ᴋɪɴɢ ʀᴀꜰᴀᴇʟ: ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ ✓

⭒7⭒

You can ignore reality, but,
You can't ignore the consequences of reality
{Ayn Rand}
____________________

This symbol. This stupid symbol has been the bane of my fear and nightmares since I've come here. The first time I'd seen this was back in the UK. And now I was trapped. Completely and utterly trapped. The mafia was after me. Or so what I thought.

The guy at the bus stop must have been the same person I saw at the station. Why else would a random person wave at me, exactly the same way as the guy in the bus stop did. Could it be that he was behind the note I was sent? Was he a part of the mafia too?

In the news a police man's dead body was found whose clothes had been stripped bare off of him and on top of that, he had the same exact symbol engraved into his body as the one in this note. The man at the police station today with the bandana around his face was wearing clothes that were too tight on him. The pants barely fit him and I doubt the other police officers noticed as they were too busy with the murder and checking the vicinity for any more danger.

Could that mean that everything that's happened till now is connected? Were these the same puzzles from the same jigsaw?

I didn't get into med school without using my brain. That must mean the 'police officer' that was waving at me must have been behind the killing of officer Hernandez. Theres no other way a police officers uniform doesn't fit them, and to think he was there as soon as the shooting happened just stood next to the entrance in his arrogant vibe whilst other officers were alarmed and on edge.

Gasping at the newfound realisation the note fell from my hand. I stumbled back against the door, slowly coming to a sitting  position. My head was in between my knees. Worn out from all these threats. All these sudden appearances.

What does this guy want from me Ya Allah. Please show me a way out. What did I get myself into? I practically dug my own grave with my bare hands that night, not realising the reality was far more deeper and scary than I thought.

Nonetheless, right now I had to go downstairs and act nonchalant to this whole discovery. No one must know about this. Not even Lameesa. I'm pretty sure she'd be more worried and wouldn't tell a soul about it, bottling it up inside her. With that I rushed to the bathroom, making sure to wash away the worried face and replace it with a bright and cheerful smile.

Glancing at myself in the mirror, despite washing my face and trying to physically appear normal, it was hard. Especially when I felt as if I was carrying the weight of the entire world on me.

Reaching the dining room, my nose was instantly met with wonderful aroma. Auntie decided to make some sort of arabic dish, with leaves. And some rice. Delicious.

"Come habibti. I made dolma today. Ven aquí. I'm sure you'll love it" as soon as I sat down, auntie places the stuffed grape leaves in front of me, waiting. I opened my mouth slowly and auntie took the opertunity to push the dolma in my mouth. I couldn't fit it all in, making me cough.

The twins giggled whilst lameesa was busy eating the dolma like it was an ice cream.

The taste exploded in my mouth, a burst of tanginess and then toned down by the non spicy rice inside. Mashallah. This was really good. Whilst I was still chewing the dolma in my full mouth, auntie looked up at me expectantly. I did a thumbs up, trying to smile, but it probably looked like a grimace seeing as my mouth was full and resembled a hamster.

She sat back in her seat, content with her handy work. Whereas me, I was still struggling with that dolma piece. My mouth is so small it's annoying.