The Ramadan Diaries

Found out.

"Talib, come up for dinner!"

"I'll come later, Z. I don't feel like dinner." He shouts back.

Talib puts the chisel down. He goes close to the wall and pats it, Take care of her, he whispers. Then he lies down for a minute on the wooden chair, rewarding himself a minutes rest for the first time, in three days.

-

He leans towards the window and looks through. Zia had finished praying, and was making dua'a.

He taps on the window, and she looks up, scared. "Talib! What are you doing ? Father will kill you, if he sees you here!"

"I couldn't stay without seeing you." He fondles up to her, cradling her face in his palm.

"I can't.. you know father.. I,"

The door opens behind her, and her mother walks in.

"Zia. Who is this?!"

-

A scream woke Talib from his sleep. "Aaaaaaaah!" It sounded scared, helpless.

"Zia!" He woke with a start. He tried to run upstairs, but the experiment had really tired him out, and he had no energy left to walk even. He limps to the staircase, and loses his balance.

He falls on the stairs, and tries to drag himself up the stairs one by one.

"You stupid girl! You thought I wouldn't find you? I will crush every bone in your body."

"Father, no, please, father I love him, please." More crying. Slaps her. "Ill deal with him later! Now I'll show you what happens to girls who run away." Slaps her again.

"Ziaaaaa!" He shouts, helplessly. Tears are streaming down his cheeks. He spits blood, and drags himself up a bit more.

He manages to reach the second step, and rests some. When he finally reaches the top step, he finds that the entire house was empty.

"Aaaaaaaaaargh!" He screams in agony, banging the floor. He cries, and stares at the wall. A solitary photo of him and Zia stood there, decorated and framed by her own beautiful hands. He rests his head on the floor, and falls asleep.