Humaira didn't reply. It took about 20 more minutes for her to digest all she had just seen. She couldn't help but cry.

[10:45 p.m.] Idris: Did she tell you about the virus?

[10:45 p.m.] Humaira: What virus?

[10:46 p.m.] Idris: Oh! So she didn't tell you? I thought you guys were very close. Why wouldn't she tell you about her virus?? I don't get it...

[10:47 p.m.] Humaira: Subhanallah! She's having a virus?

[10:47 p.m] Idris: Yes, it's HIV

[10:48 p.m] Humaira: Audhubillahi Mina Shaytani Rajim! HIV?! How to manage? I didn't even know

[10:49 p.m.] Idris: It was through the rape case. It's been six years now and she hasn't received any treatment. Zainab is sick Humaira. She badly needs Antiretroviral therapy...

(Humaira broke down in tears. How is it even possible? How come she never told me? Why did she have to suffer like this all alone? And I was thinking she had a normal life! What on Earth stopped her from opening up to me? And we slept on the same bed in Zaria, she didn't even utter something like this to me... )

[10:50 p.m.] Idris: Umm... Are you there?

[10:50 p.m] Idris: The guilt of knowing all of these and not telling you has been eating me up for long... So, I decided to find a way before Zainab left at least.

[10:51 p.m.] Idris: Well, she kept everything to herself. Even as her friend, she hardly opens up to me.

[10: 53 p.m] Idris: Please, whatever step you want to take, make sure it's the right thing. Zainab has gone through enough already. I'm happy she's finally leaving this hell of a place.

[10:54 p.m.] Idris: Ummm... Are you still there? You're not replying.

[10:55 p.m.] Humaira: I'm so heartbroken right now. I can't believe all of these. I'll expose them tomorrow. Thanks a lot, Idris.

[10:55 p.m.] Idris. You're welcome. I'm just doing this for Zainab. She deserves better.

[10:56 p.m] You're such a good friend and son too.

[10:57 p.m.] Idris. Thank you, Humaira. I'll be going to bed now, it's almost midnight.

[10:57 p.m.] Humaira: Okay, bye.

[10:58 p.m.] Idris: Bye.

Idris went to bed with a smiling face. He felt as if all his worries were now settled, He hid the hotter under his bed and went to sleep, praying tomorrow would be better.

Humaira's eyes were still streaming with tears. She was confused. HIV?! Why would it be Zainab out of everybody in the world? Those stupid robbers weren't yet caught, Humaira cursed them in her mind and scrolled through her phone. She went to the contact list and made a call.

****

It was a foggy, cloudy morning, and a dun-colored veil hung over the housetops, looking like the reflection of the mud-colored streets beneath. It was a Saturday morning and everyone was in their homes.

Humaira drove her Jeep down the road and packed it carefully by the side of the Bala's compound.

Meanwhile, Zainab was ready She'd been told that morning about Humaira's call. All of Idris's efforts to speak with her before leaving were abortive. So, he decided to wait for Humaira's arrival.

Knock! Knock!! Knock!!!

They heard a knock on the door.

"Zainab!" Amina called.

"Yes, ma!" She answered from the room

"Go and check who's at the door."

"Okay, ma." She replied and rushed to the door from her room.

Amina was watching the latest series of her favorite soap- Opera on Telemundo while Mr. Abdullahi was going through some of his old newspapers.

Zainab opened

"Assalam 'Alaikum."

"Wa'alaikun Sallam sis!" Zainab opened the door and welcomed her sister with a soft hug.

Come in." She muttered, leading her inside the house.

"Assalam 'Alaikum. Good morning, sir," Humaira greeted, stepping forward in the most urbane manner, and stopping Mr. Abdullahi, with a high-bred resolution impossible to resist, "Good morning ma."

"Morning my dear. They welcome her heartfully."

"Please take a seat." Mrs. Bala offered.

Humaira sat down somewhere beside Mrs. Bala. The sofa was beautiful and soft, but already torn by the side.

"Welcome my daughter. When did you come back." She asked with a wide, toothy smile across her face.

"Late yesterday evening ma. Just before the call."

"Oh! I see.." she replied, reducing the volume of the television.
"Humaira, go and get your sister something to drink. Maybe a fruit juice or something."

"No ma, there's no need for that. I was supposed to be going to town to do something today but I only came to pick up Zainab."

"Oh... Okay." She smiled and turned to Zainab but Zainab had gone to the kitchen to bring the juice in the refrigerator.

Just then, they heard chatters of something. As if she'd broken a glass or something.

Mrs. Bala rushed to her in the kitchen while Humaira faced the TV but all her concentration was on Mrs. Bala.

Getting to the kitchen, she saw Zainab holding a broom and Parker to clean up the mess. The glass cup she wanted to carry from the top of the shelf mistakenly dropped.

"Hey! What have you done again? Zainab!"

"I'm so sorry ma. It slipped by mistake." She explained, trying to cover up where the glass had mistakenly cut her.

"Shut up! You idiot?! So because you're going today you want to break down this house, right?" Amina blared at her like thunder.

"No ma. I don't know. Wallahi I don't know."

Amina pinched her two ears and drew them up. She squeezed it like a hold and drew them out like that of a rabbit. Zainab cried silently as her ears hurt. Humaira knew all that was happening. She had a feeling something was happening so, she stood up and walked into the kitchen.

"She said it was a mistake. Can't you leave the poor girl alone?" Humaira muttered from behind

Amina turned to her, almost shocked because she didn't expect Humaira to come into the kitchen, let alone witness any of it.

"I was just scolding her." She defended herself.

"By cutting out her ears? Just because of what?... A piece of a cup?" Zainab frowned. "Come here, Zee!"

Zainab's heart almost popped out of her throat seeing her sister defending her like this.

"No... It's nothing, sis." She stammered but Humaira called her to stay by her side.

"I'm sorry to be rude but this is so unfair ma. Can you treat any of your sons like this?" She asked.

"Are you speaking to me in this manner? How ungrateful?" She sounded so pompous.

At that moment, Amina suddenly felt speeches. Nothing was left in her mouth to say thank curses and insults, she just kept quiet.

Buzz Buzz

Buzz Buzz

Humaira's phone rings. She quickly swiped receive on the screen and received the call.

"Hello!"

"Yes, we are already at the gate. Should we come in?"

"Yes! Come in right away sir." She stuttered over the phone and ended the call. Zainab had never seen her that serious. She wore a frown. A big grown. With a big, bold frown Amina started wondering what was happening.

Then she held Zainab firmly by the shoulder and pulled her to her side, away from Amina.

"This won't just be the end of you, tormenting Zainab, this would be the day you'll start regretting ever touching the strands of my sister's hair. I'll make you pay today, Mrs. Bala... I promise."

Humaira hissed and rolled her eyes at Mrs. Amina, grabbing Zainab to the living room by the wrist.

Getting to the living room, three men had entered, two were in police uniforms while the third one was in mufti. He seemed to the a senior officer because he did the talking.

"I'm inspector Abdur-Razak Oyoseéni, from Pious Police station. He introduced himself, showing his identity card.

"Yes, how can I help you?" Mr. Abdullahi asked feeling a little bit tensed. He wasn't expecting them that morning. Hearing the stranger's voice from the living room, Ibrahim and his brothers came out of their rooms to witness what was happening. Idris wore a puzzled face as if he didn't know while others just couldn't understand why. Who called them in the first place and how did Humaira know?

"I'm looking for one Mr. And Mrs. Abdullahi Bala... Are you the one sir?"

"Yes. I'm Abdullahi Bala. What's it?" He frowned.

"You and your wife are under arrest for child violation. The two sergeants moved towards Mr. Abdullahi, with handcuffs.

"Wait, what? How possible? And who reported me."

"Just follow us silently, Mr. Bala. We know you have a respectable personality within the society that's why we're being calm with you."

Just then Humaira, Zainab, and Mrs. Amina came from the kitchen.

The police officers handcupped Mr. Abdullahi with his left hand and his wife by her right.

"But.. I don't understand. Where are your proofs that we maltreated this girl? Zainab is like a daughter to me, how would I ever maltreat her?"

"Stop talking Mr. Bala. I've known enough."

"Don't look at me if you don't know what's happening, Mr. Bala. I respect you a lot but seriously, you don't deserve any respect. Maybe you watch this video." Humaira showed him the video from last night. He almost peed on himself due to the shock that streamed down his body. Amina was speechless. She doesn't know who recorded it... It must be someone living with them.

'Or is it Zainab? Did she finally reveal their little secret to her elder sister?' she thought as they placed the sergeant handcuffed her hand.