A flame in the Storm

Chapter 30

"Maria, Maria" I was being shaken by someone, water was sprinkled on my face. I could feel its sensation on my skin but struggled to open my eyes. It was forced down my throat supporting my neck.

"Maria" someone was calling out my name. I opened my eyes slowly recognizing my surroundings. Raafay was standing beside my bed a glass of water in his hand.

"Hey how are you?" he asked "what happened? The electricity was gone but now it is back".

"Rizwan," I mumbled, "I saw Rizwan."

"No, it was me. You saw me. I came to check on you when the power went off. When you didn't open, I had to break the door for the fear of your concern."

"Rizwan," I mumbled again looking around still unable to come back to the reality.

"There is no one" Raafay assured, "it's only me". I let out a sigh of relief after making sure he was indeed saying the truth. I clamped my hand to my forehead wiping the sweat. Raafay handed me a glass of water. I gulped it down in one sip. He sat near my legs close but not touching.

"You will be alright, I am here," he said smiling. After some time I could see the sleep in his eyes. He was exhausted by driving most of the way till now but I was scared to send him away.

"Why don't you sleep here?" I said tapping on the other side of the bed.

"Will you be okay with it?" He asked raising his eyebrows.

I nodded. I was not okay with it but I needed it. The last event had shaken me to the core and I knew I couldn't be alone tonight.

He went to another side of the bed and laid there his face towards me. I lowered myself on the bed and pulled my covers till the neck facing him. For unknown reasons seeing him beside me lessened my fears.

"I wouldn't let anyone hurt you ever again," Maria he said, "I promise."

"I know," I heard myself say and deep in my heart, I believed it.

But he wouldn't be around always will he? The thought lingered in my mind what would I do if my nightmare did come real? How will I defend myself I if I came face to face with Rizwan again? I couldn't live in fear all my life. I loathed myself for being such a scared person. I have to be strong.

Beside me, Raafay was struggling to keep his eyes open. "You should sleep," I said.

"Wake me if you feel scared," he said closing his eyes.

But I didn't want to be scared anymore. I had wasted years being in a nutshell. I had to get out of it now. At a certain point in time, you need to stop crying. Stop feeling scared and do something about it. I moved to the farthest side on my bed away from Raafay and closed my eyes.

I jolted upright from the bed hearing a loud thud. Raafay winced in pain holding his backbone on the floor. "Ouch." And I couldn't stop laughing. He had fallen down from the bed in his sleep. "Are you alright?" I managed to ask in between laughs.

"Yeah very funny," he said getting up and lay back on the bed drifting to sleep.

I searched for my phone to see the time. It was dead. I kept it to the charging. I moved the curtains on the window to see that Sun had risen from its slumber. I got ready for the day and packed my bag. Raafay was still sleeping. I paced the small room contemplating whether to wake him up or not. Just then my phone rang. It was my mother.

"Assalamualaikum," I greeted

"Waleikumsalam. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes," I lied I didn't want to bother her being far away from home in this strange place.