Sidratul Muntaha

Chapter 29🌙

Bismillahi Rrahmaani Rraheem•

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu•

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The smell of the wet earth began to waft around the whole of Anazirah. It was the first rain of that year and had excited the Anazirans. The mercy falling on them and the expectations of new crops kept them grateful. The rain had created little streams in the lanes of Anazirah. The skies had turned dark hastily chasing away any stragglers from the streets.

Raihana's mansion was bathing in the rains of Anazirah. The rain cascaded down the roofs and bathed the gardens, around the mansion and inside the lawn. Every soul in the mansion was cozily swaddled inside comfortable blankets infront of the warm fires, except a lone girl standing under the torrents of pouring rains, as she unseeingly watched the darkened skies and felt the droplets pelt on her face. Her eyes closed and she was instantly taken back to the days where she used to enjoy such rains and laugh excitedly while playing in it.

She closed her eyes, preventing her tears from merging with the water. She couldn't let her grief go. She bit her lips from crying out loud and inhaled deeply. The rain drenched her body but the grief had drenched her soul. She couldn't keep the onslaught of memories at bay anymore and gave in to them. The wet grass beneath her feet disappeared and all she felt was heat...

She laughed happily and ran out of her home with her younger brother's bread tightly clutched in her hands. Their mother had baked it freshly for all of them. Rushi had gobbled up her own bread before playfully snatching her brother's. Shaiz had let out a war cry and followed behind her. Their other brother, Ziyar, had smiled at them delightedly as he tried to run behind them. But his young age prevented him.

Rushi had skipped away from their home and towards the bordering woods chuckling at Shaiz's irritated face. Shaiz was gaining in on her. She shook the bread at him again before turning back towards the front, but she clashed with something and fell with a 'Oof!'. Shaiz shouted in alarm.

Rushi looked up to see a guy who was frowning at her. She gulped. He was one of the warriors from the forests. She had been observing his comrades and him since forever. She also kind of liked him a tiny bit because of his easy going nature. She had lost herself in her thoughts about the guy, when she was startled with a violent tug on her hand. Shaiz had snatched the loaf of bread and was making an escape from her as he laughed merrily, at her misfortune. She muttered something inaudible and the very next second stiffened as she looked up at the guy from the ground. He was smiling at her humorously. She blushed.

"Come on!" The guy said as he extended his hand towards Rushi. She gaped at him first and then his hand before she slowly placed hers' in his. He grasped her firmly and then tugged her up gently, before letting her go. She smiled at him gratefully.

"I am so sorry! Please forgive me clumsiness! I didn't see you coming!" She rushed.

"I know." He chuckled happily. She blushed at the feeling of butterflies. "So are you the same girl who have been spying on us from years?" The guy asked. Rushi gasped and stared at him in mortification.

"You saw?" She asked and then bit her tongue. She had given hersef away. She turned crimson in her embarrassment. The guy laughed.

"I am Jasim. And yes I saw!"

Rushi smiled as her memories made her drunk with happiness, erasing her grief for a while. That was the first time she had met Jasim. Her smile disappeared again as she remembered the rest of their story. Looking up at the raining sky she straightened her shoulders and gulped as she readied herself for the day and turned back abruptly to ho inside. She wouldn't lose. Not now... Not ever!