HONEYDEW (A murder mystery)

Chapter 3

Salaam,

I know that some of you do not like me editing the story once again but I need to do it. The plot needed a lot of changes and I'm happy with the present outcome.

Please leave behind your precious comments.

The wind blew through the leaves, creating a blanket of coldness. Silhouettes of birds flew home across a sky that was now magenta, and the sun was half into the water.

It was late in the evening and I began walking faster. I had stayed back in college to complete my assignment and hadn't given heed to time until the librarian had politely asked me to leave as it was almost the closing time.

The cold air slashed through my abaya and masses of twigs cracked under my shoes as I tried gaining speed. I cursed myself for not requesting Haania to accompany me. My university was only a short distance away from my residence and  I preferred walking but today it seemed like I should have taken public transport. The route I chose to walk seemed completely deserted. It was getting darker and the weather colder. But what bothered me was that deadly feeling of being followed.

Even though I consoled my jumping nerves that the faint sound of footsteps could be of someone rushing home to get away from the merciless cold, it didn't stop the wild hammering in my chest.

Gathering all my strength, I turned around to find nothing suspicious, but there was no mistaking the loud sound of something falling to the ground with a definite thud.

Couldn't that be a stray cat turning around the trash in the dustbin?

My hands closed around the phone in my abaya pocket and I exhaled deeply to keep myself from panicking further. At first, I began jogging and then running with full speed, breaking the dead twigs into crumbs, blocking away any other sound from my hearing.

A couple of minutes later there was a sudden collision of my foot with a sharp rock and a pitiful cry escaped my lips as I bent down to hold my bruised ankle in my hands. Thankfully, I had almost reached my home and I sighed relieved.

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed a black colour parked a few kilometres away from my house, safely camouflaged between a huge banyan tree. I narrowed my gaze and unmistakably they were two people watching the house and my heart sank lower.

What on earth was going on?

"What took you so long?"

That familiar tone sent warmth through my blood and I looked up to find my brother, Ali, sending me a questioning glare. I raised my hands in an act of surrender, "Please don't start--- I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you ring me up? Mom was so worried."

"But--- I was only in the library."

Ali gazed at the car and his eyes held a lot of untold emotions, "It isn't safe for you to be walking alone in deserted streets."

The goosebumps on my neck came back with full intensity and I hugged myself, "What do you mean?"

He shook his head, "You are sure to catch a cold if you stay out here any further. Get in an have something piping hot."

I nodded my head and walked ahead of him into the safety of outhouse but couldn't stop myself from running towards the window to take a closer look at the person sitting inside the car, but my foot couldn't hold my strength and I fell flat on the ground, not before I had seen that the car had gone.

The night howled of hidden secrets and panic stirred inside me but I dismissed my worry and made my way to the washroom, limping along the process.

Hot water trickled down my hair and shoulders, seeping away from my earlier tensions. I stood there a while longer, enjoying the steaming hot atmosphere before I closed the shower knob and slipped myself into soft cotton pyjamas.

My bedroom was small and neat, with baby pink curtains and white walls. The harsh wind blew through the windows, fluttering the curtains in random directions, sending a blast of teeth chattering coldness, making me wrap the huge towel around my slim shoulders.

I limped across the room and stretched my hands to reach the latch on the window when a figure among the trees in the backyard caught my attention. I could swear that those intense chocolate brown eyes bore into mine for a fraction of a second before a great shriek of extreme fear escaped my lips and darkness filled my eyes.