sun had barely risen over the horizon when Zilayefa and her brothers began preparing for another day of work on the farm. They had just finished breakfast when a knock at the door interrupted their morning routine.
"Who could that be?" wondered Richard ,Zilayefa's younger brother.
Zilayefa got up to answer the door, expecting it to be one of their neighbors or perhaps Mr. Stevenson, the village head. But to her surprise, it was a man she had never seen before.
"Good morning," said the man, his voice gruff and unpleasant. "My name is Mr. Stone, I'm here to see your father."
Zilayefa's heart sank. How could this man not know that their father had passed away?
"I'm afraid our father is no longer with us," said Zilayefa, trying to remain calm.
Mr. Stone's expression changed from one of expectation to one of surprise, and then to one of calculation.
"Ah, I see," he said. "Well, in that case, I'm here to collect a debt that your father owed me."
Zilayefa's eyes widened in shock. "What debt?" she asked.
"Your father borrowed five silver coins from me, and now the interest has increased to 15 silver coins," said Mr. Stone, his voice firm.
Zilayefa and her brothers were dumbfounded. They had no idea that their father had borrowed money from this man.
"We don't have that kind of money," said Zilayefa, trying to reason with him.
Mr. Stone sneered at her. "Well, in that case, I'll just have to take your brothers away as payment," he said, his eyes gleaming with malice.
Zilayefa's brothers stood up, ready to defend themselves and their sister. But Mr. Stone was not deterred. He began to make advances at Zilayefa, trying to intimidate her into giving him the money.
Zilayefa's brothers fought him off, but not before he had managed to bruise Zilayefa's hands. In the end, they managed to negotiate with him, giving him six silver coins and promising to pay the rest the following day.
As they watched Mr. Stone leave, Zilayefa felt a sense of relief wash over her. But she knew that this was not the end of their troubles.
They made their way to the farm, where they worked from morning till evening. Zilayefa's hands ached from the bruises, but she refused to give up.
One of the girls working on the farm noticed Zilayefa's bruises and asked her what had happened. Zilayefa told her the whole story, and the girl listened with a sympathetic ear.
"That's Mr. Stone for you, he has a heart of stone" said the girl. "He's always harassing widows and orphans, claiming that their deceased relatives owed him money."
Zilayefa's eyes widened in shock. "What can we do?" she asked.
The girl shrugged. "Just pay him off and avoid him. He's not a good man."
Zilayefa nodded, determination in her heart. She would not let Mr. Stone bully her or her brothers.
As the day drew to a close, Mr. Stevenson, the village head, came to pay them their wages. Zilayefa's heart skipped a beat as she saw him, but she was disappointed to note that his son, Mr. Stevenson junior, was not with him.
As they received their wages, Zilayefa couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. They had worked hard, and they had earned their money.
On their way home, Zilayefa and her brothers discussed what to do about Mr. Owusu. They decided to give him nine silver coins, which was all they could afford.
As they walked, Zilayefa's mind wandered to Mr. Stevenson junior. She wondered why he had not come to the farm that day, and whether he was still interested in her.
She smiled to herself, feeling a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she would see him again soon.
As they approached their hut, Zilayefa's brothers began to talk about their plans for the future. They were determined to make a better life for themselves, and they were willing to work hard to achieve their goals.
Zilayefa listened, feeling a sense of pride in her brothers. They were young, but they were strong and determined.
As the night wore on, Zilayefa's thoughts turned to her mother. She wondered how she was faring, and whether she would ever return to them.
She sighed, feeling a sense of sadness wash over her. But she refused to give up hope. She knew that her mother loved her, and that she would do everything in her power to come back.