Healing;

A simple act of kindness

Brings such meaning,

A smile can change a life

Let's start believing,

And feeling...

Let's start healing.

Sami Yusuf's "healing" was playing while she drove the car.

"Sanem yaar, please turn off the songs. I'm already having a weird feeling passing through this empty, dark road. Allah Allah karo, turn off the music."

They had passed Islamabad three hours ago, now the roads were not that smooth. To top it off, it was the darkest of nights. The road lights did nothing to relieve her of her fear.

"Don't worry, Layeba. Nothing will happen, InshaAllah. Just an hour and a half till sun rises", Sanem said, turning the music off.

She took a deep breath and started reciting Ayat-ul-Kursi under her breath repeatedly.

Damn my over imaginative mind!

Since the music was now off, it was all silent in the car. Getting only four hours of sleep and driving for seven hours was making her drowsy and she could not afford that.

"Sanem! Say something! I'll sleep if you stay quiet and then we'll both permanently sleep."

"Layeba, you're worring way too much. Chill, dude. Nothing will happen to us. "

"InshaAllah."

Ya-Allah! Please keep us under your safety. Please let it just be an imagination.

From the time she had set off from her home yesterday night, she was having a feeling that something will happen to them.

Damn you, Hassaan bhai! For filling my mind with ghost stories.

They both started talking about the medical camp. They discussed of their programmes, Sanem telling her about the vaccinations they'd be doing there. Sanem was a gastroenterologist in the hospital in which she worked and her best friend. Infact, they both had gotten their degrees from the same medical university in The United States. Time passed by quickly then.

It was just twenty minutes till fajr when it happened. Just a little farther, she saw a figure on the road. Squinting her eyes, she realized that it was a girl but couldn't see much of her.

She gulped. Do you know? Ghosts in the form of pretty women appear in those roads!

Damn you again Hassaan bhai!

"Sanem? Do you see someone too?"

She checked her surroundings. There were pits on both sides of the roads which were lined by dense trees. The road was poorly lit by the lamps, the only well illuminated area was where her car's headlight was shining.

"Yes. It looks as if she's asking for lift."

She had seen it too. The woman was frantically waving her hands. Unknowingly, she had slowed her car down. They were now approaching her at a snail's pace.

"W-what if she's a ghost?" She started chanting all the Quranic verses and Duas under her breath. I would just speed past her and not turn back.

"Don't be ridiculous, Layeba! What if she's a real girl in dire need of help?"

Why did this girl always had to make sense!?

"But what if she's a ghost who possesses us?"

Even though her fear knew no bounds, she still stopped near the girl. Ofcourse, she had to. What if she really was in need of help. But she was kind, not stupid. She checked all her car locks and lowered the glass just slightly.

Before she could say anything, the girl started to speak, panicked and afraid out of her mind.

"Please. Please. Meri madad karein. Wo-wo wo log mujhe maar dein ge. Unhon ne mujhe pakar rakha tha. Main boht muskil se wahan se bhaag kar i hun. Please mujhe apne saath le jayein. Please mujhe bacha lein. Please."

(Please, help me. Th-those people will kill me. They had kidnapped me. I have run from there with great difficulty. Please take me with you. Please save me. Please.)

She looked at Sanem with wide eyes, only to find her already looking at her. The question was written all over her face: What the hell do we do now?

I knew only the two of us going alone with no man was a bad idea! But no! Our feminism had to take charge. Dammit!

In a moment of mutual decision, they both got out of the car. The first thing she did was check her feet.

Come on! Feet are major give-away of churails!

But thank God, they were straight. She took in her appearance and it was pretty ragged. Blue kurta with black shalwar. Both extremely dirty. Black chaffon dupatta on her head which was torn in sides. She doubted it covered anything even without the holes.

In the headlights, she could see her bright green eyes which were filled with tears. Even though her face was covered with dirt, she could tell that she was beautiful and most possibly a pathan with those light eyes and fair skin. Also, her Urdu accent though wasn't the typical pathani, was heavy.

YaAllah! What do i do? What if she's a theif or something?

Taking Sanem by elbow, she took her away from the girl and said, "What if she's lying?"

"What if she's telling the truth?"

"Do we really want to get entangled in this mess?"

"Do we really want to leave this girl all alone here?"

"Stop making sense!"

"Stop being negative!"

"Ugghhh! If this goes wrong, remember i warned you."

But deep down, she knew that she couldn't leave her here all alone. Before she could really decide, a distant but loud shot rang in the air. Without thinking, she sat in the car and started it while Sanem sat with the girl in the backseat. Before the door was even closed, she sped up the car.

"What the hell!" Her heartbeat was erratic.

What the hell have we gotten ourselves into? Who are these people? Who is this girl?

"Who are you, woman?" She knew her voice was harsh but she couldn't help it. She was scared shitless then. But apparently the girl was too because she was sobbing loudly.

She felt pity for that girl. No one should have to go through such thing. She didn't even want to what horrors she went through while she was in their clutches.

She met Sanem's eyes in the rearveiw mirror who understood what she meant. Sanem started pacifing the girl while she concentrated on the road.

Sanem gave the girl a water bottle from which she drank greedily, spilling water on her filthy dress. Knowing she might need something to eat, Sanem gave her a chocolate from their snacks bag.

"What's your name?" Thank God, Sanem knew enough to keep her voice calm and soft.

And to say i'm the surgeon of the most complex part of human body.

"A-Abeerah. Abeerah Khan."

I knew she was a Pathan!

"Doctor Layeba Hussein."

"Doctor Sanem Jabbar. I don't want to stress you out but who are these...people you are running from?" She had noticed her slight pause. Sanem was scared for what we had possibly gotten ourselves entangled in too.

After a few moments, the girl spoke in a small voice:

"They are my brother's rival gang's people."

Her eyes once again found Sanem's in the rearview mirror. Both sets of eyes wide with fear. Rival gang. Mafia. This girl's brother is mafia. Which means she is too. Mafia. Murder. Drugs. Kidnappings. Aahhh! Her face scrunched up in a scowl which told Sanem, i told you this was a bad idea.

In turn, Sanem gave her a look which screamed, so? Should we have left her there?

Damn this girl! She is always right. Adhan started playing on her phone informing them that it was time for fajr.

Adhan in beautiful voice calmed her nerves a bit. She answered the prayer with right words. Ya Allah! Only you can get us out of this mess. Ya Allah! You are Rahmaan and Raheem. Please have mercy on us. Let us reach our destination safe and sound.

Just then, a petrol station appeared in her sight. She pulled the car in front of a pump and asked the person to fill the tank.

After that, she parked the car in the side and got out, Sanem and Abeerah following suit.

"Let's ask if there's a prayer room here."

With that, she walked to the nearest person and asked him.

"Aage kuch faasle per aik musafir khaana hai. Ap wahan chale jayein."

(Some distance from here, there's a guest house. You can go there."

She thanked him and went to the car.

"Is anyone of you hungry?", she asked the other two while fastening her seatbelt. "We could buy a sandwich from the shop here."

Sanem looked at Abeerah to which she shook her head. "Let's stick to our original plan of having breakfast at Balakot."

She just nodded and looked at Abeerah. "I think you should change your clothes at the guest house. People will suspect something wrong if you keep on going out in these dirty clothes", she said to Abeerah. She had seen how that man had looked at them. It was unusual for three women with no man to drive in these roads. To top it off, Abeerah was in her torn clothes.

"I don't have something to wear."

Like i don't already know that. She rolled her eyes inwardly. Comeon Layeba! Stop being rude.

"You can wear something of mine", Sanem offered. Ofcourse it was the logical option since Abeerah was taller than her with slightly broad shoulders whereas she was 5'3" and lean.

"We should treat your wounds too. Let's hope they are not infected", she referred to Abeerah's swollen wrist and scratched feet. By the surprise on her face, it was clear that she hadn't expected her to pick up on her wounds. But what kind of a doctor would she be if she didn't notice the signs of abuse of a person's body.

I'm not the best of my field for nothing.

Putting the key into ignition, they once again set off. This is not what she had imagined. They had started off as two, they're continuing as three. Hopefully nothing more will happen.

Kitni kaali zubaan hai meri!

•~•

HIs phone vibrated in his pocket which pulled him out from his violent thoughts. Fifteen days. It had been fifteen days since Abeerah had gone missing. Kidnapped, to be exact. He was informed that she was held captive in Naran and he had come straight here with twenty of his men. But earlier today, one of his men had told him that they'd been tricked. He was so furious that he had thrown and broken everything in the room in his farm house here in Naran. That was the reason he was standing in the middle of broken things with blood dripping from his hand.

He took his phone out and saw that the call was from an unknown number. He answered the call with a stern, "Yazaan Ibraheem Khan."

He was not ready for the broken whisper of his sister. "Lala."

"Abeerah? Where are you, bacha?" The softness which had made its way into his speech was only reserved for Abeerah or Bi jaan.

"L-lala! I-i ran from there. Th-they had k-kept me in a dark place. I-i-"

"Shhh! Don't worry. Everything will be alright. Tell me where are you right now."

"I-i...i don't know, Lala. I'm with two girls here who helped me. Lala, please come and get me. They will catch me again. And Layeba and Sanem will get hurt too because of me. Please, Lala! "

Layeba and Sanem. Whoever these two were, he had great respect for them. And he was now indebted to them. Yazaan Ibraheem would rather die than let anything happen to them now.

"Just tell me where you are, love. I'm coming to you right away!"

"Doctor Layeba Hussein here. We're in Naran right now. We'll stay the night here and leave for Hunza tomorrow. We'll drop your sister off at her home, InshaAllah."

The voice was extremely professional. Figures, since she's a doctor. But there was something in that voice that pulled him to it. It sounded stupid to him, but it was like the voice was singing to him. A music that freed him from all his worries.

Shut up! That's ridiculous!

"I'm here in Naran. Tell me where you are and i will come to you."

There was a pause on the other end before the doctor spoke again: "No need. Tell us where you're staying and we'll drop her there."

It seemed as if she was hesitant on telling him her location, that's why she offered to bring his sister herself. As if i couldn't find it if i wanted! He mentally scoffed. But why would she go through much trouble?

Did Abeerah tell her what i do?

Why does it matter to me?

Control yourself, Yazaan. You have to take your sister back to safety and ensure these girls' safety as well.

"Okay. I'm here in my farm house. I'll send you the location. Thank you."

"Alright. We'll be there shortly. Allah hafiz."

One hour and seventeen minutes passed before his men opened the gates to let a car in. He wasn't counting the time, no. He was counting the cigarettes he had smoked and they were nineteen in total and each cigarette took him four minutes.

He saw the car entering through the gates from where he was standing at the front door of the farmhouse. The car was impressive. A Land Cruiser. A good choice obviously for travelling on mountains.

As soon as the car stopped in front of the main doors, its door opened and the sight which he was longing to see graced his eyes. His sister, his Chanda ran towards him and he immediately opened his arms, engulfing in a hug.

His shirt was wet with her tears but he couldn't care less. His sister was finally safe. He pulled back a little to look at her face. Only then did he notice her bandaged wrist and feet. The left side of her face was bruised slightly and was a dirty shade of yellow.

Fury erupted in him like lava. That bastards hurt my sister! Abeeerah knew that her brother was close to losing it so she shook her head. He didn't know how she did it but his beautiful sister still wanted him not to do anything to those sick excuses of humans. He would wait. For now.

How he had wished to see those beautiful eyes which were identical to his. Ya Allah! A billion thanks to you, Shukar Alhamdulillah, nothing major happened to her.

His eyebrows furrowed when he heard the sound of engine. His eyes went to the white car which had brought his sister. Are they leaving without even greeting? I haven't even thanked them. Now that is something Yazaan Ibraheem Khan can never allow. He hated being indebted to someone. But now that he was, he was going to pay it.

With a nod from him, his men locked the iron gates and Ozhan took Abeerah inside the house while he knocked at the car's window. Since the windows were tinted, he couldn't see who was inside.

I hope it's the good doctor.

What? Where did that come from?

The glass lowered giving him the view of a girl and he was spell-bound with just a look. She was beautiful. Head covered by a hijab, big eyesight glasses around her beautiful chocolate eyes, which were framed with long lashes. Golden complextion owing to the heat of Lahore. A nosepin adorned her button nose. She looked adorable. Like a little doll.

Except she was frowning. He straightened, giving her space to come out of the car. Which she did, though it was clear, reluctantly. The girl was so short, she reached a few inches from his shoulder. Another girl from passenger seat came out. She was taller than her and looked way mature. I think that's the doctor.

"Yazaan Ibraheem Khan. Abeerah's brother."

"I'm Dr. Layeba Hussein. She's Dr. Sanem Jabbar." He was visibly shocked that the doll was a doctor. She looked way too young to be a doctor.

"Thank you for bringing my sister back to me. Not many people take such a risk. Yazaan Ibraheem Khan is indebted to you."

She muttered something under breath which he couldn't quite catch. But then she looked him straight in the eye and he forgot to breath. What the hell is wrong with me?!

"Its okay. It was our pleasure. There is no debt or something. We should be going now. We had a long drive and we are tired." She gestured to the other girl, Sanem, to sit in the car which she did after a nod.

"I can't let you go alone. We don't know if someone knows about you yet. And i can't put your lives in danger. I suggest you stay at my farm house and you can go to Hunza with us tomorrow. As for the debt, there is one. You saved my sister. Now i have to ensure your safety."

A fire ignited in her eyes which he didn't know what it was about. She looked around, her eyes lingering on the guns which his men held. Was she scared of me?

"No. We don't want to trouble you. And i don't think anyone followed us or know about us 'cause if they had, they would've caught up with us way before we reached Naran", she passed him a tight-lipped smile and opened her car door.

Did she just refuse Yazaan Ibraheem Khan?

He immediately put his hand on her car door, stopping her from sitting in. If she doesn't stay here by choice, she will by force. He didn't know why but he wanted to know her. Which was way out of his character.

"I insist that you stay at my place."

She pulled her car door open with a force that surprised him. Where did she store this much force in her small body?

"I too insist. Can you ask your...guards to open the gates?"

"Indebted or not. No one refuses Yazaan Ibraheem Khan. I suggest you accept my offer. I can't let two girls to travel these roads alone."

"So that is your problem, isn't it? You're a chauvinist bastard who can't seem to digest that two girls drove all the way from Lahore to Naran all alone, and are going to go even far. And that you're indebted to those girls."

So, she's a Lahori? No wonder she has such fire inside her.

He could feel the gazes of all his men on him. He knew why. They were anticipating what he would do now because this girl had dared to speak to him in such tone. If she was one of his men, she would've been six feet under the ground by now.

But why did i like it when she spoke back to me?

Yazaan, this whole situation has fucked up your brain. Nothing else.

He did the only thing which he knew when someone spoke back to him. He pulled his gun out and put it on her forehead, between her eyes while she stared at him with her big doe eyes, visibly scared.

"No one. And i mean it. No one talks to Yazaan Ibraheem Khan like that and get away with it."

She swallowed and her eyes flickered towards her friend, who had a gun pulled on by Asfandyar, one of his men.

"Now. You will stay here and let me pay my debt. Without any arguments. Understood?"

She just nodded her head severely and he kept his gun back in its place.

Holy fuck! Did i really pull my gun out on the girl who fascinated me?!