Taif - Part 5: The Truth in Shadows
Taif couldn’t sleep that night.
Zayn’s words haunted her, echoing in her mind like a nightmare she couldn’t escape. They locked me away. They left me in the dark.
She tossed and turned, anger boiling in her chest. How many other children had suffered in silence like Zayn? How many were still suffering now?
She had to act.
By the morning, she had made up her mind—she was going to meet Umm Mu’tasim.
A Secret Meeting
After the school day ended, Taif made her way to the caretaker’s office, where Umm Ayman was waiting.
"Are you sure about this?" the older woman asked, her voice low.
"Absolutely," Taif said without hesitation.
Umm Ayman sighed. "Alright. Come with me."
She led Taif through a quieter part of the school, away from the main buildings. Outside, a woman in a long black abaya and headscarf was waiting beneath a tree, her hands clasped in front of her.
As they approached, the woman looked up, her eyes filled with recognition.
"Are you the teacher?" she asked softly.
Taif nodded. "You must be Umm Mu’tasim."
The woman smiled faintly. "Yes. And I hear you want to know the truth about Zayn."
Taif swallowed. "Not just Zayn. I need to know everything."
Umm Mu’tasim’s face darkened. She took a deep breath before speaking.
"I worked at the orphanage for years," she said. "I saw things I wish I could forget. But Zayn… his story is one of the worst."
Taif clenched her fists.
"The woman in charge, the one who locked him away—she was the orphanage’s head supervisor. She had no patience for children who caused ‘trouble.’ And Zayn… he was a stubborn boy. He refused to listen to her. He wet his bed often, and she hated that. Said it was disgusting."
Taif’s stomach twisted.
"One day," Umm Mu’tasim continued, "he had an accident again. She lost her temper and told him he needed to be ‘taught a lesson.’"
Taif braced herself.
"So she dragged him to the storage room. And she locked him inside."
Taif squeezed her eyes shut. She already knew this part, but hearing it again—knowing an adult had watched it happen—made her rage burn hotter.
"She left him there," Umm Mu’tasim whispered. "For two days."
Taif’s breath hitched.
"When she finally let him out, he wasn’t the same," the woman continued. "He didn’t cry. He didn’t speak. He just… stared. Like the life had been drained from him."
There was a long silence.
Umm Mu’tasim exhaled shakily. "I wanted to report her. But I had no proof. And if I spoke up, I would’ve been fired—or worse. So I stayed quiet. And I’ve hated myself for it ever since."
Taif’s voice was steady when she spoke. "But now you have a chance to do the right thing."
Umm Mu’tasim looked up, her expression uncertain.
"Will you testify?" Taif asked.
The woman hesitated.
"I—"
She glanced at Umm Ayman, who gave her a firm nod.
Then, finally, she sighed. "Yes. I will."
A Dangerous Step
Taif wasted no time.
That night, she told Diaa everything.
Her husband listened in silence, his expression unreadable. When she was done, he exhaled slowly.
"You’re serious about this," he said.
"Of course I am."
Diaa rubbed his forehead. "Taif… do you realize who you’re up against? These people aren’t just cruel, they’re powerful. If they’ve gotten away with this for years, they must have connections."
"I don’t care," Taif said firmly. "This has to stop."
Diaa sighed. Then, to her surprise, he reached for his phone.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Calling a lawyer," he said simply. "If we’re doing this, we’re doing it right."
Taif’s eyes widened. "You’re helping me?"
Diaa gave her a small smile. "You think I’d let you take them on alone?"
Her heart swelled with gratitude.
She threw her arms around him. "Thank you."
He chuckled, hugging her back. "You’re impossible, you know that?"
She only squeezed him tighter.
The Complaint
The next morning, Taif, Diaa, and Umm Mu’tasim went to the Ministry of Social Affairs and filed an official complaint against the orphanage.
The officers listened carefully, taking notes as Umm Mu’tasim recounted everything she had seen.
When she finished, one of the officers looked at Taif.
"This is serious," he said. "But we’ll need more than just testimony. Do you have any physical evidence?"
Taif hesitated.
No. She didn’t.
But then, Umm Mu’tasim spoke.
"I do."
Both Taif and Diaa turned to her in surprise.
The older woman reached into her bag and pulled out an old tape recorder.
Taif’s breath caught.
"I recorded her," Umm Mu’tasim whispered.
The room went silent.
Diaa leaned forward. "You mean—"
"Yes," she said. "I have a recording of the head supervisor admitting what she did to Zayn."
Taif’s pulse pounded in her ears.
"Why didn’t you ever use it before?" Diaa asked.
Umm Mu’tasim looked down. "I was scared. And ashamed."
Taif placed a gentle hand over hers. "But you’re not afraid anymore."
The woman took a deep breath. "No. I’m not."
The officer nodded. "Then we have enough to launch an investigation."
Taif exhaled in relief.
It was happening.
Justice was coming.
The Beginning of the End
Within days, an official team was sent to investigate the orphanage.
The head supervisor was confronted. At first, she denied everything. But when they played the recording, her face went pale.
She tried to argue. To lie.
But the evidence was undeniable.
Within one week, she was removed from her position.
Within two weeks, the orphanage was placed under new management.
And within a month, several of the staff members—including Miss Abeer—were either fired or investigated for abuse.
When Taif heard the news, she sat in stunned silence.
It was over.
Zayn was safe.
She had done it.
A small voice pulled her from her thoughts.
"Teacher?"
She looked up.
Zayn stood in front of her, his hands behind his back, his eyes brighter than she had ever seen them.
She smiled. "Yes, Zayn?"
The boy hesitated. Then, in a voice still hoarse from years of silence, he whispered,
"Thank you."
Taif’s eyes filled with tears.
She reached forward and pulled him into a hug.
"You don’t have to thank me," she murmured. "You’re safe now. And you’re loved."
Zayn didn’t say anything.
But for the first time, he hugged her back.