Keep Your Enemies Closer

~ attacks and defences ~

Muraad kept ringing her phone and dropping her messages but to no avail. He was about to go inside the building when there was a light tap on his shoulder. He turned to look at Zaira with the chaadar covering her whole face sparing the eyes. She motioned him to rush and he did. Once they were in the car and at a reasonable distance, he looked over to her on the passenger seat. She was busy chugging down on water, the sweat drops visible on her forehead.

"Aayi kesay hein aap?"

"Bas na poocho yaar. Wo aik larki ko lagaya hua tha khirki se baahir nazar rakhnay ke liye. Phir jesay hi us ne bataya ke Tariq aa gaya hai, mujhe larkiyon ne baahir choti si balcony pe nikaal diya."

"Aap blacony se chalaang laga ke aayi hein?"

Zaira gave him an incredulous look

"Tumhara dimaagh to set hai na? Chauthay floor pe thi mein, chalang maar ke is waqt Allah ke paas hoti mein."

"Oh acha haan, sorry."

Muraad scratched his hair awkwardly, making Zaira laugh.

"Character hi ho tum bhi wese. Is sariyal si image ke peeche abhi bhi aik masoom sa bacha hai na tum mein."

His head shot in her direction, eyebrows furrowed.

"Aap kesay -"

"Mein kesay is nateejay pe puhanch ga? Chand hi baar mili hoon tum se, par thori buhat insaan ki samajh to mujhe bhi hai. Andar se tum aik achay insaan na hotay to mujhe dhoondnay ke liye khud andar na aa rahay hotay. Waheen chor aatay."

"Aap ko kesay chor ke aa sakta hoon? Zaviyar bhai ke buhat ehsaanat hein mujh pe, aap ki hifazat to apni jaan ke bal par karta."

"Kab se jaantay ho Zaviyar ko?"

"Aaj se koi chaar paanch saal pehle wo trip par aaye thay Islamabad side apnay doston ke saath. Un ka aik dost iteffaq se mera bhi dost tha, to bas tab hi baat cheet shuru hui hai."

"Hmm, aur aisay konsay ehsaan hein us ke tum pe?"

He sighed.

"Rehnay dein bhaabi. Baaqi sab to alag hai, ye kam ehsaan hai ke wo meri maa ke mujrim se lar rahay hein? Wo kaam jo karnay ki mujh mein himmat nahi thi, wo kar rahay hein. Yehi aik kaam kar ke mujhe to unhon ne saari zindagi ke liye khaeed hi liya hai jesay."

"Sahi keh rahay ho, mere bhi aik buhat qareebi shaks ke mujrim mere qareeb hi rehta hai, par mujh mein himmat nahi hui kabhi un ko insaaf ke kathehray mein laanay ki. Zaviyar mein pata nahi kahan se aa gayi hai."

There was silence in the car for the next few moments. Muraad didn't probe into who the culprit was.

"Bhabi, aap ne bataya hi nahi phir. Aap balcony se neeche kesay aayi hein?"

"Oh haan wo. Saath saath walay gharon ki balconies taqreeban jui hui thein, beech mein aik aik foot ka faasla tha bas. Mein aik par se doosri par jaati rahi. Aik apartment khaali tha, us mein se nikal ke aa gayi."

He gave her an astonished look.

"Are you serious?"

"Kya matlab?"

"Aap chauthay floor par ye kar rahi thein?"

"Doosra koi option tha?"

He chuckled.

"Hass kyun rahay ho?"

"Zaviyar sahab ki biwi bhi un ke takkar hi ki hein wese. Rabb ne mila di jorri."