Alnihayya

||O a s i s--A||

Apologies! Had to split the chapter in two parts since I wanted to update today and not keep you all hanging.
-Muskaan

Mashal
The glowing sun after the dark night had proven to be a huge blessing for the four of us- the fourth being Tufan.
Not only because it enabled us to see through its rays but also because none of us had the energy to find shelter if it rained. We were no longer in the hands of terrorists but that didn't mean we weren't vulnerable. Sanan had tried to look confident for my sake but it was clear from his troubled eyes that he had no idea where we were. All that lay ahead of us was a craggy mountainous pass, poor infertile soil covered in rolling rocks and coarse vegetation.

The pain in my leg had never ceased, in fact it had increased outrageously after last night's run but I had got used used to it. Attained numbness.
With my back against a rock, I sat staring at Zeyara with half closed eyes. Sanan had been kind to lay Zeyara on the ground near me. He seemed so fragile, like one touch and his skin would rupture letting out the precious redness. His hair looked feathery and for a second I ignored his wounds and smiled at his hair. He was so beautiful.

Wisps of sand blew with the wind, that being the only sound other than the sound of my heart breaking every second I imagined Zeyara's pain.

"The way you look at him."
Sanan's comment snapped me out of my trance and my eyes shifted towards him. 
When I failed to come up with a reply, I fixed my gaze back on my husband.

"Do you even know him?" He asked, shifting to see me more clearly.

"What are you getting at Sanan?" I asked rather harshly.

"No need to get so defensive. I was just asking if you know him." He shrugged. "Clearly you don't."

I couldn't understand the point of the conversation.
"I know enough to know he is someone who has made sacrifices, practiced patience and shown me immense love."

"What if he ends up being form the bad guys?" He scoffed.

"He can't be."

"He could be."

"He can't." I said sternly, "I won't ever believe anything against him."

"Double standards huh?" Sanan smirked which made me feel both, frustrated and uncomfortable. " Don't you have to be just as a muslim even if it goes against your loved ones?"

I wasn't even sure if I understood the question, let alone answer it.
That didn't matter anymore because before I could get the time to reply, the conversation was interrupted by more explosions. Blasts reverberating from every direction. We were far away from the cities but the deadly sounds were as clear as if they were happening in front of us. I could see Alnihayya fighter planes in the sky. The war was in full swing and I could only pray for the damage to be least and the loss of blood to be minimum.
Whoever was leading the Alnihayya forces had clearly lost his or her mind.
As ironic as it sounds, this war was supposed to bring peace, not destruction.

Even though I never thought I would, I got used to the explosions after some time. So did Zeyara; his eyes no longer opened in shock, desperately trying to see if I was safe. He should've known that I could only be okay if he was okay.

It was when our throats felt coated with fur and clothes became sticky with sweat that we knew we had to move and find food and shelter. Or else we might end up being the food of vultures and desert lizards.
There was a teeny tiny problem though, Zeyara couldn't walk. Nor could I, without any support. Tufan was also tired and hungry. According to Sanan, the black beauty could only manage to go as far as two miles with Zeyara's weight on its back.

"What options do we have then?" I asked finally, after Sanan had explained the situation to me.

He glanced at me and smirked before staring up at the blue sky. "Option one which I know you won't like to hear but I need to mention anyways-- we leave MZS here, go search for water and food. Eat and drink and then come back to get him."

"Well I've got a better idea!"

"Really?" He raised his brow.

"Yeah. How about I dig your grave right here? I'm sure the lizards would love to eat a puny." I gave him a stony glare and he rose his hands up in defence.

"I told you, you won't like it!" He chuckled. "Second option is, I stay here with MZS. You go on Tufan. Find the water. Come back."

My brows furrowed with scepticism. "Why me? Why don't you go?"

"Well...since you weigh less than fifty kilogrammes. My weight is double yours. You'll be able to travel further before Tufan gives up."

I shook my head without even thinking about that option. I wasn't going to leave Zeyara alone. "Do we have an option three?"

"Ahh yess!" Sanan feigned excitement. "That's my favourite option actually."

"Go on."

"We stay here and die. Then go drink wine in jannah." He winked.

Ten thirsty, hungry minutes and lack of other options later, I accepted option two.
I was reluctant to leave Zeyara alone but his breathing was becoming shallower. He needed water.

"Zawji." I whispered to him before leaving. "Pray for me."
That single sentence brought back so many memories of the time we first met. I couldn't even make myself to look at Zeyara directly. He was too hungry, too in pain to even mumble a reply. Completely opposite to how he was when I told him to pray for me in the college prayer room.

Knowing very well that I would end up crying, I quickly moved away from him.

"You should be pretty comfortable with Tufan now. You both have seen each other before as well." Sanan remarked as he hoisted me up on the horse.

"Yes I am comfortable. But that's not the reason. It's because I've learnt a lot at Alnihayya. I'm less scared now."

Sanan helped me adjust my injured leg safely on Tufan. Even I was a bit surprised at how last time I was so scared to even ride a horse and this time I was comfortable enough to pat the horse to which he neighed playfully.

"Yeah I can see that. You are no longer whining like those girls who run away even if they see a dog from miles away."

I didn't reply but to be honest, I was still one of those girls.
Dogs are just plain scary.

"This one to stop." Sanan instructed, handing me Tufan's reins. "And this one is to speed up if a desert Jin decides to take you as a bride."

"What!?"

Sanan gave a heartless laugh while staring at the sky above. "You see those circling birds? Follow them. Follow mosquitoes, insects, any animal you see. They all turn to water."

I took in all the information and swallowed the lump in my throat. I had to do it. There wasn't any escape this time. No Zeyara coming to my rescue. For once I had to be his rescue.

"One last word of advice; be quick. Your husband won't last long." He said with an amusement that I disliked. "Yahfazuk Allah." God keep you safe.

*