Hafiza

Chapter one

"Grandma" I whispered at the figure standing among the trees. I do not know why I called the figure grandma, it was foggy and dark the only things visible was the figure and the trees next to the figure. The fog rises around me making it difficult to see, the figure moved closer. I stood my ground not moving a single muscle not out of fear on the contrary I wasn't afraid of this figure, that I had just called grandma. The figure stood about five feets away from me. The figure wore a white gown with a veil that covered it's face. I tilted my head at an angle straining to get a glimpse of its face from under the veil. "Who are you?" I asked with confusion with my head still at an angle seeking its face, bending my knees I order to get a better position to see beneath the veil. A smile appeared as it lifted its head abit, frowning at the smile I took a step forward. The figure made no effort of moving back so I took this as an invitation to move closer, I took another step towards the figure all the while making sure I didn't take my eyes off the figure. I scanned the figure from head to toe, as i Looked up at the figure a glow of light beamed at the middle of the figures chest, the glowing light danced happily around and suddenly burst into flames, ripping furiously through the chest, eating away at the figure. I jumped backwards clinching at my own chest, I fell to the ground breathing rapidly.WATER my instincts screamed at me, I searched furiouslyaround me with my hands looking for anything that will put the flames out, coming out empty handed, I turned and looked at the burning figure in front of me. The figure stood there like a statue with the same smile plastered across its face. Still on the ground I sobbed as I watched the flames dance before me. I wanted to call for help but for some reason I didn't and just then something hot started spreading at the back of my head, like hot water being poured over my head. It stung, reaching up I felt the back of my head, the minute my hand graced it bolts of pain shooted in all directions across my scalp, flinching I brought my hand upto my face to see there was trace of blood that I was expecting. Confusion played on my face as little black dots covered my hand and soon there more and more to the point that I couldn't see nothing but darkness.

My head pounded in agony with every movement, that shot fresh pain at the back of my skull. My head felt heavier then the pile of dishes I'd carry on my head to take to the lake for washing every morning. I tried opening my heavy eyelids but they wouldn't budge it was like they were glued together. I opened my mouth slightly, the air heavy as if someone had sucked out all the air, as I desperately struggled to fill my burning lungs with the hot damped air. I yelped for air yet again but the thick fabric that covered me from head to toe made it harder. I wiggled my fingers and lifted the garment up in attempt to get some fresh air to enter beneath but it was no use , my hand gave up and fell into my lap. My body swayed as the truck bounced at the uneven road. The hot damped air got heavier as i frantically tried to gulp some more of the solid air into my screaming lungs. With all my might I lifted up my head, it hurt with the slightest movement but I needed to find HIM. The thought of him I managed to open my eyes, as tiny lights danced around. I blinked and peered again as the dancing lights faded into square like shapes. The truck lipped up again as my head bounced dominating the pain, I shut my eyes as my head pounded with agony. Once again I opened my eyes as I desperately struggled to see through the bar like windowes of the heavy garment over my head. I peered at the metal floor of the truck. My eyes scanned to my left side as two pairs of boots appeadred, the boots were black laced up ones, I flinched as my chest ached of the movement. I scanned the floor of the truck again to find another pair of boots that looked identical to the ones on my left except this one seemed a little faded in colour. Near the boots there seemed like a pile of red ish hair. I peered more carefully as my heart starting racing, I scanned down to the face through the burqa. That's when I realised that the figure was non other than my altaf's . He was unconscious a feet away from me. He had bruises along his jaw line with a blood stained forehead. I felt the urge of reaching out to him. To hold him in my arms safe from all of this, but it was taking all my energy just holding my head up. My vision starting blurring as the hot tears spilled down my checks making me choke as the damped air tried to get into my lungs. I subconsciously begged him to wake up but it was no use as more tears fell and the darkness consumed him away from me, i wanted to scream, but my head gave way and fell. I stayed like this for what seemed like hours on end, the only movement being the truck jolting to the uneven ground. I felt numb even though the movement of the truck made me ache all over. Suddenly I was jerked forward as a steal like hand grabbed my shoulder and yanked me back into position, the truck came to a sudden holt. My eyes shot open and searched for altaf. Relief washed over me once my eyes landed on him, he was slumped on the metal floor of the truck in an uncomfortable position. I tried moving closer to him but I couldn't budge with the hand tightening around my shoulders, it's nails digging into my skin through the layers of fabric sending bolts of pain down my arm. I tried yanking my self free from the vice grip on my shoulder but I failed miserably as another hand landed on my other shoulder dragging me onto my unstable feets. The hands tagged at my shoulder dragging me towards the back of the truck. Panicking I stood my ground not wanting to move another step, they were taking me away from altaf, I frantically turned my head around desperately wanting a glimpse of his face but there was a wall like figure in front of me blocking me from seeing him "altaf!" I managed to yelp in dismay as the hands carried on jerking me towards back of the truck "please wake up "I whispered, my head fell, looking down I noticed the pairs of boots, two pairs on each side of me. The darker boots hoped off the back of the truck making a small cloud of dust rise off the ground in the process. A hand appeared in front of me as the hand behind my back violently pushed me towards the extended hand. Before I managed to adjust my feets , my feet got caught under the garment as I slipped and fell to the ground with a big thud. My head bounced off the ground like a soccer ball, with fresh pain jolting through my body. The dirt on the ground rose around me like a blanket hiding me underneath, with the small particles vaporising through the garment and into my mouth, making me cough dryly. Through the dust I lifted my head to the find the light pair of boots in front of me. I watched the boots through the little windows of the burqa as it moved to my right and before I could move another muscle I was yanked up into the air and onto my unstable feet, my head spinning in circles as the arms dragged me across the field which was once a green beautiful blanket of grass but now nothing more than piles of dirt.

As my vision justed i managed to get a glimps of surroundings, the whole stadium was full of men watching the game that had been interrupted with our arrival and everyone had fallen silent afraid as why these talibs were here. Noone deared to move nor did they speak in fear of the consequences.

I was dragged across as i screamed "Komack!"help in hopes that someone would come to my aids but already nothing that it was not going to happen but was worth a try as i continued yelling as much as i could with my dry throat and all the energy i had left. A hand zoomed past and slapped me across the face sending my head jolting the other way "choop bash!" Shut up! The male voice demanded with its heavy pashtoon accent. The side of my face pounded hot from the slap. We came to a stop infront of a man who was dressed in a white traditional afghan cloths. A black turban sat on his head that covered a thick black with white stripes of hair. That matched his long beard and thick eyebrows that sat upon his dark black eyes. He smiled wickedly showing all his yellow teeths, and behind appeared non other than the man who i was given to. He wore the same smile his eyes shifted from me to look behind me. "Khar kojohast" wheres the donkey referring to altaf. The man on my right let go of shoulder causing me to slump down at an angle and went back to the truck. He dragged altaf like a heavy sack of flower across the ground and dumped him infront of the man. The man spat his narzwor tabaco on altaf in disgust as he turned around to face the people who were still watching. Two Talibs with Kalashnikovs AK47 slung across their shoulders walked over to the man from behind and each took their place beside him. The talib on his right,handed him a mini microphone . The man started reciting the first chapter of the Quran, Surat Al-Fatiha, his voiced dominated over the all ready hushed stadium. He than stood up straighter with his chest coming out in pride " beloved brothers!" He called, speaking Farsi, his voice booming through the stadium "we are here today to carry out sharia, we are here today to obey as humble servants the words of Allah, the most gracious the most merciful" his voice sent chills down my spin as the hands holding me up tightened its grips,. "and what does God say? I ask you! GOD SAYS that every sinner must be punished in a manner befitting his sin. Those words are not mine these are the words of GOD my dear brothers!" He dramatically repeated. He paused and looked towards altaf still slumped on the floor than back at the crowed. He lifted his hand pointing his index finger towards me and than to altaf "WHAT manner befits the adulterers ?? How shall we punish those who dishonour the sanctity of marriage!, How shall we answer those who throw stones at GODs house, "as he moved his figure pointing at the sky, "WE shall THROW the stones back!" he shut off the microphone a low pitched murmur spread across the crowd, as I was dragged towards the goal posts where two holes were already dug up. I screamed and kicked as two arms grabbed me around the waist and picked me up to lower me into the the dug up hole, "komack help!! "I screamed and kicked, "Naaah. Naaah khodo turo bezana!"May GOD punish you ! I screamed at the man who stood in front of me even though I couldn't see well through the windows of the burqa I could still see the smile plastered across his bearded face. I was forced into the hole as two other talibs started covering the hole with mud with me still inside it. I kept moving and struggling and screaming, The man nodded towards the talib and he brought altaf and lowered I him into the hole next to me. "wake up! altaf!, " I screamed through the tears the murmur of the crowd, altaf picked up his head looking towards me, and managed a half smile before his head fell again," NO PLEASE HAVE mercy! PLEASE. I screamed, as the man in front of us picked up a stone and fully circled around to show the crowed, than like a baseball pitcher threw the stone towards altaf hitting him in the centre of his forehead forcing his head to bounce back. "NAAAAAH" I screamed through tears "PLEASE STOP, PLEASE" I begged "STOP"!!! The others joined him and picked up stones and started throwing it at altaf as I screamed and cried, soon he was nothing but a bloody mess. " nombadi asto ast!" it's your turn! The man called.