Jahaan-Ara

Chapter 14: Rock Bottom

"I tell you I must go!" I retorted, roused to something like
passion. "Do you think I can stay to become nothing to

you? Do you think I am an automaton? -- a machine

without feelings? and can bear to have my morsel of bread
snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed

from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure,

plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think

wrong! -- I have as much soul as you, -- and full as much

heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and

much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to
leave me, as it is now for me to leave you."

Jane Eyre. 

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It was the tapping on her bedroom door early in the morning, that made Jahaan-Aara jump out bed and rush to the door. Gul Bahar stood outside, his face harried in panic.

"Bibi-bibi!" He called to her, his face flustered and breaths erratic.

"What happened, Gul Bahar?" She arranged her duppata over her head.

"A message. A message." He wheezed waving a scrap of paper in his hands. Jahaan-Aara waited patiently for his breaths to return to normal. "I got a message from the PCO (Public Call Office) in the bazzar."

"Message from whom?" She looked at his hands which held a note.

"It's about your brother; Mohammed Qamar."

His name was a flicker of hope. Someone replied to the advertisement in the newspaper requesting information on the whereabouts of Mohammed Qamar.

"Rohail Saab printed the advertisement and now someone has responded."

"Is it..?" Her voice trailed off in fear the walls would hear and curse the news. Was it her brother? Did he contact her? Had she finally found her brother after 15 years?

"It could be your brother." Gul Bahar Khan dared Jahaan-Aara to dream.
Instantly, Jahaan-Aara jolted into action, dressed and grabbed her hand bag ready to leave for Muzzafarabad.

Downstairs, Gul Bahar readied the Jeep ready to take Jahaan-Aara to the bazaar. She sat into the open top Jeep and held onto the rail holding her handbag to the side.

"Catch the bus from the bazaar and straight onto Neelam Road." He instructed. They tumbled from side to side on the bumpy road.

"The journey takes three hours there and three hours back. You will need to take into consideration time spent there looking for the address. That, I cannot help you with, but if you ask a taxi driver in the city maybe he can help."

Anticipation built in her stomach like hunger. On the path to the city she could see hopes, dreams and a new life with family. Jahaan-Aara didn't care about the search, all she wanted to do was find the address whether it took all day.

"Do you think we should tell Rohail Saab?" Gul Bahar Khan made a sharp turn onto the main road.

"No, he's busy with his guests. We can't trouble him." Jahaan-Aara was impatient to leave. She couldn't wait a second longer. With Gul Bahar at the driving seat, she held onto her hand bag tightly, her leg bouncing with nerves.

Suddenly, Gul Bahar slammed on his brakes bringing the car to an abrupt halt. There, in front of them three horses galloped towards the Jeep. Mounting the centre black horse in style was Rohail Saab. Dressed in a tawny brown Ferdora hat, matching knee length military coat layered over the horse, his leather gloves clad hands held the bridle. He pulled the bridle bringing his horse to a standstill stopping in front of the Jeep.