He lay on the soft carpet grass resting, his head on his hands, staring thoughtfully at the shining stars scattered across the night sky. The large garden had two sections—one filled with fruit trees like mango, guava, and cashew, and the other with resting chairs. Except for the chirping of birds, the place was silent as the night deepened. It was around two o’clock in the morning.
He wore a traditional Fulani knitted robe, and his head was wrapped in a turban that partly covered his face. As one of the night guards of the house, he often spent his nights lying in the garden, watching the stars. It brought him peace and joy.
By his side was a long stick called a gora, which he used to guide cattle. Though it had been nearly a year since he last visited their family’s cattle camp, known as "Rugar Shehu," he still kept the stick by his side.
Suddenly, the sound of someone landing and the barking of the house dogs startled him. He quickly sat up, looking around, thinking someone might have jumped into the compound. But there was no sound except for the dogs’ growls. Grabbing his stick, he walked straight to the tree near the garden wall, suspecting that whoever had come in might have landed there.
On the other side, a girl struggled to free her veil, which had gotten caught on a tree branch. She pulled with all her strength, knowing that if she didn’t escape quickly, the guards would catch her. The dogs were angrier than usual tonight, and that made her even more anxious.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned sharply and saw him raising his stick, ready to strike. Out of fear, she shut her eyes tightly and cried,
“Oh no, Daddy!!!”
Story Preview
FIKRA WRITER'S ASSOCIATION
AUREN SHEHU
✍🏾 Khadija Sidi
Kwance ya ke a rigingine kan ciyayi irin wannan ciyayin da ake kira "carpet grass" Hannayen sa biyu tallabe da ƙoƙon kansa, cikin nazari yake duban taurarin da ke jere reras suna sheƙi bisa sararin samaniya. Babban lambu ne mai ɗauke da ɓangare biyu, ɓangaren bishiyoyin 'ya'yan itatuwa, bishiyar mangoro, gwaiba, yazawa (cashew) da dai sauran su, sai kuma ɓangaren da ke ɗauke da kujerun hutawa. In ka ɗauke kukan tsuntsaya babu sautin da ake ji kasancewar dare ya fara tsalawa, kusan ƙarfe biyu ne.
Sanye yake cikin rigar saƙa irin na fulani, kan sa ɗauke da rawanin da ya zaga har kewayen fuskar sa hakan ya sa fiye da rabin fuskar shi ɓuya. Kasancewar shi na daya daga cikin masu gadin daddare na gidan, kusan kullum ya kan kai biyu a nan cikin lambun, yayi kwanciyar sa ya na mai nazari, hakan ba ƙaramin nishaɗi ya ke saka shi ba.
Gefan sa ƙatuwar sanda ce wacce ake kira da gora, ta korar shanun sa ce duk da kuwa rabon shi da rugar su wacce ake kira "Rugar Shehu" ya kusa shekara.
Jin dirar mutum tare da haushin karnukan gidan lokaci ɗaya ya sanya shi yin zumbur ya tashi zauna ya na mai duban in da ya ke kyautata zaton mutum ne ya diro cikin gida. Jin shiru babu wani motsi sai na haushin karnuka ya sanya ya tashi tare da jan sandar gorar shi kai tsaye bakin bishiyar da ke kusa da katangar lambun ya nufa, idan ya ke kyautata zaton koma menene ya diro nan ne hanyar shi.
Tun dirowar ta take ƙoƙarin janye niƙabin ta da ya maƙale jikin reshen bishiyar da ya mata tsani. Ƙoƙari ta ke iya ƙarfinta don ta ga ta ci
