Meri Meerab *Discontinued*

47 - Raahat

They always knew that Haya was obsessive but no one had anticipated that she had continued to talking with Anas after he had been exposed, falling into his web of lies.

The second that Haya had pulled Meerab into the street, Mariyum had called Murtasim to tell him what had happened. About the trip to the bazaar, the phonecall and that Meerab going to meet Anas. The only thing he replied with was,' Stay with Baktu. Main aaraha houn.'

Mariyums heart thumped and chest felt constricted from the array of people weaving through one another in the streets. It seemed like they all knew their jounrey and it was only her stuck in a standstill. Thankfully Baktu was tall and his white turban helped Mariyum in identifying the man.

As his eyes saw Mariyums worried state, they trailed behind expecting to find two other girls. But they were only stangers pushing shoving their way through. Baktu pushed closer and snapped at her, 'Kahan hai woh dono?'

Mariyum pointed to the rear door of the shop. 'Uss taraf.' Without checking to see if he followed, she turned and began to walk in that direction. 'Yahan jaa rahee thee.' She reassured herself. This is the way Haya had walked - it was just a couple meters until they reached the open street.

Her eyes strained at the bright sun shining on the tarmac of the road and the metallic bonnets of the parked cars.

'Unoh nay bataya tha kaha jaa rahee hai?'

'Anas say baat karne.'

His eyes widdend at the seriousness of the mater and Baktu began taking fast paced strides onto the road, in search of the two girls. He was standing amongst a row of parked motor bikes when he picked up Murtasim's phonecall, informing him of their location. Baktus face was stoic but Mariyum imagined that he was on the the receiving end of death threats, should he not retrieve his wife.

Mariyum was turning, stepping left to right, venturing into the road almost to try identify Meerab or Haya or Anas. How far could they have gotten in a three or four minutes?

Thats when she saw Baktu running in her eyeline- left towards the road. Her eyes continued in that direction until they spotted Haya running alongside a reversing car. She was banging with an open plam on the window. Mariyum couldnt hear the scene as she was too far out, but Haya seemed desperate and her movements erratic.

There was only Haya and no Meerab to be seen. Then Mariyum realised that Meerab was inside with Anas.

Baktu stopped running when he the saw the car was accelarating beyond Hayas pace and she had been left behind, as the car turned onto the main road. It drove for perhaps 10 second until she heard the screech of a bullet and the bang of rubber snapping.

The street ingited into chaos and Mariyum stepped closer to the road, by Baktu. He was standimg up tall, right hand extended in the direction of the car and a pistol in his hand. He had opened fire. It was his bullet that had caused Anas' tyres to explode at the highspeed impact and car was unable to drive any further.

In the commotion of the shooting, the source of noise was identified. Baktu was the only person standing calmly in his place on the street. The rest fled in panic, like headless chickens. Haya began running towards Baktu too.

No one approched the stationary car on the main road after the noise of the bullets. The cars began to pile- out of the 3 lanes, only one was usable. So the traffic had slowed too.

As Haya approached, Mariyum saw her face was damp with tears and regret. Haya was crying incontrollably and came to Mariyum for a hug but Mariyum pushed he away. 'Tumnay pehlay say meri baat maan laney the.' Mariyum held no empathy for her now. She hadent listened when the two had tried to discourage her in the shop. She was heedless when she led Meerab to her captor. 'Tum khabi bh mahi samajti!'