Sabeer Calls Mammah for Help
Sabeer did not realise when he screamed at the top of his voice.
“Mammah, come quickly! Aunty Nafeesa is dead! Mammah!”
Mammah rushed outside in confusion.
“Sabeer, what happened to her? Was she not sitting here and reading peacefully just a moment ago?”
Sabeer answered through his tears, “I did not know she had drawn something on the ground. I erased it while she was watching, and then she suddenly collapsed.”
Mammah held her head in distress and exclaimed, “Oh Allah!”
She quickly lifted Nafeesa and carried her into the house. Since Mammah was a nurse, she knew what to do and managed to revive her daughter within a short time.
As soon as Nafeesa opened her eyes, she began crying.
“Mammah, my Nafseen! Sabeer erased my Nafseen!”
At that moment, Mammah had no choice but to comfort her daughter. She pulled Nafeesa close and gently rubbed her back.
“Please calm down, Nafeesa. Sabeer did not know what he was doing. Besides, it was only a drawing. I know you can make another one that will be even more beautiful than the first, can’t you?”
A sudden feeling of happiness filled Nafeesa’s heart. She immediately stood up and said, “Sabeer, give me my book. I am going to the madrasa.”
Mammah looked at her in disbelief.
“You are going to the madrasa with a Hausa novel? Come on, Maman Abhi. Leave it here and continue reading when you return.”
Nafeesa stamped her foot stubbornly.
“I am taking my book with me, whether anyone likes it or not!”
Mammah stood up and walked away, saying, “May Allah guide us.”
Nafeesa Takes Nafseen’s Novel to the Madrasa
Nafeesa wore a long hijab that reached the ground and covered her face with a niqab. She carried her school bag over her left shoulder while holding her favourite Hausa novel, Yar Auta, written by Nafseen, in her right hand.
By the time she arrived at the madrasa, the lesson had already begun. She quietly found a place to sit and immediately opened her novel to continue reading.
The teacher was teaching the class, but Nafeesa’s entire attention remained fixed on the book in her hands. A beautiful smile repeatedly appeared on her face as she read. She adjusted her sitting position, took a deep breath and continued reading with complete concentration.
The teacher eventually noticed her unusual behaviour. Although he could not clearly see what she was holding, he realised that she was not paying attention to the lesson.
“You there, Nafeesa! Stand up and read the first hadith I wrote on the board,” he ordered.
Nafeesa jumped to her feet in confusion and answered, “Mallam, Nafseen did not tell me about that in his book.”
The teacher stared at her with his mouth wide open. After recovering from his surprise, he shouted, “Who is Nafseen? Are we studying here or discussing some man? Answer me! Am I not talking to you?”
Nafeesa lowered her head without looking at him again.
The teacher raised his voice once more.
“I asked you a question. Who is Nafseen?”
Before Nafeesa could respond, another female student answered, “Mallam, Nafseen is a writer of Hausa novels.”
The Teacher Tears Nafseen’s Book
The teacher became even angrier.
“Wonderful! Today, you will see your Nafseen in this madrasa with your own eyes. Give me that book!”
With trembling hands and a heavy heart, Nafeesa surrendered the novel to him.
The teacher carefully examined its cover. Just as the student had said, the author’s name printed on it was Nafseen. He hissed loudly and began tearing the novel apart, ripping its pages one after another.
Nafeesa immediately burst into tears. At first, she cried quietly, but her sobbing soon became louder and uncontrollable. Eventually, her body stiffened, and she collapsed where she stood.
Her reaction surprised the teacher, but he showed no sympathy. He hissed and addressed the other students.
“Nobody should leave this classroom. Sit down so that we can continue our lesson. If she wants to behave foolishly, I can behave even more foolishly than she can.”
Nafeesa Attacks the Teacher
Nafeesa remained on the floor for a while. Suddenly, she sprang to her feet with a terrifying scream. Without hesitation, she charged towards the teacher, grabbed him firmly and began breathing heavily.
The frightened teacher screamed for help.
“Please, get her away from me! Nafeesa is going to kill me! Oh Allah, save me!”
The students could not control their laughter. Nafeesa continued beating the teacher and refused to release him.
Some students hurriedly called the other teachers. After a fierce struggle, they managed to free the frightened Mallam from Nafeesa’s grip. Even after they separated them, she continued breathing heavily and tried to grab him again.
As soon as the teacher found an opportunity to escape, he ran out of the classroom.
“I swear, that girl is not human! You people must investigate her!” he shouted breathlessly as he fled, afraid that she might catch him again.
The students continued laughing. The teacher was well known for beating his students without mercy, but on that day, he finally experienced what it felt like to be on the receiving end.
Nafeesa Mourns Her Destroyed Novel
Nafeesa could do nothing except cry. Never in her life had she experienced distress like this. Her precious Nafseen novel had been torn apart before her eyes. To her, it felt as though the teacher had attacked Nafseen himself rather than merely destroying his book.
She felt ready to fight anyone because of what had happened that day.
Another teacher approached her carefully and asked, “Nafeesa, what exactly is troubling you?”
His question made her cry even louder.
“Mallam, he tore my Nafseen apart! He touched my life and shattered my Nafseen into pieces. I swear I will never forgive him. He must feel the same pain I am feeling!”
Everyone stood still and stared at Nafeesa in astonishment. Some believed she had lost her mind, while others suspected that she had been possessed by powerful dark spirits.