With an exhausting pace, she entered the elevator and pressed the 'G' in the digit panel at the front. As the elevator door closed, all of a sudden weird feeling crept into her body. "I should call Bhai," mumbling she reached for the phone in her handbag.

BhaiJaan. She tapped on a name and then suddenly lights started to flicker above the head.
What's happening?" she asked in mind vaguely and then the elevator shook, leading lights flickered violently. Shriek escaped her mouth as another jolt hauled her toward the door, causing her phone to drop on the floor; The next second, the elevator went black. "Allah! Mercy!" She freaked out as on her knees she was searching blindly for her phone.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the elevator doors slid open, and dismissing the search, she rushed outside.

Here another terrible scene was waiting for her. Each of the elevators was relinquishing people, with terror painted on their faces.  Another lot was darting downstairs with the same anxiety and uncertainty.

"Earthquake!" Mingled voices that were saddled with fear made her freeze on her spot, as she gawked at panicked people.

Not knowing quite what to do, her eyes brimmed with tears, People were blindly darting past her to save their lives. Suddenly she came upon the realization when someone yelled, "Run! Get out of the building!"
She pulled her handbag close to her chest and joined the mob dashing towards the exit.

The earthquake jiggled the city to its footings. It occurred as a full-throated blood-curdling rumble that shuddered one's very soul.

The streets were surging tides of terrified people.

The earth was continuously squirming as if it were an eddy on the sea.

Not a single jaw, wasn't dropped, at the dire situation. Fear and panic ensued as the ground shook up and down, making them lose balance, and reducing them to crawl. Not any buffer was safe for sanctuary. It looked like everything was going to abolish.

Another jolt...

People's screams were lost under the deafening noise like thunder. It seemed the next moment the earth would burst, blow up — and fly asunder.
Cracks appeared from the ground beneath.
The buildings that stood high there were rocking like a pendulum.
Most of the offices were situated in them, their occupants enmeshed into a grisly death by crushing.

Abeeza's head felt like a merry-go-round, spinning. She was looking close to death. Nowhere to hide, no way to run....death trap was planted everywhere.

Even the screams were high yet maximum dry lips chanting 'Kalmah Tayyaba.'

This time a deep rumble accompanied the turmoil as one of the building's top floors collapsed so that the rest of the floors had sunk to the level of the ground.

Some of the people, who were in direct range of the wreckage, lost their lives that instant. For a moment everyone was in an awkward halt at the terrible scene.

Subsequently, a full-blown stampede emerged as everyone ran blindly for their dear life, with no mind.

The massive rushing made the poor girl fall on her face. Squashed by the insufferable weight, her shrieks were unheard amidst the chaos.

The collapsed buildings were completely crumbled down in a heap of rubble. There were many in the cue.

Abeeza's mouth dried from all the screaming that she had carried on, Her body ached, her skin raw and red, her face puffy and she was bruised from front to back and top to bottom.
Before closing her eyes she recalled her loved ones for the last time.
"Baba...Mama! Any time soon I'm leaving. I love you both! Ya Allah, help!"

Her last blurred sight was of the merciless sky then the shutter of her mind closed.

She took a deep breath and looked around as tiredness transfused in her fragile structure.

Every face that exists there, is consumed with hurtful expression.

"You have gone through so much!" Finally, Raniya rasped as she came forth and hugged her.

A few seconds passed, thus she pulled away from the girl who looks like a wonderful but neglected sculpture.
"I'm happy to see you survived!" Raniya comforted her caressing her shoulders.
Abeeza stood up, as her legs felt cold, taking a few steps ahead, she turned, but too slowly to be normal. A gloom glossed in her light amber eyes, "I want you to know further of it,"  her voice was small like her words were reluctant to be spoken.
"I want to tell, you how my tears had dried up. I wished my heart to stop beating but it persists. My world blackened. I longed to see someone I know." Her head hung low, her eyes slipping on the glazed tiles of the floor.
"I still remember people with dust on their bodies, their lips blue. Somewhere out there must be lots of people who are still searching yet waiting for their loved ones to be back. They would pray for them to stay longer.....but," she lifted the tear-laden eyes, her voice cracked, "but....for me survival is a punishment!"

How calmly she articulated, but there was such an expression of utter despair on her pale countenance, that corresponds with the stirring dolefulness in her voice. Her emotional pain is as strong today as it was the day it began and will never leave her alone.

Reem simmering with her grief walked slowly towards her; holding both hands in hers, she asked painstakingly, "how did you______get here?"

Abeeza watched in her eyes where she felt a pure sympathy a genuine knowing.

We all know that when some person or animal falls dead in the desert either through famine or illness; vultures swoop into prey upon their deceased victim and eat its remains. But this instinct is not exclusive to animals; unduly some humans are well adapted to the same task.

The government rushed police, soldiers, and ambulances to the area, but traffic was immobilized by giant cracks and fallen bridges.

Some welfare organizations voluntarily started to help sufferers. During all this, some bottom-feeders were scanning for valuable articles under debris in the name of assistance.
Meanwhile, from a high category of shrewd community, a man was prowling between dead bodies to pluck their chains or watches and sneak into their pockets.
She wasn't dead, but almost dead. Searching her handbag, the shakiest rise and fall of her chest, made him startled. Throwing her handbag distantly the nefarious man then stretched out his hand to her nose to check her breathing. She was alive! His mouth salivated at the prospect of all that he might gain from this girl.

"Minthar?" Bini muttered as she was sure about him.
Everyone was curious about what had happened next.

She didn't know how long she was unconscious and when she woke up the world fell out from beneath her.

It was pitch-dark that you couldn't see your hand before you. She wanted to know where I am now. Is that any kind of hospital with no lights? No, I'm not in a bed in which I'm supposed to be if I'm in Hospital. It must be a grave. For sure I'm dead! She thought drearily but dehydration made it impossible to stimulate any tear. She tried to speak but found herself with no voice.
"Allah!" She whined painfully, as she tried to sit. Her stomach hurt with hunger and her mouth parched like a desert; her tongue felt like a cactus in her mouth.

"Water," She was thirsty....like really thirsty but no one was there to respond.
Soon darkness enveloped her mind, stifling her senses and she fell inanimate there.

 
As the dawn sun came bursting through the window, morning light knocked on those closed lids of the ailing girl. So feebly she opened her eyes wondering if she was dead or alive. Her eyes toured around her surroundings but didn't see anyone else.
She sobbed desperately as the distress of her situation clad her.

Her head hurt like nothing she's ever felt. The pain was unbearable. Maybe it was from the wounds and shock as she found herself in a totally strange place. Her eyes were too heavy to open; as hunger and thirst made her nearly dead.
"Mama...Water!" She mumbled through chapped lips and squirmed on the floor

A half-an-hour went by when suddenly the key twisted in the keyhole. Then a man came inside, the same nefarious who took her here. He was quite a short man with thinning hair in his forties wearing satin-finished grimy Kurta Shalwar. His body odor was a blend of the defunct fish pond and an extremely cheap scent.

He stood there and looked down at her unconscious form for a few moments then dragging his footwear against the floor, he moved forward and crouched down next to her. To his joy, she was still breathing. "What à luck!" He spoke to himself quite amusingly.
A man who was more apt to be the petty trickster, not even able to lift a roadside Pan shop, accidentally found a treasure.

Quite frankly, he was a Pimp. A supplier.

Her extended unconsciousness made him a little worried as he doesn't want to lose this extraordinarily beautiful girl at any cost.

He drew out then an injection from the side pocket of his Kurta, after removing the needle cap, he carefully injected it into her arm. This made girl winced as her lashes started shaking.

He grinned at his success and then stood up to bring food for her. Right now he only wanted her fastest recovery and to win her confidence to prove himself her savior.

After 15 minutes he came back with a shopping bag in his hand, he saw the girl was quite awake and leaning against the wall.

As she saw a stranger on top of that, a man; her already pale skin became deadly pale.

"Thank God, you are awake daughter! I was so worried. Finally, you open your eyes. What a horrible disaster. So much devastation. I saw you laying there unconscious in between lifeless bodies," he filled with grief in his voice, "I took you here by helping myself because you look like my departed daughter!" He halted for a few moments to cope with his fake sadness, "It's been two days, you must be hungry! See what I have brought for you." Saying he came closer and put the shopping bag near her.

"No,” she whimpered and gave him a pleading look. She was not in the state to exhibit any kind of protest.

Abeeza stopped there as she was a little thirsty now. There were glasses and a giant flask in the trolley. "Recalling the thirst I bore, makes my mouth dry every time." She poured some water into the glass and sat again in her place.

"What happened next?" Nella showed her restlessness as per her nature.
Abeeza watched her calmly before she continued:

"He fed me! He brought me a new dress, I was like a defenseless worm.

He developed a trust level in me for him. Many times he called my parents but no answer...he said as soon I start walking he will take me to my home.
With his words, and deeds, I couldn't imagine that the man has no kind feelings towards me but in fact, he was nurturing a bait! A girl who was unaware that she is being favored for dirty purposes.

Never before had I noticed how time flew leaving me with insides contracting, bleak. Peace was largely far from my upside-down life. He molested the daughter's word for his benefit.

His real face was kept hidden few more days until I got a chance to listen to his conversation on phone with some Apa! He was describing my features shamelessly....he was naming me the hen who lays golden eggs.

The day I cried so much...I hated I survived. He was desperately waiting for my wounded leg to function.
After two days I found my leg quite better, a lesser pain while walking but I never revealed that.
The same day I found a chance to escape.
The door wasn't locked because he was acting like my well-wisher.

I slowly opened the door and crept out. He was out of sight.

The house I was kept in, was built in an unpopulated area.  neither any human nor animal could be seen around.

I was limping along the clear path but soon realized my mistake and slid into the bushy area.
For about 10 minutes my pace was steady but soon I was exhausted. My legs shattered from beneath me and I collapsed onto the ground. It had not been long before I could smell him the stench of his odd scent, and cigarette. My heart started racing and I knew I had to keep going.

Thorn stung me, leaves crunched under my feet but I could still sense him behind. I had to stop before my lungs gave out on me.

My arms and legs were all bruised and scratched; all my clothes looked like rags, dirty and chafed. Another time I fell and passed out.
And when I got back to my mind, I was a rope tied. He never gave an ear to my requests and pleadings to leave me to go to my home. Albeit on the next day, he brought me he-here."

Abeeza sobbed in the end. Everyone felt her pain from the heart. Reem was rubbing her eyes as her tears were unexpected. Quite a few years ago she had shirked them away from her life.

"He is hoodoo for every girl. Nearly every girl here, he dumped in this dhanda!" Bini scrunched her nose hatefully.

The fairy stood up with a series of stretches and yawns.
"Today I will ask Master to play a sad song....her story has made me dull."

"How are you feeling now....?" Raniya came close to Abeeza for moral support. These girls were making her morose even more. "Your wounds?" She asked more precisely,
"Better than before," Abeeza replied slowly, "when I see myself in the mirror, I only want to die." She added as tears trickled down her cheeks.

"Sheema is so vicious, she won't wait much! you have to feign fainting or weak." Somi came close to them with a face scrubber in her hand as she spoke after spotting her face.

Yeah, right she's such a wicked woman!” Reem whispered to them.

"Wicked! Worse than that; she is a devil in a woman's disguise." Raniya added spitefully. I can't forget those painful days when I was brought here," she rasped, "she made my video with no dress on my body."

Abeeza placed her hand on her dropped mouth, "she's made mine too!" Her voice laced with utter shock.

"She manipulates helpless girls as she blackmails them for their video. To meet her ends she can stoop low at any level." Reem gnashed.

Then suddenly door flung open revealing Tina who passed a glare at them as she entered.

"Free from tea? Champa is here with the new collection!" She turned and opened the door for someone as she yelled, "come inside, Champa,"
.
"This Champa is very amusing!" Reem spoke lightly.

Everyone heard someone clap for few times and then entered with a trolley suitcase.

"Aye adaab Lerkio!" Champa clapped and louted low, his wig dropped and girls couldn't help but laughed. He fixed it on his head again and spoke, "hans lo ...hans lo .... Muft ki joker jo mil gayi hai tum sab ko!"

Abeeza turned white to see a man with makeup dressed like a woman.

"What's new Champa?" Fairy asked.

"Come ...see...you all come here." He sat on the floor and unzipped the suitcase.

The suitcases were full of different types of garb. silk, net, satin, chiffon, crepe, plain and patterned, stylish and glamorous prints.

All were gathered around the suitcase and like eagles leaped for their choice.

Mehek and somi were quarreling over the same fabric, " billio ki tarah nahi larho ....mai or laa doo gi!" Champa clapped and mediated.

"Rano, tujh pe ye laal acha lagy ga.....lay le!" Champa offered Raniya red chiffon. Raniya smiled at him and then took the fabric from his hands.

"Reem meri jaan! tery liye cheetah print layi hoon." He showed Reem her favorite print.

"Hye, thanks, Champa!" Reem flashed a smile at him...

Abeeza was not a part of this world she was silently standing there, fighting with her tears when suddenly Champa stood up.

He clapped, "yeh pari kaha se ayi hai?" His stare was glued on Abeeza.
Her long, silken hair spilled around her like a golden stream.

She blanched when saw him coming close, she stepped back in fear.

"Kia naam hai tera?" He asked in his specific tone but Abeeza held her breath, looking at him with her eyes full wide.

"Lo dekho mujh se dar rahi hai.....mujh se?" He laughed and clapped.

"Unchooi kalee!" He placed his broad rough palm on her cheek,
"Aaja apni pasand ke  cheez lay le!" He wheedled as he pinched her chin. "Tery liye Muft!"

(untouched budlet, cime forth take your favorite item, free for you)

"No........" She shrieked horribly and ran towards the door.

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Salam guys!

Do read, vote and comment.
May God eradicate this pandemic soon. Ameen
Stay safe stay home stay blessed.
Gul