Miscellany Of Desi Tadka

Chapter 2🖤

Her eyes opened and Danah covered her lips to stop the gasp from the nightmare. Her body was palpating badly as she sat up hearing the morning call of prayer. If Danah remembered correctly, she went to sleep just half an hour ago and that nightmare woke her up so soon. Maybe it was her fears and also the person called, Adeel Farooque.

She tried to go into the attached washroom quickly, slightly difficult for her to walk in the dark. One of the conditions from the family members to stay hidden from Adeel. She wasn't afraid of the dark but it did make her somewhat restless.

A cycle of sneeze started and she knew what was happening. Her mind was quite anxious and scared. It was her rare condition, her anxiety attacks always pushed her emotions over the edge, giving her elevated allergy symptoms, specially sneezes.

After all that she went through, this place seemed like a paradise for her because unlike other rooms in this house, this room had an attached washroom and all the facilities, specially designed for the guests, as Maira informed her.

That kid was a talkative one. Just as she came to know about Amma's decision to give her a place in their house, Maira became friends with her. Danah came to know that this house was built by Maira's grandfather and about their parents' demise, and a lot about Adeel and his struggles. He seemed to be dangerous and also a threat to her because he was skeptical of everyone else just to protect his family. The only good thing was he rarely came upstairs.

She didn't know what Amma was thinking but hiding Danah from Adeel for twelve to fifteen days would be a commendable job, if they pulled it off well. But she hardly believed that it would happen.

During her ablution, Danah was stuck in the worry of her future, the sickness of her past, and the uneasiness of her present. Just as she came out of the washroom, Danah heard some footsteps and she feared it was Adeel.

She came near the door with cat-paws and closed her eyes as she felt the handle of the door moving. Sameer had told her that they would close the door from outside when Adeel would be at home and now her heart was beating badly.

"Adeel bhai!"

The footsteps moved away from the door. It was a close call.

"Let's go for the prayer, we are getting late."

She heard Sameer's voice fading as they moved further away from her door. Danah rested her back on the door and held her pounding heart, she opened her eyes as she remembered the day. It was Sunday. That meant, Adeel would be at home all day.

Didn't know how many days she could stay here? And what could be her next place?

***

He was sure he heard the sound of water and someone sneezing from that guest room. How could that be possible it was beyond his understanding but his sixth sense was telling him something fishy. Adeel knew Dadi would scold him for doubting too much again but he couldn't do anything about it.

"Did you hear something from the guest room?"

Adeel asked Sameer who was walking alongside him. They were returning home after completing their morning prayers and he couldn't let go of that doubt.

"Hear something as in?"

"I thought I heard the sound of water from the guest room."

"I didn't and by the way, it's locked, bhai." Adeel nodded as Sameer answered quickly, "You're making me scared. Do you think someone is residing and we don't even know?"

They reached their gate and Adeel looked up towards the guest room window on Sameer's words. Now it didn't feel that someone was there. Maybe he was just overthinking.

"If you don't trust me, go and check the room once."

"That will be a good idea."

He agreed to open the gate as he noted how Sameer paced towards the main door. Without meeting his grandma, he ascended the stairs. His heart was moving slowly as if he too was scared to find someone in there.

Adeel waited for a few seconds and moved the handle, opening the door to an empty room. The bed was made and the washroom was also empty. His mind was playing with him, his doubts created ugly scenarios in his mind, maybe.

"What happened, Adi?"

"Nothing, just clearing my doubts."

He answered his grandma who was reading her morning supplication on her rosary.

"You and your doubts. It's not a good habit, dear."

"I know..." He kissed her forehead, planning to retire to bed, "just extra cautious for you all."

"Leave some things to Allah. He's watching over us."

He smiled at her words before closing the door of his room, his smile instantly vanishing. Allah helped those who helped themselves so he was just playing his part. Or so he thought!

***

"You're here with me. I don't think I need anyone else. You're my daughter."

Her aunt, Zulekha phupho once said to her when she apologized for coming into their lives. Many times that thought crossed her mind that she was the sole reason why her aunt was childless.

Danah pinched her eyes due to the sting of tears. Seeing Maira with her grandma always brought the images of her time spent with her aunt. Her reverie broke as a paper slid inside the door.

Bhai is taking us for an outing. Nobody will be at home until evening. I'm opening this door if you want to come out. Lunch is in the fridge. Take care.

Danah took a sigh of relief. She just finished her breakfast and had no idea what she would do. After that close call, Maira came to call her to Amma's room. That lady knew her grandson too much so she knew, he would check the room once again. And that's why she hid inside her room and closed the door.

The pains they were taking just to hide her, it was beyond her understanding. How people could be so selfless? Lying to their family member just to help a stranger. Allah truly made everyone with unusual mud.

She didn't leave her bed but she heard the hustle outside. Maira's loud voice to Sameer to get ready quickly, Dadi telling everyone to take every essential they needed, and Sameer asking for his pair of socks again and again.

That was what maybe a home felt like. Comforting, full of hustle and together. She moved towards the window as Danah heard the sound of a cab moving away from the gate. This was it! She was free. At least now she could have some fresh air.

She opened the door and a resting silence welcomed her. But within few seconds something caught her attention, a weird smell. It was coming from the kitchen and if she wasn't wrong it was of gas leaking.

Danah quickly descended the stairs and moved towards the kitchen where the stove was still on with no fire. She turned it off and opened the windows for ventilation.

"Who are you?"

A loud barking question felt enough to stop her breath as she covered her lips, slowly turning and praying in her mind that it all would be her weird dream. But it wasn't. He was standing right there at the threshold of the kitchen door, glaring at her.

Where would she go now?

~Zeba

𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚊𝚊𝚊𝚊𝚊𝚊..!𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙰𝙻𝙰𝙼𝚄𝙰𝙻𝙰𝙸𝙺𝚄𝙼 𝙱𝙴𝙷𝙽𝙾 𝙰𝚄𝚁 𝚄𝙽𝙺𝙴 𝙱𝙷𝙰𝙸𝚈𝙾....;)

𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚂𝙴 𝙰𝚄𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚁𝚂 𝙰𝚁𝙴 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙳 𝚃𝙾 𝙱𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙹𝙾𝚈 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚃𝙰𝙸𝙽𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝚃𝙾 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝙶𝚄𝚈𝚂.
𝚂𝙾 𝙼𝙰𝙺𝙴 𝚂𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝚂𝙿𝙰𝙼 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙵𝙸𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝚅𝙾𝚃𝙴𝚂 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚂

. ~𝙽𝚄𝙶𝙶𝙴𝚃