Journal of a Teenage Muslim.

Chapter 27 - Close Call

"Who tried to poison you?!" Zeke asked in concern.

"I don't know, maybe Mr Daniels," I muttered.

"My dad is not a murderer." Zeke stated.

"I'm not the first he's killed,"

"What did you just say?" He inclined sharply.

"Nothing," I said, realising only too late that I'd said too much.

"How would you know that anyways?" Zeke questioned.

I shrugged.

"Doesn't your religion say anything against false accusations?" He provoked.

"Don't talk about my religion!" I clenched my jaws.

"Don't talk about my dad," He insisted.

I kept quiet.

"Listen, you may be right about my dad. But he's my dad after all. It's hard for me to admit he's a cold blooded monster." He finally said.

I suddenly felt guilt swell up inside me, he was right, this monster was his dad after all. But than again, his dad took my mom's life. What did that make me feel towards Zeke? I have no idea any more, I just want everything to disappear.

The end of day bell rang and as every one else, I rushed out, relieved that the day was over, and we were a day closer to the weekend..

I was about to take my normal route home as I was walking past the school car park when I saw Mazin's car, he waved to me from inside. I quickly got into the car, wondering why he had come.

"You didn't tell me you were picking me up." I said.

"Yeah well, I just wanted to talk about last night, it keeps bugging me," 

"You mean the whole poison issue?" I asked.

"Yeah.. I mean, who would do that?" He said, 

"Some one who wants us gone, as in the whole group of us," I stated.

"And the only one who wants that is the authorites." He finished off my sentence.

Suddenly we realised the police sirens behind us bleeping on and off. Mazin pulled over and the police came to our window.

"Get out of the car." He demanded.

"Officer why-"

"Get out of the car now,"

Mazin and I cautiosly got out of the car.

"Into the police car please." The officer demanded.

We both got into the car tensed with fear. The police officer drove us for half an hour or so to a big building some where near the end of town next to a tire shop. I immediately knew where we were.

The Authorities office.

The police escorted us to one of the offices upstair. I read the name and knew this encounter was not going to be good.

"Aah Maydah, so we meet again." Hensus muttered sitting at his desk.

"Don't you know poisoning people's drinks is illegal?" I stated.

"Oh is it really?"

"I thought you said you weren't going to kill me? And anyways, I haven't uttered a word, like you said!"

"The poison was not meant for you Miss Ahmad, it was meant for him," Hensus pointed at Mazin.

"Why" Mazin stammered.

"Nothing goes unnoticed around here, nothing. Espicially theft." Hensus answered.

"Theft?" I questioned.

"Yes, of course. He stole a folder and a note that the authorities have marked as 'confidential', I'm sure you are aware Maydah, that note was addressed to you from your late mother, and that folder was information about her inevitable downfall,"

"So since when is murder worse than theft?" I said sarcastically.

"We make the rules, not abide to them, that's the whole fun of being the boss don't you think.."

"What are you going to do now?" Mazin asked.

"Well killing you now would lead to suspician, the restaurant was the perfect setup, all the blame would be set on the restaurant, but now it's quite different. And with you having sich a high position in your little business, investigations are bound to be carried out. So let this be a warning. We are not going to tolerate anything, we will not be humililated. Do you understand? Because Mrs Jaidah Ahmad didn't and her ending wasn't a happy one. I would advise you not to follow her footsteps, for the sake of both of us." Hensus said.

"I would advise you not to follow her footsteps," Hensus's words replayed over and over again in my head. I remember dad telling me that good would always break through. But here I just didn't see it, there was no way any of us could do anything. Th authorities were every where and knew everything and that's just how it was.

But there was one thing I have and they don't. Only one thing, and that was all I needed to beat them. That was all I needed. I had Allah. And with Him, I could do anything. With prayers and with belief, faith and hope, I could single handedly reveal the authorites for who they really were. I could do anything. If Allah had chosen me to be a witness of what was really going on than He would undoubtedly give me the power to change things, to make it right. All I had to do was believe that Allah knows best and put all my trust with Him.

"Give me strength God. Ameen." I whispered