Lost

Chapter 65: Impulsive

Also, Maryam is back :P and it's a Zalma filled chapter :P Enjoy!

Comment as you read!

Salma's P.O.V.

"And here we have Hymenopus Coronatus,"

Salma took the pink specimen out of the box.

"Whoaw!" Jason cried awestruck, reaching out for the Orchid Mantis.

Salma bit back a laugh. She would not be surprised if Jason was to book a flight to Malaysia first thing in his holidays. Salma craned her neck to throw a glance at Zayn behind them. His golden-brown glared was still fixed on Jason. Sighing at his obnoxious attitude, Salma turned her attention back to the curly haired ginger. Reluctantly, he parted with her the insect.

"You know an awful lot about Mantids," Jason commented. He started following her around when Salma got up, chatting away like an excited three year old, "And your pictures from the hill station are just spectacular! Makes me question, why bees? Why not Mantids? I mean bees are cool and all but Mantids are super awesome, and studying them is so much more fun!"

Salma chuckled. She knew all along that this question was coming. Not sure how he would take it if she told him why, Salma shrugged.

"Don't worry, my story for why I loved Mantids is really weird too." He laughed.

"Well that changes things." Salma laughed to herself. "I am interested in all insects. Animals in general, I like them. But I chose to study Bees -- something I haven't really thought much about before -- when I got this extra incentive and then I just fell in love with these little creatures."

"What incentive?"

"I don't know. I mean, to you, it might seem weird, stupid even!" She shrugged. "But it's worship for me, so I'm like, killing two birds with one stone."

"Worship?" Jason echoed the word, looking deeply puzzled.

"Yep," Salma nodded. "I came across a verse in our Holy Book. It commanded us to observe the Bees and learn from their ways. It said that our Creator has taught the Bees its ways through Wahi, you know, sacred revelation," she explained. "The term Wahi has only been used for two species; Prophets and Bees. I wanted to study the ways and learn from the specie that Allah has honored so much. Every second I spend studying these little insects, I'm fulfilling that command. I'm worshipping Allah."

Jason thought about it for a second, then frowned.

"So, like, your Holy book pushed you to research Bees?"

"Yes," Salma confirmed.

"Wow," Jason said, impressed. "Some book! I never really gave religion much thought but it's cool that it did that for you."

Salma smiled, placing the box back in the cupboard.

"So you won't research Mantids because it's not worship?" Jason asked. There was a worry underlining his tone which Salma found amusing. "I mean, if you ever have a change of heart, I have a really good project in mind. We could --"

A series of explosions cut him off. Startled, Salma turned around to see Zayn storming out of the lab. Jason and she exchanged a panicked glance. He seemed confused, she was kind of scared.

"I'll go check on him," she muttered, quickly shutting the cupboard.

Salma came to an abrupt halt in the main lab. Her stomach sank seeing the mess he had created. Kicking down a stool, Zayn had knocked at least seven boxes of specimens to the ground.