CHAPTER 11

" now just me and you, tell me truth, yunno where Omar will be ?"

" I think so "

" Where you think him be ?"

" Omar finds peace with Allah(God)"

" So Omar be in heaven now?"

"No" he giggled " he will be in the masjid(mosque)"

" How you know this?"

" No matter how Omar is angry or fearful, he finds peace in the masjid(mosque) "

" Which one ?"

" There is only one in this ghetto"

" Then why not say since ?"

" I never think of it before "

" It's no problem, let's go now "

" But it's dark "

" It's no matter, let's go! "

They went out in the freezing cold night, putting on a wooly jacket that didn't keep them warm enough. They walked side by side in the silent street. Kwairah felt a sudden surge of fear, it is wrong to walk in the ghetto street at night and especially unsafe for girls. Neither her mother or father would have let her walk at that time. She held the hand of her little brother to control her fear but shivered and freezed when fierce hooded men walked passed them. Hassan noticed the tremor of fear running through her, "she is scared" he knows. Dangerous robbers attack at night. They show no sympathy to their kind only care for their pockets full. If you got no money then be willing to submit to abduction and that is an option you shouldn't choose, because It is worse to be abducted. A ghetto will always have rascals that don't give a shit about you, since they can't get a good job, when expenses becomes unbearable they take to illegal acts. But one thing that baffles him is, they fear too much to hurt or harm a white that is wealthy, instead harm their fellow that is poor and vulnerable or sell them out to whites to gain their pleasure. To prevent being a victim just don't walk at night.

" if you are scared you can go back home"

" No, me not fear "

" kwairah, you know ummi(mother) will never want you to go out by this time, so please go back, I will go alone"

" Hassan, No, what if some bad happen to you, what me do? No, we go together"

" no bad will happen I will be okay, the masjid (mosque) is not far please go back kwairah I fear those men for you "

She breathed out loud and knelt down to be of the same height as him.

" please run don stop till you reach masjid(mosque)"

He nodded and walked ahead hastily. He heard his sister scream again "run!!" he obeyed this time, running as fast as he could carry himself till he got to the doorway of the mosque. He heard voices inside, that was weird, he didn't expect people to be in the mosque at such time of the night. He opened the door and went in, seeing a lot of men but his brother was not among them.

" Assalamu Alaikum (peace be upon you)" he greeted

" wa Alaikum salam wa rahma( and to you too be peace and blessing)"

" please imam, I want to see my brother"

" sorry son, him no be here "

" it is wrong to lie imam, I know he is here "

" that be true son but we can't bring him out "

" why?"

" for him safeness "

"  I want to see him, it's about our mother " Omar had been listening to their conversation but stayed hidden. Fear sent his pulse racing forming liquid in his eyes that he let roll down his cheeks. He tried to stay strong, not showing himself to Hassan but his courage fell defeated when he heard him mention their mother.

" what's wrong with ummi(mother)?" He came out asking . Hassan ran towards him, hugging firmly before pulling himself out.

" why did you hide away from us?" he asked sobbingly

" me sorry "

" did you do it ?"

" me never do it Hassan, me swear with Allah(God)"

" I believe, they have put mother in cell and they will not release her until they see you, you need to go tell them you didn't do it, so that they can free ummi(mother)"

" them never believe me "

" no, they believe, if you say you swear to be innocent they believe you"

" they never, I wish them do "

" micheal's mother promise to help if they see you, you need to come they will not beat you "

Omar chuckled to his puerile advice. Knowing things don't work that way for blacks in south Chicago. The law hardly believe the words of a black man.

" what you say son, you wan them kill you brother ? Them see him them kill him"

" you know my ummi(mother) was in cell but you all never tell my brother, you want my mother to die rai ?"

" no son, we no wan no bad thing to happen to family of Imran, that's why we hide Omar, we know him no do it, but if we tell him of you mother then him go out and them kill him " the imam said calmly.

" but if he stay here, hiding, they will kill our ummi(mother) "

" no, never! Me go to them, me never want any harm to me ummi(mother) " Omar said dropping a tear

" nothing will happen to you too, you are not a killer "

" we go home together" he turned to the brethrens watching them from behind " thank you, all of you, Allah (God) help we all"

The imam move closer and hugged him tight " we support you Omar in dua(prayers) "

He nodded and left the mosque with Hassan.

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It seemed to Omar that no sooner had he closed his eyes that he was wide awake again. He tried to make them sleep but the fear of tomorrow kept it wide open. He turned to his side, seeing Hassan and kwairah sleeping, they looked innocent and impeccable. He caressed his hair and touched his cheek tenderly believing that might be the last time he will sleep together with them as family. His heart skipped noticing the sudden pale light that filled the room "it's morning so fast"he whispered to himself . He saw the room and saw snow falling past the window; but his mind formed no image of any of these. They simply existed, unrelated to each other, the snow and the daylight and the soft sound of breathing from his siblings cast a strange spell upon him, a spell that waited for the wand of fear to touch it and endow it with reality and meaning. he knew they won't believe him no matter how many times he says his innocence. But hiding back and letting his mother suffer in prison is what he can't bear. " Me go surrender no matter what they do to me " he said again in a whisper . Forced himself up from where he lay, kissed Hassan on his forehead and brushed kwairah's hair back with his hands. He went out of the room at an early hour of the morning. He knows the station his mother will be in, Christopher had driven him around and showed him so many places before,the closest station to their street is where she will be imprisoned, So it will be too difficult for him to find. He stepped quickly into the sidewalks in the snowy street, feeling that ball of hot tightness growing larger and heavier in his stomach and chest . He opened his mouth to breathe, he felt a slight lessening of nervous tension and swallowed. In no time he was at the station's gate . He looked up and down the place and saw very few officers outside. Well, this was it, he had to go in. Even though it was cold that morning he felt hot. He lifted his hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead in a long slow gesture. He hesitated a moment longer at the gate, then went in, walking with firm steps to the man who was dozzing off where he was sitting.  He tapped the table to waken him up. The officer jolted up quickly wiping his sleepy eyes to come fully awake.

" What can I do for you mister ?"

" Me is Omar, the one you find "

" Excuse me ? What are you talking about ?"

" Me is the man that work for Dr Christopher, me is the Omar you find"

" My goodness, you came to surrender"

" Let me mother go, is me only you want "

" Okay give me a minute " the officer said pulling his radio to his mouth " 10-5 over, suspected murderer surrender "

* * *

Hassan woke up from his side and astonished not finding Omar beside. He tapped kwairah to waken her.

" What Hassan ?" She asked mumbling in her sleep.

" Omar is not here "

" Okay, check under mat ?" She said again in a mumble. Hassan tapped her once more, this time harder, to bring her into reality.

" I am not looking for a pin! I can't find Omar here ! " He yelled in shaky voice

" What !" She got up quickly getting her senses back " where him be! ?"

" I don't know"

" Look outside " she ordered. He went out and did as told but still nothing, no sign of him around.

"He is not outside "

" No! Omar run again?"

" Maybe he is in father shop "

" Okay let's go there" he agreed. When they turn to leave they saw Helen's car approaching, they stood still, waiting for what she has to share . Deep in Hassan, he prayed for a good news.

" Good morning ma'am" he greeted quickly

" Good morning my dear, how was your night?"

" Fine, thank you. How is Michael?"

" He is fine, sent his regards. I wanted to know how you both are doing this morning before going to work. How are you kwairah? "

" Fine, thanks for all you care "

She smiled and gave a nod. She picked up the incoming call in her phone and spoke with the latter for a while before returning back to them. Her face wasn't looking cheerful as she former appeared.

" Have you seen Omar ?" She asked

" Yes, we saw him last night but this morning he is not here no more. We believe he will be in father's shop, so we going there now"

" He has surrender himself to the police, I just got the call."

" Why! ? We tells him we go together there "

" They won't put him long there right ma'am ?"

" He will come out safe. There is something to prove he didn't do it "

" What ?" Hasan asked

" A gun, if his fingerprint doesn't match then he is free "

" And he come home ?"

" Yeah sure, safe and unharmed"

" Okay. "

" I need to be at the office now, please don't worry to much, he will be okay " they nodded positively. She drove her car home, putting on another clothes and informed Micheal of what happened. She kissed him to bade him a farewell before leaving the house. She saw Bernard waiting outside her gate already, she shoved herself in his car and they drove off to the station. She looked at her wristwatch and saw the time to be twenty minutes past nine, she asked Bernard not looking at his face.

" Do you think they are going to release her ?"

" Yeah, I think so, the murderer had been found right ?"

" We do not know yet that he is the murderer "

" We will know now " he said with a smirk.

When they got to the station the wailing of hauwa was deafening, she violently refused to back off. Officers tried to make her stop her violent reactions but she wouldn't. Helen hurried to her and patted her shoulders.

" It's going to be okay "

" No ma'am, please me no complain to remain here, tells them to put me back, me son no do it, please "

Helen touched her face and held her both hands tight.

" He will be fine, I promise just go home "

" No, no, please ma'am, me say me like cell let them put me back, me never leave only with me son"

Helen pulled her closer hugging her tight to herself patting her back gently like a child being nestled to sleep. Not minding the stare from the officers or her partner. " I promise you, Omar will be fine " she whispered into her ear. Hauwa jounce her head severally crying behind, she believes in her promise but she wish she doesn't, something deep inside gives her little hope that her son won't be killed. Telling her that her promises are lies but she refused to listen to it, chooses to believe that her misfortune will go away.