Hasil e Lahasil | حاصلِ لا حاصل

11

Chapter 11

Conundrum

The waves of heat dissipated into the air from a brown mug placed on the table. The dimly lit room highlighted the person sitting on a praying mat, hands upheld in a prayer. The one communicating with the Almighty, worshiping him with utmost devotion. Praying to abolish the dilemma they were facing, regarding the uproar rising in their hearts, clouding any logical thoughts.

Laila lifted herself from the praying mat and wrapped it neatly, placing it on it's specific place. She took off the intricately woven shawl from her head and placed it on the foot of her bed. She padded softly on the floor, towards the vanity table. Picking up her hair brush, she weaved her hair into a sophisticated braid. Most of the time, it would be Safiya untangling the luscious mane of dark hair, but she herself was perfectly capable of doing it on her own.

The sky was partially illuminated before the sunrise revealing the tinge of twilight in between the vast sea of clouds. Being done with her hair, Laila picked up her shawl and wrapped her timid frame in it.

She grabbed her warm cup of tea and treaded towards the glass doors of her balcony. She drew open the heavy curtains that had proved sufficient to block any light from entering the room and unbolted the door, stepping out on the balcony. As the winter air slapped against her face, a tinge of crimson appeared on her nose and the chillness of the breeze seeped into her body.

Laila lifted her mug to her lips which almost hinted a shade of purple due to the cold under the early morning sky. She drank her warm tea, minimising the effects of cold with every sip she consumed.

The faintest chirping of the birds could be heard from the distant areas of the village as the creation of Allah prayed to Him, for He is the Most Benevolent. For Laila, it was that one morning when the soothing melody didn't provide serenity to her anguished mind, rather amplified the conundrum.

Matters had been becoming specious with every passing day as the lust for power consumed the minds and bodies of the very people causing the havoc amidst the peace of the village. And the ones facing the casualties were innocent people, the children and the woman, who unfortunately were destined to face the wrath of the fools who had a body without any brain.

The worried creases on her father's face flashed in front of her eyes, so did the turmoil countering inside Daud's mind. She had been a keen observer to realise what had been consuming their souls. The guilt that come along due to the mistakes of the unworthy idiots, supposed to be family.

And where Dilawar was concerned, they could elucidate with a single moment of holding each others gaze, and knew what awaited them was nothing they desired. But isn't heart a treacherous little organ of the body, that it always draws itself near the one who isn't supposed to be your chattel and lock them in the deepest chambers of itself like an exquisite possession.

The sudden accident occurred at a precise timing, that too, on the same night when they were dining with the heir of the Malik's. The devastated look on her families face was enough to ensure that they were believing themselves to be the ones blamed for what occurred and as they were the ruling family of the village, they were expected to limit the damage.

Daud's departure was as sudden as his arrival. He was to leave to take measures in order to offset or minimize damage that the peasants faced. But what occupied Laila's brain was the perfect timings for the event to happen. Even a daft would know that it was conspiratorially planned to occur at such precise time.

She sighed heavily, the wisps of her breath fanning the rim of the almost finished cup as she turned around to place it on the table. The sun rose behind the thick curtains of clouds and fog indicating a new dawn. A dawn of the day like none other, filled with apprehension and agony and she could only pray to the Almighty to grant them with patience.