Torching Of Madina Surazeus Michigan 08 March 2004 Madina carries dented bucket of water walking barefoot over sharp dry rocks back to large house full of hungry people and for a moment she stops and stares at vast bleak horizon and her heart aches to escape this home and find a new life. Wind blows through her hair as she stares at long endless flat road of dust and rocks. I want to leave this house of my husband for his mother is mean and cruel to me forcing me to slave all day cooking food and cleaning floors and washing clothes while she and her daughters sit around watching videos and gossiping about friends. Madina feels dull throbbing ache in her arm that makes her turn and face empty plain and take steps to leave this town behind. Two hours after I gave birth to my son my mother-in-law grabbed my right arm and tried to drag me from bed late at night demanding that I clean dishes after supper. I refused because I was tired and sick and wanted to rest nursing my little boy but she twisted my arm snarling in my ear and yanked me from bed and broke my arm. Dry tears burn her eyes and she falls to her knees terrified of hunger and cold while wandering hundred miles of desert to next town where her five brothers live. They would send me back here to husband and children saying this is my duty to stay so Madina shakes her head in sharp grief feeling voiceless wind shriek in her ears. I am happy to fulfill my duty as his wife she whispers but his mother humiliates me and beats me and broke my arm in her rage and makes me do all their work in our house. Madina wanders slower than drifting sand with bucket of water back to clan home and opens wood door into large dark hall where dozens of people sit in round groups some chattering and most quiet as death. Shadows of ghosts flicker on white walls while she struggles with bucket to fire place where she sets it beside three talking men. Loud shriek echoes through large house as old woman flies at young sweet Madina and smacks her head with short stick with howl of displeasure choking her voice. Why did you take so long bringing water she hisses while Madina clutches her head feeling sharp pain shoot down her neck and her skull throbs with hot red blood. Crying from pain and clutching at her head Madina mutters I am going to burn myself so old woman laughs and grabs bottle of kerosene and plops it down beside her then tosses box of matches and shouts go ahead and burn yourself lazy whore so then I will not have to bear your smirk. Snatching bottle Madina pries off its lid and dumps kerosene high over her head and it gurgles soaking her hair and robes then with fingers trembling as everyone stares in shock she lights match with flame that roars into raging inferno that engulfs her face and body in sheath of gold heat. Her shy husband who never stands firm against his mother defending his wife jumps to his feet astonished and afraid and grabs bucket of water she had brought and dumps it over her head to douse flames. Mist sizzles from water and heat and smoke twirls around her head now black and wet and she falls fainting in terrible blind pain.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 15:32:33 +0000
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