"They knew something was wrong and they feared that it was above their means to be able to do something about it."
{T H I R D . P E R S O N}
The second Syeda's call ended , Humayrah knew something was terribly wrong, heck, she realised it the second Syeda spoke.
Syeda called shortly after Magrib, with a Humayrah who was snacking on a bunch of biscuits.
Abandoning her biscuits, Humayrah dashed upstairs to find her brother, Husnain, who was sleeping away on his bed. Knowing very well that she needs to get to Syeda ASAP, she tried shaking him awake.
"Leave me alone," he said murmuring in his sleep.
Humayrah realising that she needed a different approach, dragged him off the bed. She instantly let him go when he was fully on the floor, apparently in pain.
"Owwww!!!! What on Earth is wrong with you," he whined.
Humayrah tried pulling him up by his arm but he seemed to be glued to ground.
Humayrah tried all her might to drag him up, losing half of her strength in the process. Clocking that he was just being a stubborn cow who was rubbing his hip, she let go of him. She stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest.
"If your done, get your bum off the floor," said Humayrah, irritatedly.
"Well i wouldn't have been on the floor IN PAIN if a somebody didn't drag me," he said, emphasizing the words 'in pain'.
"I'm pretty sure you would forget about this PAIN of yours when you realise that i did this because we need to go to Syeda's ASAP," replied Humayrah, with the same attitude, emphasizing the word 'ASAP'.
He got up from the floor, slightly swaying because of the force of his fall. He winces slightly but successfully voices his thought.
"Why do we need to go there? And why me?" he questioned.
"Syeda called a few minutes ago, asking for a ride because it's an EMERGENCY, also she did sound a bit broken and worried, which is why we need to go ASAP. About the question of 'why you?' It's because i know that you won't try to pry in her business," Humayrah lets out a loud breath, realising she said everything in one go.
Husnain squints his eyes at her, eyeing her up and down, trying to figure out anything which could indicate that she is lying or playing a prank on him.
He finally sighs in defeat, not only because he figured that Humayrah isn't lying but also because he genuinely began to worry for Syeda, seeing how Humayrah described the situation.
Husnain walks out of his room, his car keys firmly gripped in his hands with Humayrah trailing behind him.
They descend down the stairs, both slipping on their coats about to open the front door when their mum, Hania, comes running towards them wearing an apron with a spatula in her hand probably cooking two seconds ago.
"And where do you think you two are going?" asks Hania, one hand on her hip and the other waving her spatula around in the air.
"Umm, we-,"
"Oh we need to go to Syeda's..." says Humayrah, cutting off Husnain who seemed as though he was going to stutter and waste time.
Hania gives them a look clearing asking 'Why?' through her facial expressions.
"...Emergency," Humayrah quickly adds in.
Hania nods,
"Be back early, 7:30 max," says Hania, walking back to the direction of the kitchen, definitely was cooking something.
They get out of the house, entering the car.
Husnain starts the car, driving so slowly that it begins to irritate Humayrah to the point that she is about to slap him,
"Look Husnain, i don't want you driving like an old man to Syeda's, so i'm so not sorry that we have to break your 'no speeding motto'," says Humayrah, putting speech mark around the last bit.
"And who are you to tell me what to do: my car, my choice," replies Husnain.
"Fine then, drive like an old man and i will push you out of the drivers seat and drive YOUR precious car, MYSELF," says Humayrah, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow, basically challenging him.
Husnain knowing very well that Humayrah will not joke about this, gulps down any words which he was going to say to her and begins to speed up the car.
He tightly grips the steering wheel, angry that first Humayrah wakes him up from his sleep and now has the audacity to tell him to break his no speeding rule.
~2 minutes later~
Humayrah made Husnain speed to the point that he reached Syeda's house in less than 5 minutes.
When her house comes into view, he starts to slow the speed,
"We're not here yet, why you slowing down?" says Humayrah.
"Be quiet Humayrah, we've sped enough. Also, it clearly looks like you don't know where your friend's house is, because we are here now," says Husnain, trying to control the venom in his tone.
Humayrah looks outside, indeed noticing Syeda's house.
"Well this person you call 'friend' has a name," says Humayrah.
As they get closer, they begin to notice a feminine figure hunched up on the doorstep.
Husnain presses on the brakes once fully in front of Syeda's house, unlocking the doors.
Humayrah suddenly springs out of the car, startling an angry Husnain.
He notices Syeda, a bunch of hoodies on, head bowed down, with tears, clearly visible in the street lamps and moonlight combined, streaming down her pale and worn-out face.
A string pulls in his heart, when he realises that she is crying and the anger boiling in his veins diminshes.
When Syeda comes closer, Husnain turns his head but can't help but notice the red mark running down her jaw.
He stays silent, pretending he didn't notice.
Humayrah shoves Syeda in the car, also entering herself, shutting the car door.
Apparently, Humayrah was so freaked out that she didn't notice the scar running down Syeda's jaw line.
"Oh my, what happened here," says Humayrah, her finger tips slightly touching the bruise, probably trying to figure out whether she is hallucinating or not.
Husnain half listens to their conversation, their words going in one ear and coming out the other.
"We need to go to the hospital," says Syeda to Humayrah, ignoring her question as her eyes begin to tear up.
"What! Why?"
"Can we just go there, even i don't know."
Humayrah realising that even Syeda can't give her an answer, asks her which hospital they need to go to.
"------," she replies, her voice cracking on the last word.
Husnain clearly in his own world, didn't start driving.
"Husnain?"
"Husnain??"
"HUSNAIN!??!"
Husnain comes back to the real world, his head throbbing.
"What?" he says, rubbing his head.
"Are you going to start driving or do want me to?"
"Where to?" he asks.
"You-"
Humayrah closes her eyes, breathing and breathing out.
"--------," she says, with a tight lipped smile.
"Why?"
"Can you stop with your 'why's' and just drive," snapped Humayrah, her string of patience snapping.
Husnain doesn't dwell on it and starts to drive because he knows that if he starts to dwell on things, they would reach the hospital until midnight.
~Approximately 20 to 25 minutes later~
The massive, brick walled building of the hospital comes into view.
Husnain parks the car. He unlocks the doors, taking out the keys.
Husnain and Humayrah quickly come out of the car, while Syeda goes in slow steps.
A nervous Syeda fidgets with the zip of her coat.
She realises that she's going to have to face everything one way or another.
So she's about to pick up her pace.
When...
Somebody stops her.