The girl from the morning stood on the door, and Nazreena exhaled a relieved a sighed.

"Here's your food," she gave the huge plate to Nazreena and exited through the same door.

"Let's eat some food before we go off to our destiny." Nazreena said and gestured Layla to wake up Baraq.

She gently shook him and he opened his eyes, moving his neck left and right he sat up with a jerk.

"Is it time to go?" He questioned with his gruff voice, it made silence evaporate.

"No, I guess there's still sometime. There's food." Nazreena slightly raised the plate in her hand and informed him.

He nodded and went towards the window to wash his hand. Takingbout the chilled water from the earthen pot into a small mug, he washed his hands and Layla followed his cue. Hafsa helped Nazreena to wash her hand and Nazreena returned the favour.

They sat in a circle and started devouring the tasty food. After devouring their food, they started pacing here there. The food was too delicious to be left behind, so, they ate it like they hadn't seen food since ages.

All the while with silence being their companion, Layla breathed heavily and patted her tummy.

Hafsa laughed on the she stood with her hands on hips, and pointed her finger on her tummy.

"You look like you are pregnant." She muttered to Layla, whose eyes widened as she stared at her dumbfounded and tried to muffle her smile.

"Hafsa," Nazreena chided Hafsa, showing her eyes and paced back and forth.

"God, you are so immature." Layla sighed and matched Nazreena's pace.

"Ofcourse, I am not of the age." Hafsa said and stared out of the window into the darkness. Cold breeze flew into the room making her shiver with the coldness.

"Hafsa, hiding your age will do you no good. What if you meet someone good, but he denies you after you tell him you are not of the age. Tut, that's bad." Nazreena teased her making Hafsa choke on her spit.

"God, you are so bold." She commented back on Nazreena, with her mouth twisted into a frown and shook her head at her.

Just then Baraq's ears perked up when he heard the faded footsteps in the dark.

"The unknown creature calls you out."

The corners of Baraq's lips lifted into the snarky smile as he fixed his thob and walked to the window.

Hafsa walkd away from the window and confusion marred on her face, and same expression was sported by Layla and Hafsa.

Small fire entered the room making Baraq's smirk widen.

"The time for the rise has come." Continued the making Baraq hasten towards the window and jump with the support of his one hand.

Qasim's lips stretched in the life of flames, Baraq noticed his jutted bones under the flickering flames and dancing shadows.

"C'mon, let's go." He whirled around to see the girls staring at him weirdly.

"There's no time to think about this," he pressed on, which made Nazreena walk forward with Layla.

Layla climbed the windowsill, and with the help of Baraq, she climbed out, too. Just like that, she helped Nazreena and at last Hafsa climbed out with her huffed and puffed breaths.

"Now, where to?" Baraq asked and rubbed his hands in the action of mirth.

They all realised that Baraq was enjoying this journey far more than he needed, too.

"Behind me, and don't let the shadows waver your attraction." Qasim commanded trying to copy Baraq's manly voice then laughed, when he couldn’t.

Qasim led them further into the small, they walked in a beeline with Hafsa behind Qasim. Behind Hafsa was Nazreena and Layla and at last was Baraq with his hawq eyes assessing the the small village hidden in darkness.

The night tasted cold and dry as they crossed from one alley to another. Their shadows danced under flickering flames of the lantern on the mud walls of houses. But the stood cold and barren, as if life hadn't touched their doors since ages.

Then came the tall minaret of the village, it was the single place where they could see the lantern burning.

Baraq couldn't digest the eerie sensations which crawled on his spine making him give a side glance to the darkness behind him. He clicked his tongue, then shook his head.

"How far is that place?" Hafsa questioned in the stillness of night, startling poor Qasim and he glared at her.

"Just a little bit more." He answered then again began walking this time humming a tune with an occasional nod of his head.

"The time has finally come," he sang into the dark Night.

"He had being alive,"
"Wake up the destiny, leave the fear behind." Qasim's voice echoed in the corners of the alleys and their ears perked up. It must the rhyme of his school, Nazreena thought.

"He had come, oh the time had come."
"The curse will break and we all will be free."

"The time has finally come." Qasim ended the song with his voice echoing with the wind, as it swisher pass by them. Then he turned around to Hafsa with a glint in his eyes.

"Do you want to hear the story of our village?"

Hafsa was perplexed and turned around to see Nazreena's and Layla's choice on this. They nodded their heads making Hafsa whirl around and reply to him with a question.

"You can start the story,but what if the villagers wake up listening to your voice?" She questioned as they continued to walk.

"Everyone sleeps like a dead, and no one comes out of their house especially at night." He answered with a shrug of shoulder.

"Then why are you here?" She questioned again making Qasim click his tongue and shake his head.

"It's my duty to guard the village any ways let's start the story." He sighed and began telling them the tales of the unknown and secrecy.