MY MOTHER
398 Words
Zahra could not breathe.
`My mother has this cloth,` the girl said.
The paper in her hand shook.
Amara looked at Zahra.
`Where is your mother?` she asked soft.
The girl pointed back.
`She went to get water.`
`She will be back soon.`
Boma took a step back.
`We wait.`
Zahra sat on a box.
Her hands were cold.
Blue wrapper. Red stall.
A paper like hers.
It could not be chance.
Minutes passed slow.
Market noise went on.
Then feet stopped near them.
A woman stood there.
Older. Tired eyes.
Blue wrapper tied at her waist.
She held a small bowl.
She looked at Zahra.
Then at the paper.
Her face changed.
`Where did you get that?` she asked.
Her voice was low.
Zahra stood up.
`A nurse gave it to me.`
`Her name is Ngozi.`
The woman’s bowl fell.
Water spilled on dust.
She did not move.
She just stared.
`Ngozi is my name.`
The market went quiet.Zahra’s legs felt weak.
Amara held her up.
`You are Ngozi?` Amara asked.
The woman nodded slow.
Tears ran down her face.
`I lost a child long ago.`
`A girl. At the clinic.`
Zahra stepped forward.
`That girl is me.`Zahra could not breathe.
`My mother has this cloth,` the girl said.
The paper in her hand shook.
Amara looked at Zahra.
`Where is your mother?` she asked soft.
The girl pointed back.
`She went to get water.`
`She will be back soon.`
Boma took a step back.
`We wait.`
Zahra sat on a box.
Her hands were cold.
Blue wrapper. Red stall.
A paper like hers.
It could not be chance.
Minutes passed slow.
Market noise went on.
Then feet stopped near them.
A woman stood there.
Older. Tired eyes.
Blue wrapper tied at her waist.
She held a small bowl.
She looked at Zahra.
Then at the paper.
Her face changed.
`Where did you get that?` she asked.
Her voice was low.
Zahra stood up.
`A nurse gave it to me.`
`Her name is Ngozi.`
The woman’s bowl fell.
Water spilled on dust.
She did not move.
She just stared.
`Ngozi is my name.`
The market went quiet.
Zahra’s legs felt weak.
Amara held her up.
`You are Ngozi?` Amara asked.
The woman nodded slow.
Tears ran down her face.
`I lost a child long ago.`
`A girl. At the clinic.`
Zahra stepped forward.
`That girl is me.`
- Writer
