THE SILENT ROOM

*KADDARAR ZUCIYA*

*CHAPTER TWELVE: 12*

*THE SILENT ROOM*

*JIDDAAH BARKUM*

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Bayan Inteesar ta dawo ɗakinta da sauri, ta tura ƙofar ta rufe, sannan ta saka key cikin tsananin fargaba, hannayenta suna rawa yayin da ta jingina da ƙofar na ɗan lokaci, tana ƙoƙarin daidaita numfashinta da ya rikice, a hankali ta janye daga ƙofar ta faɗa kan gado, ta ɗora hannu a ƙirjinta tana jin yadda zuciyarta ke bugawa da sauri, "What the hell is going on with me?" ta furta a hankali, muryarta cike da ruɗani.

Ta ɗauki wayarta da sauri ta kunna screen ɗin, idanunta suka sake sauka kan saƙonnin wannan mutumin na sirri, "I missed you, beautiful…" "And I think your dear Yaya Umar almost caught us…" Ta sake karanta saƙonnin sau biyu, kamar tana fatan wata sabuwar ma’ana za ta bayyana idan ta sake duba su, amma a’a, kalmomin nan suna nan yadda suke, wani irin sanyi ne ya ratsa dukkan jikinta, tsoro da mamaki suka gauraya a zuciyarta, yayin da tambayoyi marasa adadi suka fara kai komo a cikin tunaninta.

Ta yatsun da suke rawa saboda firgici, ta fara rubuta saƙon da nufin tilasta wa mutumin ya fito da gaskiya, Inteesar: "Waye kai ainihi? Shin kana ɗaya daga cikin mutanen gidan nan da suke zama da mu? Ko kuma ka saka hidden camera a falonmu ne, kana kallon duk abin da muke yi? Don Allah, ka daina yi min wasa da hankali! Just tell me the truth!" Ta danna send, sannan ta matse wayar a ƙirjinta, a wannan karon, ba wai kawai tana son sanin wanda yake tura mata saƙonnin ba ne, tana son sanin yadda yake samun bayanan abubuwan da suke faruwa a rayuwarta, bayan mintuna kaɗan, wayar ta yi vibration, ta buɗe saƙon da sauri, Unknown Number: "Kada ki damu da yadda na sani, beautiful, ki sani kawai cewa idanuna suna kanki a kowane lokaci, kuma babu abin da kike yi da zai ɓuya a gare ni." Inteesar ta buɗe baki kaɗan, amma babu kalmar da ta fito, "Ya Allah…" ta furta cikin raunin murya, ta ajiye wayar a gefenta, ta rufe fuskarta da tafin hannayenta, wannan ba abin da za ta iya ɗauka a matsayin wasa ba ne, mutumin nan yana sanin abubuwan da ya kamata ba zai sani ba, yana lura da motsinta, yana sanin inda take, kuma yanzu har yana magana kamar yana da cikakken iko a kanta, ta kwanta tana juya kai daga wannan gefe zuwa wancan, amma duk lokacin da ta lumshe idanunta, sai saƙonnin suka dawo mata a rai, ta kasa samun barci mai daɗi har gari ya waye.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING — NILE UNIVERSITY, washegari da safe, bayan Inteesar da sauran ɗalibai sun gama lecture na farko, ta sami Amira a wani gefe na harabar jami’ar, Amira na zaune tana duba wasu notes a wayarta lokacin da Inteesar ta ƙaraso ta zauna kusa da ita, "Intee, good morning, you look terrible! Did you even sleep last night?" Inteesar ta yi murmushin yaƙe, ta girgiza kai a hankali, "Barely," Amira ta ajiye wayarta, ta juyo da jikinta gaba ɗaya gare ta, "Wait, what’s wrong?" Ba tare da ɓata lokaci ba, Inteesar ta buɗe WhatsApp ɗinta, ta shiga chat ɗin lambar sirrin, sannan ta miƙa mata wayar, "Just read these messages." Amira ta karɓa, ta fara karanta saƙonnin ɗaya bayan ɗaya, yayin da take karantawa, murmushin da ke fuskarta ya ɓace a hankali, ta sake komawa ta karanta saƙon ƙarshe, sannan ta ɗago kai tana kallon Inteesar cikin mamaki, "Intee, this is not funny at all," Inteesar ta girgiza kai, idanunta sun fara yin ja saboda rashin isasshen barci, "I told you, Amira, something is seriously wrong, the way he talks… it’s like he’s right beside me every single time," Amira ta cire glasses ɗinta a hankali, ta share su da gefen hijab ɗinta kafin ta sake kallon Inteesar, "Think about it, mutumin nan ya san abin da ya faru a falonku, kuma yana sanin lokacin da kike gida, either yana kusa da ku sosai, ko kuma yana da wani connection da gidan Yaya Umar," Inteesar ta ji wani sabon tsoro ya mamaye ta, "Shi ya sa nake cikin fargaba, Amira, if Yaya Umar finds out about this, kashina ya bushe, kin san halinsa fa!" Amira ta yi shiru na ɗan lokaci, tana nazarin abin da Inteesar ta faɗa, "Hmm…" Ta ɗan matso kusa da ita, ta rage muryarta, "Akwai hanya guda ɗaya, dole ne mu gano ko akwai wani hidden camera a gidan, ko kuma wani mutum da yake samun damar shiga gidan lokacin da Umar ba ya nan," Inteesar ta kalleta cikin rashin tabbas, "But how? Ba zan iya fara binciken gidan Yaya Umar haka kawai ba, what if he catches me?" Amira ta numfasa, "Then we have to be smart about it, ba za mu yi wani abu da zai jefa ki cikin matsala ba, first, we need to figure out who this person is," Inteesar ta gyaɗa kai a hankali, amma kafin ta iya cewa wani abu, idanunta suka sauka kan wani ɗalibi da ke tsaye nesa da su kaɗan, nan take ta yi shiru, saurayin yana sanye da baƙar riga da wando, ya tsaya a kusa da wani gini, yana kallonsu daga inda yake, Inteesar ta ɗan matsa gaba, ta ƙanƙance idanunta tana ƙoƙarin tantance fuskarsa, amma abin da ya fi ɗaukar hankalinta shi ne yadda yake kallonsu, ba kallon da mutum zai yi wa abokan karatunsa kawai ba ne, akwai wani abu a cikin kallon nasa da ya sa ta ji kamar ya san su, musamman ita, zuciyarta ta fara bugawa da sauri, "Amira…" ta kira a hankali, ba tare da ta kawar da idanunta daga saurayin ba, "Hmm?" "Look over there," Amira ta juya kai ta bi inda take kallo, "Who?" "Wancan ɗalibin da ke tsaye kusa da building ɗin," Amira ta ɗan kalle shi, sannan ta dawo da kallonta kan Inteesar, "Toh? What about him?" Inteesar ta ɗan haɗiye miyau, "I don’t know… amma there’s something strange about the way he’s looking at us," ta sake kallon saurayin, har yanzu idanunsa suna kansu, a take, wani tunani ya faɗo mata, ta ɗauki wayarta da sauri ta buɗe WhatsApp, ta shiga chat ɗin lambar sirrin, sannan ta rubuta kalmomi biyu kacal, "I saw you," ta danna send, daga nan ta ɗaga kai ta mayar da hankalinta kan saurayin, bai ɗauki lokaci mai tsawo ba, sai ta ga ya zaro wayarsa daga aljihunsa ya duba screen ɗin, Inteesar ta ji zuciyarta ta buga da ƙarfi, "Oh my God…" ta furta a hankali, Amira ta juyo da sauri, "What? What happened?" Inteesar ta nuna mata saurayin da idanunta, "He just checked his phone," Amira ta gyara zamanta, ta fara kallon saurayin da kyau, "Are you sure?" Inteesar ta gyaɗa kai da sauri, "Yes! I’m sure!" A wannan lokacin, saurayin ya sunkuyar da kansa yana danna screen ɗin wayarsa, kamar yana rubuta saƙo, Inteesar ta kasa zama, ta miƙe tsaye da sauri, "I’m going to find out," "Intee, wait!" Amira ta kira, amma Inteesar ta riga ta fara tafiya, ta nufi inda saurayin yake da sauri, idanunta suna kansa, zuciyarta cike da fargaba da wani sabon ƙarfin hali, a wannan karon ba za ta bari ya ɓace mata ba, amma kafin ta ƙaraso inda yake, saurayin ya ɗago kai, ya gan ta tana zuwa, na ɗan lokaci, idanunsu suka haɗu, sai ya juyo da sauri ya shiga wata hanya tsakanin gine-ginen jami’ar, "Hey! Wait!" Inteesar ta kira, ta ƙara sauri, amma lokacin da ta isa wajen, saurayin ya riga ya ɓace, ta tsaya cak, tana waige-waige cikin takaici, "Damn it!" ta furta, tana dafe goshinta, ta duba hagu, ta duba dama, amma babu alamarsa, ta ji haushi sosai, musamman yadda ya sake tsere mata a daidai lokacin da ta kusa gano ko waye shi, Amira ta ƙaraso wajen, tana haki kaɗan, "Intee! What happened? Where did he go?" Inteesar ta girgiza kai cikin takaici, "He ran away, the moment he saw me coming, he just disappeared!" Amira ta zaro ido, "Wait… you think he’s the one?" "I don’t know, Amira, but something tells me he knows more than he’s showing," tana cikin wannan ruɗanin ne ta ji ƙaran motar Yaya Umar ta tsaya a kusa da ita, ta juyo da sauri, motar tasa ce, ya zo ɗaukarta gida, Inteesar ta ja dogon numfashi, ta yi ƙoƙarin daidaita yanayinta kafin Umar ya lura da wani abu, ta juya ta kalli Amira, "I have to go," Amira ta gyaɗa kai, "Okay, but please, be careful, and don’t do anything reckless," "I will," ta yi wa Amira sallama, sannan ta buɗe ƙofar motar ta shiga ta zauna, ko da ta zauna, hankalinta da tunaninta gaba ɗaya suna can wajen ɗalibin da ya tsere mata, ta duba madubin motar, sannan ta kalli tagogin gefenta, tana tunanin ko za ta sake hango shi a wani wuri, Umar wanda ke tuƙi cikin natsuwa ya lura da yadda take zaune a motar, amma hankalinta yana wani wuri daban, ya ɗan kalle ta daga gefen ido, "Inteesar," muryarsa ta katse mata tunani, ta juyo da sauri, "Na’am, Yaya?" Ya mayar da hankalinsa kan hanya, "Tunanin me kike yi haka da har kwanan nan kike fita daga hayyacinki? Kwanakin nan, you hardly seem present," Inteesar ta haɗiye miyau da ƙyar, ta matse wayarta a hannunta yayin da take ƙoƙarin saita muryarta, "Yaya… dama wani babban assignment ne aka ba mu a makaranta, kuma maki saba’in yana kansa," ta ɗan yi shiru, tana ƙoƙarin tsara abin da za ta faɗa, "Kuma muna da ɗan ƙaramin lokaci na submitting ɗinsa, shi ne nake ta lissafin yadda zan tsara nawa," Umar bai ce komai ba nan take, ya juyo ya kalleta na daƙiƙa guda, idanunsa suna nazarin fuskarta kafin ya mayar da hankalinsa ga tuƙi, "Assignment na maki saba’in?" "Eh, Yaya," ya ɗan ɗaga gira, "Kuma shi ne zai sa kike ta waige-waige a harabar jami’a kamar wadda ta ɓatar da wani abu?" Inteesar ta ji kamar zuciyarta za ta fado, ta yi saurin kau da kanta tana kallon waje ta tagar mota, "I was just looking for Amira’s friend, Yaya, I thought I saw someone I knew," Umar ya yi shiru na ɗan lokaci, "Hmm," wannan hmm ɗin nasa ya sa Inteesar ta ƙara jin rashin natsuwa, ya ci gaba da tuƙi ba tare da ya ƙara tambayarta ba, amma a cikin zuciyarta ta san cewa Umar bai gamsu da bayanin da ta ba shi ba, ta jingina da kujerar motar, ta lumshe idanunta a hankali.

Da daddare, bayan kowa ya yi barci, gidan ya yi tsit kamar babu kowa a cikinsa, Inteesar na kwance a gadonta, tana juyawa daga wannan gefe zuwa wancan, duk lokacin da ta lumshe idanunta, sai hoton saurayin da ta gani a jami’a ya dawo mata a rai, ta yi ƙoƙarin mantawa da shi, amma ta kasa, wani lokaci tana tunanin ko shi ne mutumin da yake tura mata saƙonnin, wani lokaci kuma sai ta fara tunanin ko akwai wani mutum dabam da yake lura da ita tun kafin ta zo Abuja, ta numfasa, ta jawo duvet ta rufe jikinta, "I just want this to stop," ta furta a hankali, a dai-dai lokacin ne wayarta da ke gefen pillow ɗinta ta yi vibration, ta buɗe idanunta da sauri, gabanta ya faɗi, ta miƙa hannu ta ɗauki wayar, sannan ta buɗe saƙon cikin duhun ɗakin, Unknown Number: "Eh, ni ma na gan ki, amma kada ki damu, fargabar taki ta kusa ƙarewa," Inteesar ta miƙe zaune a take, "Ya Allah!" Ta sake karanta saƙon, idanunta suka ƙanƙance, "Eh, ni ma na gan ki," wato mutumin ya tabbatar mata cewa ya gan ta a jami’a, ta matse wayar a hannunta, zuciyarta na bugawa da sauri, "Enough is enough," ta furta cikin raunin murya, a wannan karon, ta yanke shawarar cewa ba za ta ci gaba da zama cikin tsoro tana jiran wani abu ya faru da ita ba, dole ne ta gano ko waye mutumin nan, ta zare duvet daga jikinta, ta sauko daga gado a hankali, sannan ta nufi ƙofar ɗakinta, ta buɗe ta kaɗan, ta leƙa corridor ɗin, babu kowa, ta fito a hankali, tana tafiya cikin tsanaki don kada takunta ya yi sauti, ta nufi hanyar ƙofar baya da ke kaiwa zuwa lambun gidan, tunaninta shi ne ko a nan ne mutumin yake ɓoyewa, ko kuma akwai wani abu a wajen da zai taimaka mata gano gaskiya, ta san cewa fita da tsakar dare ba abu ne mai kyau ba, amma tsoron da take ji ya fara haɗuwa da takaici, if he can watch me, then I need to know where he’s watching me from, ta ci gaba da tafiya a hankali, tana ƙoƙarin kada ta yi wani sauti, amma abin da ba ta sani ba shi ne, ba ita kaɗai ce take farke a gidan ba.

A babban falon gidan, Yaya Umar yana zaune a kan kujerarsa, teburin da ke gabansa cike yake da takardun aiki na office, gilashinsa yana gefen wasu files, yayin da hannunsa ke riƙe da wata takarda da yake ƙoƙarin karantawa, gajiya ta bayyana a fuskarsa, ya ɗan jingina da bayan kujerar, ya lumshe idanunsa na ɗan lokaci, sai ya ji motsin takun mutum, da farko bai damu ba, yana tunanin wataƙila Nana ce ta fito neman ruwa, amma da ya sake jin motsin takun, ya buɗe idanunsa a hankali, ya ɗago kai, a cikin duhun falon, ya hango ta tana tafiya a hankali zuwa hanyar ƙofar baya, ya yi shiru, yana bin motsinta da kallo, da ta kusa kaiwa ƙofar fita, muryarsa ta katse shirun falon, "And where are you going at this midnight?" Inteesar ta tsaya cak, kamar an zuba mata ruwan sanyi a kai, gabanta ya faɗi, numfashinta ya tsaya na ɗan lokaci, ta ji wani azababben tsoro ya ratsa dukkan jikinta, a hankali ta juyo, jikinta yana rawa, Yaya Umar ne, yana zaune a kujerarsa, idanunsa a kanta kamar walkiya, Inteesar ta kasa magana, ta ji ƙafafunta sun yi mata nauyi, kamar an dasa su a ƙasa, ta yi ƙoƙarin haɗiye miyau, amma makogwaronta ya bushe, "Yaya…" ta furta a ƙarshe, muryarta na rawa, Umar bai motsa ba, "Come again?" Inteesar ta sunkuyar da kanta, hawaye suka cika idanunta nan take, "Yaya… dama… na ji wani motsi ne a waje," ta ɗan yi shiru, tana ƙoƙarin daidaita numfashinta, "Shi ya sa… shi ya sa na fito duba ko ɓarayi ne suka shigo gidan," Umar ya ɗaga gira, sannan ya miƙe tsaye a hankali, tsawonsa izzarsa da kwarjininsa suka ƙara cika falon, ya taka zuwa inda take tsaye, idanunsa a kan fuskarta, "Kin ji motsi a waje?" Inteesar ta gyaɗa kai da sauri, "Eh, Yaya," "Then why didn’t you call me?" Ta buɗe baki, amma babu amsar da ta fito, Umar ya zuba mata ido, fuskarsa cike da haɗuwar fushi da damuwa, "Duk don saboda kin ji motsi, does that warrant you ki fito waje cikin daren nan?" Inteesar ta sake komawa da baya, jikinta na rawa, kukan da take yi ya ƙaru, har muryarta ta fara shakewa, "I’m sorry, Yaya…" Umar ya ɗan lumshe idanunsa, yana jan numfashi a hankali, "Inteesar, do you have any idea how dangerous this is? What if there was actually someone outside?" Ta girgiza kai cikin kuka, "I’m sorry…" Ya bita da kallo na ɗan lokaci, yana numfashi sama-sama saboda fushi, sai ya juya ya nufi ƙofar lambun da take shirin fita, ya buɗe ƙofar a hankali, ya leƙa waje cikin duhun daren, yana dube-dube ko zai ga alamun wani ɓarawo ko motsin mutum kamar yadda ta faɗa, Inteesar ta tsaya a inda take, ta matse wayarta a ƙirjinta, zuciyarta na buguda mugun ƙarfi, a gefe guda, tana jin tsoron abin da Umar zai gani a waje, a ɗaya gefen kuma, tana fargabar cewa idan ya dawo ya ci gaba da yi mata tambayoyi, zai gano cewa akwai wani abu da take ɓoyewa, ta rufe idanunta na ɗan lokaci, please, Allah… don’t let him find out, bayan ’yan mintuna, Umar ya dawo cikin falon ya tura ƙofar ya rufe, bai ga komai ba a waje, kuma babu alamar kowa, ya dawo gaban Inteesar ya tsaya, yana kallonta, ta sunkuyar da kanta, hawayenta suna zuba a hankali, Umar ya ɗan ja numfashi, sannan ya sassauta muryarsa, "Koma ɗaki ki kwanta," Inteesar ta ɗago kai kaɗan, amma kafin ta iya motsawa, ya ƙara da cewa, "Amma kada na sake ganin irin wannan a cikin gidan nan, if you hear anything next time, kira sunana ko ki kira ni a waya, kin ji?" Ta gyaɗa kai da sauri, "Na ji, Yaya," "Good, now go inside," Inteesar ta goge hawayenta da bayan hannunta, ta juya ta nufi ɗakinta da sauri, tana shiga, ta tura ƙofar ta saka key, sannan ta faɗa kan gado tana ƙoƙarin saita numfashinta, hannayenta har yanzu suna rawa, ta matse wayar a ƙirjinta, idanunta sun kumbura saboda kuka, gaskiya ba ta taɓa tsammanin yaya Umar zai bar ta ta koma ɗakinta ba tare da ya yi mata wata babbar magana ba, I thought he was going to lose his temper completely, ta yi tunani, tana share hawayenta, ta ja duvet ta rufe jikinta, amma kafin ta samu damar kwantar da hankalinta, wayarta ta sake yin vibration, gabanta ya faɗi, a hankali ta buɗe idanunta, sannan ta ɗauki wayar, wani sabon saƙo ne daga lambar sirrin, Unknown Number: "Dry those tears, beautiful… and get some sleep," Inteesar ta daskare, idanunta suka tsaya a kan screen din, suna bin kalmomin da ke kan screen ɗin, "Ya Allah…" ta furta a hankali, ta share hawayen da ke kan fuskarta, amma kafin ta iya tunanin abin da za ta yi, wani saƙo ya sake shigowa, "Next time… don’t leave your room at midnight," Inteesar ta zaro ido, ta miƙe zaune da sauri, ta fara kallon ƙofar ɗakinta, sannan ta juya ta kalli window ɗin da ke gefen gadonta, "Who the hell are you?" ta furta cikin rawar murya, ta sauko daga gadon a hankali, ta nufi window ɗin, ta ɗaga labule kaɗan tana leƙa harabar gidan, babu kowa, babu wani motsi da ya nuna akwai mutum a wajen, ta mayar da labulen, tana jin wani irin sanyi yana ratsa bayanta, sai wayar ta sake haskakawa, saƙo na uku ya bayyana, Unknown Number: "Abuja is not safe… 😉" Inteesar ta tsaya cak, idanunta suka zaro waje, numfashinta ya tsaya na ɗan lokaci, a hankali wayar ta sulale daga hannunta ta faɗa kan gadon, ta ja baya, tana kallon wayar kamar wata halitta ce mai haɗari, yanzu ba wai kawai mutumin yana sanin abin da take yi ba ne, yana sane da motsinta har a lokacin da take ƙoƙarin yin wani abu a ɓoye, ya san ta fito daga ɗakinta, ya san inda take son zuwa, kuma ya san cewa yaya Umar ya ganta, but how? Inteesar ta koma kan gadon, ta jawo duvet ta rufe jikinta, tana jin zuciyarta na bugawa kamar za ta fasa ƙirjinta, a wannan daren, ta fahimci abu ɗaya, ba za ta iya ci gaba da ɗaukar wannan a matsayin wasa ba, wani mutum yana lura da ita, wani mutum yana sanin duk abin da take yi, kuma mafi muni… wataƙila mutumin yana kusa da ita fiye da yadda take zato, ta runtse idanunta, hawayen da ta yi ƙoƙarin dakatarwa suka sake zubo mata…

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