Beauty and the joker

10. Zahran's past and redemption

"Allah fulfilled your wish. Finally, you got famous catching the Joker. Though it was a copy, you have become famous," Zahran remarked.

"If you truly were the Joker, I would have lost it completely," Raihan pouted.

Zahran laughed. "No, I was never the Joker. It's true when my father disowned me, and I had no money to live my rich lifestyle, unfortunately, I had involved myself in some criminal activities." Zahran sighed. "I deeply regret my actions. At that time, I was really blinded by the money."

Raihan placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We all make mistakes," he said. "But what made you leave that world of crime?"

"It was nasty. I realized that all that glitters is not gold. Money can never give you happiness. It can be a means for temporary pleasure. But it can never give you the contentment you need," Zahran paused. "I was already depressed. Even after living my life to the fullest, there was an emptiness in my heart. Nathan was my partner in crime, and he was murdered brutally. The police only found some pieces of his body. At that moment, I realized it was my turn. They were hunting me down like crazy. One evening, they got inside my house and almost killed me," he stopped.

"Then what happened? How did you survive?" Raihan inquired.

Zahran looked into the trees as if he were lost in that memory. He was lying on the cold floor, in his own pool of blood.

"Finish him off and discard his body," he heard. He couldn't see who said it. His vision was already blurry.

He heard two men approaching him, and he could hear the sound of a chainsaw. His heart sank.

As he faced the impending danger, thoughts raced through his mind. "Is this how I'm going to die?" he pondered. "Is this my end?" A sudden recollection surfaced from his childhood when his grandmother had shared wisdom about life after death.

"This life is nothing but a test. Death marks the beginning of a new life – the life of Barzakh (the grave). From there, the consequences unfold. If you do good deeds, your grave will be a comfortable abode. However, if you engage in wrongdoing, it will be a horrifying place. And this is just the beginning until the Day of Judgment," her words echoed in his mind.

A wave of fear gripped his heart. He questioned whether he had ever performed any good deeds. Struggling to recall, he found himself burdened with the weight of misdeeds throughout his life.

"Tears rolled down from his eyes. 'Can't I get a second chance? A chance to reform myself? Am I too late?'" he contemplated. "Oh Allah, You are My Lord. Indeed, I was amongst the wrongdoers. But, You are the Most Merciful of the Most Merciful. Give me another chance. Give me another chance to live, to reform myself. I repent from all my previous mistakes. And, I promise I will leave every sin I have committed. Oh, the Most Merciful, Shower Your Mercy Upon Me."

His prayer had been answered.

At that moment, the wailing sirens of police cars pierced the air.

"Oh no, who called the police?" one of them voiced concern.

"I don't know. Now what should we do?" someone hesitated.

"Leave him and run."

"But—"

"If we stay here any longer, we'll be caught."

Then, hurried footsteps echoed, eventually fading away.

After a few tense minutes, Zahran discerned another set of footsteps.

"See, it was that easy," a new voice remarked.