A Whole New World: A Desi Disney Anthology

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"They loved you immensely dear and they tried their best to keep you with them but," aunt Yasmine looked at her sisters, "there was Maisah in every way. She tried to push you towards danger every day. So as you turned one, your parents took the hardest decision of their life and sent you with us."

Saharish's sniffs broke the curtain of dreadful silence around them. She had no idea what was the reason behind her crying. Maybe she was happy for getting her parents or maybe a little upset about letting go of that mysterious man behind.

"We're sorry, dear for pushing so much information on you. But-"

She shook her head at speaking aunt Huda and held her hands, "You did everything best, Khala. I could never get so much love from my parents that you blessed me with," she placed a kiss on her knuckles, "and as you say, Allah has plans for everything. It's all planned and we have to stay rooted in our teachings."

The three sisters looked at each other with a proud smile. Saharish was truly growing up to a beautiful soul. Tonight, they were departing for the Mukhtar mansion as it was about the time when Mr. and Mrs. Mukhtar meet their daughter.

"Remember Saharish, don't eat anything or take anything from anyone on our way to Delhi. Maisah must have gotten the news of your return and she would do everything in her hands to harm you."

Aunt Yasmine warned her as she packed some of their remaining stuff. They set out for Delhi in a twelve am bus and the three sisters made sure Saharish was hidden under the abaya and a niqab.

It was a six-hour-long journey and when the sky turned pink with the shades of dawn, the four ladies reached Delhi bus stop. Saharish had contentment in her heart, a hope of something new was unfolding. Maybe it was her acceptance of her destiny and Allah's plans that pushed her to solace.

"Miss."

They were looking for a ride to Mukhtar Mansion when she heard Tenzing, her student's voice. His face looked red and sticky with tears as he held her hand.

"Miss, help me. My mother...she is dying. Please help me."

Saharish took his hand in her hold, "It's going to be alright, I'm here. I'll help you. Tell me where she is."

Without any answer, Tenzing began to pull her away from her aunts as she turned to see them, "I'll reach at Mukhtar Mansion soon. You go ahead, Khala."

It was aunt Rabia who woke up from the trance on Saharish's voice as she tried to remember what had occurred a few seconds before. But she couldn't. There were no signs of Saharish as they were only surrounded by haunting silence.

"Where's Saharish?"

She shook aunt Yasmine's shoulder who seemed to be looking far away, "How would I know? She was with you."

"She was with you-"

"Stop it you two. We lost her. We lost our Saharish."

***

The door creaked as Tenzing left her hand and pushed the door open. The place smelt like old wood and mud as Saharish looked around for Tenzing's mother.

"She's inside. You wait here."

He ran inside leaving Saharish alone in the small room. It was oddly cold as if the coldness was seeping through her bones. But in that unusual emptiness, she could hear a distant noise of something churning. As if a spindle wheel.

The view of another room was clearly visible from where she stood and Saharish could spot an old lady expertly working on the spindle with a huge smile.

"Salam, lady!"

Saharish greeted as their eyes met and the lady grinned in response.

"I was waiting for you so long, my dear."

She furrowed on the old lady's words, "I'm sorry but do I know you?"

"Yes. Maybe you forgot me but I know you for a long time."

Saharish's eyes felt tired and her mind foggy. Something was wrong with this place and that lady but she felt too lazy to understand anything.

"Oh my dear, do you want to try this spindle. It's an enjoyable experience."

"Is it really?"

The spindle and that sparkling needle attracted her in mysterious ways as Saharish took the old lady's seat. The old lady began to show her how it all worked and her mind became irritated that she wasn't getting it right.

"Make use of your hands properly, my dear."

Saharish snatched her niqab and threw it away as her mind felt burning with the anger of failure in the petty task, "I'll get this right."

It was in haste that the shiny, pointed needle pricked Saharish's finger oozing out the blood from her skin, halting her every sense as she fell from the seat when the sleep overtook her.

The walls of the room shivered with Maisah's loud laugh.

"I told you. No one can defeat me. You all are fools. Fools of innocence." She threw a glance at the sleeping Saharish. "My every curse swallowed those so-called blessings."

Her raven flapped its wings around it, as it transformed from Tenzing to its original form. But something was off, Maisah could feel it in her blood, her body, and veins.

Her throat constricted as she coughed blood. What the hell was happening to her? All was going fine; she was again victorious but why her body seemed to be betraying her.

Was there anything that she didn't know about?