Again Shauqina

Chapter 10 Man U in the red

East Coast Park was as I had remembered—serene and hypnotizing. However, that evening, all of us had a mission and that somehow made the sea, the sun, the waves, and the trees—everything, seemed a little sinister.

Where are you Rina?

Ya Allah! Please protect our friend. Please ease her pain and help her overcome her problems. What could have been so great a burden at home that forced such a happy, sunny soul to run away? As I walked, I raked my brain, trying to salvage whatever recent memory I had of Rina... what did she say that could shed a clue to her whereabouts...

'Watch where –'

Surprised, I was almost hit by a cyclist, who apologized profusely. I simply nodded my head.

'Can't you walk with your eyes opened?' Isaac almost barked at me. I sighed. He was so different in the car! Now he reminded me of a platoon commander. I looked at him then continued walking wordlessly. Matin stopped.

'Where do we even begin? We can't be walking all the time!'

He did have a point though. It was a weekday, so there were not that many people and not many tents either. However, there was about at least 2 kilometres of beach to comb. Where do we even start? What do we look for?

'Let's rent bikes, okay? It's faster! There!' Isaac pointed to the bike rental shack.

'You can ride, right?' Matin asked in urgency. I nodded my head. My knees were still throbbing but I did not like to make Isaac angry at me again.

'Your knees?' I gave the thumbs up.

'You ride in those?' Isaac asked, a little incredulously.

I did not know what he meant until I look down. I was wearing my school's canvas shoes but I was also in full hijab gear, which meant I was wearing my long abaya. I absent-mindedly pulled up my abaya a little higher to reveal my track-pants inside. Isaac looked away and closed his eyes. He was now really, angry.

'Can you not do that?'

'Sorry...'

'Look, we are all worried for Rina, okay? But, Rina needs us to be level-headed, or we will never find her. So please, are you okay?'

'Yes. Yes. Look!' I pointed to a family bike at the corner of the shack. A family bike can carry at least four people plus the biker because of its attached seat which looked like an open-roof carriage. Despite myself, I smiled.

'Trishaw.'

Isaac looked at me, then at the trishaw, then at me again. He let out an exasperated sigh. 'Girls! I'll never understand them!'

We turned as Matin brushed past us.

'You both can talk till tomorrow for all I care. I am going!'

Hastily, Isaac chose a high seat bike. I chose a slightly lower seat bike for obvious reason.

'You okay?'

'You are seriously sounding like my Mak! I am okay, Isaac!'

'Isaac, Isaac...why don't you call me Zack like everybody else?'

'Like you said, let's focused, okay? You go in front. I will follow behind'.

Isaac nodded his head, gave me another look, and then cycled quickly to catch up with Matin. I heaved a sigh of relief.

Isaac cycled alongside Matin in no time. I was slightly just behind them.

'How do we know which tent is Rina's?' Isaac shouted above the breeze.

'Hers is red – all splattered with Man U's logo. Her father bought it for her. Ex to the max! That's how much her father loved her! And there's a Man U flag at the top. I bought that flag for her.' I could hear a smile in Matin's voice.

'She's a Man U fanatic! But, I am Liverpool forever! Wait! There!'

I almost collided with Matin and Isaac. They braked so suddenly that three bikes behind me came to a screeching halt.

Resting peacefully under a big tree, a little further away from the rest was an unmistakable Manchester United print tent, with the flag happily blowing in the wind. Matin was delirious. He left his bike on the track and ran towards the tent. Then, we all saw a young man, perhaps in his early twenties, walked casually out from the tent. Then another young man came out, followed by yet another one. They were all laughing hysterically, obviously happy. I looked and stared, not trying to understand what could have happened.

Matin however was beside himself with rage. He shouted expletives and ran towards the three young men like a crazy bull possessed. He leapt onto one of the three guys, who understandably, was shocked beyond words at the charging Matin. He fell to the ground with Matin on top of him and to my horror; Matin was delivering blows on him. His friends had begun to circle the both of them. Isaac was no more beside me. He reached the 'battlefield' in record time. He pushed the other two boys away and practically hauled Matin to his feet and then pushed him away from the young man. However, Matin, who was still blinded with fury took a hefty swing by his right arm. He had wanted to hit the young man again but because Isaac was in between them, Isaac received the blow squarely on his face. The impact almost made him fell backwards if not for the young man who stood up and propped Isaac up. By then, the other two men had their arms all over Matin, trying to restrain him.

I ran too, past the young men and approached the tent. Fearfully and cautiously, my hands were shaking as I flipped its entrance opened.

'She's not here...she's not here!'

I did not know whether to cry or to laugh.

'Guys! Stop it! Rina's not here...'

Isaac, who had regained his balance went over and gripped Matin by the shoulders. He repeatedly whispered fiercely in Matin's face, 'She's not there Bro...she's not IN there...stop it before the police come!'

I looked at the young men. At close range, they were actually younger—their built had made them looked older. The other two uninjured guys truly looked lost and were now helping up their poor friend. That friend did not look too good. His face bruised badly and his eyes would swell soon. Isaac looked 'better' for want of a better word. Isaac's lips were slightly bleeding but there were red blood spots spattered on his uniform.

'Remember Allah Matin! Remember Allah!' I said repeatedly as Isaac patted Matin's back and chest repeatedly. Matin started taking deep breaths. His eyes were red and his right knuckles were bleeding. Isaac took out his handkerchief and wrapped it around Matin's knuckles. He then turned towards the three young men.

'I apologized on behalf of my friend. Brother, I will pay for your medical bills fully okay? Can we talk? In the tent? Eza, stay outside alright?'

I nodded my head. Isaac need not prompt me further. Who wants to be in a tent with four guys? I shuddered at the thought of Rina.

I thanked God that you were not in the tent Rina.

However, the burning question then in our mine was where were you, Rina?