Under That Niqab

37. Feral

Beeping sounds of machines, the omnipresent smell of antiseptics, faint voices of people talking, arms aching and the feeling of pricking on hands...can never be a good thing to wake up to. Her lids were heavy and watery when she tried to open her eyes, followed by a few drops dripping from the corner of her eyes traveling to her ear and leaving a tingly sensation when she forcefully tried to open them.

Haya's body felt so heavy and frozen, she was unable to even move her head to look at her surroundings, just the white metal ceiling was all she was able to.

After a good five minutes, her brain was slowly coming back to its pace which made her grasp the thought that she was in a hospital. With great efforts she turned her head to the side and with every move her neck felt a hundred nails.

The room was empty and a couch was in her view by the door, but soon the approaching voices indicated someone was heading.

"...It can't be predicted, I'll check, Oh you're up?" The oddly familiar lady pushed the door open with her right hand, her left being occupied with some papers, and smiled. She came forward and placed the dorsal side of her hand on Haya's neck and then on her forehead. "The temperature's a bit down. But it's still there." She said turning away which brought an anxiously looking Rabi in view.

Rabi nodded trying to hold back tears, she stood still until the doctor was done with her examination, she changed the bottle of sedative and instructed some change of medicines to the nurse who was standing by the door. They left to discuss something together.

Haya's head was still resting on the side. Looking at Rabi's face, the changing emotions displayed on it. "How'd.."She tried to talk but her tongue didn't cooperate to ask what she wanted to say 'How did I come here' that is.

"Hey Shh" Rabi speedily grabbed Haya's hand before pulling a stool from somewhere and sat on it. "You're fine now" She assured.

Haya dragged air into her lungs calmly, turning her head straight. She was still confused and wanted to ask so many questions but it was better to wait for herself to be in a stable condition before she could even talk.

"How are you feeling?" Rabi asked which made Haya turn her head towards Rabi again. The pain was subdued but her eyes were empty, so empty that they could almost be mistaken for blind ones if not for the movement of her irises at the right places.

"I was- I was so scared" The tears which Rabi forced to push in, betrayed her into falling down on the sleeve of the hospital gown Haya was wearing.

"W-what" Haya sucked in a breath again and let it loose," What h-happened" She managed to ask.

"Hey, don't try to talk, you're condition might worsen" Rabi wiped the tears off her face and gently placed her palm on Haya's forehead which made the latter momentarily close her eyes,"I almost lost you, it feels like a miracle that I'm able to talk to you right now"

Why was she saying that she had lost Haya? and what made her land up in the hospital. Haya pressured her brain to recall the events from the past which made a sharp pain shoot up in her head. She hissed trying to bring her hands to hold her head but the numerous needles stuck in her hand jerked at the same time, the pain increased.

"Haya!" Rabi exclaimed, retreating her hand back from her forehead and held Haya's hand down "Stay still. Close your eyes, sleep for a while"

Haya heard that, she batted her glossy eyes and shook her head. "I'm here by you, I'm going nowhere" Rabi started mumbling assuring words to her making Haya gradually lose consciousness again.

°°°°

"Why didn't you tell me!?" Zaki almost shouted.

"I didn't think it was necessary," Shavez yelled back.