Kasih Nadiah (Nadiah's Love)

Chapter One: News

Author's Note: This is my first time writing a Historical fiction and also in third person so constructive criticism is appreciated. =) Please let me know what you thought , what could be improved on. I am here to grow as a writer. Thank you in advance!

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Pulau Ujong, Singapura (Singapore) -- Kampung Rambutan

December 1940

Chapter One: News

Just like any other ordinary morning, it was a quiet, cooling day. Fifteen-year-old Nadiah stopped short in her trail, looking up at the radiant sky above, marvelling at God's creation. Streaks of red and yellow hues dominated across the horizon, a gentle breeze swayed the wheats from side to side. She inhaled the  morning air; taking in the scent of fresh cut grass, relaxing her shoulders as she did so. She stayed for another moment before striding off. When she came to a small clearing, she heard the sound of the waterfall pounding on the rocks and the chirping of the morning birds. She moved closer, lugging her basket of clothing with her until she came to the mouth of the river. The ruins of what was once a hut stood on one side of the winding river. Various vines wounded itself around its walls and plants grew through the floorboards.

Slipping inside, Nadiah peered around, making sure there was no one present before stripping down and pulling on a batik cloth, tying a knot tightly above her bosom. Then she moved to the river bank, testing its waters with a toe before retracting it. It was shivering cold! She moved down, stepping on the slippery rocks cautiously so as not to lose her footing before lowering herself into the waters. Soon, she was lathering her hair with shampoo and scrubbing herself. Though it was freezing out, she loved it here. She would slip out every morning after dawn to wash herself and to wash the garments of her family afterwards.

Her mother did not know she bathe here. No, she could never know. In fact, no one in the village knew. Though she had a bathhouse and toilet outside her kampung (village/hut) house, she disliked taking a bath in it. The bath house and toilet weren't just used by her family but by her neighbours too. Once she was done, she rinsed herself from all the soap and went to put on her Baju Kurung(A traditional Malay dress) in the abandoned hut.

She returned to the river bank, squatted down and began her washing. It was a difficult task she had undertook every single day and it would take her close to two hours. She began to hum a tune to herself as she scrubbed the dirt and grime off.

***

Zainab wiped the sweat from her forehead, trying her best to chop the onions while withstanding the burning of her eyes. It was only seven in the morning and she could hear the chickens clucking outside. She had only chopped ten onions so far and she still had a sack more to go. She sighed, wondering why must onions be used in cooking. Her cousin, Ainum, was getting married tomorrow and her family had been busy helping to prepare for her wedding.

Ainum was only older than her by a year, being only sixteen. Just like other girls in their village, it was customary for girls to wed as early as the age of thirteen - given that the girl was of age. (surpassed puberty) Girls who were not married by the age of twenty were considered old maids and were looked down upon. She wondered when her turn would be. No man has yet came around to ask for her hand.

The kettle hooted at her, the water overflowing and spilling to the open fire. Jolting out of her thoughts and dropping the knife on the chopping board; she went to put out the fire. Gathering bundles of cloth, she used them to lift the kettle from the stove and poured the boiling water into a pot filled with dry red chilli, steam gushing at her and clouding her vision.