LAULAM

I began to move away from my bed, still half-asleep, when suddenly I felt a rush of cold water drenching my body. The icy sensation jolted me awake, filled with fear, confusion, and sadness all at once. It was my mother who had doused me with water.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I cried out loudly, which only seemed to exacerbate my mother’s frustration. She scolded me and demanded, “Hypocritical girl! I woke you up to fetch water, and now you’re just lying here wide awake? You must have arrived and your body’s telling you. Why haven’t you left this spot?”

My mother spoke with irritation as she planted her feet and gestured towards me. Then, her tone shifted, and she said something different.

I continued crying loudly, and my mother grabbed a jar for water and ordered me to fetch it from the river.

Reluctantly, I obeyed her, embarking on the journey to the river. Most people were still at home, either asleep or engaged in prayer at this early hour.

The walk to the river was long and arduous, but my mother’s compassion for me was evident. A few months ago, a wealthy man had installed a water source in our town, but due to selfishness, the water supply was scarce, and the water had an unpleasant odor.

Finally, I reached the river and filled the jar with water, a task that took quite some time. By this time, my mother had finished her bath and was coming out, wrapping herself in a long robe.

She glanced at me and instructed, “Go back to the room and wake up Amina gently. As for the rest, I’ll handle it.”

I rushed into our shared bedroom, where Amina and I slept together. Amina was on the bed, and I lay on a mat on the floor.

As I looked at my older sister, who was still asleep, I began to wake her gently. Amina opened her eyes and saw me crying uncontrollably. This sight seemed to startle her, and she fell off the bed, landing on the floor with a thud.

“What’s wrong, Lele?” she asked, her voice filled with concern. “Tell me what’s going on.”

Through sobs, I began to explain, “It’s not Amina, it’s Inna. She scolded me and slapped me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Before I could finish my sentence, Inna entered the room and slapped my face, causing my vision to darken momentarily.

Inna said sternly, “You think you can do whatever you want, and I won’t reprimand you, right? Well, today, you’ll learn your lesson. Go outside, and you won’t be having breakfast in this house.”

I continued crying as if my heart was breaking. I had felt the sting of Inna’s slap before, and I knew it would be me who bore the brunt of her anger. Inna had always been this way.

Inna’s hand reached out, and before she could say anything more, I flinched away, fearing another strike. She then turned and left. The water jug had been filled, and Inna handed it to Amina. Meanwhile, I picked up a broom and began cleaning the house.

After Inna left, I glanced at Amina, who let out a long sigh. “This happens all the time, doesn’t it?” she said softly.

I remained silent and eventually got up from where I was sitting, heading towards my mother, who was about to pick up a bag from our father’s mat in the corner of the room. Suddenly, I felt a sharp blow to my back, causing me to stumble forward and collapse.

Inna had kicked me again, and I fell against the wall, crying out in pain. Her shouting only seemed to stoke her anger further. She grabbed a piece of wood from the burning stove and hurled it at me…