EHSAAN

Fear

Anya stared at the old red-brick, one-story building looming before them. It stood alone in a quiet, secluded area, surrounded by dense woods. The darkness felt oppressive, and the sounds of distant animals rustling through the trees made her heartbeat quicken in fear. She waited anxiously for Hazem to get out of the car, every second heightening her unease.

Why would he bring her to such a creepy place in the dead of night? The irrational part of her mind whispered dark thoughts—was he planning to harm her, to get rid of her where no one could help?

She quickly shook her head, trying to dispel the ridiculous notion. Hazem would never do something like that. Three years with him had taught her better, but sometimes her mind ran wild with fears she couldn’t control.

She sighed, trying to steady her nerves. As long as he didn’t ask her anything about her academics, she could handle this.

Hazem pulled out the keys and unlocked the creaky old door, the hinges groaning in protest. Anya glanced around nervously, her unease deepening. As the door swung open, it revealed nothing but darkness inside, making her question even more why he had brought her here. She hesitated at the threshold, watching as Hazem stepped confidently into the shadowy interior.

Suddenly, a loud thud echoed from behind her, making her jump. She whipped around to face the forest, her heart pounding in her chest. Fear spiked through her, and with no other option, she hurried forward, accidentally bumping into Hazem’s solid back. For a brief moment, she felt the warmth of his body and caught the familiar scent of his cologne, a grounding mix of musk that momentarily soothed her nerves before she quickly stepped back, embarrassed.

"Sorry," Anya whispered, her voice barely audible as she took a cautious step back, her eyes flitting nervously around the room. The darkness felt suffocating, closing in on her with every passing second. She pretended to search the shadows, but there was nothing to see—just an endless, impenetrable blackness.

“It’s been years since we last came here,” Hazem said, his voice calm, though a subtle tension underlined his words. “There’s no electricity, but if I remember right, there should be some lanterns in the store.”

“Store?” Anya repeated, the word slipping out before she could stop it. The thought of venturing into that cold, dark room filled her with dread. She could almost feel the weight of the years pressing down on that place, the still air thick with dust and secrets.

Hazem caught the fear in her voice and immediately tried to soothe her. “I’m with you. You’ll be fine,” he assured her, though a flicker of doubt passed over his face, just for a moment.

His attempt to comfort her didn’t go unnoticed. "I shouldn’t have brought her here," Hazem muttered to himself, letting out a sigh. Though he spoke quietly, the oppressive silence made his words carry, clear and unmistakable.

Anya’s heart sank, the weight of his words heavy on her chest. She regretted speaking up, feeling as if she had shattered something fragile between them. Guilt gnawed at her as she lowered her gaze, wishing she could take back her words. She was so caught up in her self-reproach that Hazem’s voice startled her when he spoke again.

“I could take you home and come back later,” he offered, though his tone was laced with exhaustion, the kind that comes from trying too hard to make things right.

Anya felt a knot tighten in her chest. Should she feel relieved at the prospect of leaving, or guilty for spoiling his plans? He’d probably brought her here to spend time together, to share something special, and now everything was unravelling. “We’re only staying here for one night?” she asked, her voice so soft it was almost a whisper.