Let Me Redeem [Completed]

Let Me Redeem

Sasha took her up the stairs, telling her Hadi was waiting for her with countless others to make an announcement, the surprise that he had promised. Mirha's heartbeat had quickened that she felt it in her fingers, she was even more nervous than before, if it was possible. Though not a clue did she have about what might the surprise be, some repressed part of her was hoping against hope, a foolish notion to entertain, really - her mind kept reprimanding - that somehow she was involved in the announcement he had to make.

When they reached up to the landing that extended into a lounge with one door on each wall, the wooden patio swing in the center was still, unmoving, like the night of agony, and Mirha saw to her utmost confusion that there was nobody there. No sign of Hadi, no sign of the people he was supposed to make the announcement to.

Though before the alarm bells could have rung or so much as yawned, Sasha took her hand and went to the door to their left, stopping just outside it.

"Everybody's in there. Let me call Hadi, okay?" She whispered, the diamond studs adhered to her lobes sparked in the dim light of the lounge, like the last flicker of glow before everything would be plunged into heavy darkness.

"Okay." Mirha nodded once again.

Sasha went into the room, her pencil heels clopping against the tiled floor, and emerged out again only a minute later, with a huge grin splitting her mouth. If Mirha wasn't innocent and as plain as she was, there could have been no doubt about the nature of that smile. It was one of corruption, doused with the entirety of immortality found in any human heart.

"Wait just here. I'll be right back." She said, her voice low, and hurried back to the stairs.

Mirha bit down on her lip and watched Sasha run down the stairs. She turned around on the sound of the door opening and saw to her horror that it wasn't Hadi who came out, but Bilal.

What was there to think, to doubt? Her mind was blank, and for a moment she thought it was all a mistake. Everything.

"Mirha fucking Qadeer." He drawled casually as he leaned against the closed door of the room. What she was doing here, amidst people she didn't belong with? How did she land here? When did she agree to be a part of the crowd - she had no idea. Mirha thought she didn't remember anything from the past few minutes.

She retreated a step, as she blinked, her heart hammering inside her chest.

"Hadi made me wait too long, didn't he?"

The alarm bells finally rung, as if triggered by the mention of his name. "What?" She barely managed through her ragged breathing.

Bilal let out a soft laugh. "Where do you think you're going?"

Just as he said that, Mirha whipped around ready to sprint for the stairs, but Bilal seemed to have lunged forward on time, for he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her roughly towards him. She wanted to scream, but all her voice died down at the back of her throat, her scarf slipping down from her head.

He pinned her against the wall, both her hands caught in his strong grip. The contact of skin on skin, that too of someone with lewd intentions, burned her hands, her fingers, every inch of where he touched her.

"You're not going anywhere now, Mirha, I've waited way too long for this. That slap in front of all those people is going to take everything from you. You shouldn't have done that."

The tears didn't hesitate to spill as if they needed no energy for activation, and rolled down her cheek. Could she escape this? Is she going to survive the night? Or should she better dig her own grave when this is over? There was not a thought that hit straight, her mind was a haphazard whirlwind, like a flurry of autumn leaves that swirl in the gust of wind before falling down on the ground. "I'm sorry. For Allah's sake! Please, please let me go!" She rambled, shaking her head.