Chapter 1

                                    

                                          
*
                          
Afrah always liked the feel of the wind in her hair. It made her feel lighter, as though she didn't have any care in the world. There were times when she imagined a powerful gust of wind blowing through the earth and lifting her off her feet, into the oblivion which lay just beyond her reach. 
                          
It was a typical Saturday morning, with the streets empty and the sun barely risen from the horizon. Alone in the street except for Bruno, Afrah took a deep breath and quickened her sprint. The path was familiar to her, as she had been through here nearly a thousand times already. She knew exactly where the road sloped downward, and she knew where each car was parked everyday so she could avoid them. She knew which trashcans smelt awful so she could cross to the other side of the street to avoid them, and she knew which houses had the wildest dogs so she could steer clear of them completely. Bruno might be a German Shepherd, but he was an unfortunate coward. 
                          
Nearly twenty minutes later, she returned finally to the gates of her father's house, drenched in sweat but feeling marginally happier than when she had left an hour ago. 
                          
The gatekeeper opened the door for her wordlessly, having greeted her earlier when she left. 
                          
"Is Abba awake?" she asked, knowing fully well that her father never woke up until 11am on Saturdays. If it were a weekday, then he would have been awake and out of the house no later than 7am. 
                          
Afrah sometimes did that, asking questions which she already knew the answer to. It was in a bid to fill the empty silence which usually surrounded her every other time. 
                          
"I don't think so," Salisu shook his head. "If he were awake, he would have come downstairs." 
                          
Afrah nodded as she headed towards the front door, while Bruno barked jovially as he jumped around Salisu. 
                          
"Well, well...," a familiar voice nearly startled her as she reached the veranda, "if it isn't Mrs Usain Bolt herself." 
                          
Amina sat up from the chair where she had been reading 'The Fault In Our Stars' just a few minutes ago. Unlike Afrah, she was a little bit on the heavy side, with doe-shaped eyes just like her sister, and a tiny mouth which curled into a grin. She was much taller than Afrah though, and she never missed an opportunity to point that out to anyone who was within hearing range. 
                          
"Did you break any world records today on your run?" she asked with a slight chuckle. 
                          
"This is the thousandth time you're saying that," Afrah replied as she feigned annoyance. "Can't you come up with something original?" 
                          
"I could if I wanted to," she shrugged. "But what fun would that be if I won't get to see that oh-so-familiar glare in your eyes?" 
                          
"Shut up," Afrah said as she turned towards the front door. 
                          
"Careful," Amina said. "Umma is awake, and she is already fussing about and trying to clean the house." 
                          
"What for?"
                          
"Don't tell me you've forgotten that Aunt Safiya is coming over today," Amina said. 
                          
"Alone?" Afrah frowned. 
                          
"What do you think?" 
                          
"It's not even 9am yet," she groaned, glancing at the watch on her wrist. "What sane human being wakes up before that time to visit someone?" 
                          
"Someone who clearly has an ulterior motive in mind," she shrugged, her tone not giving anything away. "I don't know about you, but I plan to hide in my room until they leave. The last time she was here, I overheard her complaining to Umma about me not wearing a hijab. In my own father's house."