HUSNA

Chapter 55

"Kullu nafsin za'ikatul maut(Every soul shall taste a death.)

*********

He paced the room like a caged lion, eyes bloodshot, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. "Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un," he whispered, voice cracking, almost swallowed by the weight of his own words. "Indeed, every soul shall taste death..."

It had been just yesterday when they landed in Nigeria. The call to his father-in-law had been routine, but now now everything had shifted. The phone call after Fajr had ripped through his heart like a jagged knife: Husna's father had suffered a heart attack.

He stopped mid-step and stared at her sleeping form. Her face, so tired from the journey, looked peaceful, unknowing. He swallowed hard and slipped into his slippers, grabbing a shirt from the closet, slipping it on with trembling hands. Each motion felt heavier than the last.

He walked quietly to his mother's room, knocked softly, and waited.

"Come in," she called.

He stepped inside and squatted beside her on the bed, eyes cast to the floor. "Mommy..." His voice was barely audible. "I... I don't know how to break it to her. She's still asleep. I couldn't wake her..."

His mother drew a steadying breath, her hands brushing his. "You have to, Hameed. Wake her. You need to get to Kaduna. Time isn't on our side."

He nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. He walked out of her room, heart hammering against his ribs. He didn't even know how she  would take the news. Losing a parent was never easy.

"Asma..." he murmured, gently tapping her shoulder.

Her eyes fluttered open, bleary and slow. "Good morning..." she whispered, rubbing at the sleep in her eyes. She glanced at the clock. "7:00 am?"

He avoided her gaze, biting his lips, words stuck like stones in his throat. "Baby... go take a bath," he said, voice low, strained. "We need to go somewhere."

Her brow furrowed, confusion knitting her features. "This early? Captain... what's wrong? Why are your eyes so red? What happened?" She reached for him instinctively.

He pulled her into an embrace, holding her close but unable to speak. The room felt smaller, suffused with dread. "Just... get ready," he finally murmured against her hair. "And... wear a hijab."

She stiffened, the instinctive warmth of the hug giving way to tension. Something was off. Very off.

"Captain..." Her voice trembled, eyes searching his face. "Please... tell me it's not what I think it is."

He swallowed, squeezing her tighter, feeling the weight of what he had to say crush him before he even spoke

***

Since they landed in Kaduna, she had been staring out of the window, her confusion growing with each passing mile. The silence between them was heavy  thick with something she couldn't name. The road felt longer than usual, and the unease in her chest deepened as familiar landmarks flashed by.

Her heart sank the moment she saw the crowd gathered outside her family home men in somber faces, women with covered heads whispering quietly.

"Captain..." her voice quivered. "What's happening here?" she asked, eyes wide with dread.