Barakah Muhammad

A cry wakes me up. I open my eyes. The room is dark. Where am I again?

I hear the cry again beside me. It's Hoor. I rub her shaking body and whisper Ayatul Qursi in her ear. She stops crying and sighs. I lie back on the bed, remembering what happened yesterday. Aunty Rose, Mommy, and Aliyah.

I turn to the window behind me. It's dark outside. There's no light, and I can't remember where I dropped the small phone she left with me. I look away and hide my face behind Hoor's hair.

Minutes later, the ceiling fan begins to turn and the security lights outside come on. I wonder what mommy is doing now. She must have reached Aliyah's house and taken them to the hospital. I hope aunty Rose is okay. And the ugly uncle? I'm sure he's the one that hurt her. Maybe he ran away, that's why Aliyah was able to call. So where is he?

I shake my head. I should be sleeping, not thinking about things I don't know about. But what I know is that Aliyah is not alone anymore, and I won't ever leave her side.

"Ke?"

I hear a voice and a hand on my shoulder. I open my eyes. Mommy's back. I sit up, rubbing my eyes. Hoor is no longer near me. "When did you come back?"

"Few minutes ago. Hoor is using the toilet. So just to the guest room." She says and leaves.

After praying, I help Hoor take her bath. After taking my own bath, I join mommy as she cleans Hoor's body.

"How is Aliyah?" I ask her, sitting at the edge of the bed with my cream.

"She's fine. It's Rose that was hurt, but she's receiving treatment." She frowns and turns to me, "Did you know?"

I blink, "Know what?"

"About Aliyah and her uncle."

I'm not sure how to answer. "I only met him once." I say, swallowing. "She didn't tell me anything."

Mommy eyes me, then sighs, "I'm not surprised sha. Rose hasn't been honest either. But did you ever notice anything strange about Aliyah?"

I nod. "She came with bruises." Mommy stops wearing Hoor's shirt for her and stares at me. Now's time to tell the truth. "Remember that time I asked for your advice for my friend."

Her eyes widen, "About one strange man?" I nod. "It was actually about Aliyah, and I asked her about him but she refused to say anything."

"You could've told me na." Mommy says.

"You said I needed proof." I say. "And Aliyah was pushing me away."

Mommy looks at me in pity and I don't like it. "What of the uncle?" I say.

"Finish getting dressed or you'll be late." She says and takes Hoor's hand.

Later, I join them in the dining room. Hoor is stabbing her egg omelette with her rubber fork. "I hope you're not planning to not go to school today."

She smiles and shakes her head. I smile too and sit down. She doesn't seem to have a problem in this life. And I used to be like this too, until I was kidnapped.

It's been a while since I thought about my experience. Sometimes I just pretend like it never happened. But since I met the ugly uncle, I just keep remembering what happened to me, and I know it's why I'm like Brianna said. The world is a very serious place. So I have to be serious too.

"Yaya Barakah!" Hoor shouts, her oily mouth close to my face. I shift back from my chair. "I was calling you." She says, still chewing her egg.

Eww. "I can hear you." I say.

"Oya, oya." Mommy appears from the kitchen. She turns to me, "Madam, were you waiting for me to bring your food for you?"

I quickly run to get it. Boiled yam and egg sauce. No wonder Hoor is eating only egg.

When mommy reaches my school, I don't get out of the car. "Mommy?"

She shakes her head, "I know you're worried about Aliyah. But I don't want you to be distracted. After school, I will come and pick you so we can go to the hospital together. Is that okay?"

I nod, smiling. "Thank you, mommy."

Somehow, I am able to go through school as a normal person. I didn't stop to think and worry about Aliyah. I feel grateful to mommy for not keeping me in the dark and treating me like a small girl.

As school closes, Brianna and I stroll to the gate, as usual. Her talking, me listening. "Bye!" She says, heading for the other side of the road.

"Bye bye!" I say, waving back.

Brianna stops and turns around, looking surprised. "Are you celebrating something?"

I shake my head. I know she noticed my mood today. I'm about to cross the road when I see it. Ugly uncle's car. I blink again to make sure I'm not seeing double. It's really his car. That means he's-

Someone grabs my shoulder. I almost fall into the road. A car honks. I close my eyes. "Barakah!" I hear mommy's voice.

Am I hearing double?

"Barakah!" She grabs my shoulders. I open my eyes. "Are you okay?" She asks

I nod and stand up. She holds my hand to the car. After we enter, she turns to me, looking like the way she ways looks whenever Hoor is sick. But I'm not sick.

"Barakah?"

I turn to her.

"Are you okay?" Mommy stares at me, looking serious.

I nod. "Yes, mommy." We should get going.

She continues staring at me. I raise my shoulder. It's hurting a little.

"What's wrong?" Mommy quickly grabs me, removing my bag. She raises my shoulder. I close my eyes. "You're hurt."

She starts the car, then turns to me, "Why didn't you tell me?"

I look down. "I don't know."

And it's true. I don't know why I didn't tell her. Maybe because it's not a big deal, and I'm not a small girl anymore.

"Barakah..." Mommy says.

"Mommy, please let's go." I say. The person in danger now is Aliyah, not me.

She sighs, "We're going to talk about this."

I nod, even though I don't know what to tell her, I'm not sick. I'm okay.

We reach the hospital. I recognize it as the one I came to when daddy found me. But I don't bother looking around. I just hurry to the room where Aliyah and her mommy are.

Immediately we enter, I see Aliyah's bed first because It's directly opposite the door. She's lying on the bed, her eyes are closed. I reach her side and hold her hand. She frowns. I smile. "Stupid girl." I say.

"Ke!" Mommy hisses, frowning down at me. I look down. I forgot that she's here.

Someone laughs, we turn. It's Aliyah. Her eyes are open. Her face looks swollen but she still looks normal.

"My dear, how are you feeling?"

Aliyah smiles and replies. She sits up. "I'm just resting."

Mommy turns to aunty Rose's bed beside Aliyah. She is sleeping, there's a bandage on her head, and her eyes look dark and swollen. I feel so sorry for her.

"Did she wake up since last night?" Mommy asks.

Aliyah shakes her head. "But the doctor said she'll be okay."

"In sha Allah." I say.

"Ameen." Mommy and Aliyah answer.

"You must be hungry." Mommy says, moving to the small table beside the bed. That's when I notice the black nylon in her hand.

Aliyah stares at the nylon before smiling at mommy. I like seeing her like this. No, with us. I think she'll be happier.

Mommy moves to aunty Rose's bed. I sit on the bed with Aliyah. She has already opened the flask. The scent of spaghetti and fresh fish stew floats out. She smiles, then turns to me. "I haven't eaten in a long time."

This is the first time she's telling me something about herself. I smile and watch her eat. Really, she'll be happier with us.

I turn to mommy. She's bent over aunty Rose, whispering something. I go to her. I have an idea on how to help Aliyah once and for all. I wait for her to finish. She turns to me.

"I want to tell you something." I say. She nods. "Can Aliyah stay with us?"

She frowns, "Is that what she told you?"

I shake my head. "She'll be safer with us." I want to say that I saw ugly uncle's car, but I don't have proof that he was there. Maybe it's a car that looks like his own.

"I can't do that without her mother's permission." Mommy says.

"Bu-"

"I'm not saying no, just that we have to do with her family's permission. So it doesn't look somehow."

I turn to Aliyah. She's still eating and moving her head from side to side like Hoor. What if she says she wants to stay with us? Mommy will definitely agree.

The door opens. A man in a white jellabiya comes in, "Assalamu alaykum."

Mommy answers.

He looks from Aliyah to Aunty Rose.

"Hello? Can we help you?"

"Yes, I'm here to get my niece." He points at Aliyah who's now sucking on a bone. She's looking at him, confused.

I stare at the man, then I look down and notice his hand. There's something drawn on it. As if he knows I'm looking, he covers his hand.

He's lying.

"Please who are you again?" Mom says, frowning. I know she also doesn't believe him.

"I say I b-"He pauses, "I am her uncle from her mother's side." He says, blinking as if there's something in his eyes.

"I don't know any uncle, only aunty." Aliyah says, standing up, still chewing. "And my mom will soon be alright, so I don't need to follow you."

The man's eyes are wide now. He's angry, and he looks familiar.

"Mr man," Mommy says, standing in front of him. "As you can see, they haven't recovered. Once they do, we'll let you know."

"Mo-"I want to say something, but she turns to me in warning. She shouldn't say that.

Mr man doesn't say anything again. He just leaves.

"I don't like him." Aliyah says, "he reminds me of..." She turns to me, looking afraid. "Have they seen him?"

Mommy shakes her head, "Not yet. And you know you haven't really told me what happened." Mommy says, moving to her side.

"He was trying to..." She tapped her chest. My eyes widen. "But mom saw him and stopped him. But he beat her." I gasp. Mommy shakes her head.

"Then what happened?" Mommy asks, drawing Aliyah to sit on the bed.

"I carried something to hit him so that he will leave her alone."

"Okay." Mommy says, hugging her. "I will inform someone who can help us look for him. For the meantime, stay here, "She turns to me, "with Amira. Once I'm done, we'll go home together. "

Together? I smile. Thank God. But if the ugly uncle is still out there, we'll have to be careful. Or should I tell her?

But when mommy and Aliyah smile at me, I feel like telling them now will ruin everything. Besides, there's no proof. And since Aliyah will be living with us, I'll make sure she's safe.

***

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