The Prophetic Dreamer

Chapter 27: memories and lessons.

Zain finally found the seller.
"I was finding you for so long!" He sighed huffing and puffing.

"Oh sorry I went for prayers and than stopped by a tea shop."

"Really?" He then took a deep breath and stood straight."here."
He said putting his hand out.
The man looked at the money.

"What?"

"You gave me an extra note." He took the note and stared at it.

"It's just 20."

"Yes so?"

"You should've kept it boy. Why come so far just for 20 rupees." The seller laughed.

"No, I don't keep other's things. I never did so in past and not going to do in future too."

"Then you are a good boy." He said putting the note in the pocket and then looked at the sky.

"The sky is orange." He smiled. Zain raised his head. The sky was really orange. Sharp latitudes of pale clouds with a vivid image. The birds flying and the sun quarterly hidden behind the clouds. He kept staring at it. The seller glanced at him.

"Hey what are you staring?"

Zain wasn't even blinking. Suddenly his eyes opened wide and he ran at a speed of sound. The sudden zap flustered the man.

No way no way NO WAY!!

His eyes were loaded with tears.

How can I forget about it!!

Zain ran with full speed, bumping in people and objects. He then fall while saving him from a racing car.
"Careful!" A motorcyclist shouted. He then stood up and zapped again. He then lost the way. He was all messed up. He then read the address which Hamza had send him and jumped into a rickshaw.
There was a woman already sitting in it. She saw him whining.

"What happened?"

He looked her and nodded right and left. (=Said 'nothing')

It was almost 5pm. The Azan voices were echoing all around the places. It was prayers time. At last he reached the society and ran to Hamza's house. he saw the main door opened and ran in.
"HAMZA!!!" He shouted.

"HAMZA!!!!!" He said crying and running around the house.

"Ha-Hamza!!" His voice slowly started to fade away. He then sat down on the stairs bawling.

"I am late. I'm too late!" He shouted punching on the wall and than hit his head on it.

He then ran out side the house and saw women standing  outside their Houses with solemn faces. He was staring at them when his eyes landed on the child. This time he was dressed. He walked to him.

"What are you doing here? I saw you before here too. Don't you know it's dangerous to roam around. Why are you making your mother worried?"

The child was licking his fingers. He didn't responded, Zain gently touched his wounds  and the child ran away.

Zain than continued his steps. He was walking looking around when he heard crys. His sight hurriedly followed the voice. He saw a crowd  standing in distress. He ran, pushing the people away and saw Hamza's mother crying beside a coffin. Zain was left flustered.
"Ha-ha-ham-" he couldn't complete his words. He was powerless he suddenly lost himself and sat down as if all of his energy was sucked out at once. His face was all wet with tears and hair covering his eyes.

The women held the mother and men stepped forward to lift the coffin when Zain slide to the coffin.

"Wait! Wait please!" He shouted bawling and hugged the body which was covered with a white cloth.

"WHY!!!! YOU PROMISED ME TO STAY!! WHY!! WHERE ARE YOU GOING NOW! HOW CAN YOU LIE TO ME!" Was what he was shouting. The men than held him back and took the coffin away which was followed by all the men of the neighborhood.

That day was hell. The house was surrounded with cries and sorrow. People were visiting his mother and expressing grieve. Hamza's father returned and locked himself in a room. The atmosphere was depressing. It was useless for Zain to stay there. He was sitting in his friend's room all numb. Emotionless, He was just staring at the window Infront of him with a picture book in his hands.

The sky was not orange anymore. Everything outside that house was normal as usual and some women who were just expressing grieve were already laughing and chanting as they left the house. Yeah, it's not that they lost someone close to them. Zain didn't have the strength to face Hamza's parents or anyone else.

How can something like this happen?
I couldn't change it?
I can't change the future it's just here to make me feel guilty and sad and depressed and stupid and....
It's not a blessing. It's a punishment. He thought with a trembling soul.

After staying there for two weeks, helping the parents with the visitors it was finally the time to return. He wasn't the same as before. The jolly, caring and an energetic lovey dovey Zain Javed. He was looking weak, tired with pale eyes and messed up hair. He stepped out with his bag and walked away. In his way he saw that child running towards the road and the same girl following him. Zain ran to him, pulled him by his arm and gave him to her mom.

"Hold him! How can you not handle a single child." He raged.

"You were a guest at Hamza's house right? You two must be close, i  express grief about his death. If- if Hamza hadn't gone on the road to safe my brother this wouldn't have happened." The girl paused and burst into tears, than she continued, "I'm this child's elder sister. We don't have a mother. She passed away long time ago. How am I supposed to take care of everyone! I have my uni exams on head! I just can't, I'm so sorry for what happened." And she walked away with her brother.

Zain looked at her. Seeing the girl made him solemn. He bowed and walked away.

That trip to Lahore was the worst. The hiraeth running in his nerves for that time was concerning. He was emotionless. Something was eating him up inside. He then returned to home and cried with his mother all day. He didn't went to college for a week which made Talha worried. The month was about to end and Hania's wedding was soon to come. Talha visited him and was left at a loss of words. The news was a huge shock for him too. He grieved for more than an hour and then gave Zain solace.

"It's ok. We are God's creation. We have to return to him at the end. It's okay." He said caressing his friend.

"But still."

-----------°

This is the truth. A person not now then later will taste death. It feels weird to just imagine about it. It leaves people flustered and out of words and emotions. But what's funny is that it is 100% reality. No lie :)

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