She turns around to find Zain and his mother looking at them shocked. She didn't even have time to react or think how to react as she stayed in her place expecting them to say something.
"Is it true?". His mother asked coming out of her shock
"I-I-". She started but being cut off by Imaan
"She will lie again. She will lie every single time. God!. I can't believe when you say you hate lying and then you continue to do so. Isn't that being hypocritic?". Imaan asked angrily shoving her back making her wince, "Do you know how many lives are connected with yours now?. Do you have any idea about how much of your life was taken from you by force?. I-I can't even imagine being in prison at the age you came in and so God save me from killing you just why in the world are you so damn on lying about everything?".
"What's the use now?". She asked as she raises her head looking at Imaan and her eyed blank, "What's the use when no one listened to me years back?. My years will never come back to me and that time will never come back. I have to move on with the unfairness that I had to bear and for those years I have locked away from the world I could sure as hell spend rest of the years in the same way".
"That some crap right there". Imaan said chuckling dryly, "You are just choosing the easy way out. You know fighting means that there will be many sacrifices and you actually have to fight head-on with people who did this to you so you are choosing the way that is easier".
Tears brimmed in her eyes as she was about to speak when his mother break if off asking to eat the breakfast which was filled with unanswered questions and unresolved feelings. After breakfast, they quietly leave for the carnival and she stops when they were at the entrance watching the beautiful view in front of her.
The sounds of laughter and the rides going around. The place was buzzing with people and as she finds the game she had once played with her mother. She squeals happily running inside with the wide childlike grin on her face as she tries to grasp everything around her. It's been so long since she had seen or felt free and the happiness knew no bound. The trio (Zain, his mother and Imaan) follows behind her as she becomes a chatterbox who wouldn't stop telling about her experience with her mother or wanting to look at everything around.
Zain chuckle watching as she pauses and his mother and Imaan went to buy themselves a drink while she was busy admiring the ride in front of her which goes up and down. For him to always witness this since his mother always dragged him here each year it wasn't that exciting but to find her hand clasped together as she beams when the ride move around made his heart warm at the pure shine in her eyes.
She resembles a child who was locked in an adult body.
Perhaps, she was one.
The words of confession from earlier made him realise that indeed she was scared of freedom as much as she craves it. He was still in shock of knowing such a piece of news and to think that she was wrongly accused however he knows if she doesn't fight, he will for her sake. Because she never deserved this from the very beginning and justice needs to be served either in a good way or he sure can turn into a demon if he had to, for her.
Because in these past almost three months his eyes had followed her around and by that, he means he was always drawn towards her in some ways. He had, of course, respected her distance and never actually exchange a word however his heart always craved a look at her. He had inhaled her rich scent at many times passing by and her sweet smiles that linger in his mind at all times. Those dreams he had started to dream which were forbidden for him.
"Can I please buy a candy?". She asked innocently looking at him that his heart thunder looking in her beautiful eyes that held so much purity
"Sure. But today is your day so I will be the one buying". He said heading to the stall with her following close by
"But what will I do with your money?". She asked confused as he had given her a big amount in these past three months for working with him that she had been hiding in her closet away from her husband prying eyes
Not that he paid any attention to her anyway.
"Well, that is not my money anymore". He said turning to look in eyes intently, "That is your money that you earned for working so hard. Perhaps you can use it on yourself in however way you like and whatever you wish to buy for yourself. Or like my mother said you can run to another country away from the pain".
"Ammi always said to not waste money and that I have an unhealthy habit of wasting my money on food". She groaned remembering her mother words then a soft smile gazes her lips, "If I run away from her then what will happen to everyone?".
"How about you run away later after you have placed everyone in their place?". He asked passing her the candy, "Because I think everyone had been misplaced for a very long time now and it's about time that we do something".
"We?". She asked confused
He halted turning to look directly at her and that moment the loud sounds and everything vanishes as it was just them.
"Yes. I have a way to bring justice to you however I will not take any step forward until you ask me to do so". He said stern as his expression showed determination but somehow the desperation was also visible then he mumbles, "I hope you decide to fight for yourself soon because there are many people around you who stand with you, Zeenat. You are not alone anymore and no one can mute you. So, I am one call away and I promise I will deal with everything".
She nodded meekly not sure what to say and her eyes turn to another stall. Her eyes widen as she runs towards the stall bouncing from feet to feet.
"I want to have that stuffed toy". She exclaimed as joy was visible on her face
He chuckles, "I wish I was good enough to get that however, my skills are very bad at this game and unfortunately I cannot get it for you. Maybe someday when I truly wish for you to be with me I will get it for you".
She frowns, "What does that mean?".
He shrugged, "Nothing. Come on, we will go meet the rest".
She nodded enthusiastically eating her candy as she starts to speak again. He noticed all of her stories were until she was very young and nothing after that. After they meet with the other two he stands behind while she tells his mother about something.
"How did she found about Yasir's plans?". He asked Imaan who stands beside him
Imaan sighs, "Your friend offered us to hurt her and after Hadiya accepted I always tried to pull her away from the abuse but I could only protect her to some extent. However, I had diabetes so my doctor came to check about one day and I was taken away for it. She was alone pressing some clothes that are given to prisoner to work on. T-They attacked her there and muffled her screams of pain while t-they b-burned her hand. After that day, Hadiya confessed everything to her and apologised for her actions. Hadiya was blackmailed in some ways because before she came to prison she had a daughter and Yasir said he will go after her so she had to do it. I had nothing on me since my daughter was raped by someone and I killed that man since the law wasn't doing anything to him".
He took a deep breath, "I cannot believe that my friend went to that extent".
"Well, then you can believe that Ahad went pass to those extents when he is your family?". Imaan retorted, "I guess we all have a demon inside of us and it's about time and occasion they come out. I never thought I could murder someone but when I held my daughter stilled body with bruises thinking how alone, scared and petrified she would have been in her last moments and just how many time she must have called for me and I wasn't there caused me to become a murderer in the end. We all have inner demon we are hiding. Some are good at it while some are not".
He agreed to her words as they went back to the restaurant since Zeenat wasn't feeling well and she looked pale.
Zeenat sits on the couch of the restaurant as a grin remains on her face not leaving her. She couldn't believe how much fun that was and she never actually thought she would ever experience that.
"Here. Have these so you get some energy back. I think you tire yourself from your excitement". His mother said warmly as she sits in front of her
"She is always excited about things she loves". Imaan commented sitting beside her
"Mangoes". She said happily taking one of the pieces eating it, "It's been years when I had mango".
"How old are you, Zeenat?". His mother asked as Zain sits beside his mother looking at her
Zeenat pale turning to look at Imaan who was already looking at her making her gulp.
"I-I don't know". She mumbles looking around and not at them
"What do you mean by you don't know?". His mother asked confused
"She is 25 years old". Imaan said and her eyes widen as she looks at Imaan who shrugged
Zain and his mother stilled as their eyes widen when the realisation drawn on them.
"Oh-". His mother started when the door open and in walks her husband
She stilled.
"I heard the restaurant was closed today". Ahad said entering inside
"Yes. We had some things to sort out so we thought to shut it down today". His mother said
"You should have told me before so I wouldn't have sent her here then". Ahad said
"No-No. It was good. I wanted to have some time to talk with her so we had fun". His mother said making her take a sharp intake of breath at the word fun
"Oh, you had fun". Ahad said as his eyes narrow at her, "That's so great to hear today".
She didn't speak and everyone looks at how her eyes that held shine were now filled with fear.
"Let's go home so we can continue this fun". Ahad said with an underlying warning that no one missed
She hurriedly stepped towards him and without words, they left when Zain calls her.
She turns around when he spoke as his eyes held desperation obviously knowing what Ahad would do but also knowing he couldn't do anything to stop it.
"Please, Zeenat. Just one call and I will make it alright. Please". He pleaded
She looks at the other two who held the same expression asking her to fight for herself.
She didn't.
She went home and as soon as she did the abuse started and she ended beneath him on his bed as her punishment like always. However, this time after he was done with her without sparing a glance (as usual) he went somewhere which was confusing since he always sleeps after. She gathers the little bit of the courage she had walking with sheets around her to the dressing table. She looks at the wounds from the hitting visible on her face as they turn purple. Other marks of his hand and nail digging into her on his bed were all around her shoulder and chest as he said he was marking her as only his territory. And the old one were fading slowly.
She heard the sound of the door when she finally cleaned herself and changed into a new pair of clothes. She went out of her room downstairs when she heard the soft whispers and giggling. Her heart starts to beat loudly as she stepped in front of the view that shook her whole existence.
Her husband with his hands around another woman.
He cheated on her.
Her heartbreak as tears starts to flow down her face, "How could you?".
He smirks at her, "You had fun today so I should as well, right?".
That's when she snapped back to reality.
This was no fantasy anymore.
She slapped him hard. The sound restored through the house and when she meets his angry eyes again she didn't back down instead her eyes held fury.
So much, that it could have killed another.
She realises that it was only her who makes herself weak. And it was only her who can make herself strong.
No one else holds that power.
"You are nothing but a shameless man who deserves nothing especially not a woman like myself. You actually deserve a woman who is beside you right now. You are a disgrace to even your parents". Her words were filled with venom, "And now I will make sure you pay for every single pain you have caused me".
She runs back towards the room hearing his steps behind her and she knows he might kill her right now. So, she locked the door running towards her phone dialling the number that had promised her everything.
"Zain, h-help me, please". Were the words that started the war