there was a thump.
the sound of the moment they fell.
the sound that says.
they can never go back to
the moment before.

🥀

an/
for sentimental ppl:-emotional scenes in the second part of the story.

~second prologue~

He looked at his youngest sister who is sitting on the floor amongst her toys

Dressed in a sky blue color-ed frock. Her hair, tied into two ponytails. Her tiny chubby finger's trying to catch the toy block. Once she got the grip of it. She swirled her arms around happily and pushed her butt off the floor bouncing enthusiastically for her success. Slowly she tried to bring the blocks towards her mouth.

"Riyaa" Azaan summoned her, admonishingly. He narrowed his eyes playfully at his two-year-old baby sister who in return exhibit her toothless smile covering her erroneous. "Those toys are for playing and not for eating. Understood?" He said.

She blinked her doe eyes, innocently seeing the serious look of her brother. She simply bobbed her head. Understanding nothing her elder brother was implying. Her pink lips all pouted as she looked at him, demurely.

"What is happening here?" Someone from behind raffled Azaan's hair. He smiled looking beside, his father who gave him a huge smile before plopping on the couch near him. His eyes lit up as he saw his daughter on the floor bouncing up trying to catch their father's attention. "Baaba's Ameerah(princess)!" He caught his daughter, Alriya in his arms and feathered kisses on her cheeks making her giggle.

Azaan sighed looking at the scene in front of him. Somehow bringing warmth to his heart. Alriya hugged her father's neck tightly before keeping her head on his shoulder.

Their father tittered before giving her head a soft kiss and looked at Azaan wiggling his eyebrows. "Wassup waladi (my boy)?" He asked as his brown orbs staring at Azaan. His lips curled up with a genuine smile as he looked at his only son, profoundly.

Azaan shrugged looking up, leisurely and at his father. "The ceiling," he said. His father stared at him for a while before laughing away "You sure are like your mother. Have the sense of humor at its worst" his father told. ം

At the mentioning of their mother, she discarded the stairs her hands on the railing of it as her black long abaya with the white-colored lice attached at its ends trailing behind her feet. She brought her eyes into slits looking at her husband, flabbergasted "Did you just made fun of my humor sense, Zawji (Hubby)?".

Her husband shifted from his place uncomfortably as he was got red-handed for commenting on her default. He shrugged which he tried to seem innocent but it came out as he was nonchalant making his wife exhale harshly. "You look beautiful hubun (love)" he said to distract his wife which was a great success as she smiled at him, demurely.

"You are going somewhere, Baaba?" Azaan asked interrupting them from their gaze talks. His father nodded.

"Yes waladi, to Afreed's house. His wife had just gone through an operation. Going to meet her" he explained. Azaan remembered Afreed uncle who was his only uncle from his father's side. He is the type who is always so content with whatever he gets. His wife no opposite to him. They both were the people he adored and admired the most. And they had only one child which is just one month elder than his baby sister.

"Close all the door's Habib (Love/dear). And double-check them. Food is made and kept on the worktop tell Alfiya to heat them before you eat and Niya is coming with us. Alfi is having some Islamic test tomorrow so she is preparing for it. Just go and check whether she needs any help from you. And...and Riya is staying here 'cause her sleep timing will differ if she comes with us. Just put her on her cradle. Okay?" said his mother as she scrambled and shouldered her Dior Handbag and kissed Azaan's and Alriya's forehead who had dozed off on her father's chest. Azaan nodded trying to sink his mother's command which she said in one breath.

His second sister Alniya strutted towards them wearing a long beige color-ed top with matching jeans. She secured her shawl around her neck, keeping them both aside covering her chest. Her hair cascading down reaching just above her waist. Azaan scowled, discomposed.

"Cover your hair, Alniya" Azaan scoffed while she huffed, disquiet. "She is just ten, Azaan. It ain't compulsory for her to wear a shawl." Their father stood up for Alniya.

Azaan's scowled deepened hearing his father "But she is a girl Baaba. She needs to cover her hair. We need to tell her covering hair is vital in Islam" Azaan reasoned out.

Their mother sighed then nodded her head appreciating his thoughts "Those things you said are much-appreciated Habib. But hijab should not be oppressed on her to wear them. She has to wear them knowing it's important. Otherwise wearing a hijab will make her uneasy. We women in Islam have to wear hijab obsequiously and unpretentiously." She said. Alniya who heard them sighed before removing her shawl around her neck and wrapping it around her head.

Azaan smiled, affiliated which was reciprocated by her.

"Take care of your sisters,waladi," his father said before giving a pat on his head, ardently.

They wished each other with salaam. Before walking out of the house and not knowing it will be the last time they were seeing each other.

«»

Azaan ran. Pushing people who blocked his way. His is in anguish. Completely demolished. Hurting like hell. His hair is unkempt. His heart beating like no tomorrow. His chest tightened with agony. He can't believe it and he didn't believe the news he heard just an hour ago.

"Azaan; stop running" his friends were trailing behind him. He doesn't know how they came to know about this. But when the caller at the end informed this excruciating news they, his friends were there at the door knocking asking him and ensuring him that everything will be fine.

How can everything be fine when they are gone? Was the question alerting him. He bumped again at someone who cursed at him for injuring their already injured and bandaged arm. His friends apologized for him before scurrying behind Azaan, calling him out.

He abruptly put a stop to running. His heart thundering. His breath hitching. His eyes pooling. His throat clotting. He couldn't decipher the emotion he felt at that point.

were its throes?

Was it desolation?

Was it traumatize?

Was it timorous?

Or was it blank?

His friends kept their hand on his shoulder making him shudder. "Ya Allah (oh God)" his friend, Rounak burst beside him. He blinked his eyes. Before shaking their hand from his shoulder.

"Azaan?" his friend, Rounak called him unsure-ly. Azaan didn't turn to see him. He walked towards the stretchers where there were two coffins wrapped in three white cloths. Only their face is seen. His throat's pained when he swallowed the lump. His eyes watered but he rubbed it off, harshly.

"Maama?" He summoned his voice quivering. keeping his hand on her cheek, gently shaking. "Please..." He trailed off. He knows completing those sentences won't make any difference. It won't wake up the person who had gone to sleep, forever.

His breath became heavy when he turned his gaze at the coffin beside his mother's. His father's face was all bruised. The lips which always form into a beautiful and genuine smile all bruised and cut. Still, it had its ends curled up. Azaan cried but no sounds were coming out. His breathing, rugged.

"Azaan" His other friend, Zahid called out. He tugged his friend back with his arms. Who stood there traumatized. "Ya Allah. Azaan, please. Please don't be in grief. We are also suffering with you" he pulled Azaan into his embrace.

Azaan didn't protest this time. His mind cannot digest the fact that from now on; there will be no one to wake him and his sisters up. There will be no one to ride them to school. There will be no one to welcome them home with hugs and smiles. There will be no one to make them food. There will be no one to take away all their insecurities. There will be no one to give them assurances when they are in doubt with themselves. There will be no one to give them parent-al love. Their dining table, two chairs will be always left alone. There will be no evening outings with his father. There will be no morning Quran (Holy book of Muslims) recitation from the honey-like voice of his mother.

He cried. He could not and cannot think how his future is like. How he is going to be. Or how his sister, monologue will be. His hand falls to his sides. As he cried. His shoulders shaking, his sob unheard as his sounds were muffled on his friend, Zahid's chest.

Rounak shut his eyes engulfing his tears and opened them only to get startled. There she stood. Her face void of any emotion. She walked ever so slowly her shoulders slumped. Beside her, a man stood wrapping his arms around her which he recognized as her uncle.

His heart tugged back when her eyes met his. He was in oblivion. He couldn't muster up the courage to consolidate to her. Her eyes left his, falling on her parent's coffin. "Alniya" her uncle croaked.

"Alniya?" Azaan seethed "Uncle why did you bring her here?" Azaan caught Alniya's hands tugging her with him "She should be resting." He said to his uncle "You should not walk like that Alniya. You have to rest I can't tolerate anymore if anything happens to you too. Please understand" Azaan cried as he clutched her to his chest.

Alniya nodded still in trance. Her eyes not leaving her parent's coffins. Rounak couldn't take it anymore. He strolled towards Alniya and yank her from her brother. "Cry Alniya. Cry" he spilled "Don't sabotage yourself. Please cry" Alniya just looked at him. Her eyes still dry, like the rivers in drought. Rounak gulped seeing the vast emptiness in her orbs.

Azaan placed his hands on her back guiding her and walking towards the room where she was admitted. Alniya was rescued on time as she was found first and got all the measurements she needed. But their parents lost so much blood that the doctors couldn't save them.

Azaan sat beside Alniya, rubbing her arms, courageously. He sighed as he looked at her lost in her world. "You should let it out you know" he pleaded. "Please"

It was enough for her as she broke down her heart to him. She cried clenching her brothers' shirt. Her sobs and hiccups echoing the room. She cried mercilessly. "I was there Akhi (brother). I was there when they took their last shahada. Baaba...Baaba pushed me to his top so that I could be rescued. He would have been here if he hadn't done that." She cried out. Her tears staining his shirt but he paid no attention to it as he cried with her.

Take care of your sisters was the last sentence his father said to him. And like that and at that moment he oathed to keep his promise to his father to keep his sister's safe by sacrificing his dreams and life. He devoted himself to his sister from that day onwards.

🥀

~THROUGH THORNS OF ROSE~

this was soo emotional 🤧
*sniffs* *sniffs*
Anyways!.
How's the prologue?
&
Don't be a silent reader!
Enjoy, Comment & Vote.
~~~