Risen from dust

Twenty

Khalifa seethed with anger. He had been waiting outside, growing increasingly impatient as the minutes ticked by. The wretched child he was supposed to retrieve had been nowhere in sight. Attempting to enter the premises, he encountered resistance from the toilet keeper, who accused him of indecency and barred him from entering. Frustrated, Khalifa was on the verge of lashing out at the man for his insolence. Just as his fury reached its peak, he caught sight of a figure shrouded in a veil. It was Noor. Without a moment's hesitation, he forcefully pushed the toilet keeper aside and pursued her, his grip tightening on her arm. His voice trembled with anger as he screamed, "Where do you think you're going, you wretched scum?" 

"Noor" turned towards him, her voice filled with fear and trepidation. It was not the voice he expected. She pleaded, "Please, leave me alone." Ignoring her plea, Khalifa yanked off her niqab, demanding answers. "Who are you? Where is the girl who gave you this chaddar?" She swiftly covered her face once more, rebuking him with a tone of righteous indignation. "Aren't you afraid of the Almighty? How dare you unveil me! Have you no shame? What if someone treated your mother this way? I hope Allah teaches you a lesson and rescues that beautiful, innocent child from your vile clutches." Khalifa's rage reached its boiling point, and he raised his hand to strike the woman. However, a crowd began to gather, witnessing the unfolding scene. People intervened, condemning his actions and forcing him to retreat. Though seething with anger, Khalifa was forced to leave, not without spitting at the woman's feet in a final act of defiance.

Enraged and humiliated, Khalifa dispatched a search party in pursuit of Noor. Fueled by frustration, he sought solace in alcohol, numbing his senses while awaiting the moment to deliver Noor to Mr. Adil. The weight of the impending consequences loomed over him. If he failed to fulfill his end of the deal within a week, the entire agreement would crumble. Khalifa's determination to track down Noor intensified, fueled by his burning desire for revenge. Once he laid his eyes on that girl, she would regret ever slipping away from his clutches.

Noor found herself among the bustling crowd, still bothered by Zaaviyaar's presence and the unfamiliar emotions he stirred within her. She had always led a simple life, never allowing thoughts of romantic entanglements to distract her. She didn't want to start now, not when there were numerous challenges she needed to overcome, beginning with finding a job.

Determined to gather information about the commotion, Noor approached a woman in the crowd and politely asked, "Excuse me, Aunty jee, why is there such a huge crowd here?"

The woman responded dismissively, "None of your business, child. Now move along."

Undeterred, Noor attempted to ask a few more people for details but encountered resistance. Frustrated by the lack of answers, she turned around to find Zaaviyaar standing behind her once again. Irritation welled up within her as she confronted him, "What is it now? Why are you following me?"

Zaaviyaar, taken aback by her sharp tone, replied, "I have no interest in following you. Can't you see your own reflection? I'm simply offering some advice. In a selfish world, only the selfish succeed. If you truly want something, you have to fight for it. Being polite won't get you anywhere."

Noor, feeling a mixture of annoyance and curiosity, retorted, "Do you want me to create a scene here? I just want to know what's happening, and no one here seems willing to tell me."

For a brief moment, a pang of sympathy tugged at Zaaviyaar's heart. But he quickly brushed it aside, recalling past experiences where innocent girls had unwittingly wreaked havoc on people's lives. He had once given his heart to such a girl, only to have it shattered into countless pieces.

Breaking the silence, Zaaviyaar finally revealed, "It's an interview for a position at some rich man's house. All these people are here for an opportunity to work there."