Happily Ever After Comes At A Price

Chapter 29: Terror

   Some days you feel that the entire weight of the world hangs on your shoulders. The pain in your heart so heavy that is the steps you take forward become the ones holding you back. Sometimes the pain subsides; sometimes it paralyses you. I don't know why this ache has gripped me today. The despair of living in a hopeless for god-knows-how-long with the people who have loved you your entire life is a reason enough. I'm tired, just tired... The tears have long dried; I don't think the heartache ever will.

***

   I'm back at the rusted front gates of the famed "Badshah Auriq Memorial College", this time the buff hands of my uncle digging into my wrists. I don't resist, I have no choice.

   "Go to your classes." He growls, "Any funny business and you'll know the consequences."

   He shoves me into the college grounds and in a childlike display of anger, he stomps away - his obese hips swaying in motion. It would've been down-right hilarious if I hadn't grown to loathe him.

   The only great thing I get from this is that they don't even know nobody ever comes here. I get a few hours of peace and quiet to myself, no matter if it's safe or not. Even then, the screaming voice in my head never stops. But I get it to subside.

***

   I haven't seen Aaqil today, as a matter of fact I haven't seen him or anyone in the last one week in these grounds. Well, except for the snoring guard. A part of me is just relieved that I won't have to interact with anyone. Most of me is glad that no one is here to see the bruises on my face. Or here to chastise me when I let my hijab loose, just a tiny bit, to stop if from choking me. But then again, if it did, that would be a better way to die.

***

   "So, you're still here?"

   A low voice wakes me up with a start, and I fumble around in my distorted thoughts. Frantically looking at the dusty clock in front of me, the panic bubbling in me turns to a full-on eruption. I look around, at the bemused Aaqil watching, and demand on top of my lungs, "What's the time?"

   He frowns in annoyance, as if some interrupted him in the middle of a movie.

   "It's actually 1.50 pm. The best time for a mid-noon nap. So, where were you? I thought I scared you so much that you had to leave."

   But I'm no longer listening.

   I'm late, not by a minute or two. An entire 20 minutes. I sprint out as fast as I can, not caring whether anybody's here. I'm too scared for my life right now...

***

   The road in front of the college is deserted except for a starving, stray cat loitering around. I release a sigh of relief. Maybe he's late too. Maybe he's caught up at his work, whatever that he does. It's like the entire weight of the sky has lifted off my shoulders.

   "Selina!" I hear a panting shout at my direction and before I can turn around, Aaqil reaches my side. "What was that about?" He asks, clearly winded.

   I try to catch my breath too, and warn him to leave me before my uncle gets here. I really do try to, but the words barely get the chance to get the words out, "You need to..."

  "Of course you do. Once a whore, always a whore... What else could we expect?"

   Well, that entrance earned him two dramatic 360 degree turn... Cue the gasps...

   I gasp and freeze, the half-torn bag falls from my shoulder.

   My uncle strides forward, his wide palm meets my cheek with a loud smack and the metallic taste of blood instantly fills my mouth.

   "Hey, sir, whatever this..." Aaqil starts to protest but my uncle cuts him off, "Boy, this is family matter."

   He doesn't try anymore... I didn't expect him to in the first place.

   With that, he drags me out of the grounds. All the while incoherently muttering about "whores" and "wrong places".  I let him. What else could I have possibly done?

***

   You know that point in your life when you're so scared for your life that you're no longer scared of anything else. I'm there. He dragged me to the attic and locked me in. I can still hear garbled shout from downstairs. The only company I have right now is my disjointed train of fearful thoughts and a daring rat trying to take a nibble of my bare feet. Unless you count the golf-ball size spiders lurking around.

   They'll kill me, I know it. If it were chores and punches, it would've struck far too long ago. An unexpected sob escapes me and for the millionth time, I break down again in muffled bouts of hysteria. Not a single decibel of sound breaks out.

   The only sound I hear is my roaring thought, feral squeaks from that rat and the distorted plans of my murder coming from downstairs...