A Tale of A Selkie

⤝Chapter 3⤞ ➺ The Power Of Courage, In The Face Of Life ➺

With laughter, love, and tales of yore, they build a fortress strong,
Where fears may linger at the door, but peace reigns all night long.

Warning: indication of Islamophobia:

The clock struck ten in the evening, its chime resonating through the quiet house. Iqra descended the creaking wooden stairs, her voice carrying a note of concern. "Why hasn't Shafaq come home yet?"

Aaina, perched on the edge of the worn-out sofa, shot her a look, rolling her eyes. "Oh my goodness, what could possibly have happened, bewaqoof (8)," she quipped, her sarcasm dripping like molasses as she mimicked, rolling her eyes again and sauntering up to Iqra.

Iqra's face contorted, an expression of disdain. She murmured, "Nothing nice ever comes out of your mouth, you elephant."

Aaina's lips curved into a wry smile. "Younger ones follow in the elder's footsteps," mischievous glint in her eyes.

Without hesitation, Iqra nudged Aaina with her elbow, her movements sharp.

"Ouch," Aaina winced, retaliating by swiftly grabbing a handful of Iqra's hair.

"Jangli insan(9)," Iqra retorted, turning and snatching Aaina's hair in return.

But before their tussle could escalate further, their mother's voice boomed from her room, "Ager tum dono lari to dekhana kya haal karti hun main tum dono ka (10)." The threat was enough to make both of them immediately release each other's hair.

"Lanatti (11)," Iqra muttered as she stomped off to the window.

Pulling the curtains aside with, she saw Mohsin and Shafaq standing at the wrought-iron gate, their figures etched against the fading light. Aaina, compelled by curiosity, joined her. Together, they leaned in, trying to eavesdrop on the distant murmurs.

A familiar voice interrupted them. "You know you're not going to hear anything from this far, right?"

Turning in unison, they attempted to don innocent expressions. Their mother's eyes softened, "How can you both do such a thing and that too without me?" A smile spread across both girls' faces as they made space for their mother.

All three of them were now fixated on the window. Iqra couldn't help but voice her musings. "Look at the love birds. I swear people in love become stupid. No one is saying anything, so why are they smiling like idiots?"

Aaina added her own query. "I am getting second-hand embarrassment. It has been years since they've known each other and she still blushes like this?"

Sila smiled. "You'll truly grasp it once you experience falling in love. The moment you meet someone you want to spend your life with, everything will become clear."

Iqra wore a nauseated expression. "I have no desire to plunge into this so-called 'love' because the concept of finding one's soulmate seems like a mirage. It's merely a surge of hormones that will ebb with time. Once they return to their normal levels, this so-called love fades away. Then, you might find yourself growing resentful towards that person, their mere presence becoming irksome. It feels like a futile expenditure of time; one could invest that time in something more meaningful and productive."