Forbidden Territories

Chapter 2

Two hours later

"..And so as I was saying the way the media potrays Muslim women is not the true picture. We Muslim girls are not oppressed just because we wear this" my cousin Mehreen points at her dark blue headscarf and long cream coat as she addresses the audience.

I give her a thumbs up as I smile at her. She looks at me and smiles back before turning to the crowd. A terrified look covers her face as she freezes in her place. A soft murmuring begins among the audience. I shoot up from my seat as I turn around to look at what's got Mehreen so stunned.

Right at the rear of the hall I see about a bunch of young boys dressed in white kurtas with blue jeans entering the hall through the door. They look pretty ripped and tough and all of them have huge red tilaks on their forehead. Few of them even have chains around their neck. I gulp as I observe them wondering what they are here for. A few minutes pass before I finally turn towards Mehreen and signal her to continue. She looks at me unsure before she starts speaking again.

The boys spread out in the hall and as the event comes to an end they start to make their way to the stage. They look like the activists of some Hindu political group.

"Oh God what's happening?" a concerned voice whispers over my shoulder.

I turn around to come face to face with Aisha, another member of WII.

"Aisha who are these people and how did they just enter? Where were the guards?" I ask alarmed.

"I don't know Namra..Everyone is a bit worried about what's gonna happen? What do we do now? Doesn't look like these people will just leave if we tell them too" her gaze drifts to the stage as she speaks.

"I'll handle it.."

"No ..No ..Wait..Stop.." she grasps my wrist as I turn to leave.

"Namra.. please.. don't do anything.. Let brothers Sarfaraz and Azeem handle it" she advises.

I look over her shoulder looking for Azeem and Sarfaraz , the people who helped us arrange this venue but I can't see them.

"Aisha please..trust me. I too don't want any problems let me handle this" I don't wait for her reply as I quickly turn around and make my way to the stage.

Grabbing a mic on the way I walk on to the now empty stage. The boys have now reached the front rows. I don't have a plan or anything so I speak the first thing that comes to my mind.

"Assalam Alaikum, my name's is Namra and now we've come to the end of this event. Jazakhallah Khair for being such an enthusiastic and welcoming audience please don't forget to take our free giveaways Quran- English Translation on your way out. I also request one of the volunteers to help me hand out some giveaways to our Hindu brothers here" I gesture with my hand toward the boys.

I walk to the table where the English Translation Quran copies are kept and pick up a few. Layla rushes towards me and picks up some and we both walk towards the guys.

"Here" I stretch out my hand as I approach one of the guys and hand him one book.

He stares at me with a blank expression. I notice that he's tall, really tall as I have to literally look up to see his face. Unlike everyone else this guy was not clad in a white kurta instead he'd worn a jet black kurta with the sleeves folded up and a pair of light washed jeans. He's got a red tilak like his buddies on his forehead and from his left wrist hangs a heavy metal watch while in his right hand is a thick single silver kada. He got jet black hair and a slight stubble. I didn't notice this guy entering the hall, he seems to look like their leader or something.

"Madamjee, kya badhiya strategy hai convert karane ki.. waise maan na padega.. you really have some guts to come to me with this book.." he spits venomously.

"Listen brother..." I start to say before he cuts me off.

"I'm gonna you tell this just once..kaan khol ke sun lena.. you will not arrange such kind of a program again. Understood?" he warns.

"Or what?"I blurt out and mentally smack myself for doing so.

"Feisty eh?.." he wickedly smiles and takes a step forward and I instinctively step back.

"Or there will be consequences" he states calmly as the smile slips off his face.

He looks to the guy on his right and signals him something. Then he turns around and starts to make his way to the door and all of his gang members follow.

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---> Pic of Mehreen