Written In The Scars

Chapter 24

Abdul Hameed felt unsettled. Images of his daughter's glassy eyes kept swimming in his mind, preventing him from sleep. An hour had passed since midnight, and the whole city was silent. Slowly and gently, he lifted himself off the bed, hoping not to disturb his wife from her slumber.

Making his way to the only window in the room, the old General pushed back the muslin curtains and gazed up at the starlit sky. The city was unnervingly calm. Against the blanket of darkness, dots of stars sparkled across it. The moon was absent, yet the stars smiled even brighter, enjoying their moment to shine without the moon there to dim their glow.

They reminded him of Haifa. He sighed, wishing he could turn back time to that day and embrace his beloved daughter instead. He knew his words were harsh, yet he had not been able to hold back his disappointment as he scolded her for her actions.

And so he promised himself that once daybreak had settled, he would return to the Palace to resolve the issue.

As he thought of his eldest, he also remembered his youngest, who too, seemed to be in her own world of struggle. The fact that she had held back in telling them had been the biggest giveaway, for Diya always consulted with them no matter how big or small the issue was. Moreover, she had been oddly calm, being less engaged in conversation. Abdul Hameed had thought it was because of the absence of her elder sister and possibly the stress of her teacher training, though weeks had turned into months and Diya only became more reserved.

The hiss of the flame echoed throughout the room as he lit a candle. Its flames radiated light across the room, fending off the darkness as he exited the room, clicking the door shut behind him. With light steps, he made his way over to the room across the corridor which both of his daughters used to share, now occupied by his youngest. Slowly, he twisted the knob and entered, his eyes falling on the sleeping figure. He carefully placed the candle down on the bedside and knelt down.

Abdul Hameed smiled at the calmness of his daughter's face. Despite the problems she faced, he was happy that at least she was able to forget them for a moment and succumb to the peace of sleep. Unlike he had. Strands of hair matted her face and so, he drew them away, gently tucking them behind her ears. In response, she stirred in her sleep, before stilling into a calm state. As much as Haifa resembled him, Diya on the other hand, was an exact reflection of her mother. She had arched brows and a slightly rounded nose, unlike his sharper one.

Even the thought of Diya leaving him made his eyes wet. Despite the three-year age gap between her and Haifa, Diya had still reached the definite age to wed. Thankfully, she was not in a rush to do so, until after she had completed her teacher training. And as selfish as it sounded, Abdul Hameed was secretly content with her decision only because it gave him more time to spend with his daughter before she too left.

Carefully lifting himself, Abdul Hameed reached for the candle and made his way for the door.

"Baba?" came the murmur of his youngest daughter's voice.

"Sorry for disturbing you Azeezati,"

Diya shook her head, her eyes still closed, before she lay back on her pillow.

Abdul Hameed smiled again and slipped out of the room, gently shutting the door with one hand whilst the other still held the candle. However, his smile dropped, the moment he noticed the shadow looming behind him. He whipped around, but it was too late.