Date: 15/06/2020

The Blue Eyes (Rifa Fathma)

Episode 1:

A Big Hell!!

Kis raah me jaana humko zindagi ke baad?
Kya laut kar aana bhi hai Aawargi ke baad?
Rab chaahta uski bas ham bandagi karein
Ham kar bhi kya sakte hain uski bandagi ke baad

~Maira Sulaiman.

TRANSLATION:

Which route shall I take after the end of my life's journey?
Am I even supposed to turn back after embracing wanderlust?
God Wants us to establish our sole worship for him
And we can't even think beyond worshipped him.

~Maira Sulaiman

Islamabad is the most glamorous city and Capital of Pakistan. Highly clean with lush green Mountains and tranquillity makes Islamabad one of the Worlds best Capital.

The sun was relaxing alone, glowing luminously, scanning one of the tallest buildings of Islamabad, which was blazing proudly under the sun.

The sun's glints made their way towards a balcony and peeked into the room. A girl was sitting in her room, jotting down something in her diary (above poetry). Her delicate, silky hair was tied up into a ponytail and some of the curls were smooching her tanned cheeks. Her soft lips curled up into a smile as her big, black eyes scanned the freshly written poetry.

Whenever she felt miserable or lonesome, she seized her diary and began writing any poetry that came to her mind.

She was a 22-year-old pretty girl with long, silky, black hair and big black eyes.

People envy her for her unpredictable beauty. Her life has been tough. No one was there for her when she needed help when she wanted to cry her heart out. She placed all her feelings into those poetries. She was a strong girl. She didn't want anyone to support her, to give their shoulder for her to cry. Because Allah was there for her.

The sound of the Azan, being called from a nearby mosque, made her lift her head. The clock was showing 12.45 p.m.

She hastily closed her diary and kept it on the writing-table situated just beside her bed.

After making ablution, she stepped out of the washroom. She opened her wardrobe to take the prayer mat. Beside the prayer mat, a black coloured cloth was kept neatly which of course was her Abaya. She took it in her hands and traced her fingers on it. A smile made its way across her lips as the scene played in her mind.

TEN YEARS AGO...

16 days had been passed since her being attended her age (puberty). She was not going out for the past 16 days as she didn't get the Abaya, which she was asking so desperately. Her mother didn't wear Abaya neither did her sister. They didn't like to cover their body with Abaya to protect themselves from the evil eyes of men.

But for her, Abaya was everything. She could go beyond limits to achieve Abaya. But, she was restricted to do so.

She was sitting in a corner of her room, covering her face with her knees. Only the sound of her hiccups could be heard.

Someone softly knocked on her door. When no reply came from the other side, he slowly entered the room.

He looked like he was in his fifties with grey and a little black hair and a little white beard.

He went towards her and sat beside her.

"Maira, look what I have got for you." He stretched his hand out for Maira.

"Go... I-I don't wa-want to talk with anybody. Everyone ha-hates me." She sobbed.

"At least, look what I have for you," he said caressing her head. She slowly lifted her head only to see her father kneeling beside her with Abaya in his hand. A smile crossed across her lips. Her tearful eyes were shining with delight. She quickly wiped the tears and jumped on her father.

"I love you father. You are the best. Thank you so much for this." She hugged her father tightly.

"Ahaa, thank that girl, who brought this for you." He let out a low laugh. She broke the hug and knitted her eyebrows in confusion. At first, she didn't understand what he was talking about. And then her black eyes widened with amazement.

"She came again for me? Really?" She smiled wholeheartedly.

He giggled. "Yes, my dear! she has come again just for you. She is waiting for you downstairs."

"What?" Her eyes went wide. She hurriedly pushed her father aside and ran downstairs leaving him behind with amusement.

Uff, this girl!! He chuckled.

She ran downstairs and rushed towards the guest room, where SHE always used to wait for her. She halted at the threshold and took a deep breath seeing her being seated on the sofa.

"Thank Allah you didn't leave," said Maira, placing her hand on her heart, to calm her rising beat. She wanted to see HER as SHE had visited her after so long.

"How can I leave without meeting you?" SHE stood and came towards Maira. SHE was wearing Abaya. Only HER blue eyes could be seen. HER tone showed that SHE was smiling at her.

"I have handed over the Abaya to your father. Make sure to wear that whenever and wherever you go. Okay?" SHE told her as to how a girl says to her little sister.

It is SHE, who made her learn to recite Prayer and Qur'an and each and everything about Islam.

"Wait... How do you know that I needed Abaya?" She asked shockingly.

"Well.... I already know that you have attended your age a few days ago,".

"But, HOW??"

SHE stopped on her track. SHE didn't say anything but stared at her thinking how to answer.

"Urm... I have to go now, I guess." SHE quickly rushed towards the main door, trying to leave the premises as soon as possible.

"But at least, tell me your name, sister!" Maira screamed back at that girl, who was in a hurry.

"You will come to know when the right time comes." SHE turned her head to reply. Only her blue eyes could be seen by her.

****

"Who are you?" She stared blankly at her Abaya. Letting out a desperate sigh, she kept the Abaya back in its place and took the prayer mat, laid it and started her Prayer.

"MAIRA!!" She was making Supplication when she heard her mother screaming her name from downstairs. Her heart skipped a beat hearing her mother screaming angrily at her. She quickly finished her supplication, folded the matt, kept it inside her wardrobe and hurried towards her angry mother.

She descended the stairs only to see her mother glaring in her direction which made her gulp hard.

"What were you doing alone inside that room? I'm calling you for so long. Are you deaf?" She couldn't even able to utter a single word. Even though, she came within a single call.

Her mother was in her fifties but looked like a youngster. Wearing jeans with a T-Shirt on the top, blonde hair by her side, she was shooting death glares at her.

"M-mo-ther," she stuttered.

"You dare utter a..."

"MOMMA!! Where is Maira?" The mother was cut off by her lovely daughter, who was furiously striking towards them.

By seeing her, you can say 'like mother like daughter'. She was a 21-year-old girl with blonde hair, wearing a knee-length dress.

"Oh! Here you are. Have you washed my dress?" She intentionally asked her, despite knowing what will be her answer.

Allah, Allah! I skipped washing Laiba's dress. I am dead now!!

"I-I will wa..."

"Look, how reckless she is," Laiba said to her mother, for which, mother nodded her head on behalf of Laiba. Laiba took few steps towards stunned Maira when...

"What's happening here?" A deep voice came from another side, which made all three heads turn in that direction.

"Who is torturing my daughter?" asked the father, coming towards their direction.

"Ahmed, tell your so-called 'daughter' to finish what she is being told to do so," roared the mother, glaring at her whose head was now bent down.

"Fiza, don't make Maira do all the chores. How many works can be done by her? She is after all a human like us," said Ahmed.

"Oh come on papa, you are taking her side? She hasn't washed my dress yet. What will I wear tonight for the party?" said Laiba, feeling irritated.

"Wash your dress by yourself. She is not your servant or maid to do all your works." His voice raised a little as he narrowed his eyes.

"And Fiza, Maira is your daughter too. Show some respect," Ahmed pleaded his wife.

"Daughter? My foot." Fiza stormed off.
Laiba was angry at her as her father scolded her.

"You will pay for this." Saying so, Laiba too left the place.

Her eyes were brimming with a tear. But Ahmed could not see as her head was bent down.

"Follow me." With that, Ahmed walked towards his room. She hastily lifted her head and wiped her tear. She took a deep breath and went after Ahmed.

Ahmed was already seated on her bed when she entered. Smiling, Ahmed patted on the left side of his bed indicating her to sit beside him. She closed the door after her and sat on the bed.

"Don't take their words seriously," said Ahmed, tracing his palm over her head. She smiled sadly.

Few minutes passed. They didn't start any conversation. There was a peaceful silence between them. The curtains of the windows were drawn together, making the room warm. She liked this room more than her room. She often came here and chatted with Ahmed. There was a special bond between the father and the daughter.

"You know how our marriage happened?" Ahmed asked her breaking the silence. Maira slightly shook her head.

"I was in high school when I first met Fiza." A smile was playing on his lips as he continued.

"She was the most beautiful girl in the school. Her name was Liza... Yes, she was a Christian back then," said Ahmed after seeing Maira's shocked expression. The clouds in the sky became dark to give a signal that the rain will come anytime.

"She was arrogant, never liked to talk with any boys. But me, being me, tried everything to grab her attention, but in vain." He smiled sadly.

The sound of the raindrops could be heard now. The room became dark and cold due to the rain.

"But one day, when she was returning from her friend's home, a gang started following her. I went there to buy some groceries from the nearby market for my mother but stopped seeing 4 or 5 big men, flirting with her. She was trying very hard to push them aside but in vain..."

"Anger took its best over me and I took long strides to reach them. I fought for her. They were too strong to handle. But I somehow fought and got a lot of punches here and there." He laughed slightly. He was looking at a distance as if the scenes were playing in his mind.

"From then, we became very close friends. As the time passed, we fell in love with each other." When he said that, Maira thought how much he loved Fiza.

That's why he never scolds her. She smiled.

"After our graduation, we decided to get married. There was no problem from my side as you know that my family doesn't take Islamic rules seriously. But she was strictly restricted from marrying me as her family were against Muslims. So, Fiza converted to Islam and changed her name from Liza to Fiza... just for me." He looked at her with a smile on his face.

"Ooh!! That's why she doesn't wear Abaya," she said connecting the dots. But suddenly, her eyebrows were narrowed and the nook of her lips turned down a little. Mother must have converted to Islam for the sake of Allah not for some person she loves.

"Yeah and neither does Laiba." He reminded her, nodding his head. She hummed. When Ahmed got a call from his office, she left the room to give him some privacy.

When she entered her room, it was still raining. She went towards her closed balcony. Through the closed window, she could see her face. She was exactly like her mother. Her face reminded her of her mother... her real mother.

A teardrop skipped from her eyes as the scene played in front of her eyes...

12 YEARS AGO...

The road was dark and silent. Not even a single sound of the birds could be heard. Only her voice, who was calling her parents name, could be heard in that lifeless street.

"Ammi, Ammi!! Wake up," she shook her mother, who was lying there... Lifeless.

"I won't irritate you. I will obey every single word of yours hereafter... I-I s-swear." Her voice cracked at the end.

Her parents had gone to a nearby restaurant by walk leaving her in their home. She had been waiting for them who promised her to bring her favour ice cream flavour. She had rushed outside as soon as she heard a loud screeching sound. The poor little Maira wasn't expecting what she saw next. At first, it was hard for her to recognise the badly injured people who were clothed with blood. But then, her mother's certain Abaya told her who they were.

When she didn't get any response from her mother she turned towards her father.

"Baba, tell Ammi to wake up, p-please." Ahe was repeatedly saying something oblivious to the fact that her parents were no more. Her questions changed into tears and tears into hiccups.

"Please,wa..." She halted when someone put her hand on her shoulder. She turned her head back to see who was that. A girl was sitting beside her. SHE was covered with black cloth from head to toe, which was soon recognised by Maira, that it was not a simple cloth but Abaya.
Only her BLUE EYES could be seen.

SHE is wearing Abaya just like how Ammi wears. Maira's mouth was slightly open.

"May I know what this cute girl doing alone in this lonely street? That too at this time of the night?" SHE asked.

"M-my parents..." She pointed her finger at her parents. SHE followed her finger and stopped seeing the poor girl's parents laying lifeless.

"Aren't they listening to your words?" SHE asked her. Maira, whose eyes were now brimming with tears, shook her head. She started crying again.

SHE dialled someone and brought the phone to her ear. "Hello...?"

After talking and giving an address to someone, SHE disconnected the call and turned her attention to the poor girl, who was still crying.

"Shush, don't cry..." SHE shushed her, wiping her tear off from her eyes.

"What's your name?" SHE tried to change the topic and succeeded in doing so.

"Maira."

"Wow!! Nice name for a nice girl" SHE chuckled but she didn't. She continued to stare at HER.

"Come with me." SHE got up from the place. But Maira was afraid to go with a stranger.

"B-but where?" standing, she asked.

"Never go after a stranger." the words of her father echoed in her ears but something made her lose in those blue eyes.

"Just follow me." Saying so, SHE interlocked her hands with her and started taking her somewhere. She turned her head to see her parents for the last time, who was being carried in the ambulance.

Maira was mature enough to know that her parents were no more...

She walked and walked, not knowing where she had been taking by someone, whose name she didn't know yet.

"Hey, you never told me your name." but SHE didn't reply and continued walking. Thinking that she won't reply, she looked away after staring at her for some time.

After a few minutes of walking, they reached their destination. SHE knocked on the door, while Maira was looking here and there.

"Yes?" A girl of Maira's age opened the door. Behind that girl, a 30-year-old woman, who seemed to be that girl's mother, was standing.

SHE and that woman were talking about something, while Maira was trying to become friends with that girl.

"Hi! I'm Maira." Maira extended her hands out for that girl. But that girl hid behind her mother, which made Maira drop her hands, embarrassed.

"Look, you are going to stay with them from now on. Okay?" asked SHE.

"But what about you?" asked Maira. She was surely dejected.

"I will be coming here to meet you. Okay?" Maira felt very sad, but still, nodded her head.

Her BLUE EYES assured Maira, that everything will be all right. With that, SHE left the premises.

Maira hesitantly entered the house oblivious to the fact that she was stepping into A BIG HELL...