By Maryam Altine Baba
Chapter Fifteen
The weather was getting colder. Gusts of winds caught the atmosphere, spreading fine dust and sands all over. From what people said, there might be harsh winter due to the heavy rainfall the preceding year.
The village of Gaji wore a new look. The houses had new thatched roofs and new straw walls were arranged and erected. People busied themselves with making mud bricks to build new rooms either to replace old structures or to rebuild those that had collapsed during the rainy season. Some simply built new ones to bring in new brides. It was dry season after all; the cash point of the villagers.
Malam Tijjani had travelled out of the village. He had accompanied Yaya Ibrahim on a vital quest to resolve boarder issues the villagers and their neighbors, the people of Mun had drawled for years.
That the only person to run the errand of collecting fresh garden vegetables for her mother.
She hurriedly walked carefully past several vegetable gardens until she’d reached the designated farm. The farmlands were deserted and looked thirsty against the made her back drop of the dry season. While the gardens were surrounded with dried sorghum straws and provided a combination of green and brown.
Malam Shehu had packaged what was needed well. She only picked them up and left after thanking the farm hand.
As she neared the housing units of the village, she heard her name being called out. She immediately knew whom the voice had belonged to but raised her speed to avoid her caller.
She stopped abruptly as he came to block her path, his face creased to an almost frown. Her heart jumped to beat the walls of her chest as she put her palm across her chest and winced.
“Kai Malam! Did you wake up this morning with the resolve to give me a heart attack?”
He arched an eye brow and smiled even as she pouted. He had told her twice that she looked cute when she did that. And the way he looked at her that moment made her heart fluttered and a thousand butterflies roamed the core of her stomach.
Ya Allah! She’d known him all her life but had rarely noticed he had the smile that had the ability to melt any one. At least she felt that way.
“You had no intention of stopping.” He stated matter-of-factly.
She regarded him briefly. He wore a flowing ash-colored jamfa with no cap on his head. He hung a small hoe on the crook of his neck as all those that went to farms did. There was a heavy looking sack by his other shoulder. He looked very handsome and in a thousand ways, different from his brother Imran.
“What is it? I am in a hurry to get this home.” She asked as she mustered her I- don’t- care attitude. She’d hoped it worked. Deep down her heart, she’d hoped she would bump in to him on her way to or pro. She was yet to ascertain the reason why. But she really was in a hurry to get back so she could attend her friend, Samara’u’s daughter’s naming ceremony.
“Look what I got from the city yesterday, when I took Malam Iro’s sugarcane produce to the market.”
He presented on his palm an almost rounded shaped fruit, “Go on and take it.” He encouraged when she hesitated.
She reluctantly took it and looked at it closer with apprehension like it had some sort of secret code written on it that she needed to crack. She wasn’t sure what it was. It was something new to her.
“What is it?”
“It is a fruit called an apple, and I bought it especially for you.”
She looked at him incoherently and looked at the fruit, “Why is it raw?”
Habib burst in to fits of laughter and she stood mesmerized by the melodious sound of it. Oh Allah, something truly was wrong with her. How can laughter sound like music to her ears? And Habib’s for that matter.
“Here, take it back.” She shoved the green mysterious fruit…or apple or whatever name he’d called it at him.
She almost leaped on her tracks so she could get away from him, from her confused state of mind. Hopefully she could sort her feelings when he wasn’t around her.
He caught up with her, “I am sorry.” He stated apologetically. “It’s not raw. Just try tasting it.”
She didn’t want to stop. But she knew he would follow her around and attention of some people might be drawn to them. And the last person she wanted to face was her nefarious aunt.
“Please.” He insisted when she finally stopped near Uzairu’s garden. It was near the village with few passersby.
She took it and sighed. Then she very gently took a small bite out of it and was surprised by it softness. Within seconds, a sweet/sour flavor exploded in her mouth that she had to close her eyes shortly in order that she savored every bit of it. It was bliss. She liked it.
“It is soft and smells nice.” She took another bite and relished its flavors. Even though she hadn’t wanted to, she couldn’t help herself.
Habib smiled again, obviously pleased with himself. She felt embarrassed. That smile did a lot of things to her fragile system, half of which she couldn’t explain or even understand.
“I should be going.” She announced conscious of his staring eyes.
“Just a moment please.” He pleaded as he dropped the heavy sack on the ground and exhaled from the relief of its weight. It was filled up with fresh looking sweet potatoes. She waited for him to answer her silent question. When he didn’t say anything, she decided to probe further.
She eyed it, “What is that for?”
“Who is it for dai?” He corrected with a smile as wide as the river of Gaji.
Her heart fluttered again and she looked at the sack. Habib wasn’t much of a talker. In fact, he was one of those that rarely engaged in small chit-chats. His attitude, hard work, diligence, neatness, coupled with religious piety all made him one of the most eligible bachelors of the moment.
“It is for uncle and Inna. I dug it out from my farm just now and I wanted them to have it.” He supplied further.
“Why are you giving it to me then? Take it to them yourself.”
He almost sighed, “You know I cannot, even if I wanted to.”
“Then look for another carrier.” She pouted, but with understanding. “I cannot carry heavy sacks lest you want me to have severe chest pain.”
“I cannot risk having it delivered to the house. I’d tried that once. But I trust you to take it home unfailingly.”
“Well, as you can see, I am already off my limitations on the weight lift.”
True, she was slender thin and had the most admired figure in the village. She was attractive, as was evident with the local calls she got every evening as young men, even older went to her for zance.
Carrying the sack could be quiet challenging for her. He wished he had another choice besides that. The last time he had tried to take coco yams to his uncle’s, he had a tell-tale spilled on him and he bore severe consequences of his mother’s wrath.
Just then, Uzairu came up to them with the salam greeting. Hauwa answered while he extended his hand out for a handshake to Habib. He smiled at Hauwa, and his eyes had a dreamy look like that of a child who’d been given his favorite toy.
“You’re looking beautiful Hauwa.” He almost drooled.
She wore an ankara material the colour of emerald with touches of brown and cream. It was sewn for her by the finest of tailors in the village, Talle just before the leng. She’d worn it to the festival and had had men admire her gaits and charm. Even today she still had that visual effect.
“Thank you Uzairu.” She said politely, smiling.
Habib almost laughed out with an arched eyebrow that asked; ‘Uzair, really?’
She completely ignored him. He had no idea what that look did to her. She had no intentions of letting him know, so she’d rather focused her attention on the new arrival especially since he’d offered to help her with carrying the sack beside her.
The load was heavy, but Uzair’s flexed muscles made it look lighter. He had one of the well- built bodies in the village amongst his contemporaries. He used that to impress the ladies.
Habib was considered whip- chord lean and a few inches shorter, but none the less, more handsome.
Just then, it made an appearance and disappeared almost immediately. She’d almost stepped on it as she started to walk away. She began to jump on each foot, struck by fear and almost lost her voice.
“Oh Allah, snake!” She shouted and jumped at the same time.
It was the time of the year when different species of snakes made their presence known about the village. She wasn’t so much thrilled about the slithering at all. They ventured out in search of food or when their holes were filled up with water. Some were known to chase after rodents and other small animals. Some were considered evil as it was believed there were people that took its form for their selfish gains. Whichever one it was, she didn’t want an encounter with any.
As she ran to where she’d thought was safer ground, she was surprised to see Uzairu run past her with lightning speed. That made her stop and looked behind her, her heart thumping faster.
Only Habib stood firm. And so was the sack of potatoes he’d given her. It was thrown and torn with some of them popping out like they needed fresh air. Luckily, she had her vegetables intact on her head.
Her heart continued to hammer in her chest, her legs almost sprained due to how she’d stopped abruptly. Why wasn’t he running? Was he crazy or something? For God’s sake she’d seen a very big snake! She didn’t know whether it was a cobra or viper. She just knew that any bite from any type of snake could be fatal.
Before she could open her mouth, she saw him pick a large stick that laid near one of the ticket fences that surrounded the gardens and directly aimed at the snake. She stood rigid, unable to move as she looked on. The snake re-appeared and reared its head in a counter attack, or in its bid to escape. It was a cobra!
It made an attempt to attack Habib, he’d retreated but for only a split second before he retraced his steps and stroke it and continued until it began twisting and turning on the grounds. Hauwa trudged forward slowly; a small crowd of mostly children had started to gather at a distance. She was afraid to move any closer than she was.
Just then, Uzairu came back wielding a very long thick stick, shouting like he was attacking a lion. He ran to where the snake was and began to strike at its almost lifeless body. Habib turned a spectator and stood aside as he watched on.
Some of the children ran towards them and clapped for him as they celebrated his heroism. He was clearly pleased and he kept looking at Hauwa’u. He beamed and raised his right hand as the cheering grew louder.
“Did you kill the cobra?” Murja, a damsel had asked none of them in particular. Her eyes were fixated on the dead thing on the ground.
“Well, I certainly did.” Uzairu shamelessly claimed. He added quickly, “We all know that hitting a snake once does not kill it. One has to keep heating it till it stops moving.”
“No, actually a snake is considered dead if the head has been severed from the rest of the body. So, technically, the snake isn’t dead yet.” Habib offered.
Some of those that had gathered agreed with Habib’s notion and asked for the said task to be fulfilled by the gallant hero of the day. Uzairu gulped visibly. He still stood inches away from the snake and touched it with his stick.
“I don’t think that would be necessary since it isn’t moving at all.”
“Oh, but it is necessary. You never know when it might strike and kill an innocent person. And leaving the head would make the snake’s partner hunt its killer tirelessly until it has taken vengeance for killing its partner.”
Habib was enjoying himself obviously. To be sincere, so was the crowd including Hauwa’u. She didn’t dare show how much though.
When Uzairu made to leave, Habib had asked him where he was going.
“Well, I need to go get a knife from home so as to cut it off easily.” When he’d turned around and saw Hauwa’u, he gave a nervous laugh and turned to look at Habib. “Don’t mind. I remember that Hauwa’u needed me earlier, before this unfortunate incident. I will have to leave the rest of you to it.”
With that, he went straight to where the potato sack was, wrapped it well and lifted. Hauwa’u’s got to hand it to him, he was very clever. No one would mock him for being a coward. And he knew the right button to push to get back at Habib.
Habib had watched on with disdain and gloom. That had certainly riled him up. He could never walk freely with her or even walk in to his uncle’s house without repercussions. That much Uzair knew and had used it to his advantage.
