Wallah! Very pleased to know that you guys are enjoying the story. Din't want to keep you waiting for too long in suspense, so here's the chapter that could either clear your doubts or it could confuse you even more. Be prepared to get a shock in the end.
The Night Queen says
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Relish Reading....
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I cannot express how very joyous I felt to have been invited to an important event such as this. Lina and I talked at great length about this after our long day at office. Lina told me that not every one is as privileged as we are to have the honour of attending the much awaited eve.
Till now whatever I heard from Lina I had got an idea about how important this function was from a carrier point of view as well. It was not one of those events where you could go with an intention of having a gala time with your friend. It was no walk in the park. We needed to be at our best, interact with officials coming from different companies.
Lina seemed to be just as excited as I was. Probably more. Not that it was the first time she was attending a programme like this but because (I am sure she must have attended many) she was going to be accompanied by me.
According to the mail that I had received the party was to take place tomorrow in the evening. Lina had taken a half day for both of us. Guess for what. She had taken a half day for the both of us to go to the spa. And the reason being that we both should look our best. Well I told her repeatedly that I had no plans of portraying myself as a beauty queen. And that simply a light makeup and some rest would be enough. But no. This stubborn lady had to drag me to salons and spas and what not places.
Thank god we had already done shopping. Otherwise this woman would have dragged to the malls as well. But the funny part is the excuse that she made for taking a half day. It was amusing. She gave an excuse of seeing Robert off at the airport as he would be going to U.S and would be returning only after 2 years.
That is too much of a nonsense because he had already left for India and would be returning within 2 days!! I don't know why malls and salons mattered so much to her which compelled her to make melodramatic excuses such as these.
Anyways so I had a good night's sleep thanks to the overly exhausting schedule I had today. And the even busier schedule I was to have tomorrow thanks to Lina's overly enthusiastic nature.
As the bright new day took over the dark night my positive thoughts hushed my fears and suppressed whatever bad memories I had. My day at the office was challenging because I had double the work to do before my half day got over. And to do so I skipped my break as well.
I called the peon whom I had asked to return the handkerchief yesterday to enquire about it. Upon my questioning he said that he had done the job and sir had asked him to give me a thank you as reply.
I cleared my desk well before leaving. A task I do daily before leaving office. I need my table clean when I come to office early in the morning. I wonder how some people leave their office without bothering to clear up the day's work. And the next day they dump their new work on the already messy table. I would never feel like working like that.
I ate in the car while Lina, without wasting a minute was driving us to her favourite spa. I had heard a lot from friends about the spas in Dubai being the best. They provide likeable service. And at reasonable rates. I had wanted to go to one. And what better time to go than now.
We were at the spa now. And I must add that it was truly relaxing. I din't feel like coming out and ending our relaxation session. It felt like I was disconnected from the entire world in my own protected shell. The kind of feeling that we get when under the blanket in a cozy bed.
We were done with every possible thing one needed to do in order to look presentable at a decent gathering of professionals. After the spa Lina took me to a footwear store to buy matching heels to go with our party wears. But that was not it. Her highness had called a hair dresser from an expensive parlour to fix our hair.
Did I mention that madam had taken me to a beauty parlour as well. I thought that after doing so much of crazy shopping the other day I won't be going to a mall. But this shopping freak beside me pulled me to a mall to the accessories section.
Allah! God knows what she will do to her husband after getting married. She will have to marry a person just like her. Otherwise some non shopper husband would get fed up and build a house in the mall itself!
We rested for a while after being back. Rest was a must to look fresh. In the evening the hair dresser arrived giving us good hairstyles which suited us well.
While Lina's hair were brunette and long, the stylist decided to tie a messy fish tail with some complicated styling on the one side leaving out her flicks which were to fall on her face. To me, she pulled up my hair in a beautiful bun. It looked amazing. The amount of time spent on our dead cells ( hair), and the money that we were paying was all just worth it. I was amazed at how skillfully my hair was done. And now I was wanting to go to the party even more.
Her Highness (Lina) face finally had a look of satisfaction. After all that she had done for us utilising every bit of time for us to look gorgeous. We no longer looked just good but Lina and the stylist had made us look like actresses.
I looked at her before she could step foot outside the car and said "Wait a second Li, there's still one thing needed without which all of these fancy clothes and hair will be incomplete". She frowned waiting for me to answer. Looking confused at what I had said after all that she had done.
"A smile. A natural happy smile is what matters the most to people."
After what I had said both of us were smiling fully. The evening arrived and so did we in the 5 star fabulously decorated hotel. I had a thought going on at the back of my mind to look out for any signs of the mysterious madman. I had also told myself to not go anywhere without 2 things - Lina and my cell phone. My past experiences had taught me this. To be alert at all times.
The new branch of our company was inaugurated with a huge round of applause. Congratulations and welcomes flew from everywhere.
We were asked to sit in a hall for a speech by one of the businessmen who was associated with the company from the very first branch to the now new 4th branch. We listened to his brief but informative speech. Some people I noticed were even sitting with notepads in their hand. From the way he swayed the crowd with his speech it was eminent that he was very experienced and smart.
After the speech was over we were requested to assemble in the hall adjacent to the previous one. Many more businessmen poured in which weren't seen earlier. Some of them arrived with their dates as well. I saw some women wearing outfits which looked too gaudy and some wore outfits which would have been considered too exposive in our country.
So the entire point of all this was to mingle with people coming from various business lands. Since most of the ladies wore heels it made the females look relatively taller than most of the men there. Including me.
Amidst this sea of powerful men and pretty ladies, I witnessed somebody looking at me. A man rather. When my gaze turned to him, he smiled at me. To which I gave him a not so happy smile. But I thought he must be one of those friends of mine or maybe a colleague with whom I may have worked but couldn't recall.
I busied myself talking to the project heads who were now discussing about the upliftment of young talent in our firm. I was engrossed in speaking until I saw the same man again. This time walking towards my direction.
I thought he would come talk to me. I was expecting something like "oh c'mon Sanah don't you recognize me? we studied in the same university" or something like "we have met before."
But nothing like that happened because the man like I said before simply walked towards me. However stopped to talk with some other mob of people a little 5 steps away from me. I could see him from the corner of my eye. This time I talked a little less and pretended to listen more while my attention was now focused on observing the man. Just to see if I ring any bells.
Due to the lessened distance between the group that I was talking to, and the group that he was part of, I could see him well.
He was tall. We looked the same height though, heels credited. His tall frame looked domineering. He was wearing a white shirt and a navy blue blazer over it. This all I had to observe by throwing just one glance towards him. Because I din't want to be like a shameless woman checking out men.
Every now and then, whenever I stole quick glances his way I would find him staring at me. A question bothered me. Why is he intensely staring but not talking to me at all?
So this brain of mine told me to experiment a bit. I excused myself and changed my position by walking around in the hall, talking to people but I made sure to not stay at the same place for too long. And I was carrying out this stunt skillfully. Purpose was to see if he was still following and staring. I reached to the conclusion that he had been moving just like I was. He stared continuously throughout the gathering.
It was dinner time and we were all settled down for our meal. The dinning hall comprised of long oval wooden tables. Now loaded with people. My group was seated at the far end of the hall accompanied by officials senior to us. And this was done on purpose. Instead of the usual youngsters sitting with youngsters and the seniors with people of their age, we had the new and the experienced talent blending with each other.
And what I was praying to avoid happened.
He came and sat just opposite to me. Some madman sitting beside you is bad. But some madman sitting right across you makes it nothing but worse. Staring sideways is limited due to one's eyes getting strained and neck aching. But staring becomes as easy as watching a movie when one sits opposite the desired target.
Now that he was sitting opposite to me I glared at him. Wanting him to look away. I noticed his eyes. They were deep dark blue. He had a very fair complexion and a stern face. He had hair which looked blond.
Bye the time the waiters carefully placed our dishes before us; and we began tasting the delicacies the man opposite me had turned into a complete staring machine.
I don't like being watched when I am weeping and second when I am eating. How could I have eaten anything when he was looking at me like this. That idiot was nicely eating while staring at me like a hawk. Like I was his showpiece.
With every passing minute, it was becoming difficult for me to even swallow whatever little pieces I put inside my mouth. Thats it. I could no longer take his shameless stares and I ran to the washroom with my phone. I stood there looking at myself in the mirror. My cheeks were blood red. It was a clear sign of me being extremely angry.
And why wouldn't I be? There are many reasons why a man stares at a woman. First- he fell for her and is in love instantly. What we call love at first sight. Second- She is looking so beautiful that he cannot take his eyes of her. What we call admiring. Third and the most morbid- she seems to be like an object of pleasure to him. What we call bad intentions.
I was now confused as to which one of these justified his stare. Like a flashback, all the mysterious events ran through my mind. The first note which said señora, the husky voice whispering his name to me, my shopping bills being already paid, the diamond necklace.....
All clearly led to one conclusion -
Dilan Abrahim.
I could stay there forever to avoid his killing stares. But a voice broke me from my thoughts. It was Li saying "what are you doing in here San, people are wanting to talk to you." I smiled weekly and assured her saying that everything is alright.
Every step that brought me nearer to our table made me think that the earth should crack open and swallow me in. I took my place beside Lina. The food plates were now replaced with deserts. That too I refused to eat saying I have a throat infection. Which earned me a what-is-wrong-with-you stare from Li. But I seriously had a loss of appetite.
I looked to him and saw him peer at me. This time more like scanning me head to whatever was visible above the table. His stare made me feel sick. He was checking me out. His eyes hovered up and down my form. This time I was sure it has to be the third reason why he looked at me that way. And I despised it.
My attention caught a neatly folded fabric. It was a handkerchief. Damn. It was the exact same handkerchief that I had found in the office once. And the second time the claustrophobic guy had dropped it on the floor of my cabin.
But it is possible that there are many handkerchiefs of that colour and design produced in masses. Maybe they were trending and men fancied them. All this I thought to convince myself that he is probably not that what I think him to be. But whats the use. A fact is a fact. And right now the fact is that the mysterious, the madman, my sleep destroyer Abrahim was sitting right before me and I was helpless.
I stared at the handkerchief for more than required. I jerked when I saw people around me rising from their seats. And I felt better when I saw this all ending. Alas! anything to escape his disgusting stares.
I looked opposite but I couldn't spot him anymore. Strange. Maybe he left already. I could have breathed a sigh of relief but didn't. This is so not me. I remember bashing up a guy in school who has accidentally touched my leg to catch the ball while playing cricket. And here somebody stares at me in the most sick manner and I do nothing??? Just walk away. Today if I am unable to do something of this man then I won't be able to look myself in the eye.
And that was it. I asked Lina to wait for me in the car. Without much questioning she did so. She was lost in an intellectual conversation with a friend. I enquired about the man sitting opposite me to the waiter standing there. Thankfully to my delight he told me that the person had gone that way pointing a finger. I looked that way,it was the exit.
Whatever. I strolled to the exit. Now what. Oh yes. The parking lot. That is where he must have disappeared to. There are a hundred places a mysterious madman can go. But whats the harm in trying. Even if I don't find him there I can tell myself that I din't just walk away. But took the trouble of locating him.
I took the lift to the parking area. I am sure he hasn't gone too far. I will catch hold of him and give him a nice one. This time more severe. In case the cops come I will blurt everything out and put an end to all this.
The lift came to a halt. I stepped out and walked briskly to look out for him. With the phone in my hand, my palm was sweating. I din't care. All I heard was a voice inside me saying "Go girl, give him one and end this here. Go you brave Sanah."
While I walked quickly, there was this sort of a cramped place I came to. There were no cars in there. What if Abrahim is hiding in there. I had come too far to back off. So my decision was made. I walked forth clutching my dress.
If only I knew what sight awaited me there. Let alone me, no soul would have dared to step foot in there......
I saw a puddle of blood. As my eyes looked further I saw a red pool..........of blood with a man lying flat in a pool of his own blood. There were bruises all over his hands. His face had red and blue circular marks. Like somebody had brutally punched him in the face. His shirt half torn. His deep blue eyes now lifeless staring at the ceiling in horror. I looked at the face.
It dumbfounded me. I was paralysed. I stood there unable to breathe. Stupefied and rooted to the spot. Both my hands on my mouth. Eyes wide with terrific emotions. I stood transfixed.
I was staring at the same blue eyes with horror which had stared at me throughout this evening. The man who had sat opposite to me now lay brutally murdered before me.
Dilan Abrahim.
I ran upstairs to the washroom. I don't know if anybody saw me like this. I pushed myself through the people which had now crowded the exit area. I rushed to the washroom and splashed water on my face. I did this repeatedly to calm myself down. I still saw the image of the madman and the bloody sight crystal clear in my mind's eye. I recited verses from the Quran. I did not wish to move for a good 20 minutes. They must have taken him to the hospital by now.
I slowly stepped out. My body shivering. Legs were too weak to carry me anywhere. But I forced them to walk. I couldn't breathe in this place any longer. I had to get out of this place as soon as possible.
I saw myself taking baby steps. I looked around the dining hall to find it empty. My quivering form was slowly moving forward. When a waiter approached me. He gave something to me and walked away.
That something fell on the table that I was leaning to, in order to support my quivering form. To prevent myself from falling. I had wanted to walk away until I saw what that something was.
It was a handkerchief. The same one I had seen on the table while having dinner.
My shaking fingers dared to open it fully. There was nothing. It was blank. All I could see were designs. My hand vibrations caused the handkerchief to fall to the ground. It had flipped while falling to reveal something inscribed on it.
Had God no mercy on me at all.
My eyes fell on the inscription which read:
I will slaughter any man who looks at my Señorita.
Good night love.
Yours till eternity
Dilan.
My body went beyond my control. The vision before me blurred with every passing moment. My legs trembled uncontrollably. Everything around me was revolving.
Within a minute everything was black.
~*~*~*Black out.*~*~*~
( our heroine fell unconscious)
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I updated 2 chapters one after the other because I won't be able to write for quite sometime.