Jahanara's world is filled with monstrous silhouettes, looming in the dark around her, ready to harm her. The coldness of her eyes could slit people's throats. Happiness was nowhere to be found while sadness became her companion. Too many questions...
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Shehraz despises the disinfect smell that lingers in the white halls. Wrinkling his nose, he held the paper bags filled with snacks, drinks and scrunched the bill in his back pocket.
Strolling across the corridor, he entered the ward and found his Ruqia sitting on the recliner with a shawl draped over her lower body and her eyes closed. As if sensing his presence, her eyes flew open.
"How are you feeling?'' Shehraz asked, plopping the bags on the round table and stood beside her. Placing a feather-like peck on the crown of her forehead, his brows knitted upon noticing Ruqia's tears.
"I am fine." she wiped her eyes and stared at the unconscious woman on the hospital bed.
Shehraz knew Ruqia more than she was aware of. He pressed the button which pulled the recliner into a sitting position.
"No crying, come on, eat something." he sternly says, taking out the snacks passing them to her. Ruqia was too tired to protest and the memories were already giving her an immense headache. Exhaling, she prepared herself to give a long explanation about this to Shehraz.
Silence bestowed upon them as they refuelled their energy, glancing once in a while to check if the woman was conscious. Shehraz had promised his mother that they will arrive by tomorrow morning but because of Ruqia's desperate request he gave in, knowing she had a very serious reason to do so, and informed his mother of their late arrival.
"Now, tell me, how do you know her?" The most awaited question was finally uttered. Shehraz felt a heavy weight over his shoulders. Ruqia's gloomy eyes met his brown eyes and his heart sunk.
If there is something he couldn't bear that is his Ruqia being upset. She unscrewed the bottle and took gulps of the cool liquid. He knew she was stalling. Suddenly she grabbed his hand and kissed his knuckles.
Still holding his knuckles to her lips, she murmured, "Remember when we bumped into each other back before we got married? And I was with a friend?" He bobbed his head in affirmation, gesturing for her to continue. Ruqia took a deep breath and sighed, "My friend's name was Mahnoor and this woman is her sister."
Shehraz's eyes widened in realization, as he turned to stare at the sleeping woman.
"Mahnoor belongs to a very conservative, family and her sister, this woman was adopted. They did not treat her well," she whispered, putting his hands down.
Shehraz sighed, feeling pity for the woman but shook it off, reminding himself nobody appreciated being pitied. It's a sad reality, how cruel humans can be and yet no one is willing to understand. But who says we can't share or even feel the pain of others, or at the least, make them feel a little bit better.
