Safeena

The howl

" It's too dark now."
" I am looking for a good place to stop." Alfez said.
" I need to change." She expressed.
" Here we bought you some clothes." Aseem handed her the bag of clothes.
" Thank you."
" It's my duty. "
" You bought all white coloured dresses?" She said it with a smile.
Aseem smiled at her.
" Of course."
" Once we stop, I will get changed."
" Do you need any help for that? I am ready to help." He smirked at her.
She smiled too.

" It's getting foggy, Aseem.I can't see anything! "
" We will get lost Alfez, stop the carriage. We will leave tomorrow."
" It's not safe here to stop."
" Why?" She asked
" There are wild animals here."
" We should light a fire stick."
" Alright "

Safeena tried looking out through the carriage.
" Safeena wait. " Aseem said.
" What happened?" She asked.
" Wait , get back in."
" Aseem?"
" Wait don't talk."
He tried to listen closely. He was trying to hear some distant howls.
" Alfez, run the carriage."
" What happened?! Aseem?" Alfez asked.
" Wolves."
Alfez began to rush. Aseem tried to look out for the wolves following their carriage. He could see only two shinning eyes of the wolves in the dark.
" Safeena , stay back, get behind me."
She got behind him immediately.
" Are you scared?"
" Me? No." She denied.
" Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you." Aseem assured her.
" I am not scared, and I won't let anything happen to us." She took his stick he used for walking in her hands.
" Alfez speed up."
" It's foggy I can't see clearly and not even our horses. But I am trying."
" Give me that stick." He ordered.
She handed it over to him.
Wolves started attacking their carriage one after the other.A wolf almost jumped on their carriage as it was moving but it missed.
" Aseem, careful." She kept on saying.
Some of the wolves started attacking from the front.
He started hitting them with the stick to make them go away.
" Light this up , safeena."
She immediately tried to lit a fire as soon as she could.
" Safeena, don't panic."
" Aseem , how? How not too? Should I do something?"
" No it's alright. You stay behind me."
" Aseem please be careful. "
" Don't worry dear."
He lit up the fire on the road as they moved ahead.
" They won't jump in fire."
As soon as he said that one of the wolves jumped on their carriage.
" Aseem ! Aseem !" She screamed.
He asked her to get behind and started to push the wolf out with the lighted stick. The fire was getting smaller and smaller.
" Alfez don't stop. Keep moving."
" Aseem!"
" No don't stop Alfez keep moving faster." He shouted.
" Aseem!"
As he tried to push the wolf behind , the wolf held the stick in his mouth and pulled it. Aseem didn't let go.
" Aseem let it go!" She shouted
" No wait, I will push him out. Don't worry."
As the wolf pulled him, he was dragged. Safeena held him by his stomach.
" Aseem, let go ."
" Safeena let go of me."
" No!"
" Safeena, leave me , you would get dragged too, they are very strong."
" No! Aseem!"
" Alfez , you both get on the horse and cut the rope off. Go!"
" Aseem, --"
" I will join you , I promise, leave one horse for me, but take her and leave. Faster Alfez. Get her on the horse with you."
" Safeena, come here."
" What no! Aseem"
" Please safeena, go with him, I will join you."
" Aseem--"
" Please?"
Alfez took her and made her sit on the horse in the moving carriage.
Alfez jumped right behind her.
" I am cutting off the rope." He said to Aseem .
" No , wait, Alfez we can't leave him."
" Aseem come , get on the other horse."
" Cut the rope Alfez, I will get on it "
" What are you planning to do?"
" Cut off the rope I am setting this carriage on fire."
Alfez cut the rope.
" Aseem! Please come. Alfez please tell him." She pleaded to Aseem.
" Safeena, get out of here faster. Go!" He shouted. Alfez rode the horse at full speed until all they could see was the carriage which was set on fire.

" Alfez I can't see him. Let's go back. Alfez please , let's get him too. We left him behind. Alfez!"
" He will be alright."
" Alfez but --"
" He will be alright. We can't stop safeena, if we stop , we are dead."
" They are howling Alfez, I am scared, Aseem--"
" I am sure he will be fine."
" No I --"
" He will meet us at the house. I know he will come. Hold tight."
All they could here were the howls of the wolves echoing in the forest.

" I don't see them following us anymore."
" Thank God."
" Stop Alfez ."
She got down.
" Alfez, we shouldn't have left him there. Where are we?"
" To be honest I have no idea. I rode the horse on whatever direction I could see."
" He does have his horse right?"
" I hope so."
She covered her face.
" How can you be so normal?!" She shouted.
" Because, I know he will figure out a way out of this. He always does. He will come back safe. I believe. And from inside, I am hell of scared too ."
" Sorry to shout at you."
" It's alright. We should reach the place ."
" Alright."

He let her sit on the horse and he walked down taking the lead rope of the horse with him.
" You can sit too, you don't have to walk."
" No it's alright. I have to be alert."
" Alfez? "
" Yes?"
" You know what?"
" What?"
" I believe too."
Alfez smiled.
" We get out of here , I promise."
" I know "

After this long terrifying night, both of them finally crossed the forest reaching the grasslands.
" We should look out for the stable."
" Alfez, you should rest for sometime. Get on the horse."
" No it's alright. Let's get to the house first."
" Alfez , you both brothers never listen to me."
Alfez chuckled.
" I am worried about Aseem." She Said.
" Me too. Once we reach the house, I will go find him."
" Why is he not coming back? "
" Maybe he is lost too, as we were. It's sunrise so maybe he will find his way."

As they were moving ahead, they came across a stable.
" Here it is. The house next to a stable."
" Yes it's this one. Our home."
Alfez kept staring at the house.
" Why does it looks so clean? Does someone live here?"
" I don't know, we have to check."
She got down from the horse and walked towards the door.
" Should I knock?" She asked.
He looked both ways and went ahead himself.
He knocked on the door and a woman wearing a beautiful draping with silver jewellery slightly opened the door.
" Yes ?"
" What do you need?" She asked.
Alfez went silent after seeing her, the woman kept looking at them expecting an answer.
" Alfez answer her! " Safeena tapped him.
" You? Who are you? " Alfez questioned her.
" I should be the one asking you. You are at my door." The woman replied.
" It's our house."
" It's mine. I live here. Who are you ?"
" I am Alfez Ali and she is Safeena. This home belongs to my parents. We used to live here a long time ago. "
" You did?"
" Yes. We have an emergency that's why we had to come back here. Who are you?"
" My name is Veera. I live here since last 5 years. To be honest, I don't know if I can trust you."
" Oh. I know it's hard to believe but we used to live here and we really need this house back. "
She looked at their bad condition.
" Did something happen?"
" Our carriage was attacked by the wolves."
" Oh my god! Are you both okay? Wait here, I will give you some water."
" Thank you so much."
she offered them water outside.

" Do you live alone?" Alfez asked.
" Yes."
" If it's alright with you, can she stay here for sometime? I will be back and figure things out."
" Is she your wife?"
" What no!" Alfez replied immediately.
" Why are you so disgusted? Is there something wrong with me?!" Safeena questioned him.
" I am not disgusted, you are my brother's girl that's why!"
" Hm alright."
" Actually she is my brother 's girl. And he is lost in the forest. I need to go and find him, till then can she stay here?"
Veera thought for a while.
" Just for some time , I promise, please? We have nowhere to go and this is our only option."
" Only her?"
" Ahh yes, only her." Alfez said.
" Okay." Veera agreed.
" Thank you so much."
" I want to come too Alfez." Safeena said.
" No , what if he comes here first? Wait here "
" I want to come!"
" No "
" Why?"
" I told you."
" But still--"
" How does my brother even convince you?"
" He doesn't. What makes you think he does?"
" Right. I will go, stay here. End of the topic. No more debate."
She arched her eyebrows at him as he left.