Chapter 20

I closed my eyes as soon as I felt the girls moving away and the silence spreading. I tried to sleep, but because of fear and hunger, I could not sleep until the call to prayer rang out, as soon as it ended, the lights turned on and the girls got up in panic, hurrying to make their beds, then they stood next to the beds. I did the same for fear that this scorpion would come and hit me. Once again, only a few moments later, the scorpion woman’s voice rang out from the loudspeakers on the walls of the room.

“Today is the time for bathing for those between the ages of eight and ten, and due to the gas outage, they will use cold water, and the rest of the ages must be present in the courtyard of the house. Rima Abdullah, the new girl, because of what you did yesterday, you are being punished, and you will resemble an animal today, meaning that you will walk on all fours all day. Nariman Abdullah, bring her to the courtyard of the house and beware that if she comes on foot, you wil