The Guilt

Prologue

Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes it meaningful ~ Joshua J. Marine.
           

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It was twilight, promptly darkness was looming over the sky. The day had fully bade adieu, as nightfall promise to set in.  It was what Harris dreaded however, with time not halting even momentarily, he knew it was  inevitable.

Harris frustratedly tossed his phone on the passenger seat,  after Zahra failed to receive his calls. Worse even,  shut down her phone, leaving Harris devoid of at least his last alternative of tracking her down.

It was rush hours, with majority of institutions and works closed, where many were running their last errands before retiring home after tiring, long hours of work.

On the other hand, 24hrs active business premises predominantly stood along the road,  live and boisterous functioning just as in the daylight. As he drove along the almost  deserted streets, the huge mass of people gradually shrinking to few, he felt as empty.

However much, stupid he felt, bearing among the most impractical expectations, still, scrutinizing the vicinity, he wished Zahra would appear from thin air.

He, from all the people indulged in sharing the secret, wasn't willing to tuck away the significant information from Zahra, then again, didn't he do so for all the right reasons?

He found himself questioning the essence of his attempt to shield her from further pain. Wasn't his intention the purest ; he was waiting for the right time, a rare time when issues would be unloaded from her shoulders.

When Zahra dashed out seeking seclusion, Harris understood she needed adequate space to herself.  Ignoring the nagging yearn to be there for her and offer a shoulder to lie on, he reluctantly avoided to go back home.

However, three hours later, when he reached home and didn't find her, his earlier skepticism doubled. Her overall safety was not only his responsibility but his utmost pleasure to fulfill.

After failed attempts of looking for her any possible place she could practically be on earth, an idea striked him. Switching the engine, he steered his car from the side driving down the road, that stretched out to the heart of the city.

Speeding past the several angry, extra-cautious drivers, who hailed curses on him. He was forced to slow down due to the rough, bumpy roads, and flickering street lights. Among dilapidated buildings, Harris squinted in the inadequate light to spot the address of his supposed destination 

An old building stood out for being remarkably illuminated contrary to the other dim lighted. Squinting he could only manage to read el shams  as the font was faint.

Before, he could further stress on the mysterious destination, in the bleak distance, he saw a familiar figure.

Striding nearer, swiftly but delicately so that the figure wouldn't get diluted within thin air, similar to the illusion he had been seeing for the past five hours.

There in the most deserted roads sat Zahra on the street bench, her knees hugged to her chest, eyes glistening with tears. Dejected; forlorn sending his heart to break into gazillion pieces.

To his opinion, at that time, for a decent person, one should be relaxing at home with family unless concrete reason to be otherwise.

It was a time when drunkards,  roam around and many dirty business carried out. Wallowing in the pool of darkness that granted them courage by concealing their deeds into obliviousness.

As much as he felt anger billing up in his throat, for seeing his wife risking her life to which there are multitude of prospective dangers still, he contained himself.

For he had only seen Zahra grounded. She is ever calm, ever composed. Such were her characters that unintentionally brew ridiculous expectations from her.

Tonight, he understood she had lost it. It's not every day that we stay calm amidst chaos that it's intensity shakes us from within.

"Zah'raa?" In the most delicate voice, he called in his signature accent...

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Upcoming: The girl In a lilac hijab.

Not edited. This Must Be It,

Guess you've familiarize with the mood of our story ~  "Guilt"

Would like to know what you think of the prologue.

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