Am I making a mistake by going?
Salma quietly placed the fork back on her plate and peeked through the glass pane. Her mother was seated by the table, holding a mug in her hands. A frown knotted her brow and her lips were pressed together in a line.
Just a minute ago, Salma was happily skipping around the kitchen, grabbing herself a quick breakfast, when she overheard her mother talking to William on the deck, in the backyard. William was Salma's cousin – sort of. His mother, Anne, was married to her Uncle, Dawud.
"I don't want her to go, Will," her mother said, sounding agitated. "I just have this feeling –"
"Alley. She's not two. " Will sighed, making Salma quietly place the plate of eggs on the counter and tip-toe towards the glass-pane door of the backyard to eavesdrop better. "She can take care of herself."
Her mother chewed her lower lip anxiously. Salma resembled her mother in having inherited her high cheek bones and pale complexion, but that's where the similarities ended. While Salma had an average height and a thin frame, with a wavy curtain of brown locks and almond shaped, chocolate-brown eyes, Aliya Rehman was a few inches shorter, her eyes darker and rounder in shape and her curly hair was jet black. Also, Salma's eyebrows – that she refused to touch with a plucker – were arched unlike her mother's, who had a straight, shorter brow.
Salma believed her mother was a more beautiful version of herself. After all, she had a cuter nose, fuller lips and skin with lesser dark spots.
"Besides, it's just a camping trip," Will, who was leaning against the pillar with his back to Salma, continued. "Asim is going with her, not to even mention the dozens of students and the university staff. She'll be safe with so many people around her, and before you know it, her annoying existence will be gracing your presence once more."
Salma scowled at her cousin's back for calling her annoying. The tall, broad shouldered, well built lad had sandy brown curls - currently stuffed under a grey beanie - that reached just below his ear lobes. He had blue-green eyes and a defined chin. Overall, he was a handsome boy with huge heart. Currently, he was being rude. Other than a scowl from Salma, Will's joke seemed to have failed its purpose when a tensed silence followed his words instead of laughter.
"Maybe I should at least call Atif to inform him . . ." Staring into her mug, her mother's voice trailed off as if she was thinking out loud.
Salma's curiosity on why, all of a sudden, her mother did not want her to go on the camping trip, was swiftly replaced by dread and worry. Her heartbeat picked up pace. She had no idea what was going on but whenever her mother contemplated on calling her father, things were serious.
"Inform him of what?" Will questioned, sounding incredulous. "That she's going on a hiking trip, and will camp in the wild for –"
"No." Her mother cut in. "That I got a call from Sthooriya."
Salma's heart sank. With Aliya this worried after receiving a call from Sthooriya, it was not hard to guess where it came from and who made it.
"Why would you worry him about that when he's half across the globe?!" Will reasoned.
Salma's mother turned away, choosing to stare into her coffee once more. She looked closed to tears. Salma's heart ached to see her mother in so much distress. Will too, looked resigned and miserable. Sighing, he sank into a chair beside his aunt, pulled off his beanie and ran his fingers through his curls. "Look, it could be that your sister just called to know how you were doing? You're probably over-thinking this."
Aliya shook her head, swallowing her tears.
"When Tor Mahal inquires after something, it never ends well," Aliya added quietly, confirming Salma's fears.
It was just like she thought, Salma closed her eyes. The cursed inhabitants of that palace would never stop haunting them, would they?
Salma hated to hear this all-too-familiar fear and anguish in her mother's voice. Whenever Aunt Farhiya called, constant dread and anxiety would loom over her mother like a dark cloud. Although, apparently a casual call, made by one sister to another, it was always perceived as a dark message in the Rahman household. A reminder that Aliya had lost a lot, and a threat that she still had a lot to lose.
Having suffered much loss in the past, Aliya constantly worried for her family's safety, especially her children. Something, Salma always failed to comprehend. Courtesy of being born in the politically important House of Sulaiman, the fact that they had rivals, and people who did not like them very much, was not news. It was a sad normality for them. What happened to her mother's family was a long time ago, but Aliya somehow always tied her sister's abusive marriage and her parents' murders, to her fears of something similar happening to her children, especially Salma.
Almost thirty years later, and to Salma and her brother, the murders and forced marriage was just another horror story of politics taking a violent turn. Things were different now. The worst so far had been some unprovoked shouting and name-calling from sore losers who wanted their monopoly maintained. Salma's family always took precautions but the threat had never been serious enough to stop them from going about their normal routines. So, why was her mother anxious over her leaving for the trip after a call from aunt Farhiya? Salma could only speculate.
"Alley," Will began. "Did your sister say something particularly troubling which has you so worried?"
Salma held her breath. The dreadful silence engulfed the three of them once again. Salma could hear her pulse drumming in her ears as she waited for the answer, praying as she did so, that whatever was discussed over the call, had nothing to do with her.
"She just asked about –"
The loud doorbell startled all three of them. Salma inhaled a shaky breath, not sure if she was more relieved or annoyed that her mother was interrupted before she could answer.
"Must be Anne," Aliya said, letting out a heavy sigh as she sat back in her chair.
"I'll go get her," Will replied.
Salma jumped into action when the chair outside scrapped against the wooden floor, followed by the hasty shuffle of Will's feet. She should not be seen in the kitchen, still in her nightdress and eavesdropping on a conversation that was clearly not meant for her ears. So, Salma grabbed her coffee and plate of scrambled eggs, and raced upstairs before Will could catch her at it.
***
William parked the car near the Biological Sciences block. The grounds that surrounded the block on three sides, were decorated with beautifully groomed hedges and trees. Wooden canopies with benches and tables had been built for the anyone willing to spend some time in the open air. The block was flanked by the red-brick building of the Administration block on one side and the coffee house and eatery on the other.
Because of the Administration block and the cafe, the grounds around the Biological Sciences block were almost always strewn by students from all over the campus – soaking up the sun as they waited, or just enjoying a quick coffee break between classes. As of now, the place was littered with excited students anticipating an adventure in the mountains.
Asim, Salma's brother, hastily got out of the car the moment it stopped in the parking lot. Salma fumbled with the lock to follow him.
"Salma?" William said quietly, much to her surprise. "I know it's none of my business, but be careful, okay? Alley's really worried. She didn't want you to go."
Salma stiffened as the conversation she had overheard earlier replayed in her mind. Also, it struck her as odd that William would take advantage of the momentary privacy to speak to her. He knew the rules. She did not talk to him anymore.
"Okay," she replied shortly.
"Promise?" he asked.
Salma looked up to meet his blue-green eyes staring at her in the rear-view mirror. She did not know what to make of William's peculiar insistence. Unless, he suspected her of knowing her mother's fears already, he wouldn't do something like this to not make her suspicious. Salma felt uncomfortable. Did William see her race upstairs when he was getting Anne?
"Hey Will!" Asim shouted, knocking on the car with his knuckles. "Pop the trunk open, will you?"
Grabbing the opportunity, Salma quickly got out of the car. She did not want to promise anything, or get scared of whatever impeding danger William may have wanted to warn her about. Not getting an answer, Will sighed in defeat and got out of the car himself.
"Be careful with that red backpack," Salma instructed her brother as she joined him to get the luggage out. "It has got all your snacks in it."
Asim, who was three years younger than Salma but at least half a foot taller, cradled the backpack, cooing at it as if it was a baby. He had chestnut brown hair, like their father, soft brown, hooded eyes, and thick eyebrows. Salma chuckled her amusement.
Asim pulled the bags out of the trunk. Salma shut it close. She held out her hand for her duffel bag, but William offered to carry it instead.
The trio started walking towards the buses, making their way through the throng of students. A bespectacled, middle-aged professor was seated next to them on a bench in one of the canopies. He had kind brown eyes and his light hair was streaked with grey. Like the bees swarming around its hive, the professor could barely be seen sitting amidst the hordes of his students gathered around him.
Salma could not help but grin eagerly. Excitement bubbled at the pit of her stomach with the laughter and elated chatter all around her. Her pace hastened without her even noticing.
"Excited much?" Asim laughed at her.
"You know me." She smiled.
Salma and the boys waited for their turn to register their presence with the professor. Professor R. K., whose real name was Robin Krest, taught the 'Wildlife Management' course. He was leading the 'camping crew' as he called it, and wanted his students to experience the raw beauty of nature, as intimately as done by the wild species of the forest. To do so, he forbade the use of any kind of technology for the first three days of the trip. He made a very clear announcement the previous day: anyone found in possession of what he did not permit would be sent back home immediately.
The students took his threats seriously. They willingly surrendered their beloved gadgets, rather than face the consequences of getting caught in possession of one.
"Hey mike." Salma overheard the guy walking in front of her, mutter to his friend. "Doesn't that guy look just like that LA Galaxy Forward that Dan is obsessed with?"
"Which one?" Mike asked.
"That dark haired dude." He pointed to a boy in a navy blue T-shirt, who had his back to all of them. He was messing about with his friends, his arm lazily draped around a blond girl in a red summer dress.
"Nah! His hair ain't dark," Mike replied. "I'm telling you, Dan has rubbed off of you, man. You're starting to see that soccer star everywhere."
They finally reached the professor to register their presence. Asim submitted both their phones, and his sister's camera. The professor placed the phones in a separate bag. After signing their names, they walked over to the bus that the professor had directed them towards.
A man pushed past them rougly, knocking Asim sideways.
"Dude!" Asim let out surprised cry. William made an instinctive grab to steady him just in time.
"It's number five," the man spoke into his phone, not really bothering to stop for an apology.
"Are you okay?" Salma inquired, scowling at the man's retreating back. "Such an idiot. You could have gotten hurt."
"I'm fine," Asim straightened himself. "Looks like we found someone who's even more excited than you are," he joked.
"He said bus number five, didn't he?" William asked. "Isn't that your bus?"
"I don't think he's going on the trip," Salma guessed, watching the man get in a car near the exit. "He looked more like a thug than a student, anyway. Good riddance."
Salma and the boys joined the group of students who were standing outside the empty bus. It's driver was busy raging at a pair of workers who were inspecting the condition of the bus.
"What're you talking about?!" the bus driver yelled at the worker busy under the bus, "I just got her checked yesterday! My bus is in perfect condition!"
"I'm sorry sir, we got our orders from the transport office," the man replied, standing between the driver and the bus, almost as if guarding the mechanic from the old man. "The roads are dangerous. We just want to check the tires and -"
Salma couldn't help but notice how familiar his accent was. He sounded Sthooriy . . . almost like he was from the Tor Gul tribe.
Oh for God's sake! she scolded herself and shook the thought away. Somehow, at the back of her head, Aunt Farhiya's call was still on her mind. It was making the most trivial things seem suspicious and shady for no reason.
"Who gave those orders?" the driver demanded. "The transport office took a look at her yesterday! And tires?! I changed them last week!"
The staff member looked exasperated.
"Then we will report the same if we find no problem -"
He stopped abruptly as, for a fleeting moment, Salma made eye contact with him. A strange kind of anxiety shot through her. Deeply unsettled by his piercing stare, she looked away almost instantly. The man, however, kept his gaze firmly fixed on her. Salma was not sure if it was his light hair and cold grey eyes, which were ridiculously identical to the trademark Tor Gul features, the scar on his temple just across his left eyebrow, or the constant dread looming over her after she found out about the call, but something about the man raised alarm bells in her mind.
She glanced at him again. The man maintained eye contact unabashed. He was barely paying attention to the driver shout his demands to be shown the inspection letter issued by the transport office. It started becoming offensive when the man began surveying her head to toe. Just when Salma thought she would snap at him, the man looked away and banged his fist on the side of the bus.
"Are you done yet?" he asked the worker under the bus.
"Yes, all done," came the reply.
Salma's spine stiffened. The worker definitely spoke with a Sthooriy lilt. She turned to Asim to see if he had picked up on the fact too, when the worker appeared from under the bus. He was a short, stubby man with a baseball cap on, and in his hand was a sharp blade. Never in her life had Salma seen a tool like that being used for vehicle repairs.
"The bus is in perfect condition for the ride," the worker continued as he put the sharp metal piece in his tool bag quickly.
"Of course, she is!" the driver cried indignantly.
"Good, we'll leave then," the staff member said hastily. "Thank you for your cooperation, and for making our job easier."
Easier? Salma thought incredulously as she watched him pat the disgruntled driver on the arm. The driver made it anything but easier.
Salma tried to clear her muddled thoughts, watching the two men scramble. What was it about them that had her feeling so unsettled? She was about to ask her brother if he had noticed anything but the patience of the student standing next to her wore thin.
"Come on, man! Open the doors already!" he shouted at the driver.
There was a round of agreement and the grumbling driver had no choice but to get behind the wheel and comply to their demands.
"Will, you can leave now. I can take it from here." Asim smiled at his cousin, holding his hand out to take Salma's bag.
"Alright then," Will said. "Take care and have a safe trip."
"Wait!" Salma cried out, eyeing the too bags in her brother's hands. They were one bag short."Where's the backpack?"
Staring at luggage in his hands, Asim craned his neck to check over his shoulder. Seeing it empty, he finally realized he had forgotten to get it out of Will's car and gave his sister a trollish grin.
Really? Salma scowled at him.
"I'll get it," Will offered.
"Hold on, let Sally get it," Asim cried, struggling with the bags as he tried to get onto the bus. "Give me a hand here."
The two cousins sighed and shook their heads almost synchronously.
"I thought you said you can take it from here?" Will raised a brow.
"Oh, come on!"
"Such a kid!" Salma said under-breath, in response to which Will chuckled. He handed her the keys and started helping Asim with the luggage. Salma took off to retrieve the bag.
"Sally!" Will shouted, making Salma halt and turn around. "The lock might malfunction, use the lever to open the trunk!"
"Okay!" she shouted back, breaking into a run again.
Muttering her annoyance under breath, Salma inserted the key into the lock. The trunk opened on her first attempt.
"Yipeee!" she whispered.
Celebrating the small victory she grabbed her backpack and tried to shoulder it, but almost keeled over when she experienced a powerful jerk. Salma scowled, giving the strap a forceful tug. The strap yanked free through her fingers, throwing her off balance. She backtracked uncontrollably, only to come to an abrupt halt when her elbow slammed into something.
"OW!"
Or someone?
Oh God!
Salma closed her eyes, scared and embarrassed.
She turned around just in time to see a dark haired boy bent double in pain. He was clutching his stomach. Salma's eyes widened in shock. She did not just slam her elbow into a guy's guts!
Author's Note:
So, I finally posted the first chapter :). What do you guys think? What do you like? Don't like? Please let me know in your comments below.
P.S. Let me tell you a secret, *Whispers* If you click on that dull grey star in the top right corner of your screen, it turns into gold ;).
Lots of Love
J.