The walk from the car to front door was a long one; not because of the distance but because of the memories Isabella had to deal with. They came and they forcefully took over, making mobility somewhat difficult. When she came to, she saw noticed someone was waving at her. Mama Rita. The same Mama Rita who knew but chose not say a word because Uncle Patrick was her biggest customer. Isabella ignored her and continued walking. It is bad enough that she recognized her, but what was worse was her trying to be nice.
Her aunt was at the door when she got there. She ushered her in and offered her a seat. Isabella thanked her and sat down. She quietly took in the sight and nodded slightly. Yeah, the vibe in the house was still the same. The whole place reeked of fear, pain, blood and denial. To stop the shadows and the screams, she turned to face the woman standing in front of her. Her aunt who was the soldier-woman; strict, agile and full of life, was now a shadow of herself. A good look at her face revealed some wrinkles and patches. Then she saw the tears.
“I’m sorry, Isabella”, she started. “I should have known, but I was too blind. I was carried away by my need to cater for the family. I swear, by my daughter’s grave, that I did not know”.
“Wait, what?! Aunt Salma, what did you just say? Which daughter?”
Aunt Salma sighed. Deep sigh. By now, the tears from her eyes were flowing freely and she could not stop nodding. She staggered and Isabella was on her feet the next second. She helped her to the cushion close to hers and made her sit.
“Two weeks ago, the tax force at the market came for the usual round, only this time they were not ready to accept stories. They knocked down our batchers and forced us out. I didn’t want to stand by the roadside, so I came home”. Aunt Salma recounted her story without batting an eyelid. She looked crazed and Isabella sensed something was not right in head. But she needed to know what had happened so she tried to focus. “I found her body in their room. She bled to death.
Image: The Guardian
CHINA TORI 