What is love?

8. Toxic

Wasim closed his eyes only to open them again immediately. The scene of the missiles being dropped over Ghazni's most prominent commercial area replayed clearly whilst his eyes were shut. He couldn't bear to imagine what would've happened if he, along with his colleagues, had not arrived on time and got the people to evacuate.

Wasim was currently staying in a guesthouse where Ismail's entire team had put up for their stay in Ghazni. Wasim knew that for as long as the problem in Ghazni continued on, they were to stay put in the city, unless a more demanding emergency were to arise elsewhere. And only Allah knew how long the Ghazni issue was to last for.

He looked around the dark room that he shared with Hamdan, Faizaan and Umayr, his eyes adjusting to the blackness. He distinctly heard Hamdan murmuring dhikr, Faizaan whispering over the phone probably talking to his wife and Umayr tossing and turning on his bed.

Clearly, he wasn't the only one unable to sleep. Liking Hamdan's idea of engaging in dhikr, Wasim decided to also occupy his tongue with the remembrance of his Creator. Perhaps that would help him fall asleep.

Before he knew it, his eyes closed on their own accord, and he drifted off into a sleep, nevertheless, those same scenes that took place earlier during the day appeared yet again but this time in his dreams.

---

"What's the plan today, sir? How has the situation been?" Wasim asked Ismail.

"Well, my boy, the fundamentalist political movement has still occupied Ghazni, they're not moving away. But the informers we have told us they don't have any information on where the attack is going to happen yet. So we just have to wait. Once they tell us where the attack is planned to occur, we go do what we do," Ismail updated Wasim.

Wasim nodded, silently hoping and praying with all his heart that there would be no attack to begin with. At least, not for today. At least, let those heartless groups spare the helpless inhabitants of the city just for one day!

"So, we're just going to be here today?" Wasim asked.

"Yes, Wasim. We need to go over plans, tactics and a lot of other strategies. Our informers have given us a little insight on the way these attacks are going to be carried out, so we just need to ensure that we know how to get the innocent lives away," Ismail answered.

Wasim nodded, lost deep in his own thoughts.

It was not going to be easy. He had been on several missions to save innocent lives. Not even a single time had he found a mission easy. Not even a single time did he feel that he'd make it out alive. But seeing as he was currently breathing and his heart was beating, he was very much alive as per the will of the Almighty Allah.

This was even more difficult because now he was actually staying in Ghazni. They couldn't leave the place without getting as many inhabitants as they could out of there as refugees. So they had to wait and see what happened.

Wasim rubbed his hands over his face in frustration, as he thought about his life. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned around to see Hamdan.

"Bro, you looked tense?" Hamdan said, taking a seat next to him.

Wasim shook his head and stared at his hands.

"Wasim, we've worked together for two years. You aren't fooling me," Hamdan pressed.

"Man, it's not like I'm unhappy with what I'm doing with my life. I know I'm doing everything voluntarily for Allah's sake as is everyone who is a part of the entire larger organisation we are in," Wasim began, but then paused.