FIRE-CITY
† † †
While they waited for Zuda to come and Carim's mother absentmindedly sipped her tea, Po decided to engage her. Perhaps, she might have a clue of what Carim had done to be tied to a pole.
"Mam, where have you been?" He began and the woman let out a sigh.
"I went to visit my younger sister. I told Carim I was returning today and on my way home, I decided to get some things, only to see my son . . ." She trailed off as she broke into fresh tears. Po drew her close and squeezed her shoulder but she pulled away from him, wiping her eyes as she continued. "I knew something was up with him. He had been so gloomy of recent and would not talk to me about it. Each time I try to get him to talk to me, he dismissed me with the tag that he was fine. But he wasn't, and I knew it. I
