Her Encounter | Islamic Story

Prologue ✓

April 2nd, 2007.

There's this fact about being on an escapade; you die. If not now, then later, not today then maybe years later, but you do die.

And that's what we were doing; escaping from the inevitable death, for now.

The impending night was about to be upon us soon, the birds were returning to their nests and their chirping was increasing by the minute.

With heavy breathing and holding Dad's hand, I ran fast, as fast as my legs would carry me.

Nobody was around us, just trees, the shrubs and of course the ground cover of the forest herbs. I could point out a few honeysuckles around too. How I wished it wasn't late spring. The running got harder at this time of the year.

We ran around them to a destination unbeknownst to me. My legs were tiring with the second but I didn't want to alarm Dad. He was worried as it was.

"Dad where are we going?" I finally managed to ask between heavy breaths doubting he would answer.

He slowed down and I thought he was going to answer only to realize that we were facing another big patch of evergreens. They'd grown together so much here with their branches hanging to the ground that it just became so hard for us to walk. Even I forgot my question while I carefully traversed the thickened growth.

"To a friend Denae. I'm sure we would be safe there," he replied when we reached a point of moderate growth.

My mind couldn't think of any place in this world as safe. I doubted we would be safe there or anywhere else for the record. We were never safe. The man after us, he always found us. Always.

"Do I know him?" I asked but he didn't reply, so I dug the heels of my shoes in the ground to have him stop for answers. Also, I couldn't run further, I was so tired.

Realizing my attempt to stop, he too halted, stood still, loosened his grip on my hand and finally turned around to look at me. The sun was setting behind him, I could tell by the little light streaking in through the second canopy.

It was this time of the evening when the trees turned the shade of brown, providing a beautiful scenery which I had long ago stopped taking interest in.

He took one step towards me, leaving my hand completely now. Dead leaves made crackling noise under his feet. "You met him when you were a kid but I doubt you would remember him."

"Okay," I said and walked a few paces to my right to sit on the fallen tree trunk, dead leaves and twigs made crunching and breaking noise under my feet which was more noticeable now that we had stopped running. I put my elbows on my thighs and cupped my face in my hands and sighed, "I'm tired, Dad."

"I know but we need to move darling," he said compassionately while bending down to meet my eyes with his hazel ones, just like mine. He caressed my face with his hand and I started crying.

"Oh, I'm so done with life," I cried and put my arms around his neck, shedding more tears. This was getting too much. We were never safe. I knew we would be killed like the rest.

He enveloped me in his arms immediately while stroking my ponytailed hair whilst repeating in my ear, "I know, I know but it'll be okay. Dad will make it right," he enunciated. His words were soothing but only enough to stop the tears and not to steady the always-alert heart.

We stayed in that embrace a few minutes longer before I pulled him away. The first thing I saw on his face after breaking the contact was his weary eyes, dark circles, unshaved face, dirty clothes and ruffled hair which weren't what described him earlier. Dad was handsome once but he was nothing now.