She helplessly looked around for an escape but like she had thought the door was not an option. It was on fire everything around her was on fire. She was too panicked to dwell upon what caused it but instead she covered herself with her blanket and trudged towards her bedroom window. She picked up a metal vase and smashed the glass of the window with it. The metal frame hinged on to the cement walls creaked dangerously but opened outward after continuous prodding with a slight creak of protest . The cold night wind did little to better her senses because it was still very much hot in the room. She was thankful for the first time that her windows did not have grills. She tried to regain her voice but she was shivering with fear. How painful would it be to burn to your bones until you're nothing but ashes?
She screamed with all her might for help and continued to scream till her voice gave out, hoarse and croaked. However her shrill screaming was effective because she saw her neighbors' windows light up in the darkness of the night. The night guard rushed to the source of the screams and she was relieved to find her neighbors opening their windows. Everyone around her were shouting for her to not panic and that the fire truck was on its way. She felt something warm at her back and much to her horror her blanket was on fire. She shrugged it off and without thinking through anything she swung one of her legs over the window ledge and her bare feet landed on the cold cement landing of an unnecessary structure jutting out of the apartment building but she was thankful for it. Her pajama clad knee had scraped against the still hot metal ledge of her window but that was the least of her things to worry about. If she did not make a move any time about now, there would be nothing left to feel pain about after a few minutes of agonising burning. Her body was now completely out on the landing as she heard the voices around her increase. She held her window sill for support even though it burnt her hand and hot searing pain cut through her skin possibly giving her blisters and burns but she calculated the impact of her fall. She was three storeys up above the cobblestone courtyard of her apartment building. A few fractured bones and ribs or immediate death? She did not want to think. She took a risk and with a leap of faith she jumped and got hold of a pipe running down towards the ground. She could make out the concerned shouts of other people but some supported her in trying to climb down. She looked down below and saw some people dragging in the children's trampoline from the apartment park and others pillowing it up with cushions, pillows and blankets. At this moment she was glad her parents made her join gymnastics. She hoped for the best and entrusting herself to her lord, she tried to slide down. She made it to the floor below her but there she missed her footing. She could hear the chorus chants of the people below to be careful and not panic. She tried her best not to, but she was still two floors up. She could hear the sirens of the fire truck at a distance and the other people told her not to move and hold still. She was scared but she trusted herself and her protector. She knew she could do this. Clutching the pipe tighter and swinging her body towards the pipe she held onto it for her dear life. She descended slowly. One feet down and another arm down, and this time her hold on the pipe with her feet and arms were stronger. Slowly and carefully she made it to the first floor and soon she felt her feet touching the fluffiness of the trampoline. She heard chorused cheers. She landed back on the pillows and almost cried. One of her neighbours covered her with a blanket and she let out a cry of gratitude. She saw her elderly neighbour rush towards her with a worried expression.
'are you alright honey?' mrs. Merryweather questioned.
'yes, just a little thirsty' shira tried to speak through her choked voice. Her other neighbours helped her drink water and wash her face.
'where is zara and rubina? ' another neighbour asked panicked. Shira was relieved that her friends were not at home. Even if she died, the thought of losing her friends was unbearable.
'they are not at home' samantha, her neighbour and friend nodded hugging her and then she walked off with her phone.
Everything happened so fast. The fire truck came, then the police. She answered the queries as truthfully as possible because she herself was not aware of what had caused this massive fire. Later she was informed that only her room was set on fire. Weird she thought. She saw zara coming through the apartment gates half an hour later, still in her pajamas and looking distraught. She came and engulfed shira into a hug and checked for any injuries.
'how did you know?'
'samantha informed me, goodness me, i'm not leaving you alone anymore'
A little while later rubina came running along with irshad at her heels.
'shukr hai, you're okay, how did the fire start? ' rubina hugged shira tight and looked up at the window which was now being cooled down with water. Irshad got a call and he looked at shira and nodded.
'you guys need to be escorted to a safer location, rubina, zara come with me, and shira, ridwaan wants to speak to you' among all the chaos they recognised the renowned figure of ridwaan azizi who looked up at the place with anger.
'why do we need a safer place, this was just an accident? ' rubina frowned.
'rubina, zara to the car now, i'll explain later' with that irshad left to the car and nodded at ridwaan.
'just go, i'll be alright' shira reassured her friends and ridwaan walked towards her.
'follow me' he said curtly and she could sense the anger and irritation in his voice and perhaps a little concern. Shira did not have the energy to argue so she obeyed. She waved goodbye to the remaining few neighbors who stood by her worried and thanked them for being there. She told them she was going to a relative's house and that she was safe, although hesitantly she gave a sideway glance to her companion who was impatiently waiting for her.
'are you fine? ' he asked worried and shira felt like rolling her eyes.
'why do you care and what is it that you want? How did you even know about this?' shira could not help but be suspicious. Did he hate her that much to burn her down and take her life?
'just what kind of a monster do you think i am? Just because we are not on good terms doesn't mean i kill you, why would you even think something like that?' he asked her incredulously. She bit her tongue, she had voiced out her thoughts.
'possibility of that is not exactly very low you know, you hate me, besides just a few hours ago you were telling me to shift, did you know about this?' shira raised her eyebrow in suspicion.
'something like this but didn't expect it to be this soon' with a dark look on his face he reversed out of his parking spot and hit the maximum speed.
'so you knew i was in danger?' with a hint of slight hesitation, he nodded his head.
'you could have warned me' shira threw at him maliciously.
'oh yeah? Lets borrow the time turner and go back a few hours in the past and lets see if the past you would have believed me when i would have warned you' the sarcasm was pretty raw.
'what could ever- wait you are a harry potter fan?' the man in dark clothes seated next to her turned a slight shade of pink but of course she could not make it out in the dark.
'anyway, you'll be placed in one of my penthouses on the outskirts of new York, with top security assigned and before you speak up' he gave her a threatening look, when she had opened her mouth to protest, and turning his eyes on the road again, 'i want you to know that this is for your own good, so don't you dare argue' his voice held a sharp edge but shira abed was not that easy to be convinced.
'no i don't agree with you, what about university, my friends?'
'there would be an assigned driver to drive you to university and back to the penthouse everyday and your friends will still be staying with you, and about your old apartment, my men will see to that all your necessities are brought to you and it will be sealed for the time being under it being reconstructed. '
Shira wanted to speak more but the way he was increasing the speed, she thought it was better not to let his temper flare. Even though her palms were bandaged, the searing cutting pain of flesh still existed, raw and strong. She also felt quite drowsy and did not have the energy to argue anymore so she silently accepted whatever he said, there was the whole next morning to plan her next moves. She would obviously not oblige to whatever he just said. She would get to the roots of it. How she, an ordinary girl got caught up in a foul mess of conflicts and death was beyond her comprehension at the moment.
'just....' ridwaan cast her a sharp and weary glance daring her not to defy him anymore and she had run out of energy to do so anyway.
'make sure that your men handle the plants with care' with a last drowsy look at what seemed to be his bewildered face as if he was expecting something more and she knew he was surprised to find out that it was not a protest or retaliation to him. She dozed of to sleep.
Only if she would have known that she was not an ordinary girl, she meant a great deal to a certain someone which of course added to the better side of disadvantages in the equation. Being special is not always rainbows and candies, it often attracts unwanted attention which can sometimes be.......... Life taking.
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Sorry for the late update, been busy lately but still trying to keep up. Also sorry if this book is looking pathetic right about now. School is taking up most of my concentration and time. Its hard to pay attention to anything remotely co curricular after hours of brain drilling.
Also...... Keep track..... The weather forecast of this book says the characters are headed for a thunderstorm 😋