Intrepid Hearts

4: Grieving

THIRD PERSON'S POV
NEW YORK CITY, USA.
13TH JANUARY, 2008.

An eight year old girl, donned in a carnation pink knee length dress with long tiered sleeves and high neck ran as fast as she could to reach her destination, the rain showing no mercy on her as she was completely soaked. Her baby pink leather boot and knee length socks were now brown in color due to the mud she mistakenly tripped on.

Clutching onto the only thing she was able to retrieve from the burnt house, her pink diary, she arrived at the mansion she's always adored from afar whenever she was going to school. It was plain white almost as though the mansion was repainted weekly. It never lost it glossiness, not even for the slightest second.

Zainab used her diary to press on the bell outside the high chalk white gate that towered her. She was way too small to even reach the bell so her diary helped her reach it. The moment she put pressure on the bell, as though familiar with her, the gate bisected into two as it spread wide open.

Soaked in tears and water from the rain, she meekly dragged her feet into the mansion. She was lost in her thoughts as she ambled towards the main entrance. If she were in her normal state, she wouldn't have wasted time in digesting the beauty of the mansion, grinning from ear to ear. But no.

Today was the saddest day of her life.

She lost each and every single one of her family members. The only people that she ever truly cared about.

She stood in front of the white door at the main entrance, not moving an inch from where she was. Zainab didn't even know these people yet her parents asked her to come here. If this is really her father's brother's house, then why is she just finding out today? And why didn't her parents allow her and her siblings to come over since apparently, the children in the house are her cousins?

The door came sliding open, with a seven year old girl smiling widely. "Zainab!" Meenah squealed in excitement on seeing her cousin as she wrapped her arms around her. Zainab didn't move an inch from her spot nor did she say a word. She was numb and felt nothing but her chest being stabbed repeatedly with a sharp knife.

Meenah released her when she realized she wasn't planning on returning the gesture. That was when she took in her appearance. Her eyebrows knitted suddenly. This wasn't the pretty girl they all gawked at yesterday, it was someone completely different.

"What happ—"

"Where's my uncle?" She managed to let out almost in a whisper but thankfully went heard by the dumbfounded girl next to her. Meenah was sometimes smart. One could tell from afar that the girl was going through a lot so bombarding her with questions wouldn't be the right thing at the moment.

"At least sit—"

"—-my uncle, Meenah?" Her voice came out emotionless and more audible than the first.

Seeing as she wasn't in the right state of mind nor was she ready for a talk, Meenah eventually gave up and directed her to her father's study. Curiosity was getting the best of her because she badly wanted to know what was wrong. Her father had been receiving numerous phone calls and messages, he instructed that no one leaves the house at all cost and now her cousin who couldn't leave the embrace of her elder brother for the slightest moment yesterday, was now here alone.

"Just knock, he'll respond." Meenah passed a small smile which Zainab didn't bother sparing her a glance to notice it. Holding her one thousand leaved diary up to her chest, she used her now injured knuckles to knock on the door thrice. Just as Maryam had always taught them.

"Who is it?" A low husky voice inquired from inside the room. One could tell that he wasn't in the mood to see anyone from hearing his tone. Zainab almost scurried off but eventually settled on not doing that. If she goes away, she'll have no way to stay.