Healing ✔

Chapter 35

Sara

There was a time when I felt alone and numb. I had come out of that dark chamber not too long ago and the feeling of freedom was not like I had expected it to be once I was set free. In fact the fear was intensified all the more since I had to be extra careful and the fear of going back to the hellhole I had been was too much for my mental state. It drove me crazy especially in the night time when all I had were thoughts to myself.

Zach was the perfect distraction.

He drove me crazy but in a good way. At least it stopped my mind from wondering the other way. He had this remarkable talent of getting under my skin and that is how I usually stirred away from my dark thoughts.

"Are you sure you don't want to? Its a good skill to have." He sprayed some heavy perfume and I ended up having to swat the air and hold my breath before I could smell that all too familiar smell. It was Zachs smell. All his shirts smelled of it.

"In your case maybe but guns are not my thing. It scares the hell out of me." I shudder.

For some reason Zach was persisitent upon me learning to use a gun. He had offered to buy one for me but I had to be licenced in order to use it.

After learning that something was about to go down soon, Zach was more concerned than ever even more than I was.

I had embraced my circumstance and was no longer sulky or in a strop of mood because I was dissatisfied with the life I lived. I had learned that Ismail was not coming back and that I just had to believe there was something better in store for the both of us. It was reassuring to know that the guilty will be punished by Allah and that made it a little easy for me, even if there was a hole in my heart that ached every day.

It took me a long time to learn that whatever will happen is only with the decree of Allah. I had made all the right decisions and even had my own personal bodyguard. But even then, if Allah did not want me protected then no one could save me.

I watch Zach groom himself for less than 1.5 second, fascinating how all he needed was a bit of perfume and he was ready to dart out the door. Not that he needed anything else. His hair was short and his beard-if I could even call it that-was always the same everyday. He must keep it up everyday to keep it looking exactly like that.

I take position in front of the mirror as it was my turn now and begin to brush the knots out my hair.

I had done a bit of makeup in the morning to hide my sunken eyes as it reminded me of the horrors of recent events.

My eyes looked pretty bad in the light and in the end I had ended up using light makeup all over my face since I missed doing so.

I glance at my reflection in the mirror and turn my head to view my side profile of my hair but instead I catch sight of Zach.

He raises his eyebrow at me and I frown.

"Stop watching me."

"You should definitely show more of that hair. I don't understand why you cover it?"

"It's a commandment in the Quran Zach." I tell him. "I'm pretty sure I've already told you why we cover up." I tie my hair high into a pony tail.

"I mean in the house. You have beautiful hair but you always cover it."

"Thanks but I'm more comfortable that way." I say not sure how to deal with his compliment.

I must admit. Getting compliments was something everyone loved but the only reason I was uncomfortable with it was I didn't know how to react after that.