Lost

Chapter 24: Run!

By some strange miracle, the truck passed, the sound of the engine died, the darkness enveloped her once more and she was still cowering behind the rock, undiscovered. Crying out in relief, Salma sat up straight, albeit reluctantly. Her phone kept buzzing nonstop but she had no energy to reach for it in her pocket. It was not too late before Asim's phone lying on her lap started vibrating too.

Salma frowned. Why was he calling her a third time?

The calls stopped after a while, and the occasional vibrations told her that whoever it was, was now sending nonstop texts. The sky had turned a deep shade of blue and the stars had started appearing one after the other.

With jittery steps, Salma made her way back to the slope in the dark. She was scared to turn on the flashlight of her phone, wary of attracting unwanted attention. The moonlight casted eerie shadows over everything as she quickly checked who was calling her earlier. To her surprise Asim and William had both been calling her on both the phones. Making a mental note to go through their voicemails and messages later, Salma pocketed both phones as she prepared to climb down the slope.

Using only the moonlight as a guide, Salma tried to focus on placing her hands and feet on the right strongholds. She was trying to not slip, to stay alive, to reach the ground, and keep living. But to live wasn't all she wanted to do. She wanted to live it safe. In the forest, lost and alone with a man, she lived under constant fear. It was this fear that pushed her to embark on the dangerous hike up the mountain to try to get help. She wanted the safety of her Imaan and her soul, along with her body. Although the safety of the latter could be ensured anywhere, the former was a bit tough to deal with when Zayn was there in the picture.

Salma somehow managed to reach leveled grounds safely. At the foot of the mountain, she took a moment to collect herself. Sitting with her head resting against the slope, she desperately wanted her arms and legs to stop aching. As she rested, she fished Asim's phone out of her pocket, staring at the voicemail notifications. She knew it was a gamble to wait for this, but she hoped it was worth the risk involved.

Sighing, Salma took her bottle out and drank some water. The water finished before she was done, making her groan. She knew she was in no shape to replenish her water supply. So, she got up, dusted her dress and slowly made her way towards the shelter.

There was one more 'near death experience' that she had to go through before she could sleep. A dark haired boy that she left at the stream, clueless of her grand plans, almost twelve hours ago.

Zayn.

Zayn's P.O.V.

As Zayn ventured the eerie forest in the dark, he tried to focus on one emotion towards Salma: anger. And yet, he could not help but feel worried about her. Zayn doubted there was any place safer, or better provided for than their shelter. It just did not make sense for her to leave so suddenly.

Zayn was limping through the dark when a blinding white light flashed just ahead of him. Holding his breath, he quickly crouched behind a stout trunk. The light moved around, as if searching through the tall trees. It swiftly reminded him of the flashes he had seen before.

So they were real. . .

Zayn was not sure how he felt to know the flashes he had been seeing were not a figment of his imagination. He waited with bated breath, mentally debating if he should reveal himself or stay hidden.

Keeping low, he edged closer to the light. It was not long before he was able to hear rough masculine voices.

"How long?" a gruff voice asked.

"Dunno man," another sighed. "It could take some time."

A moment of silence followed in which Zayn heard shuffling, as if things were being moved around.