Taofeek’s story.

I lost my happiness after I left my mom and my brother. Although doing without my mom for so long wasn’t a new thing to me but I had never spent a night without my brother before these days.

I missed him as the nights and days passed by. I remembered many things that I felt like saying to him but he wasn’t around to listen to them. We had quarrelled so many times but my love for him remained strong day by day.

There were times I wished we were not twins when we were together. Those times I wished we could be separated. But when we were apart I lost interest in living because doing without him made me a sad man. I found it difficult to concentrate, even on my Islamic studies. For two months after our separation every time I heard a knock on the door I wished it could be my brother coming to say.

“Taofeek I can’t do without you and Islam therefore I’ve come back to you,” but if wishes were horses then beggars would ride. Life is like a movie in parts; it has the good and wicked parts. I never knew this until life turned against me and showed me its wicked part.

On that fateful day I was in my room studying the Quran when I heard a loud voice from the living room calling out my name, “Taofeek!” The voice was as deep as my dad’s voice. I was afraid but as a young man I stepped out of the room to see what’s going on but I saw no one as a matter of fact I was the only one at home that day; my step mother had gone to her store and the children were at school.

“Who is that? Who are you? Who is calling my name,” I asked in fear as I stepped backwards moving closer to the outside door in case I saw something scary. Silence struck in, I could barely hear the sound of the wind. Suddenly! The silence was broken by a strange wind that opened the door of my step mother’s room which was locked and the voice came again and this time around it was calling out from the room.

“Taofeek!” I was very scared but one way or the other I had a strange courage and I made my way towards the room. I entered and there was no one. This time around something came upon me, I fell on my knees bowing my head between my legs then this voice started talking to me.

“Taofeek you do not belong here, it is dangerous in here, get out of this place! And never return, but before you leave, open the wardrobe. Taofeek don’t be afraid for I will be with you.”

I stood up and opened the wardrobe I saw my dad’s picture, I saw some money under it and a staff on top of it. I picked up the staff but it disappeared immediately I lifted it. At this point I was too scared to close the wardrobe I ran out of the room and jammed the door I went back into my room overwhelmed.

I began to recall what the voice told me but I asked myself, if I leave this house where would I go? A thought came to me to pack my things and move in with my Mom and brother whom I have been missing every day and night.

But another thought came in a question: So are you ready to neglect your Islamic studies and go to your mother who will turn you into a Christian? I frowned but agreed with the last thought. Then another thought came up: What happened to you wasn’t real, it was just your own imagination stop thinking about it and go back to your Quran. Don’t be a coward. I reasoned with it but I disagreed with the word ‘Imagination’.

Tell us: Was it okay for Taofeek to take money from his step mother’s wardrobe?