Like Chalk And Cheese [Completed]

Hungry

The mutual wooden door was opened after seven long years. That too to pave way for the injustices wreaked, as a punishment to sins that were not even carried out by the allegedly convicted.

Once we stepped into his house and he bolted the door, he turned to me and I wanted nothing else at that moment but for the earth to swallow me whole. He was the man who's cage I had been trying to rattle, by exacting colourful exploits to rile him up - the man I was now married to. Would he try to get even with heightened venom that must have been collecting in his heart for me? And God forbid, what could the level of his vengeance be?

I shuddered at the thought.

"Here, give it to me." He said, taking the suitcase from my grip, and was then starting forwards to the gravel path that led to the house.

I followed after him, but we could have barely taken a couple of steps when some came running from the inside, and came crossing the porch to reach us.

"Agha Saab! Aray aap ne keu uthaya hai, mujhe de deyn ye bag!" The middle aged man cladded in a brown Shalwar Kameez declared as he approached us, and took my suitcase from Agha Hasan.

"Amir, take her to the room. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Yes, sir." Amir moved his head in a fervent nod, and watched as Agha Hasan turned and walked away in the direction of the main gates.

I had been staring at the plants that lined the boundary wall - the ones I had come to destroy - when Amir entreated me to follow him inside.

I had no option but to oblige.

We were in through the wooden double doors, and I had found myself in the lounge, with a small living room a single step down - a large LED with a home theatre system plastered to the wall, a mahogany shelf underneath and a plush couch positioned in front. To the left was a small four person dining table, across which was a door to a room that could be the kitchen, and in front were the glass wall doors. Straight ahead was a hallway that presumably leads to the other portion of the house.

From the front doors I could see two rooms across from the living area, where Amir was now headed and I followed him.

Upon reaching, he opened the door to one of the rooms, stepped in, turned on the lights and placed my bag by the dressing table. Telling me to sit on the bed, he left, closing the door behind him as he did.

My heart was beating erratically, blood was pounding in my ears. Amir had left me in his room. What would Agha Hasan do with me when he'd return? Would he . . .

I couldn't even complete the thought to myself. My nose pricked with the rush of incoming tears as fear struck my senses.

Please Allah save me.

I kept standing, refusing to sit down on his bed. I instantly decided that I'd refuse, I'd lunge at him, kick him if he tried to force me. And then I'd pick something up and slam it on his head. And then I'd sprint out. I'd run away from this house. I'd run on the road, and then a car would hit me and I'll be dead.

I'll refuse. I'll run. I'll be dead.

That sounded like a quite feasible prospect to my story.

---

True to his word, he returned in a few minutes. My heart almost jumped to my throat as the door opened and he stepped in. Surprisingly though, he looked slightly taken aback to see me there.

"Amir!" He immediately called from over his shoulder, as I wrung my hands anxiously, standing in front of his bed and clutching the scarf, scared.

Amir came running to the room instantly.

"Did I tell you to bring her to my room?"

Amir dropped his gaze and then shook his head.

Agha Hasan sighed wearily. "What do you know?"

Amir visibly hesitated. "That-that Barey Saab has ma-"

He cut in, seemingly impatient to the unspoken prospect of reality. "Who else knows?"

"Shafiq and Taaj?"

He frowned. "Who told you guys?"

"Gul." Amir mumbled. "She works in their house."

Agha Hasan clenched his jaw. "Take her to the guest room."

At the words, relief surged in my heart, and I thanked God for the turn of events as I had anticipated them.

"Jee Agha Saab." Amir nodded, and took hold of my suitcase yet again. As he walked out, I followed him, keeping my gaze low.

He opened the door of the other room at the far corner, and switching on the lights, kept my bag in the corner.

I stepped in once he had left and locked the door.

What if Agha Hasan snuck in sometime during the night?

---

I couldn't say he woke me up early the next morning, for I had already awoken from the deep slumber, staring at the ceiling, quite unable to wrap my head around the fact that Wajiha had actually dumped me in a pit.

The door had sounded, the voice of knuckles against the wood pulled me out of my reverie.

Alarmed, I stared at the closed door.

"Bibi Jee?" It was Amir.

I relaxed. "What?"

"Breakfast is ready, Bibi Jee."

"I'm not hungry." I lied and turned side, bringing the blanket up to my nose.

Nobody disturbed me again the whole day.
Nobody tried to check up on me either.

It was like I no longer existed. I was alive and yet dead for my own family.

When the sun set, and darkness settled outside the house also covering the room in shadows, I could barely move around. Mustering up whatever energy was left in the reservoirs of my body, I dragged myself to the washroom and got ready for the prayers.

As I raised hands for dua, looking for words to communicate with the Lord of the worlds, a knock came.

"Bibi Jee?"

I arched my body from where I sat on the prayer mat, and called to the door.

"What?"

"Dinner is ready!"

"I'm not hungry." I lied again.

---