Star Dazed

Chapter Twenty Eight: The Game

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I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun. -Charles R. Swindoll

 

Chapter Twenty Eight

The Game

(Maahirah Furqaan)

'Dearest Dad,

Life without you around is like a wrecked, devastated garden. Every single day, I wake up thinking that this is all a dream that I’m just going through a horrible nightmare and when I will open my eyes, I’ll be back at home, back in you embrace. You’ve no idea how much I miss your talks, your advice, your constant pushing me into a decision, your motivation. In short, Dad I miss you a lot. And, I have no idea whether I’ll see you again or not…But Daddy…I hope that I can visit you soon…And Mom…and Vaneeza…’ I stop writing as my eyes fall on the clock. Good God, I’m five minutes late.

I leave my letter there and quickly, scramble up. Mum (Aseer) said that I can write Dad letter and that’s what I’m doing. I got ready thirty minutes earlier so I decided to sit on the desk and jolt down a letter to Dad, and God, time just flew by.

My first thought is to run but then I think that I’m already late so there is no use of hurrying up. Hence, I take my sweet time to reach ‘The Training Centre’.

When I mean sweet, I literally mean sweet. On my way here, I stop and have a chat with Destiny as she runs to teach elementary kids. And, then on the bridge, I catch up with Fadiya….yes, we are back on good terms….don’t know how…but we are.

And, finally, I get into the door that said Aayan and Maahirah. Aayan is leaned against the wall, his arms folded across his chest, and his arm muscles flexed. He looks at me without lifting his face.

“You’re late….”

“I know…” I begin but he cuts me off by saying.

“Catch.”

Then, there is something sailing across the room, in the air, making its way towards me. I move back, and cup my hands above my head; and I stumble back when it lands on my hands. My eyes bulge out as the grayish black solid shines on my palm. I raise my head to cast a questioning look at Aayan.

He’s still positioned across the room. “It’s a gun.”

“I know, it’s a gun.” I scowl.

He chuckles. “Do you see this red line?” He points at a line some three feet away from me.

I nod.

“Stand on it,”

Confused, I walk up to the red thin cummerbund like line.

He side-steps. “This is the target.” The target was hidden behind his back, that’s why I didn’t see it before. “You’ve to aim at the centre black dot. Or you can try to,”

The target is good six feet far from me. “What?”

“You heard me,” He takes the gun from my hand and hits the magazine in its place. The gun is loaded. He holds it out for me.

Once again, I stare at it. This thing looks evil just by the look of it. It has killed I don’t know how many lives, and I wonder how many lives Aayan has taken with it.

“C’mon Maahirah, just take it.”

I snatch from his hand, and feel the metal under my fingertips. And then, without thinking, I aim a shot at the target. It misses the circle, and is consumed by the wall.