Fitoor

20 | The unexpected saviour

Shehnaaz

Blackness...

Pain...

Lastly numbness...

Each sensation took place in turns.

It felt strange as if someone had doused me inside a large bucket of cold water filled with ice cubes.

Oh, wait! There was indeed ice cubes except being the idiot I was, I fell inside whatever that it was willingly.

Despite being wrapped around a warm heavy duvet, I still felt like heing trapped underneath that grass like surface. The nerve ending of my skin prickled due to the sudden change of atmosphere from cold to warm. I try to move but it feels like someone is pressing me down on the mattress of the bed on which I was currently residing.

As soon as I register someone dabbing
a warm washcloth on my forehead, panic seizes me and with my body still protesting from the recent violence, I do my best to open my eyes and try to sit up.

I open my eyes with a small groan and stare at my surrounding.

A familiar face of an old maid comes into my line of vision as she stares at me with sympathy, possibly seeing my state. I think I saw her the first day I came here to this castle. Her name was most probably Sevina or Sylvia.

I blink a few times in vain to make my eyes adjust to the surrounding which doesn’t take that long since the room’s lighting was mellow and warm. I move my head to a side as the lady keeps dabbing the warm cloth to my head and after seeing me open my eyes, she smiles with relief and maternal affection and I find myself trying to return back her smile.

All of a sudden it hits me.

This isn’t my room!

I do a quick sweep of the room and am instantly in love with it. Oddly enough, the room had modern décor with a subtle touch of classic royalty and had a soft masculine feel to it. On the ceiling there was an intricate design of flowers in golden, branching from one side to another. The walls were the darkest shade brown or might be black but it was hard to tell because of the dark night.

It would’ve been almost impossible
to see my surrounding if it wasn’t for
the warm halogens that were lined on the ceiling paired with modern crystal chandeliers. Underneath the heavy black velvet drapes, the huge paneled window gave me a perfect view of rain pouring heavily outside.

The sound of heavy raindrop beating down on the glass of the windows along with the mossy smell of rain lingering in the room was very comforting.

However, I stiffen as soon as my eyes land on the figure standing behind the concerned maid, staring down at me with his familiar chocolate brown eyes and the familiarity of it twists my inside as anxiety of the situation kicks in.

Sameer’s stare didn’t bring me comfort like it did years back, instead, unease gnawed at my chest as he kept looking at me and finally spokes up saying “Are you ok Shehnaaz?” He asked with his gruff tone.

Gone was his boyish tone that always cheered me up. Suddenly I don’t
feel anything for him anymore. If this situation took place a year back, I would’ve jumped and cried with happiness.

Deep inside I knew I was lying to myself. Everything changed over the last four days. Or maybe because I accustomed myself to his absence in my life, no matter what the reason was, I just felt nothing. Not at this moment at least.

“Where am I?” I inquire the maid whilst completely ignoring Sameer’s question.

From the corner of my eye, I watch him tense his jaw probably due to my lack of attention to his question.