DREAMS WORTH CHASING (Complete)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Abdulmalik

You know that kind of situation, when you are in a hurry to go to an important place. When you are driving really fast just so you can get there in time but then your car tire decides to have a break from all the speed, well that's the kind of situation i'm in now.

I am in damaturu now. I'm so tired and exhausted and then what! My tire decided to become flat. Could this day get any worse?

The worst part is that there isn't network and my battery is almost dead, so I connected my phone in the car to charge and sat on the bonnet to meditate a bit while I wait for network so I can call Ibrahim to come and pick me up.

But I don't know why I still have strange feelings, my heart beat increases by the minute, I just hope dad is okay.

I was still meditating when I heard a beeb sound on my phone, I guess the network's back, I said to myself before getting back in the car and  picking up the phone. What I saw made me to sit up abruptly.

Innalillahi wainna ilaihirrajiun

This can't be true. No!

I immediately called Usman but he didn't pick, I then called Ibrahim, he picked up and with the way his voice is, I don't need anyone to tell me he has been crying. I couldn't take it anymore, so I just hung up and texted him to come and pick me up.

I came out of the car and sat on the bonnet, again. I tried to cry but non came. I still didn't believe it, no! This can't be. Ibrahim came 1 hour later, his eyes were bloodshot red, I couldn't even hear his voice as a result of crying.

I didn't utter a word to him even though I didn't hear what he said. I picked my bag, put it in the boot and got in the car.

We drove in silence and I loved it, I am also trying to keep the contents of the text out of my head but deep down, I am burning. My heart beat has increased to the point that I thought Ibrahim could hear it too.

Immediately he came to the street that'll lead us to my house, my heart dropped because of the amount of people I saw. Some were crying and are being consoled, some were shaking their heads in a pitiful manner, some just stood without moving an inch, they looked like they got the shock of their lives.

What I saw next made me to open the car door without waiting for Ibrahim to park. I saw Usman crying like a baby, I ran to him and held him by the shoulder asking him what was going on.

He just kept crying without uttering a word, I kept shaking him and asking him at the same time but still, there wasn't any answer from him. Ibrahim had to drag me from him.

"Get yourself together man, I know it's hard but you should get yourself together. Your siblings are in need of you now, you shouldn't be making them cry more. You should be consoling them and please, you need to let it out, if not, it'll kill you. Please." He pleaded.

I just slumped down, I then suddenly remembered something. I stood up abruptly and ran into the house like a madman.

There are alot of women in the house but I didn't care, I just wanted to see my mother. And there she was, in the middle of some women, crying, while she was being consoled. And that was when it dawned on me.

Dad is really gone!

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un!

I didn't know the time I made a loud shriek and fell down. I felt something hot streaming down my face, for once I thought hot water was being splashed on my face but when I touched my face, I realized I was crying. He is really gone, gone forever.

Lahaula wala kuwwata Illa billahil azeem.

Innalillahi wainna ilaihirrajiun.

Allahumagfir lahu warhamhu.

I kept repeating these dua's. Ibrahim dragged me out of the house. He sat me down on the mat that was kept outside the house for men. The ladan of our area did some nasiha for me and I calmed down after sometime.

I requested to bathe my father but they said somebody else was doing it, they couldn't wait any longer because he died in the evening and they had to do it fast so they can take him to his final abode before it'll be late.

I just nodded my head.

***

We just came back from burying dad, it still feels strange to me but we don't have any choice. Allah has ordained this to happen and we have accepted it as our qadr.

May his soul rest in peace, May jannatul firdaus be his final abode, Aameen ya rabbal aalamin.

I was in my room thinking when Ibrahim came in with food, I told him I didn't want to eat. He had to console me before I ate. My siblings came in afterwards, we had another series of crying again before consoling ourselves and making dua's for him.

"He died around 4:10pm, he kept calling your name though. But Alhamdulillah, he said the kalimatusshahada, Alhamdulillah." Said Usman, sniffling.

I couldn't utter a word again. I checked the time and saw it was 8pm, I haven't told Zainab or her Father yet. And she doesn't know if I've reached safely. I guess I'll just text her, I can't talk now because if I do, I might cry.

I texted her and kept the phone beside me. My siblings bade me good night before leaving for their rooms.

I closed my eyes and what! Tears started streaming down my face again. I remembered my last phone call with him. I wiped my tears and said to myself, where ever he is right now, he's happy, in shaa Allah.

I am also proud and also not surprised with the way every single person that attended the Janaza praised my dad, he really was a good person. Alot of people also attended the Janaza, alot is an understatement.

I stood up, went to the toilet performed ablution and prayed two raka'ats. I prayed very well to my rabb in my last sujjood.

I left for my mom's room afterwards, i salaamed and entered after I was granted permission to. I met her with my female siblings, it looked like they just finished praying. I sat beside them.

We talked a little, mum advised us to take care of ourselves and we shouldn't worry or ponder over this issue. HE has willed this to happen and there's nothing we can do about it, we should just pray for him. We all left afterwards.

Aisha and Maryam left for their rooms after saying their good night. I also left for mine, I checked my phone and saw 10 missed calls from Zainab and her dad, I'll call them tomorrow, I thought. I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes.

See you in Al Jannatul firdaus Dad, In shaa Allah.

**

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