IN THE SHADOWS

*ZAYD ARMAAN*

*CHAPTER EIGHT TWO:82*

*IN THE SHADOWS*

*JIDDAAH BARKUM*

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Raihana ta ɗan yi jim a ƙofar ɗakin Suhaila, don wallahi har ita kanta Suhailan kunyarta take ji. Amma sanin babu yadda ta iya, haka ta ɗan tura ƙofar a hankali kamar mai tsoron kar ta yi making sound. Idanunta suka fara yawo a cikin ɗakin, can ta hango Suhaila kwance a kan doguwar kujera, laptop a kan stool a gefenta tana kallon wani Korean drama.

A hankali ta ƙarashe buɗe ƙofar ta shigo tana wani kifta ido kamar munafuka, as if tana ƙoƙarin acting normal alhali heart ɗinta har yanzu yana beating like crazy. Suhaila kuwa da motsin ya sa ta ɗago kai daga kallon. Ganin Raihana sai ta ɗan tashi zaune, sai kuma ta miƙe tsaye gaba ɗaya tana kallonta, sai ta turo baki gaba tare da ɓata rai kaɗan, “Anty Rayy, kun dawo? Shine kuka haɗa baki da Akhie kuka guda kuka barni?” Suhaila ta ƙarashe maganar tana ɗan sake turo bakin shagwaba, tana kallonta da wani irin fake-offended face.

Raihana ta ɗan sosa kanta tana wani yaƙe, idonta na kaucewa daga na Suhaila, “Uhm… wallahi ban san zai zo wajen ba.” Suhaila ta ɗan kalleta, dama tana mikewa, wallahi kamshin turaren Zayd ne ya mata maraba kamar yana cikin ɗakin, ta ɗan tsaya, then she blinked, sai ta sake kallon Raihana a wayance, daga kanta har ƙafarta, musamman yadda take ta ƙoƙarin kau da kai kamar wacce aka kama da laifi, “Hmm…” Suhaila ta ɗan ɗaga gira. Raihana kuwa ta haɗiye yawu tana jin wata kalar kunya na kamata, Suhaila kuwa sai ta ga ma kamar a ɗan rude take, ta ɗan yi murmushi tana basar da zancen, “Toh ki zauna ki huta. Na san ma maybe ko abinci ba ki ci ba. Bari na kawo miki. Amma ki ɗan yi wanka ko? Sai ki ci abincinki ki huta sosai.” Ta ɗan dakata, sannan ta ƙara da murmushi, “Ummie dama tace ba sai mun je gyaran ba, Anty Sadiya zata zo da kanta gida ta yi miki.”

Raihana ta ɗan jinjina kai, tana jin daɗin yadda Suhaila tayi respecting ɗinta ta bata privacy, “Thank you, Suhaila.” “Anything for you, Anty Rayy.” Suhaila ta yi mata wink, sannan ta juya ta fita da sauri. Raihana ta tsaya a wurin tana kallonta har ta fita, sai ta sauke wani dogon numfashi, ai kuwa, Suhaila na fita da sauri ta faɗa toilet. Ta rufe ƙofar, ta jingina bayanta da ita na seconds kaɗan tana sauke numfashi, “Ya Allah…” Ta ɗan girgiza kai, kamshin turaren Zayd ya sake bugo mata hanci, ta kalli kanta a mirror tana ɗan ɓata fuska.

Nan take ta cire rigar jikinta ta jefata cikin washing machine, ta ƙarasa cire komai, har da ribbon ɗin kanta bata bari ba, don shi kanshi ji take kamar shi ma kamshin Zayd ɗin yake ko ta ina, ta girgiza kai kamar tana son kawar da wannan tunanin, nan da nan ta ƙarasa gaban shower ta sakar wa kanta ruwa. Ruwan ya fara sauka a jikinta, ita kuma ta lumshe idanunta tana fesar da numfashi a hankali, one deep breath, then another, amma duk da ruwan da ke sauka kanta, hankalinta ya kasa yin calm, ta sake sauke numfashi mai tsawo, tana ƙoƙarin tattara kanta, she needed to forget what happened, at least… for now.

Ta daɗe tana wanke jikinta kamar tana ƙoƙarin raba fatarta da mayen turarenshi, har sai da ta ji fatarta ta fara zafi, ta ɗan tsaya, ta daidaita dirza, sannan ta ƙarasa wanka ta ɗauro alwala, sannan ta fito. A ɗakin ta tarar Suhaila ta riga ta ajiye mata abinci a tray, sai kuma a gefen gadon ta ajiye mata wata normal gown da hula na zaman gida, ta ƙarasa gaban mirror, ta ɗan shafa humra kaɗan, sannan ta zura rigar, ta ɗora hijab a kai, sannan ta ƙarasa comfort zone ɗin ɗakin ta ƙabbara sallah.

Bayan ta idar, ta daɗe a zaune a wajen, idanunta na kallon wuri ɗaya, her mind was somewhere else, kawai sai ta turo baki, ta shafa addu’arta, ta miƙe, ta cire hijab ɗin ta naɗe, sannan ta koma kan kujera tana kallon abincin da ke kan stool, ita fa wallahi ta nemi appetite ɗinta ta rasa, dan yau ma wata aba wai yunwa kamar ta ma ɓace mata ne gaba ɗaya, ta ɗan kalli abincin, then she sighed, “Wallahi bana jin zan iya cin komai…” Amma hakan ta ɗaure, ta ɗauki spoon ta dinga juya abincin, tana ɗaukar ɗan kaɗan ta sake mayarwa, ta yi kamar za ta ci, amma da zarar ta kai spoon ɗin kusa da bakinta sai kawai taji babu appetite ko kaɗan, daga ƙarshe ma rufe wa tayi, ta ɗauki ruwa ta sha sosai, ta sauke bottle ɗin a hankali, sannan ta koma kan gadon, ta kwanta ta kuɗundune gwiwowinta a kirjinta, ta rungume su kamar tana neman wani irin comfort a cikin kanta, sannan ta lumshe idanunta, but sleep was the last thing on her mind.

Duk lokacin da ta lumshe idanunta, sai ta tuna da abin da ya faru, sai ta buɗe su, wai dama mutumin nan haka yake? Ta sake lumshe idanunta sai ta turo baki, kamar bazai aikata ba… har ta gaji da kanta, daga karshe dau baccin ne yayi gaba da ita. Suhaila kam dama tana sane, ta ƙi komawa ɗakin bayan ta kai mata abincin, sai kawai ta wuce ɗakin Ummie tayi kwanciyar ta a can.

A can kuma Hajiya Hauwa da Hajiya Balaraba ne, suna tafe a mota, Hajiya Balaraba ta kalli Hajiya Hauwa, tana wani ƙankance idanu, kamar tana ƙoƙarin karanta wani abu a fuskarta, “Hajjaju, ni fa ban gane ba. Wannan ita ce matar Zayd ɗin kenan? Kishiyar Seeyama?” Hajiya Hauwa da idanunta ke kan hanya ta amsa a taƙaice, ba tare da ta kalleta ba, “Ehh, ita ce.” Sai Hajiya Balaraba ta ci gaba, tana kallon Hajiya Hauwa na ɗan lokaci kafin ta sake kallon gaba, “Amma yarinyar nan ta haɗu, kinga wani mahaukacin shape… gaskiya tana da kyau sosai.” Sai ta ɗan dakata staring at Hajiya Hauwa, ta ɗan karkatar da kanta, idanunta suka ƙara ƙankancewa, “Amma ni ban gane miki ba fa akan yarinyar nan akwai wani abu a tare dake.”

Hajiya Hauwa ta ɗan motsa hannunta a steering wheel, amma bata ce komai ba. Hajiya Balaraba ta ci gaba da magana cikin nutsuwa, “Amma dai kinsan duk maitarmu akwai no-go area ko? Ko ni nan na ƙyasa wallahi…” Ta ɗan yi shiru, sannan ta ƙara da sautin da ya fi na farko tsanani, “Amma nasan abinda ba zai yuwu bane.” Hajiya Hauwa ta ɗan kalleta ta gefen ido, fuskarta a haɗe, sannan ta maida kanta gaba, cikin dakewar murya tace, “Me kuma ya kawo wannan maganar? Ta ɗan dakata, kuma shikenan? Sabida kina ganin muna wannan abun shikenan kuma ba damar ka danyi friendly da wani sai ya zama sai da wani hidden agenda a ranka? Besides, she’s like a daughter to me.”

Hajiya Balaraba ta katseta da sauri, “Haba Hajjaju, ni fa ba wani abu nace ba.” Ta ɗan ɗaga hannunta kamar mai kare kanta, “Abu ne da kinsani, na sani, toh meye wani abun boye-boye?” Ta yi ɗan shiru, sannan ta juya ta kalli Hajiya Hauwa da kyau, “Ni da ke fa… karrr ta san karrrrr ne!” Ta ɗan ja maganar, sannan ta sake gyara zamanta, “Kawai tuna miki nayi, matar ɗan yayanki ce kuma kishiyar ɗiyarki ta cikinki, bayan wannan, ban ce wani abu ba.” Shiru ya sauka tsakaninsu, Hajiya Hauwa bata sake magana ba, kawai ta maida hankalinta kan tukinta, hannunta a kan steering wheel, idanunta a gaba, amma yanayin fuskarta gaba ɗaya ya canja, that smile was gone, ta ɗan taune lips ɗinta, sannan ta ja numfashi a hankali, clearly, yake bata ji daɗin maganar aminiyarta ba, kamar kalaman Hajiya Balaraba sun taɓo wani wuri da ita kanta bata son a taɓa.

Hajiya Balaraba kuwa ta kalleta na ɗan lokaci, amma da ta ga shirun ya yi yawa, sai ita ma ta maida kanta gaba, motar ta ci gaba da tafiya cikin shiru, amma wannan karon… the silence felt different, kamar kowacce daga cikinsu tana tunanin wani abu da ba ta shirya faɗa wa ɗayar ba.

Zayd kai tsaye gidanshi ya wuce, bayan ya yi horn, mai gadin ya leƙo, ganin motarsa sai ya juya da sauri ya buɗe ƙofar, Zayd ya kalli motar da Seeyama tayi parking a gefe, ko arzikin karasawa parking lot ma bata samu ba, shima sai kawai ya ajiye tashi a gefenta, ya kashe engine, ya fito a nutse daga motar, sannan ya karasa wajen mai gadin. Mai gadin kuwa da ya gan shi, ya tana takowa inda yake sai yayi maza ya rigashi zuwa ya zube ya fara gaishe shi, “Good afternoon, sir…” Zayd fuskar nan a haɗe, idanunsa a kansa, “Get up.” Ya faɗa a nutse, amma cikin murya mai ɗauke da command. Mai gadin ya mike da sauri.

Zayd ya fara magana, “Me nace maka?” Mai gadin ya ɗan haɗiye yawu, “Boss…” “Me nace maka?” Ya maimaita, wannan karon idanunsa suka ƙara tsananta, “Me nace maka? Who comes in and who goes out?” Mai gadin ya rikice, “Wallahi boss, sai da nace ka hana… da tayi baƙuwa ban buɗe ba, sai baƙuwar ta kirata a waya, shine ta fito nan wajen ta sakani dole sai na buɗe, da na tsaya ma ina mata bayanin abinda ka ce, sai ta mare ni, sir please, kayi haƙuri…” Ya ɗan taɓa kumatunsa kamar har yanzu yana jin zafin marin. Zayd ya tsaya yana kallonsa, babu wani expression da ya nuna ko ya ji tausayinsa ko ya yi mamaki, kawai idanunsa suka tsaya kansa na wasu seconds, sai kawai ya juya, ba tare da yace komai ba, ya fara tafiya da wannan takun nasa mai cike da izza da kwarjini, ya nufi entrance ɗin.

Mai gadin ya tsaya a wurin yana kallonsa har ya shige, he knew that silence, fatan shi daya kar Zayd yaje yayi wani abu da za’a huce akanshi… Kai tsaye ya tura ƙofar falon, da ya shiga, idanunsa suka fara yawo a cikin falon, komai baja-baja, har kayan da Seeyama ta cire kafin ta fita suna nan a watse, ledoji kala-kala, harda used takeaways da bottle na ruwa da juice, komai a watse, ba kintse, wasu daga cikin pillows ɗin kujerun ma suna nan a ƙasa, hatta shoes ɗin da suka cire duk suna nan falon, babu wanda ya taɓa komai.

Zayd ya tsaya na ɗan lokaci yana kallon wajen, fuskarsa ta ƙara hadewa, what on earth happened here? Amma bai furta komai ba, kai tsaye ya mike corridor ɗin da dakunan gidan suke, kofa ɗaya ya buɗe, a ɗaya daga cikin dakunan, yana riƙe da handle ɗin ƙofar, ya tsaya a bakin ƙofar ba tare da ya shiga ba. Safina ce kaɗai a kan gado, ta turo dankwalin kanta gaban goshi, tana taunar chewing gum, hannunta na aikin latsa wayarta, kamar tana can cikin wata duniyar ne daban, yanda tayi rashe rashe akan gadon kamar tana kan gadonta ne ba na ƙawa ba.

A daidai lokacin ne Seeyama ta buɗe ƙofar bathroom ta fito, daure da towel, da idanunta suka sauka kan Zayd, wanda yake tsaye riƙe da handle ɗin ƙofa yana kallon ɗakin, fuskarsa nan a mugun daure, ta tsaya cak na second ɗaya, sai murmushi ya fara bayyana a fuskarta, “Babeee…” ta fada cike da wani farinciki da ya kasa buya a muryarta sabida sam batayi tsammanin ganinshi ba, he took her unaware. Ta karaso da sauri wajen shi ta Kama hannunshi, sai sakin wani murmushi take mai cike da tsantsar farinciki.

Sautin muryarta ya dawo da Safina daga duniyar da take da sauri, Safina ta ɗago kai, idanunta suka sauka kan Zayd, nan take ta mike, kamar wacce ta tuna suddenly cewa tana da wani very important appointment somewhere else, ba tare da ta ce komai ba, ta ɗauki mayafinta da sauri, ta wuce ta gefen Zayd ta fice daga ɗakin. Zayd kuwa bai motsa ba, kawai idanunsa suka bi Safina har ta fita, sannan ya dawo da kallonsa kan Seeyama yana watsa mata wani shegen kallo.