Asya FF ~ Dekh Dilne Seekhli Baatein Sufiyana ~

Chapter 5

Dilruba ye bata...kya karoon tere siva

He tried to run faster, wishing his feet would just hoist him up in the air and carry him to her. The never- ending hallway was dimly lit. He tried not to slip on the wet marble floor as he ran. As his hand came up to wipe his sweat strained brow, he unsuccessfully tripped over his own feet. It was close – the sound. drip...drop...drip. The lights around him flickered again.

Wait! How did he get here? He suddenly couldn't remember. The sound now was much louder, the stream of water running in full force.

He was almost there; he could see the door clearly.

He abruptly realized his eyes were wet as he blinked away some tears rapidly. He looked up to see that the door had moved away from him.

He tried to get up off the soaked floor and follow the path of some loose wires. They seemed to be taking him closer to the stretched-out door at the far end.

His heartbeat erratic, heart in his mouth, blood pumping forcefully in his veins, he kept running. But no matter how fast he ran, the door kept moving away from him, the wires kept on stretching.

Where is she? Where is she? his mind going frantic with the unanswered question.

"Don't go in, look behind you!" he screamed but no voice came out. The hallway just wouldn't stop stretching.

Where is she?! Where is she?!

"Asad" a soft familiar voice echoed throughout the dim lit space.

Zoya?

He turned around – his searching eyes restless – only to freeze at the horrifying site.

Zoya's body lay afloat, the small bathtub overflowing with water. She swam unmoving, her beautiful raven hair swaying in the shallow water, face white as the marble.

"ZOYA!"

Asad shot up in his bed– his kurta drenched in sweat, hair sticking to his face wildly.

He threw his covers aside and dashed towards her room. Only after taking a long satisfying look at her face, re checking all windows, doors and the rest of his family, did he return back to bed.

A week had gone by...a week full of paralyzing nightmares.

There had been no talk about the infidelities of the past. Somehow, everybody formed a silent pact not to bring it up.They had decided to keep the wire tragedy to themselves. The rest of the family need not be panic-stricken ­­– mostly because someone else was filling up for the rest of their shares.

Asad Ahmed Khan was on his toes. There was a security guard at the door and a new alarm system installed. He wasn't going to take this lightly, sit around and take chances.

He'd be damned!

He understood the reason Zoya's life had been in danger...Him...he was still perplexed at how smoothly it was planned. The accidental spilling of juice... the way the wire was hidden and placed... shaped like a mere mishap.

He had been working from home these days.

Everyone but Zoya was surprised.

She knew why he suddenly needed to be home to focus on this new 'project'. She suspected he had trouble sleeping­­–just like her. Her nightmares had comeback. But this time she screamed for both her Ammi and Abbu. No voice ever came out. She always just woke up tangled up in her sheets, all sweaty and immobile.

She watched him now as he gulped down his fourth cup of scorching hot black coffee.

He is going to fry his brain and food pipe like this!

She opened her mouth to tell him the same but decided against it. This morning had been much better than the last six and she didn't want to start a fight with him.

The sunrise had brought with it some good news. Zoya's work permit was now processed and they would be soon issuing her a new visa.

"Bade dino baad aaj khush khabri ai hai", Dilshad said echoing Zoya's thoughts.

The two ladies expected a little reaction from the man sitting beside them, but nothing except a short curt nod ensued.

"I'm going to office today, Allah hafiz" he suddenly announced scraping his chair away from the table while Zoya stared at his retreating back.

xx

She looked at the raindrops racing against each other on the windowpane. Asad still hadn't come back from office.

Wonder what would he be doing right now? Probably just being a sher khan bossing people around.

She giggled to herself

"Zoya, it's ready" Najma called out

She skipped to the living room thrilled, all her senses filled with the delicious scent of pakoras at once.

Allah Miyan...so simple minded sometimes!

Another giggle ensued.

"What are you giggling about?" Dilshad enquired.

"Nothing, just excited about the pakoras" And more now cause I happened to hear tires in the driveway, she mentally completed.

"Salam walequm Ammi"

"Arre Asad, bilkul time pae aye ho. Freshen up, tumhari chai bhi laati hun"

THUMP

"What was that?" Zoya quipped in the now darkened room.

"Probably a power cut, I'll go check the generator" Asad spoke giving Zoya's heart a jumpstart. He was closer than she'd expected, and the texture of his voice somehow became even sexier in the dark.

Allah miyan, what's wrong with you Zoya Faaroqui...Phuphi and Najma are right here you perv!

"In fact, main bhi check kar sakti hun phuphi...electricity ke baare main ton mujhe sab pata hain" she said in hopes to distract herself.

Dilshad stifled a giggle and waited for the reaction that she knew was coming.

"MS. FAAROQUI, PLEASE STAY WHERE YOU ARE" his voice boomed in the dark house scaring the skin out of all three ladies.

Wait, why was he yelling? His mother knew him to disagree but like this...

"Asad" she said his name reprimanding in hopes to calm him down. But it was too late, his mind was already filled with images that had a combination of wires and water. He immediately put his briefcase down at what he assumed was the floor and walked towards the sliver of light coming from the main door before Zoya could get a word in.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

Najma glared at Zoya in the dark at her loud outburst. What was wrong with these two? Anymore yelling and the hair on her arms would be forever standing.

Her dialogue was then followed by a clink on the table, possibly the plate of pakoras in her lap, a thump, a sign she had tripped– it was Asad's briefcase, and a couple other loud 'ouches'.

The two ladies then watched her dimly lit figure as she passed down the main door; most probably towards the shed outside the house.

They both sighed simultaneously.

xx