Duplus

Chapter 36

--Amaani's POV--

Our heavy footsteps on the branches of trees and some dried-out leaves produced a crunching sound which, to Broad shoulders annoyance, was loud enough to alert anyone near about our arrival.

It wasn't helping either when the stubborn-nameless guy with us refused to oblige Jaber and walk like a sensible person. With every step we took, Jaber had to give him another order to walk. Despite the serious atmosphere, the cool weather in the forest with the heavenly smell of damp soil refreshed me.

I was able to skip along, walking faster than anyone else feeling a new wave of positivity and happy feelings. I could sense Sufiyaan getting irritated by my happy-go-lucky mood, which made it all the better.

"Go slow, will you Amaani?" finally, Sufiyaan said. I turned around to see him looking at me with a scowl. Usama just smiled like he usually did and kept slow with Jaber, helping him move the temple keeper or whoever he was. "You could walk faster, you know. At this rate, we'll reach there next week." I replied in my defense.

He pointed at the man with his hand. "You're not the one who's dealing with this guy. I'd like to see you walk so fast if you were given the responsibility to bring him along." he turned back to look at me when he was done, folding his arms over his chest.

I made a face at him. "Fine, I'll go slower."

We walked on and on for about another two hours, struggling with the man and enduring all the cowpoo he spouted about how great and mighty his master was. After a while, I began to ignore him as he looked at me like I was being so blasphemous by not reacting to his words.

I couldn't help but bristle. What a cocksure dude.

"Let's rest here." Broad shoulders patted a tree bark and plopped down on the ground after another half hour. He looked seriously tired which I noticed despite his attempt to cover it up.

We had made our way out of the thick jungle to some extent and weren't surrounded by just trees and trees anymore. I could see from a far distance an uneven, worn-out road and beyond that, a big wall covered in barbed wires that normally could be seen surrounding the boundaries of a military facility.

Something told me that it was our destination.

And before I could point it out, Usama beat me to it. "There's the border." He pointed it out to show Sufiyaan and Jaber. A sigh of relief escaped Sufiyaan as he leaned against the big tree bark, under the vast shade of its gigantic leaves and branches.

"Finally, some good news." He commented.

Then I turned to look at the man who was sitting there with the same smirk he had been wearing for the past-I don't know maybe four hours?

"See that? We're already there and you're still tied up as our prisoner." I couldn't help but tell the obvious to him. He didn't flinch or react, just kept on smiling.

It ticked me off honestly.

"Keep smirking. We're going to win no matter what, Inshaa Allah." I said and turned back again, sitting beside Sufiyaan. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment.

"We don't have time to nap, Ms. Sohail." I had almost dozed off when the order shook me out of it. "What??" I groaned. "We're going to pray Fajr now. Join us if you want." He said with an aloof expression, picking up the satchel of water we had filled from the river.