A storm was approaching from the east, and the wind signaled that it would rain soon. Zarah hurried away from the hut she was sitting in because she knew that once it started raining, it could flood. A tear gathered in her eye, and she had no refuge because everyone in the household treated her with scorn. With a trembling voice, she raised her hand to the sky and said, "O Allah, bring me a solution. Deliver me from this distress. O Allah, be my protector." When she raised her head, she saw a large house, seemingly an inherited estate, with fifteen wings. The house was built with a sense of importance and substantiality. The life in the house was such that everyone minded their own business, with no concern for the welfare of others. Each person was focused solely on themselves. The house of Mallam Yusif, known for smoking, was not limited to this behavior alone; it lacked proper upbringing. From drug addicts to hooligans, everyone fended for themselves when it came to food. If you got some, you ate; if you didn’t, you went hungry. Yet, despite the hunger, Mallam Yusif had four wives. His first wife, Hadiza, was a domineering and proud woman. If she did not like you, you were in deep trouble in the household. She had four daughters: Rabi, Salma, Maryam, all of whom were married, except for her youngest, Basmah. The second wife, Larai, had two sons, Nura and Dauda, who lived in the house with their wives. The third wife, Hindatu, had four sons: Hamza, Aminu, Aliyu, and Rufa'i. None of them were married, and Rufa'i was known to be effeminate and currently lived in Lagos. Hamza was a thug, Aliyu was a vigilante who also indulged in drugs, and the fourth wife, Fa'izah, had passed away while giving birth to Zarah. May Allah have mercy on her. Even Mallam Yusif’s siblings lived in the house, creating a tense environment where the sun rose and set without peace.
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