AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please pray for Maryam, we lost her last night. Allah Ya jikan ta da rahma, Ya raya abunda ta bari, Ya kuma kyautata karshen mu bayan nasu, aamiin aamiin.. JazakumulLah khairan.
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Cairo - 16th December 2018
Shazia was on her way back home from school and unlike other days, she felt very excited. She woke up extremely happy and she was still yet to understand why she was lively that day. A thousand thoughts and memories shuffled through her brain and she tried so hard to stem them but couldn't - She just wanted to be genuinely happy that day without the memories messing with her head but all efforts failed.
Shazia woke up from her nap feeling energetic, the drugs and the rest she had helped her with her cramps. Her gold wall clock showed 7:15pm, 'Wow, I slept for so long!! Laura must have been waiting for me'. She thought, slipping on her slippers and getting off her bed.
She could hear voices as she came out of the elevator. The house was really noisy and bustling with people - the servants and escorts included. What scared her was the sight of policemen in the family living room. Shazia located her parents and ran to them. 'Abby, Ummy, what's wrong? What happened?' She inquired.
'Nothing Shazia, calm down. Let us finish our discussion with the officers'.
'Seriously Ummy, nothing? Then what are these officers doing here?'. Her parents ignored her and continued briefing the officers on the issue at hand. 'How do they expect me to remain calm?'. She mumbled, her eyes scanning through the room to see if there was someone there that could be of help. She saw Mariya (Laura's mother) and her brothers Nazif and Muhammad in a corner crying - Nazif and Muhammad started living with the El-Muneer family 3 years earlier on Alhaji El-Muneer's request, after they lost their grandmother.
'What is wrong? Why are you crying?' She asked.
'How are you feeling Shazia? How is your health?'. Mariya managed to say.
'I am okay now, alhamdu lilLah. Tell me why you are crying. I don't like this'.
'It's Laura'. Nazif started.
'Yes, what about her?'
'She had been kidnapped'. Muhammad informed her.
'I don't understand 'kidnapped'. Laura went to the supermarket'.
'Yes, only Malam Isah (the driver) returned. They were attacked on their way back and Laura was kidnapped'.
'Inna lilLahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un (We surely belong to Allah and to Him we shall return)'. She screamed as she ran towards the officers. 'Officers, please you must get back my sister at all cost. Please!!'. She pleaded, holding one of the officers' collar.
Fahad did his signature honks at the gate and parked at his parking space. He ran into the living room to find out what all the ramblings he was hearing from the parking lot was about and the escorts quickly briefed him. His eyes instantly turned red with anger.
'How could this happen?'
'She went out with the driver'.
'And who??'
'Just the 2 of them'.
'Are you stupid?' Fahad roared, diverting his parents' attention to his direction. 'I thought I gave the instruction that except if the girls are going to school, you must escort them to every other place'.
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A Bad Start - A Story By Farida
Short Story'No, it can't be. It really is a joke, right?' Shazia asked under her breath, looking at the other women for confirmation. 'We are sorry Shazia'. Was all they could chorus. 'It's okay. Allah is the best of Planners and He knows best'. She said with...
