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"Being a police officer does not give him the right to abuse a woman. Not just her—if he insults any other woman, I will ensure I break his teeth."
The judge opened his book and made his notes. Looking up, the judge said, "Considering the circumstances of your actions and the court's acknowledgment that you are a woman, the court will be lenient. The sentence is as follows: You will be taken to the reformatory center in Kano, where you will spend one year doing hard labor. That is the verdict."
Zahra’s eyes widened, and she asked, "What about the police officer? Will he not be punished?" Female officers grabbed her, escorted her out of the court, and placed her in a police vehicle. The DPO entered the vehicle, glared at Zahra, and let out a long hiss of annoyance. The officers started the engine and drove away from the court premises, as journalists and the crowd watched them go. They headed straight for Kano.
The Forest Scene
After Governor Musa Muhammad’s men entered the forest, they began shooting every animal they encountered and loading them into their vehicles. They slaughtered the animals relentlessly, and nothing could be heard in the forest except the sound of gunfire. The animals began to flee for their lives.
Amrah, who was lying near the rock where her name was carved, heard the gunshots. She stood up quickly and began running toward the sound of the gunfire. As soon as she arrived, she saw that all the animals in that part of the forest had been killed. She stopped abruptly, tears streaming down her cheeks. She let out a terrifying, guttural scream and leaped onto one of the officers. She began fighting them, using her long, sharp fingernails to tear at their skin without hesitation.
She continued ripping at their skin, then let out a shriek and jumped onto a tree. She pulled down a large, thick branch from the mango tree in the center of the clearing. She wielded this heavy branch and leaped down, fiercely striking the officers one by one. Some officers backed away, realizing that if they stayed, she would destroy them. One officer picked up his rifle, aimed at her leg, and fired. She fell to the ground, letting out a heart-wrenching scream.
"Hhhhhhh!" Zahra let out a similar, terrifying scream inside the police vehicle. Her body began to tremble, and her teeth chattered. A high fever overcame her, and her body shook violently. She collapsed inside the vehicle, unconscious. The officers and the DPO in the vehicle were shocked, wondering why she had screamed like someone possessed.
Meanwhile, at Safeera’s place, they were sitting in the parlor when she suddenly collapsed and let out a painful scream. They all jumped up and rushed to her. They saw her clutching her head as a fever overcame her, followed by spasms and her hands clutching her stomach. Then, the spasms stopped. Aliyu rushed over and placed his hand near her nose. Seeing she wasn't breathing, he quickly looked up and said, "Safeera has fainted."
"Fainted?" Mom asked, then added, "What is going on?"
(The story continues with the family deciding that they must take Safeera to Nigeria for traditional medicine, as they fear she is dying. Aliyu helps transport her to the airport, planning to use connections to bypass visa issues. Simultaneously, back in the Nigerian forest, Sir Umar arrives, finds Amrah wounded, and rushes her to the hospital. The chapter concludes with Governor Musa Muhammad receiving a mysterious, chilling call from a policeman he thought he had buried in prison years ago, informing him that Mrs. Laila is still alive.)
Analytical Notes:
- The Connected Suffering: The narrative highlights a supernatural or psychic link between the three siblings—Zahra, Safeera, and Amrah—who all suffer physical collapses at the exact moment Amrah is shot in the forest.
- The Villain's Fall: Governor Musa Muhammad is the architect of the chaos (destroying the forest to hide his crimes). The "ghost" from his past calling him signals that his downfall has begun.
- The "Three Siblings" Motif: The story is weaving the lives of these three women together. Amrah (the survivor), Zahra (the defiant one), and Safeera (the one suffering from a mysterious condition) are moving toward a collision course with their past.
