Him & His Muslimah

30

Zoya

"What do you mean!"

Her screams reverberated within the four walls of her compact room. Her eyes bulged out of their sockets as she was informed about the news their HASU manager delivered.

"You're telling me, the poor civilization will be swept away with just a signature on a sheet of paper?" She rasped, her heart trashing within her chest. The manager sighed and replied, confirming the news.

"If they're removing an entire neighborhood, then they've got to provide some sort of shelter in relief care zones?" Zoya shrieked, hoping it would start to make any analogical sense.

"No Zoya, it's a batch of refugees." The manager explained as if it was the most logical reasoning to her query. "So what if it's the refugees?" Zoya argued. "This is unacceptable!" She yelled which caused the manager to frustratedly shut the phone call. Those refugees had fled their countries in attempts to save themselves, they'd left their lives behind. They had left the only place they belonged- that they could call home and yet very few empathised.

Zoya gasped, jerking out of her bed and throwing on the nearest hijab she found from her wardrobe. She stomped out and trudged to put on her sneakers. "Zoe, where're you going?" Bilal called out but Zoya's head was muddled with ferocity. Zoya yanked the door open and proceeded towards her scooter.

She started up her scooter and finally heard Bilal's aggravated cries which followed her out. "Zoya! Have your ears finally given up on you?" He shouted and she turned to face him. She rolled her eyes annoyance ringing her features.

"What's wrong?" Bilal noticed the distasteful sight of his sister.

She pulled on her helmet. "I have to go to Shahamill police station." she acrimoniously spat. Bilal eyed her before placing his hand onto the scooter, so she wouldn't be able to leave.

"That area where you began your health project?" He asked.

"Yes. I may have to go and have a word with the organizer of this stupid thing. Or maybe throw him out of his little hole and feed him to the famished dogs in the area!" She yelled on top of her lungs. Bilal started utterly confused at her sudden outburst.

"What's wrong?" Zoya heaved a sigh and nibbled onto her lower lip, an action she committed when she was stressed. "The manager called and told us we're supposed to close down the HASU project for now. I asked for a reason because we all worked hard and promised the kids a better life. But the manger says, there's a team of architects wanting to demolish the entire town to build something," Zoya explained, fuming at her own words.

Bilal's frown deepened. "Have you spoken to your professor who assigned you with this in the first place?" Zoya nodded throwing her head down in defeat.

"I have but the professors say they're unable to get involved in such matters. Professor James merely sighed and chanted, 'looks like we'll have to find you another project fellas' and went about to sip his tea," Zoya grumbled.

Zoya suddenly felt Bilal climbing into the little space behind her on her scooter. She looked aback to eye him. "You're not going on your own." And with that Zoya drove away.

:)-(:

"I'm sorry, we are unable to help you with this. The government owns this land and they are free to let any project be a part of it." The policeman with a pencil-thin mustache stated, showing the papers of government orders. Zoya glared poisonously.

"The land has been bought by Dreams cooperation and they've handed this project to an architectural company for the construction of a museum," the other inspector with sunglasses stated factually.