Possession

1. Death

"Baba uthain na baba! apni ankhein tw kholain!!" she cried wholeheartedly in front of the lying corpse.

(Papa wake up! open your eyes!!)

"Amma dekhain na!! baba ko jagayein!! baba uth jayein gey! Please wake him up," she turned towards her mother who looked almost lifeless showing her state of stupor.

(Mama look at him!! wake him up!! he will wake up)

"BABA!! MERAY BABA!! MJEY AKELAY NA CHORAIN! MEIN AP K BEGHAIR KIA KRU GI??" Her eyes were red and her whole form was shaking with her sobs.

(Papa, my papa, don't leave me alone. What I'll do without you?)

The whole room was filled with her desperate pleas and cries. Last night, she had dinner with her father, and in the morning he was no more. He died due to a heart attack, The reason for his heart attack was the constant stress and hypertension which increased the blood pressure and eventually myocardial infarction.

"It's time for the Janaza(funeral)" her cousin, Daniyal spoke from behind which made her cling to his father's dead body like her life was dependent on it.

"No!! No! He is alive!! No!! I won't let him go! Please don't take him!!" Her aunt moved forward to help her to get off of her father's body and with full resistance she finally moved and hugged her aunt tightly and cried on her shoulders.

The men in the house shouldered the body and headed for the graveyard while she cried and cried till her tears died down. Her mother couldn't seem to get out of the trauma and immediately locked herself in the room after all the guests left which came for the funeral. She took sleeping pills to escape reality, leaving her only daughter to herself.

It was noon but Zahra still had locked herself in her room. She could not accept the fact that his father was no more. The bitter reality was eating her from inside deepening the hollow pit in her heart in which she had been caged for the last 5 years. Her parents were all she had. This never mattered to her that they were poor but she only craved happiness and attention from her parents. After her father's death, she only wanted to die along with him. She had no wish to live. She was so connected with her father. Always trying to do things that could make him happy and content. Be it good grades in her class or earning a scholarship from the university. She always looked up to him and wanted to be like him. A man full of self-respect and dignity who would do anything for his family.

She was just thinking about the memories she had created with her father and that made a fit of sobs hit her hard. Big sobs raked her whole form and she was a crying mess within minutes. A knock on the door ceased her sobbing and diverted her attention. She only wished her father was knocking on the door. And this thought alone deepened her grief.

"Who is there?" she asked in her heavy voice which was all hoarse due to crying.

"It's me, Daniyal,"

"Daniyal," she whispered to herself.

On realizing he stood there, she immediately stood up and ran towards the door, unlocked it, and gave Daniyal a bone-crushing hug. Her emotions took a toll and she started to cry wholeheartedly on his shoulder. He was left bewildered, it was the first time, his love had hugged him or touched him. Nonetheless, he patted her back to soothe her. His heart wrenched on seeing her vulnerable state.