Most Unlikely Hero or Heroine

Most Unlikely Hero or Heroine

The alarm goes off, and Farida hits snooze. “Five minutes won't do any harm,” she thinks, and snuggles into her warm cozy bed. She dreams of a place where her and her children can live in peace, without any threats, or danger.

The alarm goes off again and this time Farida decides to get up. She makes her way over to her mirror. “I look so haggered,” she comments to herself, as she examines the bags underneath her eyes. She gathers her thick, long hair into a low ponytail and braids it all the way to the end. She gets dressed and goes to wake her children. First, she takes her toddler, Najima out of her cot and puts her in the highchair. “Najima, rise eand shine, time for breakfast.” While Farida is feeding Najima, her middle daughter runs down the stairs and turns on the tv, RTE JUNIOR full blast! “Sakina! Turn that down now! We have neighbours, don't you remember?!”

“Sorry mother,”“Get dressed and have your breakfast before you watch the television!” Sakina sighs heavily at her mother's order, but does as she's told. “Wheres your sister? Do not tell me she's still in bed!” Farida hikes the stairs as if she's on a mountain trail, she bursts into her oldest daughter's room, “Nasreen! Get up now! You'll be late for school!”

“No.....I'm sick,” Nasreen makes a failed attempt at a cough.

“No you're not Nasreen! You're only pretending, now get up!” Nasreen moans, “NOW!” Farida goes back down stairs to let her get ready and to see to her other daughters. She dresses Najima, and makes Sakina her packed lunch. She sees her post-it reminder on the fridge for her appointment at the Courts to get their passports. It's at 3'o'clock sharp. They're just going out the door when Nasreen comes downstairs, “Come on Nasreen! I have your lunch here, now lets go or you will all be late!”

Farida lets out a big sigh of relief, “Well that's the school run over with,” she concludes. She makes out a shopping list for dinner....