Mehmal

Chapter 47

Zaryab arrived at the parking lot, scanning the area for Mehmal. He knew she was struggling, hiding her pain from everyone, but he could sense it. Holding a spray bottle, he spotted her car parked outside.

"Mehmal," he called, his voice soft but urgent. She glanced at him briefly, then quickly shut her car door and started the engine. Zaryab rushed towards her, his heart pounding as he tried to open the door. He knocked on the window.

"Mehmal, what's going on? At least take this." His voice was pleading. But without a word, she drove off.

"Why is she being so stubborn?" he muttered under his breath, frustration mixing with concern as he hurried to his own car.

Mehmal's feet throbbed painfully, but the automatic transmission of her car made it easier to drive. As she turned the corner, her instincts made her slow down—something felt off. Her heart dropped when she realized the brakes weren't working. She pressed the pedal again, harder this time, but there was no response. A cold wave of fear washed over her. Her chest tightened, and her breath quickened.

Zaryab's eyes narrowed with worry. Something wasn't right. She was driving erratically, and her speed was unnervingly slow. His heart clenched when he saw a man step into the road, and instead of stopping, Mehmal swerved in the wrong direction.

"What is she doing? She knows her feet are injured!" Panic surged through him. He quickly grabbed his phone, his fingers shaking as he dialed her number, anxiety etched deep into his face.

Inside the car, Mehmal's panic escalated. She slammed her foot on the emergency brake, but nothing happened. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, her pulse racing. The phone rang again, an unknown number. She hesitated, but in her frantic state, she answered.

"Mehmal, what are you doing? Where are you going?" Zaryab's voice came through, filled with worry.

"Allah, please help me," she whispered under her breath, her voice cracking. "My brakes... Zaryab, they're not working." A wave of dread washed over her, her body trembling with fear.

Zaryab's heart sank, his worst fear coming true. He slammed his foot on the accelerator, his mind racing as he tried to catch up to her. "Mehmal, listen to me! Are you okay? Just try to stop the car!" His voice was urgent, almost desperate.

Hearing Zaryab's voice grounded her for a moment, but the panic quickly returned. "Zaryab... the brakes... they won't stop!" Her voice broke, a sob catching in her throat. Tears blurred her vision, her breath coming in shaky gasps.

Zaryab felt his world tilt as fear gripped him. His thoughts raced, trying to find a way to help her, but the panic clawed at him, threatening to overwhelm his senses.

"I'm right behind you, Mehmal! Just hold on!" He pulled up alongside her car, rolling down his window.

Mehmal turned her head, her tear-filled eyes meeting his. She rolled down her window, her voice trembling. "Zaryab, I can't stop the car... the brakes aren't working," she sobbed, her entire body trembling with fear.

"Did you try the emergency brake?" Zaryab asked, trying to keep his voice calm, though inside, his heart raced. Mehmal shook her head, her tears spilling over. Her gaze was lost, desperate, searching for any form of escape, her body stiff with terror.

"Shush Mehmal, take your car to the left lane," Mehmal noticed she was in the middle lane zaryab was in the fast lane. She blinked her eyes and bobbed heavily, swallowing it hard. In a haze, she immediately takes it to the left, where the car runs at low speed "upshift your car in the lower range," Zaryab said.

"Mehmal, put the car into low-range gear!" Zaryab's voice came through the phone, firm yet filled with concern. She was breathing heavily, her hands trembling as she fumbled with the gear shift. Tears streamed down her face as she did what he instructed, her mind racing with fear.