Don't be afraid to bleed on paper, for it is through vulnerability that we create our best work. So go ahead, let your pen flow and see where it takes you.
Welcome to a world of imagination, where every tale is a journey into the unknown. With each turn of the page, you'll be transported to a new realm of mystery, beauty, and wonder. Let your mind wander and your heart be captivated by the power of storytelling.
The Cursed Bloodline
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Chapter 1
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Available on Issue 1 (OOTP Mag Spotlight)
Written by Sophie Amen
Chapter 2
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Available on Issue 2 (OOTP Mag Spotlight)
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Chapter 3
Alhaji Muhammad Mamman who was happen to be a rich millionaire, a well-educated and thoughtful man. Live with his one and only wife Maryam in Kano state.
As we all know in the olden days Hausa's have that tradition of marrying of their children to their relatives, as they said it helps the family bond to be strong. It also happens to Maryam and Mamman who were also cousins, got into this arrange marriage which was their parents' choice. Them as obedient children didn't hesitate and accept with two hands as they said maybe that was what God has planned for them.
At first, Mamman wasn't happy with the marriage, but later on when he stays at the same roof with Maryam, he realized how lucky he is to have such a beautiful, kind and soft-hearted lady as his wife. And in Maryam side it's also the same as she always thanks God in her five daily prayers for blessing her with such a lovely husband. They fell deeply in love and become a wall for each other to lain on.
The couples were living a contented marriage life. And that makes their other cousins admires them.
They lived for a good five years of marriage but Maryam haven't give birth or miscarriage. Mamman is a children lover that he couldn't endure it and decided to see a doctor with her to find a solution. and at that time they were informed that she will not be able to give birth. Maryam becomes so sorrowful after she heard of the news, seeing that Mamman hide his own sadness and tries to comfort her.
One Saturday afternoon Mamman was sitting in his study room when Maryam enter with salaam, he replied as he looks of at her face.
“My beautiful wife, it seems like you have some words in your mouth better spit it out”, he said jokingly.
Maryam reduce her gaze and take a deep breath ,” my dear husband there's something I want to suggest but I don't know how you will look at it” she said.
“What is that thing wife? feel free and say everything you like” he said with a smile on his face.
“My dear I just said why not you just add a second wife since I can't be able to give birth, I know you really like children, and I don't want to make your life sorrowful, please my husband marry another wife”, she said with a serious tone.
He just stares at her with a surprise, how can a lady seek for a co-wife,
“are you okay? are you sure you're not sick? ” he said taking his hand to her forehead to check for her temperature.
” I'm fine and I mean what I just said my dear, I want you to see your children too like other marriage men”.
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“Maryam” he said holding her two hands, “I love you more than you think, and even if I’m to marry another wife I knows that I can't do justice between you. I'm not that desperate to have kids, so keep your mind at ease, it wasn't your deed that you can't give birth, it was what God destined for us so we should just keep praying. Come on i don't like seeing tears at this pretty face, he said as he took the tears off her cheeks. Let's go and have our lunch i can't resist this wonderful aroma that is coming from the dining, it just keeps knocking at my door”, he said teasingly and that makes her smile to the extend her white set of teeth shows.
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He sits at the dining table and she went to the kitchen and came back with a serving spoon.
“What did you cook for us wifey? It is making me so impatient“ He ask looking into her eyes.
“Your favorite food” she said as she opens the food warmers and start serving him, she serves herself and sit back on her seat.
It was semovita swallow with luru soup which is made with powdered baobab leave.
He takes his first bite and looks at her, “do you know why I'm always falling for you”, she nod her head meaning no.
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“it's because of this your wonderful cooking skill” he said taking another bite.
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She frowns her face “so you love me because of food”.
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” Of course I love you even if you can't cook my beautiful wife”. They both boost out laugh.
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The month of Ramadan is approaching and all families were preparing for the upcoming months. At Mamman house he bought all their needs for the month and payed for their 'umrah' [ visit to the Holy Kaaba] as they always spend their last two weeks of the month in Saudi Arabia. His wife gave an advice why not them invite their cousins for ''ifter'' [the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan] in the blessfull month before they leave for their 'umrah', he was happy with the advice and agree at that instant.
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It is on the 10th day of Ramadan they invite all their cousins the married and the single ones for ''eftar'' to their house. Maryam prepare a wonderful meal with the help of her house help. She took the men's food to the dining room, and brought the lady's one to their main parlor. After few minutes their cousins arrive, they chat for a while before the "Azaan" call out to sunset prayer. They eat, drink and pray.
She is at her room with some of her cousin sisters Laura, Juwaira, Aisha and Fatima having some chat as they're both in the same click.
“Maryam you're really lucky to have Mamman as your husband”, says Fatima as she rolls her eyes.
“Hmmmm I know that's why I'm always grateful to God for the best choice”, now it's Maryam's turn to roll her eyes.
“A man like Mamman are really few in this world, just look at the way he's treating you with care even though you're infertile says Juwaira”.
Maryam just smile though she felt attack by Juwaira's speech.
“Ohh! daughter of my mother how could you say such a thing to her” says Aisha who was sitting beside Maryam.
“I didn't mean to offend anyone but am sorry if what I said hurt you”, Juwaira says patting Maryam on her back.
“Of course it's nothing daughter of my mother”, Maryam Says to her with a smile that doesn't reach her eyes.
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After "Taraweeh" prayer they all left and now it remains the couples alone. Maryam calls her house help to pack everything and they packed them all and organize the house back to its normal state.
Chapter 4
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It's exactly 2weeks since the Iftar that began at Maryam's house. But since then Juwairiyya couldn't get peace of mind till now as she put it in mind no matter what will happen , she must marry Mamman and kick Maryam out of the house. As she said, she's the woman that deserves that kind of happiness.
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Juwairiyya has been roaming around from one ritualist to another, with the aim of kicking Maryam out of Mamman's house through charms. Unfortunately! All the ritualist couldn't achieve thier work on Maryam because she's very prayerful.
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Now she decided to leave Maryam and works on Mamman since she's hard to get. It's more easier than she thought, because they just asked her to bring one set of Mamman's clothes and everything will work smoothly.
On Thursday at 3:40pm Juwairiyya visited Maryam, she was lucky the husband was not around. And that is how they sit in the parlour chitchat for a while before she said she wants to pray "asr" prayer. Maryam showed her the way to her room and went back to the kitchen to check on what she has been cooking before her arrival.
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She finished everything and brought the food out to the dining and went straight to her room for her to also perform her prayer. She was surprise when she found out Maryam was not in the room but she just kept that aside to perform her prayer leaving it in mind that maybe she's in the bathroom.
But to Maryam's Surprise, even after she ended her prayer Juwairiyya was not in the room. So she knocked at the toilet door but silent followed, which means there's nobody inside.
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She went out of the room, checking everywhere, but Juwairiyya was not seen. she decided to take her phone in the master bedroom to give her a phone call and ask for her whereabouts.
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She was Surprised seeing Juwairiyya sitting there on the prayer mat in her husband's room. She called her name and she quickly turn around as if she wasn't aware of her in the room.
"Oh! Maryam are you in? See I use the bathroom this is why it took me long here" Juwairiyya claimed.
"Juwairiyya!" Maryam shouted ,do you mean you used my husband private bathroom and all prayed here inadvertently? Common, supposing you just come to this house first, it's your proper to recognize the privatization of master bedroom" Maryam commented furiously.
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"Oh Maryam are you trying to insult me because I'm in your husband's room without knowing, if i know this is his room i wouldn't have come in, but you just decided to treat me this way because of a man. But no problem it was my fault, if I haven't come to your house,you would've not dare did this to me. Maryam don't forget that marriage is time and my time will also comes, by the grace of god you won't see me again in ur house". Juwairiyya said taking her bag and making her way out of the room.
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Maryam tried to stop her by trying to show her that that's not what she meant by all what she said rather trying to show her that this is her secret room and she also knew that. But Juwairiyya ignored her and furtively walk out of the house.
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But what Maryam wasn't aware of was, Juwairiyya enters Mamman room intentionally as that was what brings her to the house. She sneaks one set of Mamman's kaftan and put inside her bag before Maryam came inside the room. And she was mad at her on purpose in order to leave the house without her noticing the clothes she have inside her bag.
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Maryam kept aside the misunderstanding she had with Juwairiyya, and continue with her house chores. With the help of her house help they finished everything by 5 o'clock including cleaning the house and spreading perfume in each and every angle of the house. The house is a plate one, with a massive compound and vegetation around the walls.
The birds are moving from branch of tree to another making some heart touching cheeps. The white painted inner building is situated by the left side of the premises that the same can be built at the other available space. The fragrance that emanates from the dining is what you can call a breath-taking. She took her bath dressed in her pink and blue lace beat her face a bit and put on some Jewelries which brought out her mesmerizing beauty.
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She's sitting at the sitting room waiting for the arrival of her husband, she didn't sat there for long when she hear the horn of his car. She quickly stood up and brings a cold water from the fridge, and stayed by the door waiting for him. The moment he steps his leg at the door, Maryam welcomes him with a hug and a cold water to ease his mind. After some few seconds he went in, took his bath and changed a light attire and come back to the dining to have their lunch together.
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She serves them in one plate, and Mamman was busy complementing the food before he even take a bite of it. She was just smiling because she's already use to her husband attitude of complimenting her everything, she really likes it and that makes her put more effort in putting smile on his face by doing all he likes.
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They're in that state something hilarious happens. A butterfly flue to the dinning table and relax on Mamman's shoulder.
"Oh dear see something on ur shoulder" Maryam said.
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He catched it up and stare at it, the butterfly just flue away like it just disappeared into the tin air. There was a silence between the couple, and he quickly stand of and went straight to the door that will lead him out of the house .
"Hubby where are you going while in the middle of your lunch, at least have your lunch before you go". Maryam called.
He paused and stares at her and quickly made his way out. Maryam was shocked by her husband’s sudden changed attitude in second.She decided to hope everything was alright.
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About the Author
Safiyya Aminu Adam, popularly known as Sophieamin, is a budden poet who started writing at a tender age of 13. Her writing sprung out of the interest she had for creating and telling folklores to her younger siblings before she later started documenting the stories.
Inspired by the works of Kaduna based international poet Maryam Bukar (Alhan Islam), her works are devoted to telling stories about the cultures and traditions of her people in the Northern part of Nigeria and by extension across the country.
She is currently a 300 level undergraduate student of the Yusuf Maitama Sule University in the ancient pyramid city of Kano.
