Beneath the Seven Heavens (Felix Lee fanfic)

Memories

She heard their screams. They echoed through her mind, blurring her vision.

Her friend Naseem who had been running beside her, is now left behind. Her screaming starts to fade away

She saw her self running and running. Foot steps paced behind her. She saw many of her friends, fallen on the ground. Their faces caked with blood and dirt.

She choked back her hysteria, and kept running, her face soaking with running tears.

"Leave me alone!!" She screamed as the soldier barrelled behind her.

She looked up and saw a corner and bolted around it only to have her leg caught on a wire. She slammed to the ground with enough force to knock the wind out of her lungs.

As she struggled to get back to her feet, searing pain thundered through her. She bit back a scream for fear that the pusuing soldier would find her.

She staggered to her feet, as hot pain seared through her ankle. It was only then that she realized that her ankle had been shattered.

She limped forward and managed to flip herself onto her back gritting her teeth at the pain enveloping her.

Just as she looked up her stomach dropped. A barrel of gun was pointed directly at her. The world stopped, as blood rushed through her ears, leaving the air cold around her.

She swallowed her heart. The man's gaze was cold and cruel. He peered at her in disgust.

Her fear began to crawl up her throat as he began to focus his gaze.

She sat their vulnerable and petrified. Her thoughts were thrashing her brain. I have to get out of here! Scream for help! Run away! Go for his legs! Kick the gun out of  his grip! Beg for mercy!

Though her ocean of thoughts threatened to drive her to insanity, she found her self unable to move.

Only one thought cut through the others.  I don't think I'm gonna survive this. I'm going to die today. Her hysteria threatened to take over.

His finger found the trigger. He pulled back and released.

Sana shot up from her bed screaming.  Her face wet with tears.

Her parents charged in the room their faces pale with exhaustion but filled with concern.

"What happened?" Her father asked worriedly.

Sana swallowed the tears, along with a lump in her throat. She reared her self composure and wielded herself to calm down.

She wasn't gonna tell them.  It would traumatize them and fill them with horror. No, they would either put her in a mental institution or acknowledge what she said was false.

In Islam it is wrong to lie to your parents. But in this case she felt as though she had no choice.

Her parents know she couldn't lie to them. She'd lie awake all night thinking about it and then ultimately waking them up in the middle of the night to tell them the truth.

Her mother looked at her sternly yet worriedly.

Sana swallowed hard and feigned a weak smile. "It was just another nightmare" she murmured softly. Which was true to an extent. But what  her parents don't know is why these nightmares keep coming.

So far every week since she was 12 she'd been having nightmares at least 3 times a week.

"Honestly you're 19 years old. You should not be having nightmares at your age" said her mother exhasperatedly.

"I'm sorry Amma (mom) I don't know why they keep coming " her voice hitched.

It wasn't a total lie. She knew why she'd have those dreams but the frequency of them she can't quite figure out.

"I think you've been working too much" her father believed she overworked herself day and night at the Omni Royal hotel.

She had just been promoted to head assistant manager and since then she had been working overtime to make sure the hotel has been running smoothly since her boss is on vacation for another 2 weeks.

"Perhaps you should take some time time off tomorrow" her father suggested "call in sick. " Her mother nodded at her in agreement

At the very mention of the idea, something stirred within her. Almost as if she felt like her gut was against the idea.

" Aba (Father) I'll be fine" she reassured them with a grin "Nightmares only happen at night. I promise I won't over work myself " she put her hands up in reassurance.

Her parents looked at her in disbelief.  Her mother shook her head, but just as she was about to object her father placed a hand on her shoulder.

He chuckled softly. "Let her work. She's a hard worker". Her mother scowled at him but said nothing more and left the doorway.

Sana's father approached her bed . He placed a hand on her head "I was just like you, you know?" He grinned as he ruffled her hair as she pouted in response. "All I wanted to do when I first came to America was work. "

She glanced at her father expectantly.  "Just try not to overwork. Take care of yourself, ok? Deal? "

He held out both hands, palms facing up. Sana grinned and slapped her father's hands and both finished their handshake by poking the other's nose. It was a handshake they made up since she was 5 and since then neither have stopped using it.

"Allah-hafiz. Good night Betta. (My dear) he wished as he gave her a quick kiss on her head.

"Allah-hafiz Aba."

He closed the door behind him, leaving Sana feeling guilty.  Here was her father caring and concerned for her welfare and she still chose to hide everything from him.

But she had to. She knew it would shatter him with guilt for sending her over there and nearly putting her life in danger.

That's why she chose not to burden him anymore. He always did so much work and would always come home to spend time with the family.

She noticed something within her. The feeling of suspension had not left her. Although her gut calmed when she told her parents she was going to work, she couldn't shake the feeling of  anticipation building up within her.

She also felt a tingle of excitement
like she was about to encounter something life changing?

What is this feeling?