Zainab had never seen the world, but she could feel its cruelty with every breath she took. She was born blind into a family that valued beauty above all else. Her two sisters were admired for their captivating eyes and graceful figures, while Zainab was treated like a burden, a shameful secret kept behind closed doors.
Her mother died when she was only five, and from then on, her father changed. He became bitter, resentful, and cruel, especially toward her. He never called her by name; he called her “that thing.”
He didn’t want her at the table during family meals or around when visitors arrived. He believed she was cursed, and when Zainab turned 21, he made a decision that would destroy what remained of his already broken heart.
One morning, her father entered her small room where Zainab was sitting quietly, touching her fingers to the braille pages of a worn old book, and placed a folded piece of cloth on her lap.
Be First to Comment