THE TIMOROUS DUNYA✅

TWENTY-THREE

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I'll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about.

~Rumi.

*****

The air is thick with moisture, surrounded by sickening darkness that shamed the midnight. Her ever blinking eyes were useless, failing miserably to see a thing. Her toes curled themselves involuntarily against the cold floor. As keen as she was to make a move, she seemed to be completely stuck in that position. She tried to lift her finger, but once again it proved negative.

Something told her she's awaiting something, which definitely is soon to arrive. Also, she might not like it.

Suddenly, she felt harsh breaths trickling her ear. She spun around swiftly, this time being abled to. But it's a disappointment she couldn't see a thing, and so she tried calming her ragged heart whilst concentrating to comfirm by feeling the presence of her suspicion.

Minutes later in stilled silence, she allowed herself to think she was imagining things. Just as she had convinced herself with that, an ear piercing scream echoed in the dark. It stopped for a while, and continued again. It sounded like wails of someone experiencing intense torture. The pure agony that came along with it is enough to sadden the sun and break a heart.

It wasn't a wise idea, it made her queasy to say the least, but somehow she found herself going along with it. Though, utterly dark around, she used the screams as her lead to the location. Step after step, and the voice grew louder. A clear indication that she's getting nearer.

Her body hit something hard, making her take an abrupt halt. Her hands ran though it, in hope to know what. As she grasped the handle, she figured without a doubt it's a door. It took her eyes a minute to get used to the blinding light by blinking severally, she scanned the small cell- which she recognized so well-and to her surprise it's as empty as a desert.

Her stomach dropped with dread and she turned to go out, not willing to spend a second more inside, but the door was slammed shut in her face and all attempts to open it were in vain. She leaned against it defeatedly, as the hot tears slipped from her eyes.

A whimper caught her attention, reminding her why she's there in the first place. She turned around slowly, Somehow dreading what she's about to see. Sat on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood and a knife in hand is her mother, Her Inna. She gasped loudly as she noticed her mother's left leg isn't attached to her body anymore. And the other is about to have the same fate.

"Inna stop!" She yelled at her. But her Inna was hellbent on cutting off her leg. Maryam paced to where she is, but just as she's merely an inch away from her something strange happened. It felt like an invisible barrier was placed between them.

"Inna please!" She screamed admist sobs, after  all her attempts to reach to her mother were to no avail. With another piercing scream, she watched as her Inna disembodied her other leg.

"She won't hear you." A perilous voice startled her. Her eyes widen at the familiarity it held. Her doubts were sadly confirmed as she gazed at the voice's owner. Lo and behold, stood a smirking chief, staring at her with distaste filled eyes. Her nose crunched up with confusion to what he said.

"She'll listen to only what I say." He boomed with laughter. "You don't mess with chief and get away with it. Your going to watch your mother cut off every part of her body. It's all your fault!"