A World without Humans

Chapter 02

Not after so long, the door knocked. A girl came,
“Who is Ayesha?” Ayesha stood up from the chair

Girls pointed towards her to tell, “Come out! It’s your turn.” She said and closed the door. “Ahhh! I’m going to die.” Ayesha fell back on the chair.  “Oh 'God! Please help me. I don’t want to lose my reputation.”  Haneen went out of the room to make sure about her turn. “What reputation are you talking about? They don’t even know you.” Fatima frowned at Ayesha “Zainab! Tell her to keep quiet.” Ayesha said irritably, “But she is right.” Zainab grinned and Fatima laughed out. Ayesha was pissed off by this but she controlled herself and sat patiently.
After some time the door opened again and Haneen returned,
“It’s not your turn, Ayesha.” She said
“Thank God! That’s a relief.”
“But your time will come,” Haneen smirked
“Do something quickly.” Ayesha placed her hands on her forehead, annoyingly
“Just practice.” Suggested Zainab
Ayesha stood up from the chair. “Practice is in vain.” She yelled, “I can’t sing well and you know it.”
“If you were this much timid then you should not have participated.” She yelled back and Fatima gave her favor. “Exactly!”
Their voices were so loud that the same girl came back to the room.
“Why are you making noise?” She moved forward and held Ayesha’s arm firmly. “Come one, you are the next.”
She took her out of the room without listening. “Wait, wait, I can’t come.”
“Good luck!!”  Her friends said in a voice and the door was closed.
“Don’t you think this girl is somehow strange?” Asked Fatima
“Yes, she is. Just like you.” Fatima scowled at Zainab’s reply
“Okay, now let’s go to the stage. We should not waste time.”
They rushed toward the stage after Haneen said that.

Fortunately, it didn’t take them so long to find out their seats. They could see the stage clearly from there. A stage drama was being performed but they were not concerned about it. The girls were waiting for their friend.
Ayesha was going to the backstage with the girl where other participants were sitting. “I can’t do it.” She freed her hand from her.
“What!? Why?”
“You know, many people are sitting in the hall. I can’t hold up myself in front of them.”
“Hmm..But why?” She was a little surprised by such reasons. “I mean there should be a valid reason.”
“I can’t sing, that’s all. They never told me before that I have to sing.”
“Ohh!” She thought for a moment then replied. “If it’s the case then maybe I can help you.”
“Really?!”
“Follow me.”
Ayesha came after her to a small room. They came close to a small cupboard. She opened its drawer and took out a pair of lenses.
“Lenses?”
“Yup!” Ayesha looked at her with questioning eyes. She came closer to Ayesha. “I bought them so expensive in China. Don’t take it as a normal lens. It can detect humans and make them disappear.”
“What? Sorry I didn’t understand.” She said while taking it from her
“In other words, you can’t see humans of you wear this lens.”
“Incredible!!” Her eyes began to shine. She set the lenses in her eyes.
“So you are giving this to me to make me realize that I’m alone in the hall so I don’t get nervous.”
“You are smart.”
Just then a loud voice echoed from the hall. “Now we would like to call the next participant, Ayesha Saddiqa.”
“We are late,” Ayesha said abruptly and rushed to the stage.

That was horrible for sure. As she went on the stage, her feet froze. There was no one around and she was standing alone. Despite knowing that it is just an illusion because of the lenses, she could not stop quivering. She was shocked. “Okay, start now.” A voice was heard from somewhere and karaoke started. Ayesha forgot everything and pretended to be alone. She felt somehow assertive and as the song progressed, she got even more confident.
Her friends were shocked to see her singing daringly and fearlessly.
“I knew she was just acting.” Fatima satirized, “Drama queen!”

But for Ayesha, no one was there to listen. She enjoyed singing. When the song came to its end, the whole hall echoed with loud sound of applauds. It was very strange to see an empty hall full of clamorous sounds but somehow she managed not to be frightened.

Ayesha returned back to the backstage where other participants were waiting. She took off the lenses and suddenly saw a large crowd standing near and staring her. She shuddered at the sight of so many people and screamed spontaneously. Everybody was shocked to see her like this. Participants were looking at her with confused eyes as if they were asking what happened. Ayesha was so embarrassed. That girl stepped forward, “It’s alright.” She said, “You performed well.”
“Thank you so much.” Ayesha handed over the lenses back to her.
After the function was over, she went back to the car with her friends and took the path to home.

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