AFTER 168 HOURS [BOOK 2,168 HOURS SERIES]

Chapter 37: Journey Continues😕

Zainab opened her eyes, as her blurry vision finally got clear.

She glanced to the ceiling, trying to remember what we last experienced. The floating motion in which the water engulfed her. She looked so weak and helpless as she try to adopt to the vision before her.

"Oh thank God you're awake. Alhamdulillah." Hajia Fati smiled with happiness in her heart. She was grateful that Zainab was responding well at least.

"W..where am I?" She asked as she tried to turn her head to it was so painful.
"Owch!" She clutched her head in pain.

"Don't worry my child. You're with me now. Do you still remember me?" She asked, trying to confirm if her last memory was still intact.

"That's the most ridiculous question ever, mum." She tried to smile but her smile faded immediately.

"Oh, thank God." Tears of joy clouded in Mrs. Maikuddi's eyes. Hearing Zainab saying this made her look like a happy puppy.

"What about me?" Khalid asked as he moved closer.

His mum looked at him annoyingly but he still moved closer with a wide, toothy smile. Zainab gently twisted her head to his direction. Immediately their eyes met, Zainab hide her face, shiving as if she came in contact with a ghost.

"What's it, Aliyah? It's me, Khalid. Your brother." He leaned closer but she started convulsing. Scared and sweaty

"D.. don't touch me! P...please, leave me alone." She cried.

"What? Y..you don't want to see me?" Khalid's heart broke into a thousand more pieces. He couldn't help but to moan out in tears.

"M..mum, p..please save me from him." She cried, holding unto Hajia Fati as if her life depends on her.
"J...just leave me alone." She stammered fearfully as she hurried her scared face into Hajia's clothes with closed eyes.

"Mum, Can you imagine?!" Khalid cried to his mum. "Aliyah don't remember me! She don't even want to see my fucking face!"

"Get out of here, Khalid. You've done enough already!" His mum spat at him faustratedly.

Stunned at the both of them, Khalid couldn't help but to walk out of the ward. He was so angry with himself for pushing her into the pool. Into the damn pool. As if he'd lost everything, Khalid went to meet up with David, his best friend.

As he drove down to David's house, tons of questions started playing on his mind.

'Oh God! Fuck me! Damn! I can't believe Aliya didn't even want to see me. I feel so horrible right now.' the thought pondered on his head as he zoomed into David's compound.

"What's up friend. Why the long face?" David asked, curiously as he walked him into his living room. David and Khalid are family friends but David doesn't resides with his parents any more. He owns his own apartment and he's apparently, 5 years older than Khalid but they treat each other like agemate.

"It's a long story, David. You won't understand."

"Shoot it out buddy, I'm all ears." David gushed as he opened the chilled Coca-Cola can drink in his hand.

"This morning... I angry pushed Aliyah into the pool."

"What? So what happened?!" He asked rather impatiently.

"She couldn't swim, King D! I fucking didn't know that she could swim. She got drawn and lost consciousness." Khalid reported, still feeling emotionally guilty.

"What?!" David looked stunned. It was as if Khalid's words fell on his hears like a slap. How is that even possible?!"

"I don't know, King D, It felt like a dream. I had to rescue and and rush her to the hospital to mum know."