter's school had called him.
The headmistress figured that since she could no longer get a hold of Salma, she called the father who yelled at her and the staff for being incompetent enough to lose his daughter. The school is supposed to be the very best, but how could a six-year-old have gone lost right under their nose?
It was already established that the girl went to the school, he was sure because he dropped her there himself since Salma doesn't seem to be in the right sense to do that.
But if that wasn't enough, he comes home to find out that someone came to the house, and chose to trash their room.
He tried to talk to his wife into telling him what happened since he found her sitting amidst the room, staring into space with tears streaming down her face. A part of him wondered if she was the one that trashed the room but he didn't believe she did that after finding out their daughter went missing.
But Salma refused to say a word nor make any move to much spare a glance at him.
So while he had people looking for their daughter, he wanted the security cameras to be checked in case someone broke into the house and did that.
Salma heard him yelling orders where she sat. She heard him screaming at the guards as to why nothing was found and how the gateman didn't see anyone come in. She nearly scoffed when she heard that.
Of course the gateman won't say a word. He helped the person get in anyways and apparently has been, and will continue watching her every move to report to the boss if she so much as tries anything stupid.
A couple of minutes later, she heard footsteps approaching and a second later, her husband came storming into the room. She hadn't moved one bit from her position, and neither did the tears stop but she couldn't help it.
She had no idea if her daughter would be safe or not and the person behind it all, she's having a hard time accepting it all.
She heard her husband slam his jacket on the bed, before he sighed, placing his hands on his waist. He took in a deep breath, massaging his temple. Eventually, he made his way over to her, "Salma" He called out, lowly. "Tell me, are you behind this?"
For the first time, she turned around to look at him, "Do what?"
"All this!" He gestured round the room, "And the disappearance of my daughter. Do you know anything about it?"
"She's my daughter too!" She sneered. How can he even ask her something that absurd? "How can I have anything to do with it? Do you think I'd have my daughter taken away from me?"
He scoffed, "Well if not you then someone from your past. I mean, let's be honest here, you don't exactly have a great past" He pointed out, stating the obvious.
His words angered her. She was already enraged enough, but his words...how can he say something like that to her? Especially with the current situation she's in. She pushed herself up and stared in front of him. "Do not say that to me again" She said through gritted teeth.
"Or not?" He challenged, taking a step forward in front of her. He had never yelled at her like that, nor raise his voice at her but she is getting on his nerves. Especially with the situation they are in. He's sure it has something to do with her past. "Tell me Salma, does it bother you to know that your past has finally caught up to you?"
"Shut up"
"What was it that your step sisters said to you? Does your conscious bother you knowing what you did to them and that friend of yours is finally catching up to you? Honestly, I'm not surprised. The actions of you and your mother--"
She cut his off by landing a slap right across his face. He just crossed the line right there by mentioning her mother's name. "Never, and I repeat, never mention my mother again" She pointed a finger at him.
He turned around to stare at her, then scoffed. Without a word more, he turned around and stepped out.
The minute he left, she found a space on the bed and sat, as the weight of her actions came crashing down on her. She buried her face between her palms, letting the tears fall. She hates to admit it but he is right.
Her past is catching up to her. And her daughter is now facing the consequence.
She couldn't help but wonder;
Is this how Kulsum felt when she lost her son?
~*~
"Can you please tell where we're going?"
Batoulah threw a glance at Zayn, before she sighed. She figured he would ask her that again but it's not her fault he decided to come with her. Technically, she went to check up on him when she realized that he had woken up about five hours after he took the medicine. He looked much better to be honest.
So she told him to get up and follow her. Of course, being the stubborn being he is, he simply threw her the 'Are you for real?' look and scoffed.
That made her roll her eyes and told him that if he wants answers from Salma, then he would follow her. That pretty much did the trick and soon enough, they were in her car as she drove off to God knows where.
Because Zayn had never been in the hospital, he couldn't tell which area they are in or where they are heading. So, he decided to ask when he could no longer take it.
"To get your answers" She answered, simply.
"I get that..." He stated like it's the most obvious thing, "...but where exactly?"
"To the place you've been to in the past few days I suppose" She turned her gaze back to the road, so as to not get distracted.
It was then that Zayn focused his attention back on the road did he realize that she indeed takes the route that would take them to Salma's house. His shoulders slumped slightly as he leaned back. He still hasn't fully regained his energy yet and that made him think whatever medicine she gave him must be strong.
Nonetheless, he didn't let it bother him and instead, waited patiently till they reached the house.
The gateman threw Zayn a glare, but when his gaze moved to Batoulah and she threw him a glare of hers, he scoffed then moved back to open the gate for them. He would only let him in because his Boss wanted to see whether Salma would listen or decide to be stubborn and spill everything to Zayn, who might not believe her to be honest but still.
Zayn nearly scoffed out loud. He had been out there for days, yet this man refused to let him in yet a glare from Batoulah was all it took? He could've used forced to get into the house but that would mean he trespassed, and he can't get involved with the police under any circumstance like that.
For the sake of his job and the life he has abroad.
Batoulah drove into the house, where multiple cars were parked—two police vehicles and other cars. She couldn't even find a space in the parking lot, so she found an empty space and parked there.
Once she had turned the car off, she stepped out with Zayn doing the same thing. His brows drew in when he noticed the cars, "What's going on?" He asked Batoulah who had made her way over to stand beside him.
She gestured for him to follow her, and he did just that. "Her daughter went missing earlier today"
Zayn blinked, lips tugged into a frown. "Missing?" He repeated, somehow the situation reminding him of that of Kulsum. He doesn't believe in karma but that's pretty much the situation they're in.
She nodded, "Yup" She muttered, "And now everything is chaotic" She proved her point the minute she opened the front door, and screams reached them. It was coming from the living room they are headed to.
"HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN MY GRANDDAUGHTER HAD BEEN TAKEN?!" Came a woman's voice at the top of her lungs.
When the two rounded the corner, they were met with the sight of the family sitting together in the living room, along with the police officers. Batoulah's gave moved round the room, and she noticed one person missing—her sister. Her gaze landed on the familiar face she hated more than anything though, her step mother who had been the one screaming when they came in.
A police officer stood infront of the woman, trying to get her to calm down so they can do their job. Salma's husband stood by the side, with other police officers looking like he couldn't wait for her to shut up. It's clear she's getting on his nerves by the useless rants.
His family members were there too, throwing glares at Salma's mother. They weren't exactly fond of her and her daughter, especially since the whole not giving birth early to a child ordeal.
Salma's mother moved her gaze to the entrance, just like the others when they heard footsteps. Her eyes narrowed in slits when her gaze landed on her step daughter, lips curled into a snarl. "You!" She yelled again, stomping over to the woman with her hand raised in an attempt to slap her.
Batoulah held her gaze, not willing to look away. For so long she had suffered in the hands of that woman along with her sister. And frankly speaking, she was tired. So, she waited for the slap that she was willing to stop.
But it never came.
Because a body stood in front of her, shielding her away from the assault that would've come. He stopped the woman by the taking a hold of her wrist just in time, and she couldn't get out of it because she stands no chance against him.
Salma's mother snapped her gaze to the stranger who blocked her. Her narrowed gaze moving to him. She tried to snatch her hand out of his, but she couldn't. She tried again, and after the third attempt, she was finally free but only because he let her be. "How dare you?" Her voice came out low. She was about to speak again when a voice from behind cut her, gaining everyone's attention.
"Captain Ahmed Danbatta!"