Black hearts meet Red

Chapter 7

Amal

"You look like Snow-white.."Marwa's soft whisper made me turn to her.Her bandaged forehead and busted lips made her look very weak and sick.Which she was.

"What..?"She dragged the words out slowly making me shake my head.Biting my lower lip,I concentrated on wrapping the crepe bandage around her wounded shoulder.Gulshan had done Marwa's bandage last night but it wasn't proper.Training for six months to be a nurse, I had experience to aid wounds.

Marwa's hiss made me stop my fingers, slowly and softly I secured the bandage, moving away.Inhaling a sharp breath in, I kept the ointment away feeling Marwa's dark brown eyes trained on me the whole time.Keeping everything away, I turned to the woman lying on the bed.Taking her hand in mine, I traced the red marks that were turning bluish-purple running up to her arms.Her luscious thick black were sprawled on the pillow as she stared up at me.Her large eyes questioning me.

"Marwa.. Why do you do this?"I asked exasperated.

She huffed turning her face to the other side.

"Marwa..Why do you inflict pain to yourself ?You know Jalal very well and still you always come in his way.Please stop doing this.It won't lead us to anything except disaster."I exclaimed restlessly.She listened to my words but didn't react.Her eyes kept staring off in space.

"Please, next time don't try to talk back at him.Last night he could have harmed Saman or Akbar..."Just as the names left my lips, her eyes snapped my way making me stop instantly.

"I'll do anything to protect my children."Her shaky yet determined voice filled my ears.I grasped her hand firmly,

"I know you will.But Marwa that animalistic man is capable of doing anything.Aren't precautions necessary in handling the situation.Marwa you are a very strong woman unlike me and in this house you are my only hope."

She smiled listening to me.Sitting up  a little, she leaned against the headboard.

"Amal..You know being with you has always made me feel that in this darkness I am not alone.But maybe I am selfish to think like that.Inside I feel pity and sympathy, that I have for myself."Her smile turned into a frown and she closed her eyes.

"That means a lot."I said after a while.She yawned and a foreign giggle left my lips.It felt like ages since I last laughed or giggled.I was in shock and so was Marwa, her eyes wide.

"Snow-white you look like Cinderella now."She said making me compose myself.Getting up from the bed I bid her goodbye and left the room locking it again as it was before.

Nibbling on my bottom lip I made my way to the kitchen, only to find Gulshan prepare lunch.Rounding the marble islands I washed my hands feeling the cuts sting.

"Did Saman and Akbar eat?"I asked the woman working.

"Yes, they did.I'll leave them to their mother in a few minutes."She replied making me nod my head.

Walking out from the kitchen, my wounded feet lead me to the spiral stairs.Reaching my room I pulled away my dupatta throwing it on the bed feeling extremely tired and restless.

It was a relief when early morning the doors were permitted to be opened for me by the guards.I had quietly walked up to my room in a daze and locked myself in it.Jalal dressed in his room and left for work after breakfast.Although he wasn't home, but I didn't have a wink of sleep.Once he was out of the house, I unlocked Marwa's room taking the risk to know about her condition.Serving her food and medicine, I changed her dressing.Although my wounds needed bandage too but I thought why hide them, when they were imprinted in my mind.