The Ramadan Diaries

Lights out - I

It was dark outside, and rain kept complementing all the curvatures of nature.

"What's happened honey?" Khadeeja asked, and leaned over to Jalal from behind the sofa where he's sitting.

"Nothing, it's work."

"Well what'd they say?" She whispered into his ear. "You know you don't have to work. My father left enough money for us both."

"They just said that if I don't work hard enough there are more than enough capable people to replace me. They..." He suddenly stopped and turned around.

Khadeeja's face was rested on the sofa and her eyes shone. Not twinkled, or spread warmth but shone.

There was a playful smile on her lips.

He leaned in without thinking. She closed her eyes.

Their lips met, and there was a short burst of fireworks in his stomach.

He pulled her over to his side of the sofa and laid next to her. It was a long time before he thought about work again.

-

Knock knock.

"Yes?" Jalal snapped back from his reminiscence.

"Sir, don't you want your tea?"

"Sameer?"

"Yes?" He still stood obediently behind the door.

"Nothing. I'm skipping tea today."

"Okay sir. I'll be down if you need me." Which he knew he didn't.

How did Talib Janahi die? Did the thing in the walls take him? Or did someone murder him? But if he was going to be murdered how would he know?

But the answers to these questions he already knew. Knew the moment he had touched the book.

Sameer Janahi. Why?

He kept the question aside for consideration later, and moved towards the book.

Looks like there's a lot of work.

He got engrossed with the reading, and when he looked up again, Sameer Janahi stood in front of him.

"You are messing with things you don't understand Jalal."

This was not the same Sameer. The servant Sameer had this thing's same features, but kind eyes.

This Sameer's eyes were cold smucking calculating.

"How dare you enter without..." Jalal shouted and began to get up.

Only to find out he could not move.

Not a single muscle.

Sameer's eyes started turning red; it was amusing, one could actually see the blood entering the vessels.

"What do you want?" He asked, his voice trembling.