The next morning, Sunday, Salima sat with Salim folding their washed clothes. Suddenly, Ibrahim barged in as if he was thrown into the room, wearing a short and a loose shirt with his usual rough haircut. They all looked at him before greeting:
"Good afternoon, brother."
He ignored their greetings and stared directly at Salim:
"You, get out of here."
Salim quickly obeyed and left. Ibrahim then turned to Salima and said:
"So you're a shameless little girl, huh? I know what you did yesterday."
He tapped her chest. Calmly but with courage, she responded:
"What did I do, brother?"
Ibrahim laughed wickedly and said:
"Don’t pretend like you don’t know. I don’t need to spell it out for you. But listen, I’ll tell you what you’re going to do for me. If you dare disobey me, I’ll expose your secret and I swear daddy will deal with you — not just him, even mummy and I too."
Terrified, Salima asked,
"What do you want from me?"
He laughed again, licking his lips. Since returning, he'd developed a lustful obsession with her, even though he knew there was nothing particularly appealing about her. But he was convinced she'd be sweet.
He stood and said:
"Come to my room at exactly 10pm. There’s something I want to discuss with you — about what you're going to do for me. If you refuse to come, just know your life will be ruined."
Then he stormed out.
Salima, now in deep distress, could barely sit still. She didn’t even want to talk to Ibrahim, let alone enter his room. But she continued folding clothes in anxiety. After the Maghrib prayer, she couldn’t eat—completely overwhelmed with worry.
The Dreaded Hour
At exactly 10pm, she wore her long hijab, checked on Salim who had already fallen asleep, adjusted his blanket and left the room quietly. The stairs were dark. She tiptoed to Ibrahim’s door and knocked lightly. Before she could even finish knocking, the door swung open.
He stood in only a white towel wrapped around his waist. He stepped aside for her to enter and closed the door behind her. Her heart pounded as the smell of cigarettes filled the room.
"Come on, let’s go," he said. She hesitated but took two steps forward. He sat on his bed and said:
"Relax. Give yourself to me and I’ll keep your secret."
Panicking, she looked at him and said,
"Brother, please just tell me what you wanted to say. It’s late and I want to sleep. I have school tomorrow."
He stood up laughing:
"So you're even eager now?"
He suddenly dragged her into his arms. Terrified, she opened her mouth to scream, but he forced his lips onto hers. She fought him with everything she had — kicks, punches, but he only became more aggressive. He pulled off her hijab and paused.
As she tried to lift herself, she hit him with her hand. Enraged, he shouted:
"You’re joking with your life. Now I’ll show you my real strength."
He began to drag her violently. Eventually, he started beating her.
Despite her screams and cries, no one came. With his eyes closed in lust, he tried to violate her. He stripped her down and pinned her.
Realizing he would destroy her, she gathered her last strength and pushed him off. She crawled toward the door. He stumbled after her and dragged her back, smashing her head against the tiles multiple times. Bloodied and bruised, she spotted a glass shisha bottle nearby.
The Escape
With her last ounce of strength, she grabbed the bottle and struck him hard on the head. He collapsed instantly. She grabbed her hijab, wrapped herself, and opened the door.
As she exited, she bumped into Hilma who was heading toward Ibrahim’s room. Seeing Salima in a panic, Hilma was shocked and was about to speak when Salima ran past her.
Hilma entered the room and found Ibrahim lying motionless like a corpse. Alarmed, she rushed to him, called his name, but he didn’t move. She covered him with a towel and ran to Daddy’s room, where he sat reading papers. Hearing the knock and recognizing her voice, he got up and opened the door.
Seeing her distressed, he asked:
"What happened?"
Shaking, she pointed toward Ibrahim’s room:
"Brother… brother is dead… she killed him!"
The Cover-Up
Daddy rushed to the room and found Ibrahim lying there. He checked and found a faint pulse.
"Bring water!" he shouted.
Hilma ran to the kitchen and passed by her mother Hajia Labiba.
"Where’s your father? What happened?"
She ignored her and fetched the water.
Labiba followed her into Ibrahim’s room and saw Daddy holding him. He poured water on him multiple times until Ibrahim stirred. Daddy asked,
"Ibrahim, what happened here?"
Ibrahim stayed silent, knowing the truth would get him disowned. Instead, Hilma quickly said:
"It was Salima! She once told us she would ruin everyone in this house. Even Khady knows she said that."
Ibrahim added to the lie:
"Yes, Daddy. Yesterday I told her to clean my room, she disrespected me, so I slapped her. She swore revenge. Tonight, as I came out of the bathroom, I thought mummy had come in, but suddenly she smashed a bottle on my head."
The Accusation and Punishment
Daddy asked Khady if Salima had made such threats. She smirked and said:
"Yes, Daddy. Twice."
Furious, Daddy turned to Salima:
"So after everything I’ve done for you all — your food, school, clothes — this is how you repay me?"
Salima broke down in tears, unable to say a word.
Haj Kareema shouted:
"You tried to kill my son! You’ll go to court for this!"
But Daddy stopped her:
"Enough! I’m the one to give judgment here."
He added:
"From today on, I’m done with everything concerning you — no more school fees or support. You’ll eat and live here like you don’t exist. And for attempting to kill my son, you’ll pay."
Kareema smiled in agreement:
"Well said, Alhaji."
Everyone left the parlor. Salima, devastated and wounded, locked herself in her room and refused to eat or drink. Mama Rabi came to check on her, found her in terrible condition, helped her bathe, fed her, and let her sleep.
One Year Later – Isolation and Disconnection
Salima and Salim were no longer allowed to attend school. They remained locked in their room like prisoners, with only Mama Rabi bringing them food. Their elder brother Ishaq had gone to Egypt for school, and Amra could no longer reach him or anyone in the family.
Amra was deeply disturbed, crying every day. One day, her friend Haifa came visiting with Hammam.
"Babe, stop worrying about your siblings. They’re fine wherever they are," Haifa assured her.
Amra replied:
"I regret not saving any of their numbers. For over a year, no one has checked on me, and I can't reach anyone. Something is wrong, Haifa."
She broke down crying. Haifa comforted her.
A Glimpse of Relief
Haifa left after Hammam called her. Amra, though distressed, appreciated her visit. The next day, she stayed home, did her laundry, and worked out. She hadn’t gone back to the gym since the incident with Basit.
Later, she went to the mall — her housemanship allowance had been paid. She shopped for abayas, English wear, shoes, and treated herself to a luxury meal at a fine restaurant. While there, she saw someone heading to the restroom who looked familiar...
Description
The Following Day – A Sunday Incident
The next morning, Sunday, Salima sat with Salim folding their washed clothes. Suddenly, Ibrahim barged in as if he was thrown into the room, wearing a short and a loose shirt with his usual rough haircut. They all looked at him before greeting:
"Good afternoon, brother."
He ignored their greetings and stared directly at Salim:
"You, get out of here."
Salim quickly obeyed and left. Ibrahim then turned to Salima and said:
"So you're a shameless little girl, huh? I know what you did yesterday."
He tapped her chest. Calmly but with courage, she responded:
"What did I do, brother?"
Ibrahim laughed wickedly and said:
"Don’t pretend like you don’t know. I don’t need to spell it out for you. But listen, I’ll tell you what you’re going to do for me. If you dare disobey me, I’ll expose your secret and I swear daddy will deal with you — not just him, even mummy and I too."
Terrified, Salima asked,
"What do you want from me?"
He laughed again, licking his lips. Since returning, he'd developed a lustful obsession with her, even though he knew there was nothing particularly appealing about her. But he was convinced she'd be sweet.
He stood and said:
"Come to my room at exactly 10pm. There’s something I want to discuss with you — about what you're going to do for me. If you refuse to come, just know your life will be ruined."
Then he stormed out.
Salima, now in deep distress, could barely sit still. She didn’t even want to talk to Ibrahim, let alone enter his room. But she continued folding clothes in anxiety. After the Maghrib prayer, she couldn’t eat—completely overwhelmed with worry.
The Dreaded Hour
At exactly 10pm, she wore her long hijab, checked on Salim who had already fallen asleep, adjusted his blanket and left the room quietly. The stairs were dark. She tiptoed to Ibrahim’s door and knocked lightly. Before she could even finish knocking, the door swung open.
He stood in only a white towel wrapped around his waist. He stepped aside for her to enter and closed the door behind her. Her heart pounded as the smell of cigarettes filled the room.
"Come on, let’s go," he said. She hesitated but took two steps forward. He sat on his bed and said:
"Relax. Give yourself to me and I’ll keep your secret."
Panicking, she looked at him and said,
"Brother, please just tell me what you wanted to say. It’s late and I want to sleep. I have school tomorrow."
He stood up laughing:
"So you're even eager now?"
He suddenly dragged her into his arms. Terrified, she opened her mouth to scream, but he forced his lips onto hers. She fought him with everything she had — kicks, punches, but he only became more aggressive. He pulled off her hijab and paused.
As she tried to lift herself, she hit him with her hand. Enraged, he shouted:
"You’re joking with your life. Now I’ll show you my real strength."
He began to drag her violently. Eventually, he started beating her.
Despite her screams and cries, no one came. With his eyes closed in lust, he tried to violate her. He stripped her down and pinned her.
Realizing he would destroy her, she gathered her last strength and pushed him off. She crawled toward the door. He stumbled after her and dragged her back, smashing her head against the tiles multiple times. Bloodied and bruised, she spotted a glass shisha bottle nearby.
The Escape
With her last ounce of strength, she grabbed the bottle and struck him hard on the head. He collapsed instantly. She grabbed her hijab, wrapped herself, and opened the door.
As she exited, she bumped into Hilma who was heading toward Ibrahim’s room. Seeing Salima in a panic, Hilma was shocked and was about to speak when Salima ran past her.
Hilma entered the room and found Ibrahim lying motionless like a corpse. Alarmed, she rushed to him, called his name, but he didn’t move. She covered him with a towel and ran to Daddy’s room, where he sat reading papers. Hearing the knock and recognizing her voice, he got up and opened the door.
Seeing her distressed, he asked:
"What happened?"
Shaking, she pointed toward Ibrahim’s room:
"Brother… brother is dead… she killed him!"
The Cover-Up
Daddy rushed to the room and found Ibrahim lying there. He checked and found a faint pulse.
"Bring water!" he shouted.
Hilma ran to the kitchen and passed by her mother Hajia Labiba.
"Where’s your father? What happened?"
She ignored her and fetched the water.
Labiba followed her into Ibrahim’s room and saw Daddy holding him. He poured water on him multiple times until Ibrahim stirred. Daddy asked,
"Ibrahim, what happened here?"
Ibrahim stayed silent, knowing the truth would get him disowned. Instead, Hilma quickly said:
"It was Salima! She once told us she would ruin everyone in this house. Even Khady knows she said that."
Ibrahim added to the lie:
"Yes, Daddy. Yesterday I told her to clean my room, she disrespected me, so I slapped her. She swore revenge. Tonight, as I came out of the bathroom, I thought mummy had come in, but suddenly she smashed a bottle on my head."
The Accusation and Punishment
Daddy asked Khady if Salima had made such threats. She smirked and said:
"Yes, Daddy. Twice."
Furious, Daddy turned to Salima:
"So after everything I’ve done for you all — your food, school, clothes — this is how you repay me?"
Salima broke down in tears, unable to say a word.
Haj Kareema shouted:
"You tried to kill my son! You’ll go to court for this!"
But Daddy stopped her:
"Enough! I’m the one to give judgment here."
He added:
"From today on, I’m done with everything concerning you — no more school fees or support. You’ll eat and live here like you don’t exist. And for attempting to kill my son, you’ll pay."
Kareema smiled in agreement:
"Well said, Alhaji."
Everyone left the parlor. Salima, devastated and wounded, locked herself in her room and refused to eat or drink. Mama Rabi came to check on her, found her in terrible condition, helped her bathe, fed her, and let her sleep.
One Year Later – Isolation and Disconnection
Salima and Salim were no longer allowed to attend school. They remained locked in their room like prisoners, with only Mama Rabi bringing them food. Their elder brother Ishaq had gone to Egypt for school, and Amra could no longer reach him or anyone in the family.
Amra was deeply disturbed, crying every day. One day, her friend Haifa came visiting with Hammam.
"Babe, stop worrying about your siblings. They’re fine wherever they are," Haifa assured her.
Amra replied:
"I regret not saving any of their numbers. For over a year, no one has checked on me, and I can't reach anyone. Something is wrong, Haifa."
She broke down crying. Haifa comforted her.
A Glimpse of Relief
Haifa left after Hammam called her. Amra, though distressed, appreciated her visit. The next day, she stayed home, did her laundry, and worked out. She hadn’t gone back to the gym since the incident with Basit.
Later, she went to the mall — her housemanship allowance had been paid. She shopped for abayas, English wear, shoes, and treated herself to a luxury meal at a fine restaurant. While there, she saw someone heading to the restroom who looked familiar...