A'S

onths

rent window mirror, my eyes bla

ttempted taking my own life a number of times-so much that my

bed my belly, and I

gotten pregnant from th

ted in me. I mean, the three of us barely had enough to feed and c

where he was now, what he was doing. What my parents had

e more information ou

till going after nume

d intensely a

m would count as one of those numero

the first few months of our

as just one of his flings, and whatever the

d yet and sometimes caused strange s

ar

jump off the balcony?" my mother screamed in pan

had been standing at the edge of the balcony that w

at beside her and spoke, her voi

uicidal thoughts? You shouldn't think of doing

ust taking in the cool evening br

rry and calmed down a bit when

anything since morning? You

hat would cause her to worry more. Instead, I r

ws will be arriving in a few hours' time. They dec

kly regained my composure and re

me while I go heat up my

nd shut the door behind me, I

days' time, to a sixty-something-year-old man

age, and they had obliged immediately-happy to have found a man who would

blame them. It was

hat I was carrying a baby but didn't seem to

ght of? Escaping?

on hadn't cheated on me, if I didn't know A

-

ays l

ctivity going on in e

be in high spirits-

regnancy bulge, I tried my best to force a smile on my face to at least show a

refusal to eat anything. I just wanted to die to escape this bondage in the form

d into the room and announced, and the fe

trance of the door, ready to walk down

. "What would other people think if they

dness and pity in the de

smile on my face, but it see

e the guests cheered loudly. I reached my seat in

glimpse of 'the groom,' and I

ugh to be my father-or in b

hed me a smile that showed off his crooked lowe

f the priest came out loud and clear as t

n slowly approached me, a crooked

... o

loser to mine, I rec

egs give way and my h

I was having

by some unknown force. The red spot on my neck sudden

look unwell," I hea

om a faraway distance while I was bei

voice in my head...

at

rgent, and demanding at the sa

result of my starving

y and remained still, as

ere are you?" the voice

-I

h speaking, a commot

ront of the ceremony hall, closely

und of a groan, followed by

on the floor, his face twisted into an ugly, pai

down, and as if being controlled, I

ad stopped for a moment

bed into mine as if sc

from him screamed d

y mind refusing to proc

front of me was Asher Fenri

m say this same word t