Against The Tide (Formerly Two Tribes)

50: A Bitter Pill To Swallow

Jameel was seated in his office, on his swivel chair, engrossed in his work, when his phone suddenly rang, jolting him out of his concentration.

With a glance at the caller ID, a smile spread across his face. It was his Afrah calling, and he couldn't have been happier that he had been in her thoughts since morning. "Jameel's Afrah, I know I said-"

"Jameel!" She cut him off; her voice sounded like someone who had been crying.

Jameel's heart skipped a beat as he rose to his feet. "Afrah, what's going on? Why do you sound like that? Are you not feeling well? Talk to me!"

"Najah, Jameel," she cried. "It's Najah."

Jameel's heart rate skyrocketed. For Afrah to sound like that, he was certain something serious had happened to Najah. "What happened to her?"

"I don't know," Afrah continued to cry. "I really don't know. I just found her bleeding and-"

"Where is she right now? How is she?"

"At the hospital you brought me to the other time. The doctors are already attending to her," she answered. "Please come here immediately. I cannot deal with this on my own... Come immediately."

"Calm down, Afrah," Jameel urged. "I will be there right away. I'm already on my way." He picked up his car keys and rushed out of the office.

"Please hurry up!"

Jameel ended the call as he got into his car.

His heart raced in sync with the engine's revving as he pushed the pedal to the floor. The car roared to life. His knuckles snapped as he gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes darting between the road ahead and the rearview mirror.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, his brow furrowed with extreme worry. The weight of the situation pressed heavily upon him, compelling him to push the boundaries of speed and time. The passing cars seemed to move in slow motion, their drivers unaware of the urgency that propelled him forward.

Alongside the wheels, his mind raced, replaying the phone call that had shattered him just moments ago. The words, "I found her bleeding," echoed in his ears, fueling his determination to reach her side. The image of Najah's face, etched with pain flashed in his mind. He shook his head. "What happened?" He kept asking himself. Najah was fine in the morning when he left. He just hoped Afrah didn't have anything to do with the situation for he didn't know how he would react.

Time seemed to move slower as if mocking his desperate attempt to outrun it. Seconds felt like hours, minutes felt like days, and hours felt like eternity.

Finally, he reached the hospital.

As he screeched into the parking lot, the car came to an abrupt halt, leaving behind a trail of burning rubber. Barely taking the time to park properly, he leaped out, his legs barely able to support his trembling body.

Jameel sprinted through the sterile corridors, his heart pounding in his chest as he ran.

He halted in his tracks when he saw Afrah pacing to and fro. She didn't have a hijab on, but a scarf was loosely wrapped around her head. His heart sank to the pits when he noticed the blood stains on her clothes. "Afrah!"

"Jameel!" She rushed to him and hugged him, bursting into tears. "Jameel, Najah..."

Jameel pulled back; his hands still on her shoulders. "She is going to be fine, in Sha Allah. Tell me what happened. She was perfectly alright when I left in the morning. Did you-" Jameel was quick to cut himself off from asking a question that would offend Afrah, especially if she had nothing to do with Najah's condition. "How?"