61 Pain.

Sheby immediately ran to Mama after throwing the pieces of the clay pot. She helped her sit up. The older woman looked scared, her presence shrinking. Sheby had never seen her this way before. What did that man do to her?

"What happened?" she whispered. "Who is he?" Sheby touched Mama, searching for any signs of injury, wondering who he was and why he was trying to hurt her.

Mama suddenly took a deep breath and smiled at Sheby as if nothing had just happened, as if she wasn't scared.

"I'm fine, Sheby. Thank you," Mama said, holding Sheby's hand tightly, but Sheby could feel her hand shaking.

"You are not fine," she took a deep breath. She had just witnessed something so bad that her heart had completely gone numb, and upon seeing that man near Mama, she couldn't keep her cool. If it were her old self, she would have just yelled or pushed him. She was surprised by her own actions.