Devil's Dynasty

Chapter 5: "Tick Tock, Tick Tock. A Little Bird Escaped The Flock!"

Naima chuckled seeing her tired form and placed steaming khatti daal (sour lentils) and rice on the table. To complete the whole meal, she had made them steam chicken and took out mixed pickle as a side line. To say Minahil was happy would be an understatement. Although she belonged to a Turkish heritage but her mother had made her a fan of desi cuisine and after she had passed away, Naima made sure her friend could still fulfill her Asian cravings.

Minahil and Naima had been living together for a long time now after Minahil's parents passed away and Naima's father couldn't bear the baggage of a daughter anymore. They both were sisters in true sense and had been there for each other in every hardship and pain. Naima loved teaching and therefore she had been teaching from home for quite some time now. She was teaching Quran to her fellow students and only on weekends, she was required in her Madarsa (Islamic school) other than that she was happy working from her home.

After Minahil had find a job, they both had decided to support each other as much as they could because they knew the other needed space and time as well. Their friendship was based on spiritual growth and therefore they both cherish it deeply.

"Lagta hai aaj muntazam sahab nien bara thaka dia hai(It looks like your boss has made you tired today)" Naima said, filling up her plate. Naima belonged to a Pakistani heritage and she loved to speak in her native language whenever they both are alone and because Minahil was accustomed to Urdu language herself so she never minded speaking it out loud with her friend.

Minahil took a spoonful of her food and sighed as soon as the traditional taste hit her tongue. She took a moment to enjoy her meal and finish her bite. Taking a sip from her water, she told Naima about the stressful day.

"Hien? Aur tum ab batarahi ho mujhe yeh sab? (What? And now you are telling me all of this?) Naima shook her head in disappointment at her friend's carelessness.

"Mien Ayaan ko sulanien mien masroof hogai issiliye mere zehan se nikal gaya. ( I was busy in making Ayaan sleep and that's why it slipped my mind)" The little Muslimah sheepishly told her annoyed friend. Naima already aware of her forgetful nature decided to pardon her this one time because she could see how terrified and tired Minahil was.

"Kuch pata chala yeh hadsa kyoon paish aaya woh bhi daftar mien? (Do you know why this incident took place that too in office?) The wise friend questioned, worried for Minahil's safety.

Minahil shook her head and took another spoonful of bite before gulping it down as if she hadn't eaten in two days.

"Shayad woh kehrahay thay k koi chor ghus aaya tha. (I guess they were saying some thief broke in to the office)" Naima nodded but still her heart didn't accept the reason but she didn't say much and shook her head dismissing the thought. Maybe she was thinking too much into the matter. Easing her nerve she tried to ignore the nagging in her mind and focused on enjoying the rest of the dinner chatting with her best friend.

***

Fear.

A feeling so strong that it could destroy the sanity of one's mind. A powerful weapon used to dominate the terrified. Fear could be from anything and everything but the fear of death could make the most loyal become the pawn in the game of chess. It crushes the soul with its weight and being alive becomes unbearable for a naïve human.

As Abu Firas stood in the empty room, he had realized how big of a sin he had committed. It's funny how a human mind works. In distress it finds reasons to justify a person's action but when the storm passes, it makes the man see his own destruction created by his own mind. Abu Firas felt the same. What he had done would cost him his life but now it would be a death of shame and not honor. He had betrayed and no amount of words could console his anguished soul now as he looked at the empty chair, knocked to the side of the room.