Sa'eed - The Warrior

The Hakeem 2

A/N

I would like to dedicate this chapter to all my supportive colleagues, the HAKEEMS of tomorrow!

Ameena Bi
Najia Nida
Ruksar Begum
Najma Fathina
Sadiya Ruman
Ayesha Nusrath Sultana
Asma Sultana
Umme Hani Naghma
Barirah Mariam
Ayesha Khatoon
Nusaddiya Salma

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Hakeem Hamid Ansari and his wife Seher were having a busy day. There were 10 boys in their matab* all with the same complaint.

Their hands and legs had rashes and blebs in localised places. The boys were complaining of severe itching and discomfort.

"What exactly where you doing?" Hakeem Hamid inquires.

"We were playing in the Shahi Jungle. Usman snatched Falah's gulail* and hit a bird with it. There was an argument as to who the bird belonged to. Usman's cousins sided with him and Falah's friends sided with him. This was followed by a huge fight in which there was punching, kicking and rolling over the jungle floor. Falah's side won and some boys were wounded. Suddenly Saabir screamed and pointed at his hand that had a bleb. Within minutes all the boys had a rash here and there. A pandemonium broke out and we all came running to you".

"What is your name?"

"Ahmed"

"Ahmed where you also with them?"

"Yes I was"

"I don't see any rashes on you"

"I don't know why. But even I did everything they did. Mine may start appearing any time now", he says scared.

"Seher calm down the boys and try to pacify them. I'll see what I can do", says Hamid.

A few boys were wailing loudly. The others were terrified.

"What do you think happened?", asks Seher coming to meet Hamid who was now mixing and pounding drugs after assuring the kids.

"I think these boys have touched a poisonous plant. Only parts that have come in contact with the plant have rashes. And one boy hasn't developed any symptoms yet. By evening if he still continues to remain healthy then he may have escaped touching the plant or is unaffected by it. Call Jamal".

Seher goes to call Jamal who was their eldest son in his late teens.

"Yes Father", says Jamal entering.

"Go and inform these boys parents about what has happened. Hurry! Take Ahmed with you, he can show you their houses but bring him back with you after you are done"

"Yes Father"

"Do you think they will be alright?", asks Seher.

"I have no idea. I have never come across this poisoning in my life. If it is mild it will resolve by itself but if its something fatal then it may even lead to death. We can just pray and observe"

"My son! My son! Where is he?" A troubled mother came running in.

One boy immediately covers his rashes in a blanket. She stands shocked at the sight of so many boys and not just her son. Finally spotting her son she runs to him. It is the same boy who had hidden his rashes as soon as his mother appeared. Clearly he was scared of letting his over reactive mother see his condition.