| Hawaaon Ke Paighaam | Messages Of The Wind

| Zenith |

Note:

Na-tamaan is Urdu for incomplete.

I'm out of my head, out of my mind , oh, I

If you let me, I'll be out of my dress and into your arms tonight

I need you to come get me

out of my head and into your arms tonight...

Meerab wrapped her hair in a towel and then tightened her robe. Her wellness practitioner had recommended a hot stone massage followed by a dip in the salt bath, which she had just gotten out of. Her body felt like jelly, her shoulders drooping with relaxation and her neck feeling lighter and its movement feeling smooth after what seemed like ages. This is why some people ran to the spa at every little inconvenience, and Meerab now wholeheartedly wanted to be a member of whatever gang that was. You felt like a new person, and in those few minutes right after the masseuse had finished the deep massage and was just adjusting the towel over her bare back, Meerab had felt like she could conquer any archaic tradition, fazool rasm-o-riwaaj or weird expectations thrown her way. Hell, Maa Begum could show up right here in the spa, in front of her in all her shalwar kameez and silk shawl clad glory, and all Meerab would do was smile and wave in blissful drowsiness.

Her evening of self-care hadn't just rejuvenated her body. Her mind seemed in better spirits than it had been in a while, and things which had seemed like mountains were now looking more like molehills. Meerab wasn't one for delusions; she knew she had a problem. She was clearly unable to control her mind's response to Maa Begum's hypocrisy and betrayal, or any reminder of it. The last few days had been ample proof for her that she needed to sharpen her sword and tighten her armour; she hadn't let the older woman weaken her in the middle of her ruthlessly planned attack, there was no way she was going to let her do so now, when Meerab had been successful in building a life which had the potential to protect her from everything that Maa Begum wanted to fire at her.

Meerab didn't know if it was the post-massage endorphins bolstering her resolve, but who cared as long as she wasn't the tortured mess she had been last week.

As she walked down the hot stone steps which led away from the salt bath she had just been immersed in, her eyes scanned the deserted spa. Just the sight of it was soothing. It was one those places which were so artfully decorated, that it made you want to savour every corner, every crevice of its masterful perfection. Earthy neutrals calmed the mind and soul wherever your eyes wandered, and the heated floors, sweet jasmine scented air and spacious feel of the space made it all feel like a secluded, safe space, away from all the pesky annoyances of the real world.

Coming to stand in the centre hall, underneath a massive Turkish-inspired domed ceiling, which would've been entirely impossible in theory, given this was floor three in a very tall building. Its reality was more breathtaking than anything a mundane mind could've imagined. What was a hallow dome in the middle of the wellness centre, concave in nature, turned into a curved, convex aquarium on the floor above. The aquarium's glass curved over the outside of the dome, onto one side of the fourth floor, and housed exotic marine life from all over the globe. Meerab only knew this because she'd seen the magnificent aquarium herself, and now as she looked up into the high dome, she realised the high ceiling did a lot to ease restlessness and the feeling being trapped; it made you feel like you could breathe freely.

To the side of the chamber, a wide counter was laden with many fruit and herb infused waters, fresh juices and healthy snacks. The chamber led back to the showers and also a corridor which opened onto the section of the sanctuary which dealt cosmetic treatments and makeovers. That corridor led to a changing area and finally opened out onto the entrance, right next to the reception desk. In between all this, the open spaces were used for low-lying loungers, some with hair treatment apparatus attached at the head, a sauna, many jacuzzies, salt and mud baths, and also a traditional Turkish hamam area.