Chapter Five: The Betrayal in the Dark
917 Words
Ayaan and Safiyo moved through the wilderness like shadows, their bare feet kicking up dust as they left their village behind. The distant howls of hyenas echoed through the night, but Ayaan hardly noticed. Her mind was racing.
They needed to reach Mandera, the Kenyan town across the border, where they could disappear into the crowd. From there, they would find a way to Nairobi, where people like Misky, the educated woman who fought against FGM, could help them.
But they couldn’t do it alone.
“Waa ayo qof inaga caawin kara?” Safiyo whispered.
(Who can help us?)
Ayaan hesitated before replying. “Cabdalla wuu jooga Ashabito. Wuu i caawin karaa.”
(Abdalla is in Ashabito. He can help me.)
Abdalla, her cousin, had once been kind to her. He had always said she was too smart for village life, that she was meant for bigger things. Surely, he would help them escape.
But Safiyo frowned. “Ma hubtaa inuusan kuu khiyaano?”
(Are you sure he won’t betray you?)
Ayaan wanted to be sure. But deep down, something unsettled her.
Still, they had no other choice.
---
A Dangerous Offer
By sunrise, they reached Ashabito, a dusty trading town near the Somali-Kenyan border. The streets were bustling with traders, camels, and children running barefoot between stalls. The air smelled of roasted maize and sweat.
They found Abdalla near a tea stall, speaking to a group of men. When he saw Ayaan, his eyes widened in surprise.
“Ayaan? Maxaad halkan ka sameyneysaa?”
(Ayaan? What are you doing here?)
She pulled him aside, lowering her voice. “Waan baxsaday. Waxaan u socdaa Mandera.”
(I escaped. I need to get to Mandera.)
Abdalla’s face darkened. “Baxsatay? Hooyadaa iyo aabahaa ma ogyihiin?”
(Escaped? Do your parents know?)
Ayaan shook her head.
He sighed, then looked around cautiously. “Halkan ammaan maaha. Laakiin waan ku caawin doonaa. Habeen dambe ayaan kuu gudbin doonaa Mandera.”
(It is not safe here. But I will help you. Tomorrow night, I will get you to Mandera.)
Ayaan felt a wave of relief. “Mahadsanid, walaal.”
(Thank you, cousin.)
But something about his smile made her stomach twist.
The Betrayal
That night, Abdalla took Ayaan to a small hut on the outskirts of Ashabito. “Halkan ku sugto. Waa meel aamin ah. Habeenka dambe ayaan ku dhaafinayaa xuduudka.”
(Wait here. This is a safe place. Tomorrow night, I will take you across the border.)
She nodded, exhaustion pulling at her eyelids.
But as soon as the door shut, something changed.
Abdalla’s voice grew low. “Waxaad ogtahay inaad aniga i leedahay, sax?”
(You know you belong to me, right?)
Ayaan’s body froze. “Maxaad ula jeeddaa?”
(What do you mean?)
He stepped closer, his breath hot against her skin. “Waxaan kuu sameynayaa wax qof kale kuu sameyn karo. Waa inaad wax ii celisaa.”
(I’m doing something no one else will do for you. You have to repay me.)
Her stomach churned. She tried to step back, but the walls were too close.
“Abdalla, fadlan... ha sidaan yeelin.”
(Abdalla, please... don’t do this.)
His hand grabbed her wrist too tightly.
Panic surged through her veins.
She had run from one horror—only to fall into another.
---
Fighting Back
Ayaan’s breath came in shallow gasps. Her mind screamed at her to do something.
Think, Ayaan. Think.
Then—she remembered the small blade Hassan had once given her. “A girl should always have something to protect herself,” he had said.
Her fingers brushed against the blade hidden in her sash.
As Abdalla pushed her down, she acted without thinking—
Slash!
A sharp cry of pain filled the hut.
Abdalla stumbled back, clutching his bleeding arm, his face twisting in rage.
“Warya! Adigaa is haligay!” he roared.
(You just destroyed yourself!)
Ayaan didn’t wait to see what he would do next. She ran.
---
A Guardian Angel – Kaltuma
The streets of Ashabito were mostly empty. She ran blindly, her heart hammering.
Then, she saw a dimly lit building—a small clinic.
She stumbled inside, gasping for breath. A woman in a white headscarf turned in surprise. Kaltuma, a nurse in her mid-thirties, rushed to her.
“Hooyo, maxaa dhacay?”
(My dear, what happened?)
Ayaan couldn’t speak. Her body trembled violently.
Kaltuma saw the terror in her eyes and didn’t ask more. She led Ayaan to a chair and handed her a glass of water.
After a long silence, Kaltuma whispered, “Halkaan waad ku nabadgalaysaa.”
(You are safe here.)
Ayaan burst into tears.
For the first time in days—she believed it.
---
A New Plan
By morning, Kaltuma had learned Ayaan’s story. The nurse’s face was filled with quiet fury
The people doing this to girls must be stopped.)
She took Ayaan’s You must leave, Ayaan. You must go to Nairobi. I will buy your ticket
Ayaan’s eyes widened
You? But why?
Kaltuma gave her a sad smile. I know your pain. I have seen girls like you before. They never returned. You must go.
Ayaan swallowed back fresh tears. She hadn’t lost everything. There were still good people in the world.
That night, as she boarded th e bus to Mandera, she whispered to herself:
Hope is not dead yet.
Because she was going to Nairobi.
Because she was going to find Misky.
Because she was going to fight back
- Writer
