THE TIMOROUS DUNYA✅

NINETEEN

Four weeks. Four weeks filled with torture, wails, pains and heartaches. Four weeks spent locked up with constant company of drowning darkness. Four weeks since they had relished the daylight from the sun.

Never in Zeenah's twenty years of life had she ever thought of ending up as a cheap prostitute. Being born into a wealthy home, as the only daughter of Alhaji Kabeer Saeed, one of the most wealthiest business man in kaduna is enough to thrash away all possibilities. But life, is funny. And we all are fools to believe possibilities define our futures.

Something rustled in the wee four walled dungeon she's in. It was a rat. She did not even blink when it passed by climbing on her hand, for she is too weak to lift even a finger. Her eyes sluggishly fluttered open and she gazed quietly at the direction she assumes Maryam is perched on. The silence was killing Zeenah, it made her feel lifeless. She was nothing more of an existing body that inhales, exhales and re-inhales, that's all.

Only the sound of Maryam's harsh breath makes her believe she's still living. She had not said a word for the past thirty-one days, she rarely eats the stick of corn they're given thrice a week as meal and she doesn't sleep. It's like all traits of life had deserted her.

Vibrant footsteps approaching the cell made Zeenah squirm. Her heart hammered against it's ribcage as she crawled weakly away from the door.

"They're coming." She whispered. Although she knew she wouldn't get a reply back.

Several locks squeaked as they were undone and the metallic door was pushed ajar to reveal Madam and another man. The man is broad and brawny, with thick limbs and hard muscles. The mere horrifying sight of him is enough to set you hot on your heels. The light from Madam's torchlight stung Zeenah's eyes. She blinked vigorously to keep her eyes open. Zeenah glanced at Maryam, she was sat by the wall with outstretched legs. Her lips were dry and chapped, her unblinking eyes were  swollen and reddish and her long hair resembled that of a bird's nest. Dried blood lined across her temple and shoulders. Her clothes had turned into a brownish shade with splatters of blood every where, mirrowing Zeenah's own.

"Hello ladies. Any good news?" A voice which resembled that of a dying shark sing-songed. Zeenah mustered the courage to look at her. A surging anger burned her throat immediately and the dreadful feeling of failure overwashed her. The feeling of a promise unfulfilled.

"I don't like seeing you girls like this." Madam sigh, shaking her head with fake empathy. "But you guys leave me with no other choice."

Zeenah did not know how she did it, how she managed to stand on her feet but somehow she stumbled to stand before her. Her eyes shone with the hatred she has for the woman and she made sure it was conveyed as she spit on her face. She watched as reddish spittle lands on Madam's right eye.

Her shocked face was priceless, Zeenah wished she could capture it with her camera. It took severally seconds for Madam to get over her shock. She disgustingly wiped away the saliva with a snarl. Zeenah knew then it wouldn't end well with her.

An ear-piercing wail escaped Zeenah's mouth just as she started to back-up. She whirled on her toes in lost balance and fell on the ground. Her head hit the hard concrete floor and blood immediately gushed out from her wounded forehead. Her eyes flutter close as shooting pains resonated her head. Madam had slapped her.

"Mugu! Make sure she regrets this." Madam fumed. The man beside her let out a low growl, stepping forward. He exchanged the long whip with a tall tick dried wood. Zeenah's teary eyes locked with Maryam's puffed ones whom had seemed to be jerked out of the little world she had been wallowing in.

The first strike hit Zeenah's bottom. She squirmed on the floor and clenched her lips, refusing to make a sound. Maryam held in her sobs as she watched Zeenah beaten mercilessly. The last strike hit Zeenah's leg, her bone made a satisfying crack followed by a loud groan from her. Her eyes flutter close and she succumbed to the call of darkness.