Assalam-o-Alaikum!

I know it isn't Tuesday, actually a very intelligent reader reminded me about how busy I will be on THIS Tuesday coz its going to be Eid Inn Shaa Allah! So to avoid the inconvenience here is an early update :)

Beware! Hussain's reaction ahead :D

13| Trapped Again?

Shehry

"Zamaan took her from the store tent to some God forsaken place and we all thought she was dead...."

"What?!" Hussain exclaimed in disbelief, I wasn't shocked at his reaction I was actually preparing my self for the coming ones, for the worse ones.

"How can you do that Shehry! I mean you are a mature sensible person you should have acted sensibly. Why didn't you go yourself for checking if the door was unlocked or not?" he bombarded me with a hell of scoldings and I shook my head as I had nothing to say in my defense. Yes! It was my fault.

I didn't tell him about what that evil did to her, I don't know why but my tongue couldn't repeat those horrible words.

"Bus chal pari thi yar" I knew it was the damn shit explanation, Hussain gawked my face still not believing. "Seriously?! Bus nahee tera damagh chal para tha Saley!" he shot me a look before shaking his head disapprovingly.

"But was she really dead? And how is it all connected with Kashmir? Why did you go there?" he asked as I remained quiet, looking down at the paper in my hand, a part of me was trying to stop all this, trying to convince me to not let him know but, I knew that part was wrong! I knew I had to face this.

"After a couple of days when I was blaming myself for Maya's death I got this" I finally managed to extend the letter towards Hussain who frowned down at my hand. "Promise me you will read it rationally and won't freak out" I spoke my hope out a loud, and his frown deepened.

"What is this?"

"Read" I handed him the paper.

Hussain looked down holding it, still with a frown and started to read. There was silence. Utmost silence. I knew exactly what was coming.

Toofan se pehley ki khamoshi. Sounds cliché, but I couldn't explain the situation in better words.

I was searching his expressions closely when suddenly the frown on his forehead faded and he blinked his eyes down at the paper, his face had disbelief and slowly tints of pain and anger spread across and his jaws went tensed.

He looked up at me. "Kia mazak hea ye?" and almost threw the paper at my face.

Hussain

Blood boiled in my veins as I read the damn thing, rage overpowered the pain oozing from my heart. I felt like smacking the paper right in his face. "Kia mazak hai ye?"

"Tujhey lag raha hea mein mazak ker raha hoon?" Shehry grabbed the paper and asked, looking at my face with no clue of joke or fun in his tone.

"Don't tell me you went to Kashmir after this stupid self made story" I knew my social worker brother and his heart that could have melt right after reading the shit in that letter.

"This isn't self made Hussain! she had accused me for the injustice done to her, she was blaming me for all that as if I had planned a scheme against her. But I DID NOT and to prove it I had to go there" his voice loud and clear, every word emphasized.

"Why didn't you tell me she was there in the camp?" I asked and Shehry frowned in confusion. "or tu kia kerta?" he asked.

"Woi jo tu ne nai kiya" I replied, trying my best to keep the rage inside. "Trust me, I would have planned better for her" I seethed, anger peeving into my brain.

"Damagh kharab hea tera" Shehry snubbed me. "tu janta bhi hea her own brother was killing her, just because of the stupid fact that she brought misnomer to the family name. They had decided to stone her in front of whole community" he told me, I wasn't a cold hearted person but it was strange how it felt good knowing what happened to her.

"She deserved what she got" I plainly said.

"No" he shook his head making me frown. My head was giving me alarms as Shehry looked at me a little hesitant and then added. "I saved her"

"What?! Are you crazy? Have you lost it?!" I got up to my feet as disbelief struck me hard. I couldn't believe Shehry did that. "Kia soch k bachaya tu ne usey?"

"Ye soch ker k wo bhi insaan hea ek. Zinda rehne ka haq hea usey"

Shehry got up as well. "Hussain even after reading this you will blame her?" he asked and I couldn't come up with a reply I was shocked and dumbfounded at my brother being so oblivious. "Dekh mein janta hoon tujhey gussa hea, us hadsey ne hamarey maa baap cheen liye mager...

"Hamarey nai merey Shehry" I jerked his hand off my shoulder and he stared my face. "it seems as if you have already forgotten them, as if it doesn't matter to you anymore" my heart ached, I felt like crying.

"Don't talk silly Hussain! how can you even think so?! Wo hamarey maa baap thy, unk jane ka ghum hum dodno ka baraber ka hea" he raised his voice looking into my eyes. "but we can not live with this hatred Hussain. She was only a child, and it was a mistake. Why don't you get this?"

I didn't want to talk anymore about her or what happened because of her. "Fine" I picked up my files from the sofa. "You saved her? congratulations! Good night" I turned for my room.

"Ruk!" Shehry's voice stopped me in my tracks. "Shehry I don't want to talk about this please!"

"There is something else I want to tell you" this time, his voice wasn't loud or firm but low and hesitant once again. I turned and stood in front of him. His expressions were giving me not so welcoming feelings.

"I saved her and.....

He looked away from my face as he trailed off, "And?" I urged him to just vomit out. "Bol de, itna kuch sun liya aj, ub is se ziada kia hurting suna sakta hea tu mujhey?" I added, feeling tired all of a sudden. I guess I needed a good sleep to just wipe this crap off my head.

Maya

"I don't want them to fight with each other because of me" I almost said to myself as I stood by the door. "Please stop them" I turned and looked at her, Maha; the cute and small version of Shehry. She gave me a calming look. She was so like Shehry; her calm cool attitude with the never leaving smile, everything matched him.

"Don't worry, they never fight. Just Let them both take it out you know, it is good for them. Keeping inside would mean even danger" she had a habit of popping her eyes out while talking with pressing words in her mouth. That made her sound a mature very sensible girl though she was only 16.

I looked back at the door, the voices had died down. I hesitantly pulled the door a little. It was a narrow not so long gallery, no light was turned on and at the end I could see a lounge, a small hall where a man was standing with his back turned towards me. Shehry was facing him. He was Hussain.

My heartbeats accelerated with uneasiness. Pata nai q aesa lag raha tha jesey kuch buhat ghalat hone wala ho.

"Maya api relax and come sit down, you didn't even finish your meal" I looked back at her. "Shehry highly disapproves if someone doesn't finish the food in the plate okay" she was warning me and just when I was about to say something....

"Hussain ruk! Sun meri bat pehley" it was Shehry, loud and urgent. I heard footsteps coming nearer and i pushed the door shut again.

"How dare you let her step in their room? Wo merey Ammi Abu ki jaga hea, or tu ne un k he qatil ko jane diya wahan?!" my heart panicked inside. I was holding the metal knob firm in my hand.

"Hussain stop behaving like a child and listen to me...

"I don't want to listen to you. Jann le loon ga mein us ki, tu usey yahan le ker kesey aya!" Hussain was screaming, and unknowingly my feet backed off in horror.

"Hussain nai! Ruk!" I gulped down the lump in my throat and felt my wrist grabbed. I looked to my left Maha's face had now a little tension as well.

"Nikal usey bahir or bol yahan se jane ko!" he further shouted, giving my heart another jerk.

"Hussain she is hurt, she has nowhere to go. Let her stay for a little....

"Not for even a minute Shehry" I heard them arguing. "And I don't care if she is hurt, she is a murderer dammit! Wo qatil hea merey maa baap ki." Hussain shouted again. His voice so much raged up it felt as if he wanted to rip me apart.

"If she is responsible for our loss I am responsible of hers, mujhy bhi nikal de phir tu" I heard Shehry screamed in anger.

"God! Shehry is angry" I heard Maha stating and I looked at her, her face had clear tints of worry. "Shehry never raises his voice" she added lowly. And I felt even bad for what my presence was doing to them.

Softly pulling my wrist off her grip I walked up to the door with my feet shaky and reluctant to agree with my head. "Api don't go" Ignoring Maha at my back I turned the knob and was about to pull the door when...

"Hussain she was raped!" his words stabbed a sudden wave of pain in my soul and my hand halted over the cold knob. "Do you even understand the severity of pain she has gone through and still going?! And it all happened because of me. Somewhere your brother was responsible for what she lost" he was saying, tears moistened my eyes. There was silence, Hussian wasn't speaking anymore.

I couldn't even turn and face Maha.

"Ek lerki ki izzat shaid kisi ki jan se bhi ziada qeemti hoti hea" Shehry continued, a tear escaped my eye. "Our parents died that night because they were destined to face such a death. It was painful and it will remain hurting Hussain but Maya is still alive, her sans k sath usey ye takleef berdasht kerni hea. Asaan nai hea" I rested my forehead with the door breaking into a silent sob.

There was silence for a few moments before Hussain spoke. "You know what Shehry! you should have let her die there" I blinked my eyes at his words, there was so much hatred. "yahan her roz marey gi wo, whan se to bacha laya na, yahan mujh se nai bacha sakta tu usey" my breath caught up in my throat at the threat in his tone.

I felt a hand over my shoulder and heard urgent footsteps walking away. They faded along with my heartbeats inside my chest.

Hussain

I could hear my own screams in my ears; echoing through those mountains reaching straight to my heart torturing my soul.

She killed them and Shehry brought her here? How can he act so indifferent?! How can he not feel my pain? He is blind in the love of humans then it doesn't matter the human is responsible for our parents' death.

Usey koi ferk nai perta!!! I kicked the computer chair and it went smacking with my cupboard. I felt like breaking every single thing around me, I felt like destroying everything dil ker raha tha aag laga doon sari duniya ko!

I was burning in the fire with my heart aching and she was there, right there in that room jahan kabhi Ammi hua kerti theen, Abbu hotey thy. Or aj Shehry ne itni asaani se keh diya k maaf ker doon. Maaf ker doon?! Un k qatil ko maf ker doon?! meri aankhon k samney unhen cheen liya mujh se. kesey maaf ker doon?!

I fisted my hand hard over the table. Nahee! Itni asani se nai Shehry.

I turned towards the door.

Maya

 My fingers tracked down the photo in the frame; a happy family.  

I saw them for the first time, Ammi Abbu. They looked so fresh, so young and happy, oblivious to the future waiting for them. Shehry was standing with Abbu who was carrying little Maha in his arms while Hussain was clung close to Ammi. My finger touched his face, bright and cheerful.

"Your brother gave it for you" I heard Shehry at my back, wiping off my tears I turned finding him holding a leather bag. It belonged to Dada. My feet lunged towards him as I grabbed the bag feeling his presence all of a sudden.

"Dada!" tears started to flow once again. "You met him?" I looked up at Shehry's face who was softly smiling.

"He gave it for you along with a lot of love and blessings Maya!" he said and I felt my heart would burst open with joy and contentment. I couldn't believe my ears, my eyes. I quickly unzipped the bag and found the brown diary, that little Durga Maa statue but my heart fluttered when my gaze caught sight of my favorite dada's muffler.

Taking it out I kept it close to my self, inhaling the love, his scent.

"Thank you" I looked at Shehry who was looking at me with the same soft expression.. "Thank you so much Shehryar"

"Shehry. Shehry is the name" he corrected me and I smiled in between tears and nodded at him.

"This is my mom's" I showed him the statue, letting the diary inside I kept the bag on the bed.

"So many arms man!" Shehry exclaimed looking at the statue and I smiled. "Sorry! No offence han" he cleared and I was about to reply when the door burst open.

My heart thumped down all of a sudden as he stood right there with his eyes fuming flames at me, I could feel the heat of his rage as he stared my face. My grip around Durga Maa went tighter, feeling the sharp edges piercing in my skin.

"Bahir niklo" his tone firm and authoritative, as if he he would lung on to me breaking me into pieces.

"Hussai....

"Tu beech mein mat bol!" Shehry tried to stop him when he raised his palm and stopped him right there before looking back at me.

"And you! Get out of my parents' room" he sternly looked at me and before I could respond, he strode towards me and the next moment my wrist was grabbed harshly. "Bahir niklo" he tried to drag me towards the door, my hand still holding Durgaa Maa firm.

"Hussain chor usey!" Shehry tried to stop him but he just wasn't ready to listen to anyone. I couldn't utter a word. It was strange I was the same Maya who would never stand a finger raised in front of me and today this man was insulting me, dragging me out of his house but I stood there helpless.

I tried to speak. "Hussain meri bat sun lo ek bar...

"Chup!" he stopped, turning his head he looked at me straight into my eyes with his throwing daggers at me. I found them blood shot and his eyelashes moist, as if he was crying. My breath got caught inside my throat. "Don't-you-dare-take-my-name" his words seethed anger and I felt like collapsing any minute. His grip was even tighter around my wrist, it was paining like hell.

With that he almost threw me out from the room. "Chalo niklo yahan se...." and my Durgaa Maa went smashing on the floor with a loud gasp escaping my lips as I found it into pieces.

"HUSSAIN!!!" And the next moment I gawked up in shock as Shehry slapped Hussain straight in his face, making me numb in my place.

....

And there goes a chamataa for Hussain! tarraakh!!!!

how was the chappy guys?

Hussain's reaction.....???

Shehry the great humanitarian or the monkey in the middle? :-p

Hope to meet you all after Eid. Advance Eid Mubarak! don't eat too much guys q k BBQ bhaley phuppo ki taraf ho mager pait to apna hea na?! :-p 

Till then SMILE :)