Eternity

Chapter 2

As-salamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa barakatuhu

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On the day of the wedding.

"Bhai!" Yusra's voice broke the silence as she entered the room.

"Mom is looking for you," she added, glancing at Zayan, her elder brother, who was busy preparing Murad's room for his wedding.

The news of Murad's decision to marry came as a surprise to Zayan, considering he had not met the woman who had captured Murad's heart. Having been away for work, he returned promptly upon hearing the announcement, initially skeptical but soon realizing it was genuine.

Zayan learned much about her through Murad's daily anecdotes—her name, Ayzal, became familiar through his passionate descriptions. Witnessing the admiration and affection in his eyes whenever he spoke of her, it became clear that she had filled a void in his life—a presence he had long sought.

Had it not been for Murad's enthusiastic recounting, Zayan might never have come to know her so intimately. His genuine fondness for Ayzal resonated deeply, and Zayan found himself genuinely happy for him.

Zayan paused, admiring the bed scattered with rose petals and the balloons drifting elegantly towards the ceiling. "Just a moment, Yusra," he replied absentmindedly. "Let me complete the arrangements first"

Yusra grabbed Zayan's sleeve, her impatience evident. "Mom has been waiting for you for the last twenty minutes. Hurry up, Bhai!"

Reluctantly leaving the preparations unfinished, Zayan followed Yusra downstairs. Inside the room, their mother beckoned them in, seated on the bed with jewelry boxes laid out before her.

"Zayan, Yusra, come here, my children," she greeted warmly.

"Yes, Mom, you called?" Zayan asked, concern creeping into his voice.

"I wanted to show you both the jewellery your father and I bought for your sister-in-law," their mother explained. "And Zayan, could you please call Murad? I have been trying to reach him, but he is not answering." Zayan frowned slightly.

"Where is he, Mom?" he asked.

"He had urgent work at the office," she sighed. "I have been waiting for him to return home."

"I will go fetch him in a while," Zayan assured her. "Don't worry, Mom."

"Thank you, son," she replied gratefully. "And Yusra, why are you standing there? Come in and take a look at this beautiful piece of jewellery."

As they discussed, a sudden noise from downstairs caught their attention. They rushed out to find Murad entering the house, clearly disobeying their instructions not to use his room for the day.

"We told him not to use his room today," their mother said with disappointment in her voice.

"It is okay, Mom, we can complete the preparations later," Zayan said.

Two hours later, the atmosphere had changed drastically. Zayan stood outside Murad's room, knocking urgently on the door. "Murad, open the door. Why are you taking so long to get ready? We haven't finished the arrangements yet. Come out"

There was no response, only an unsettling silence. Zayan's concern grew as he knocked louder, but still, there was no answer.

"Did he come out yet?" their mother asked anxiously, joining Zayan at the door. "Why is he taking so long?"

Worried, she decided to call their father. "Let me call Uzair," she said, walking away.

With each passing moment, Zayan's worry escalated. He eventually resorted to forcefully opening the door, only to be met with a horrifying sight, Murad hanging lifelessly from a noose tied to the ceiling fan. The scene was a shock to everyone present. Zayan felt dizzy, his head spinning. He quickly shut the door and leaned against it, trying to process what he had just witnessed.

"Zayan, Uzair is at his office right now, he will come late in the night. Did you speak to Murad?" His mother who clearly heard the sound of the door closing, asked urgently, her voice trembling. "What did he say?" Zayan stood in stunned silence, unable to respond. His throat felt dry, his mind racing with disbelief.

"Zayan, why aren't you saying anything? What was Murad doing?" her voice quivered with urgency.

Silence hung heavy in the air as Zayan struggled to find the words. Unable to respond, she gently pushed past him and swung open the door.

A heart-wrenching scream pierced the silence. Zayan turned to see her crumple to the floor in shock, tears streaming down her face. He rushed to her side, wrapping her in a tight embrace as she sobbed uncontrollably on my shoulder. Eventually, she regained her composure enough to confront him, her grief turning to anger.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Were you planning on keeping this a secret?" Her voice trembled with a mix of anguish and accusation as she shook him.

Zayan held her close, letting her vent her emotions until she gradually calmed down. Gently, he hugged her again, offering what little comfort he could in the face of such profound loss.

He glanced back at Murad's lifeless form, tears now streaming down his own cheeks.

Something caught his eye on the side table—a neatly written note, detailing the reasons behind Murad's actions—a tragic farewell that shattered the family's world.