Another Chance✔

Chapter 34: Wages of sin

On the authority of Abu Sa’Eed Sa’ad bin Sinaan al-Khudree that the Messenger of Allah said :

There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm

Chapter 34:
Wages of sin.

Two days had passed since the couple had an encounter with Wasim. Iqbal had understood that this guy was doing his part of nonsense just to acquire the estate of his father. He tried by all means to distance him away from his family but it was all in vain. The entire house had a tense atmosphere despite the smiles and laughter that echoed between the walls.

It was a sunny Friday afternoon and just after the jum'a prayers,Iqbal left the masjid after praying with a ray of hope in his heart. He had planned a vacation for the family to remove the tension and ease the hurricane that was haunting Rima. She hated Wasim but bearing the fact that he was the father to her child made her loathe him with undying passion. Maybe it was a mixture of hatred and frustration which swirled in her heart whenever he presented himself before her. One feeling was genuine,her love for Iqbal but the other feeling was now part of her existence.

Iqbal walked slowly to his home under the scorching sun of Karachi. The heat was too intense. He found it thoughtful to think of the hellfire which was way more hotter than the scorching sun. Sweat trickled down his back. He asked refuge from the ordeal of hell. Hastening his pace,he stopped by a shop and bought some yellow tulips for her.

Looking at his watch he realised he was late and dashed to his house. Suddenly the weather changed and grey clouds overtook the sun. The was some uneasiness in the weather as trees swayed from left to right,strong wind blowing with might. It could rain any minute. He reached his house finding the door agape. He heard noises and rushed to see what was cooking up in the house.

He found an angry Rima storming at a lousy Wasim who grabbed the baby from the bed and was threatening to take him away. So strange was the world. One was fighting for love and the other one for an amount of money which would just perish after some time.

The baby was crying loudly as a red tinge plastered on his face. The entire house was in a complete ruckus. Shouts and sobs in the entire house echoing you would think it was another part of the world. The guy was too serious and this time let alone laughing he didn't even smile. He was so angry as he held the baby carelessly in his arms.

"Stay out of this!" He roared at Iqbal. Iqbal looked at him with a blank look on his face trying to decipher what was happening. It was crystal clear. Wasim had come to get the kid. It was either by hook or crook today that he would get the baby with him. Rima's
eyes were clouded with tears as her hand held a broom. She tried her level best to get back the baby but her efforts were just useless.

Iqbal caught him by the collar trying to get the baby from him. He managed to snatch the kid from him and kicked him to the floor. Wasim looked like a wounded buffalo. At the moment the little brain left in his skull had no use since he was too mad to do what he wanted.

Suddenly he got a revolver from his pocket and pointed at Rima. "Now pass that brat here or I shoot her!!" He shouted. Together with the roaring sound of the wind the entire atmosphere was just too bad. His hand was trembling as he grabbed Rima with his other hand. He opened the door to the street and the heavy down pour soaked them deep. Hearts throbbed. His voice shaky,Iqbal carried the baby in his arms protecting him from the rain.

It was a do or die case. Full of risks otherwise it was how life was. Inviting terror the minute calm resided at one's world. They were all shaking due to the cold and heavy drops of rain.

"Why don't you understand!? You can't have the cake and eat it. Your chance has slipped from your hands. Just go from here!" Rima pleaded.

She didn't seem weak for tears were part and parcel of her. She knew how it felt like when the four letters of life seemed too heavy to pull through. Wasim looked at her and slapped her with the hug. She felt numb but the urge to kick him was more stronger.

"We'll negotiate. Try and understand if you..." Iqbal pleaded coming closer to the mad Wasim.

"There's no point in negotiations." Wasim replied pulling Rima's chiffon hijab.

Seeing a high speeding car by the road, Iqbal's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't bear to see such a day in his life. Only if he could shout to the mad guy to come to the other side of the road.

Rima was too quick to react. Seeing the speeding car she kicked the jerk and pulled herself at the other side of the road not bothering what would happen. Wasim shot her arm and she managed to land on Iqbal's arm.

The screeching of the brakes was heard only after a pool of blood oozed from Wasim's body as he fell on the road with a thud. He was bleeding heavily and his face was distorted beyond compare. The driver jerked from his seat to see the terror he had caused.

Feeling the pulse,his face grew pale as he announced the death of Wasim. He was dead in less than a second. The guy was too shocked to react. He got back to his car and fled away from the scene. Iqbal helped Rima into the house dialing the police station and emergency care unit.

They carried Rima in a stretcher as she breathed heavily tightening her hands on Iqbal's. They left for the hospital in minutes leaving the corpse on the road. Perhaps that's what he deserved. A dog's death or may be you could say it was just giving the devil his due.

The police collected the body calling the case a road accident. The body lay cold and unattended to except for the white sheet that was spread on it.

That was it. Wages of sin was death.