PART 3
The abandoned house was falling apart.
The roof had holes. Walls were cracked and covered in mold. Rainwater had stained the floor dark. Mosquitoes buzzed thick in the damp air.
And there, lying on a thin mat on the dirty floor, was Hadja Ramatou.
Sakina dropped to her knees.
“Mama…”
Her mother looked like a shadow of the strong woman who once carried her on her back. She was painfully thin. Her skin was ashen. Her eyes, once bright, were cloudy with pain. But when she saw Sakina, a small, broken smile crossed her face.
“My daughter… you came back.”
