"The moment where you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever being able to do it."
-J.M. Barrie
Silence, her surrounding was drowned in silence as she poured the dark color steaming liquid in the mug, moving back she opened the cabinet to take out sugar when she heard the front door unlocking creating disruption in calmness which had been enveloping the entire place from hours, through the darkness and when the sun came out.
"Dadi where are we?" a melodic and excited voice echoed across the house making Daniyah curious as she left the kitchen.
"Guriya (doll) don't run!" an all too familiar voice also rang as Daniyah silently made her way to greet the arrivals.
In a matter of seconds, Daniyah came across a little girl dressed in cotton frock reaching below her knees and sleeves covering her arms, matching cotton leggings and shoes. Curious honey brown eyes were staring back at her and Daniyah softly smiled looking at the little girl. With hair tied up in two ponytails, the presence of the little girl brought unknown warmth with her.
"Asalam O Alikum, beti," Daniyah looked up and gave bibi a small smile as the girl ran back and hid behind her grandmother.
"Walikum As Salam," Daniyah's reply came in a whisper as her eyes kept looking at the little girl who was casually peeking at her and tugging on Nausheen bibi's long dupatta.
"Aray! Look now she is hiding behind me, come in front and say your salam, Fatima! Aray come on!" Bibi called out to the little girl as she pulled her arms.
Getting on her knees Daniyah came to the girl's level and stopped bibi from scolding her, extending her hand towards the girl she gave an encouraging soft smile.
"Asalam O Alikum, I am Daniyah," she spoke softly as she saw a girl looking from her back to her grandmother who was encouraging her to move forward.
"Her mother was taking her younger sister to the doctor and she was being cranky so I brought her here, I hope—"
"Bibi I am glad that you brought her. I am alone anyways." Daniyah replied in a whisper as she turned back to the girl.
And it didn't take much time that the huge mansion resonated with the chirp of the little bird came that morning, Fatima with her small frame, chubby cheeks and hair drawn in two twisted ponies ran through every corner of the house giggling and playing hide and seek with Daniyah, on being tired she would demand to go on the roof and drink lemonade. The sour and sweet drink was dripping at the side of her mouth as she hungrily poured it down her throat, Daniyah couldn't help but look at her.
For the first time in her life, she had spent time with a child outside of her family and that too from a servant's family. But Fatima, she didn't look like one, definitely, bibi's family focused all their attention on the kids. Her dress which Daniyah knew was second hand didn't look like one; it was ironed and clean when the girl came but after her activities, it had got dirty, her mother wouldn't be happy, Daniyah thought and smiled. What seemed like an eternity today Daniyah was feeling warmth again, Fatima unknowingly brought much-needed peace with her.
"Daniyah appi!" Fatima excitedly spoke again getting Daniyah's full attention.
"Jee?" Daniyah softly smiled as she took the glass from the girl and pushed the hair dancing on her face back.
"Do you want to be a bird?" Fatima's eyes were focused on Daniyah, her big round eyes waiting for an answer.
"Bird?" Daniyah's eyes turned to look at the sky as she pondered over the question, the entire day Fatima had asked the same kind of question telling her to wish to be one thing or another.
"Yes, bird! I want to be one!" Fatima spoke with all the seriousness, getting off her seat and walking towards the roof boundary with Daniyah trailing after her. Supporting her body with the boundary Fatima looked at the flock of birds flying at a distance, "They fly, they go up, Allah is up they meet him too, no one stops them, I want to fly too, and they don't even go to school." Daniyah laughed loudly, Fatima's every wish of something ends with 'and they don't go to school'.
"Fatima, yes baby they fly and are free but what did I tell you? If you wouldn't study, how would you become a good doctor? How would you treat babies and make them happy? How would you help mama?" Daniyah patted her head and heard the girl sigh. Smilingly at the girl she bent to kiss her head, "But you can still be free like them, still fly—"
"How?" she dreamily looked.
"By being yourself," she caressed her soft cheeks, "by standing for what is right, by being you!"
The peaceful moment was short lived as Daniyah noticed an all the familiar car nearing the house. A shiver crawled down her spine; her body froze for a second before the horn made by the car snapped her attention. Grabbing the arms of the little girl she darted downstairs despite the appeals and complaints did by Fatima. Daniyah could hear her heart drumming inside her chest, though her knees were feeling like they were ready to give up she maintained her high pace while calling out to bibi.
"Ya Allah khair!" she heard bibi's voice as she came near her, "Daniyah—"
"Emaad... Here... He is... bibi—"
"Beti—" before bibi could even say anything else the front door was thrown open and the thunderous voice made by it froze both the women, Daniyah could feel her heart freezing, her chest constricting making it hard for her to breathe. Her body was shivering furiously as she saw bibi coming standing right in front of her, hiding her fragile body behind her from the beast storming towards them.
He has never looked this furious, she had never seen blood in his eyes the way she was looking at right now, even on that unfortunate night two weeks ago, two weeks she has spent staying numb and wishing for death to descend upon her, two weeks she cursed every moment of past, two weeks of punishing herself for an unknown and the day she finally was retaining back to life he came here to steal it again. The thought reminded Daniyah of the little girl and with wide eyes, she looked down to search for her, Fatima was standing hugging her legs and staring at Emaad who was making his way there.
She wouldn't let Fatima come in between, was the first thought which came into her mind, and she pushed the girl away towards the bibi and as soon as it was done, she felt his icy steel touch on her burning wrist and in a matter of few seconds she was turned and dragged upstairs. Behind her, bibi cried and screamed, she knew Fatima didn't utter a word as her whole body was rigid with fear.
Be free...
Be free, Fatima.
Her own words rang in her ears as the rest of the voices died, the door of the master bedroom was thrown open with thunderous noise as she was pushed on the ground, her body crashed to the hard floor and she finally felt burning tears cascading down her cheeks. Daniyah didn't know whether it was the pain of hitting the ground so hard or the sense that freedom was not her fate.
"Ahh..." a painful groan escaped her lips as her head was pulled back, her hair was in his grip as he brought her face closer to him.
"I am going to ask in simple and I better get a proper answer," the coldness in his voice turned the blood in her body into ice. "Where is Janaan?"
Janaan?
"I asked where the hell is she?" his voice echoed across the room again but she was still confused. What was he talking about? "Daniyah answer me before—"
"I don't know," a cry left her mouth fearing whatever he was going to say next.
"You didn't learn the lesson last time, did you?" her eyes met his dark ones, they were her nightmare, they have kept her awake from last two weeks. "Where is she, Daniyah?" his voice soften and she closed her eyes, her face was now soaked through her continuous cries. She could hear bibi cries and hit the door, she could also hear the guards but she knew that it won't matter, they will be hired soon and she would be the reason.
"I don't know, Emaad, I don't know, I haven't talked to her in a month." Daniyah cried harder as pain shot in her neck and her head.
Emaad pushed her away and stood up.
"She has been missing from last two days," Daniyah gasped and search Emaad face while Emaad read her features searching any answer. Her reaction was the answer he needs. He may not know enough but in the time he has known Daniyah, he knew she was open book. "Pack your bags we are going to Karachi." With that said he left the room.
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A.O.A!
How have you guys been??
Did you enjoy the chapter and I know it's short but next chapter is definitely going to be exciting! Let me know about your thoughts in the comment section and don't forget to vote :*
Till the next time...
TC,
Zehra :)