Operation: Dard and Devotion

40 | Pensive & Promises

The guard fell in step with me as we strode down the hallway to enter the lobby when I was faced with a very drowsy Nat and an alert Marc.

"Done?" Marc asked.

I nodded.

Nat's eyes immediately softened and she sighed. "Come on, let's go back," she saidly gently, linking her arm into the crook of my elbow.

I paused in my tracks just as the three of us had reached the doorway. "Wait, what about the execution?"

"What about it?" She enquired.

"Aren't we staying for it?"

Marc raised an eyebrow. "You want to stay for the execution?"

No.

"Yes."

Nat and Marc exchanged the briefest of glances before the latter responded. "Uh, well, we weren't planning on it, but if you want to..."

"I do."

Just to see him one last time...

"Okay, if you're sure about it." He glanced at his watch. "It's only six in the evening. Let's just drop you back to the hospital and we'll pick you up tomorrow morning. Alright?"

"Yeah, that's fine." I ignored the hollow feeling in my heart. Even every fiber of my body was affected by Ahsan's absence.

***

The morning was gloomy, which wasn't surprising to me, at least.

The breeze tousled with the ends of my abaya and I silently mumbled prayers to myself while cameras flashed here and there. A few seemingly important-looking people were rambling on about how the world was one step closer to peace and prosperity. I decided that it was better to just zone out completely.

The platform was raised. The gallows were set. The nooses were in place.

One by one, each of the men were hung. Murtaza stood right next to Ahsan with a morose expression. Only then did it dawn on me that I never even had the chance to ask Ahsan about him. What was Murtaza's story? What led him to join Al-Tho'baan?

Perhaps Ahsan was right; maybe some things are just meant to be left at cliffhangers.

I did not care much for the other twelve men who had already made their way beyond life, but I did flinch as I watched Murtaza hanging from the thick rope. All I knew was that if Ahsan had tolerated his presence, then Murtaza's persona was probably not much different than that of Ahsan. He had probably joined Al-Tho'baan as a result of clinging on to his last source of hope for a better life.

That made me sad.

I was ripped out of my thoughts as Ahsan was the last in line to receive the punishment. While he could have taken a final glimpse at Murtaza, who was beside him, he kept his somber dark eyes locked on mine and did not attempt to look elsewhere.

He even had a ghost of a small, reassuring smile on his lips.

Oh, Ahsan! How can you possibly smile now?

This was it.

This was not just a permanent goodbye to my love. This was a permanent goodbye to many things.

We would not be able to have date nights. We would not be able to go out to see movies or eat out at restaurants. We would not be able to take long walks on the beach or casual strolls in the park. We would not be able to hold hands wherever we went.

Don't cry, don't cry...

The executioner stretched out his hand to someone in the front row.