Her Encounter | Islamic Story

Chapter 24

After few moments of sitting on the carpeted floor in the same huddled position with Aiza patting my back, I finally mustered up the courage to get up.

"We need to prepare," I said with a renewed enthusiasm. Worrying, thinking it won't get me anywhere.

"For what?" Aiza asked while getting up from the floor herself.

"To run." I looked directly into her eyes. Trying to press the hurt and sensitivity of the situation deep now, I continued, "The little of Kantun that I remember, I know he won't jump to us soon. He'll give us time to run, to hide because he loves it this way. This is not a murderer game; this is more of a cat-and-mouse game. He lets us run, he savors it, and then he strikes finally and that's when people fall."

Aiza nodded her head and went to sit on the sofa of the lounge we were in. "What do we do now?"

"For starter, we leave my home this instant," I said and looked around the room, hoping for ideas to pop up in my head as to what our next move should be.

"Can't we have the police involved?" Aiza asked looking up from the sofa. Yes, she had made the conviction of staying with me, and yes, she was strong and brave but there is always this hint of fear before taking up on such journey, but once you are on it, you have no time to worry or think, it's just adrenaline or death.

"We might, but that may not be a very good idea. We didn't get the police involved last time because my Dad's life would have been at stake too then and now, Uncle's might," I replied while I went around the table to sit with her. The room was dimly lit. The rest of the house was dark except for the kitchen where Samantha was working.

"Why? What did your dad do? What's all this about?" she asked looking directly at my face. I knew these questions would be coming soon and I had to answer them. I couldn't help but think if she was thinking whether she had sided with the right party or not.

"I'll have to tell your family what I got you in too. I'll tell all, but right now we need to get away from here then visit Uncle, then I don't know," I said and looked down at my knees, still confused, still digesting.

Now that Uncle wasn't here, I had taken the role of controlling everything and Aiza, she might be older but she was new to this. She needed me to assure her, as much as I needed this of her.

"Okay. Let's get going then." She got up from the sofa and offered her hand to me which I gratefully took. "You know, I might seem a bit down and scared right now since the actual magnitude of the situation has started to dawn on me just now but rest assured, I'll protect you and about where to go after hospital, we'll go to my home.

"We'll talk through everything. Mama is a lawyer and I'm sure we could find a way to get police and law involved and still save Mr Statonn. My family knows you and Mr Statonn well by now, I'm sure you're both well innocent."

She smiled in the end.

"Thanks. Now I need to get some things before we leave from here. Because I am not coming back here until Kantun is taken down or we die. Kantun might be giving us the time now but I would be surprised if in a day or two, one of his men isn't sanctioned nearby to carry out the murder he's been thirsty about for years."

I was surprised to have said those words without a stutter or a pang in my heart. The words slipped my tongue so easily, almost as if I were telling Aiza about tomorrow's weather. Now that the initial shock was over, I guess I really was ready to undertake whatever life was going to throw at me, and I was sure whatever life had planned this time for me would be damn harder this time.