Captive

Chapter-23

" You have an older brother! You never talked about him," Rubab was surprised. " In fact, your mother never talked about him too." 

Dawood sighed," How can I tell you about him when I don't even remember what he used to look like?"

" Why is that?" Rubab straightened her back diverting her whole concentration on him.

Dawood looked outside having a longing expression on his face. " It's been years since I saw him," Dawood said. " I wonder how is he? What's he doing? What does he look like?" 

" I am not understanding your puzzling words, Dawood," Rubab said with confusion. 

Dawood continued saying," We were very little when my father came to take my brother. We were in Iraq at that time. The whole country was war-stricken and my mother was struggling for survival with me and my brother. My father came to rescue us but he could only take my brother with him. I and my mother were left behind. It was the last time I saw him." 

" I am so sorry, Dawood," Rubab placed one of her hands on his shoulder. " By the way, what's your brother's name?"

Dawood smiled," Dar................"

Rubab opened her eyes with a severe headache. Breathing heavily she looked here and there and discovered herself in her room. She had no idea when did she sleep after showering. She spent hours in the shower after Darwish snatched her precious hair from her. With teary eyes, she touched her head again wishing to touch those silky long locks but there was nothing. 

Wiping away the tears with the back of her hands Rubab got down from the bed and walked near the table. She searched for her medicines because she felt as if someone was hitting her head with a hammer. She needed to take the medicines immediately.

The nightmares she used to have regarding Dawood was gone for a few days but somehow they were back again. Rubab was fed up with her life because of everything. The guilt she was feeling after talking to Ayesha and then her father's accident, Darwish's behaviour had left crucial mental effects on her.

" Where did the medicines go? I put it here," Rubab's hands searched the drawers but there was nothing.

Rubab's ears stood straight hearing a whispering sound from the balcony as if there was someone. Out of curiosity Rubab peeked at the balcony and found a boy playing with her medicines. She blinked her eyes with confusion because she never saw this boy in the house before. The boy would be around 3/4 years old. She wondered who was he. Maybe he was one of the servant's kids.

Rubab cleared her throat," Excuse me." The boy looked at her with those big round innocent eyes of his.

" Those are my medicines," Rubab said. " Who are you?"

The boy shook her head in denial," These are Jerry's eggs." He started shoving the tablets into his tiny pocket.

" Who is this Jerry?" Rubab questioned sounding a bit irritated.

" My friend," The boy took out a lizard from his other pocket and showed it to Rubab.

With a scream, Rubab backed away. She was always scared of cockroaches and lizards. Looking at her frightened face the boy started laughing loudly. 

" Omar..... Omar," Rubab heard a lady's voice approaching the balcony.

Rubab was still overcoming the shock she got after seeing the lizard when a lady entered the balcony. Grabbing Omar's hand she jerked it slightly letting the lizard run away. " How many times have I told you not to play with this dirty animal?"