HONEYDEW (A murder mystery)

Chapter 35

I got out of there as fast as my legs could carry me. Much to my surprise, the woman turned around in haste and asked me to flee. I ran endlessly, without bothering to stand for a second longer and think about the consequences. I wasn't sure whether I had taken the right direction or not, nor did I know whether I could walk out of this alive.

My mind had literally stopped working and my heart was beating so erratically and painfully that I had to reach a hand to ease the stress. I thought of looking around for people and asking for help but I dismissed the idea as soon as it had come.

Just the thought of getting lost and never to be found again by my family or my husband made my breath hitch in my throat.

I eyed my surroundings and realised that the road was as deserted as it could be. There wasn't any trace of human inhabitation and I felt faint.

At a distance, I spotted a small pool of light which was thrown about by the tiny street light that stood in between a huge oak tree and I ran towards the direction with all my might.

My legs felt numb and it seemed like they would betray me any second but I had to keep them dragging along the muddy road until I reached the highway.

I dared not turn behind and check for any possible stalker.

It was a long time before I found myself in an inhabited place, maybe it had taken a few minutes or a few hours, I wasn't sure of anything anymore.

Nothing made sense and I was literally at the edge of losing my mind completely.

Luckily for me, I spotted a public transport pass by and I quickly got in.

"Where to?" the conductor asked eyeing my distraught profile and I ran a hand through my crumpled clothes to make it magically appear presentable.

For one moment the idea confiding my identity to him crossed my mind but then I quickly discarded the idea.

I couldn't trust anyone. I swallowed the remaining moisture present in my dry mouth and clutched a nearby iron pole to stop my hands from trembling, "Some good hotel." My heart was pounding so loudly that I was sure the whole bus could hear it beat. I gently wiped the sweat that came trickling down my face and tried forming a thin smile on my quivering lips when the conductor replied, "We'll reach in no time."

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I unlocked the door of my hotel room, still unnerved by what had happened.
The experience of coming so close to death had been horrifying.

And the last thing I wanted right now was to be stalked around by people who could harm me.

I sank down onto the nearby old furniture and tried calming myself. I closed my eyes as tightly as I possibly could and began breathing evenly.

I tried breathing in and out but was too shaken to feel relieved. There was an empty, lonely feeling deep inside me. I wished that I had not done what I had. Aahil had warned me of the danger that awaited me.

But in my quest to find dad's murderer, I had forgotten all about the missing file and the kind of people involved in it.

Reaching into my abaya pocket gained me the discovery that I had left behind my cell phone. The phone in my room was only present for internal purposes. I couldn't place a call from the registration area as someone could easily overhear my conversation.

I had used the card Aahil had given me to make the payments and I just hoped that he would receive an email or message when the transaction would take place.

The smell of food drifting in the air from the cart being wheeled down the hotel corridor made me realise that I had not eaten the whole day.

Hunger seemed miles away but I had to keep up my strength. I phoned room service, "I would like some sandwich and fresh fruit juice."