Dangerous Territory [Completed]

5. Iron Pipe Charpoy

I regained consciousness, and stayed still with my eyes closed. The pain was slowly ebbing back into my senses. Voices streamed in, voices that seemed to be coming from very near. A buzz too loud. As if there was an entire group crowded somewhere, even though I remembered there were just two. It reminded me of the exciting nights of The Wedding Week, when we stayed up and practiced our dances, went for shopping, wandered the streets of Karachi, crashed in dhabas for a cup of tea and enjoyed horror films that were more funny than terrifying to be honest. Sarim's wedding was the only function of the family, all us cousins had got to live. Since then, all of them have been counting on me even though I'm still a long way to go. Two of them are older than me, but they've taken an anti-marriage road because of their parents' marital lives. Although it had been only a year, it felt like a decade old story.

"Yes, Ma?"

His voice came clearer than I'd thought, making me realise he was sitting somewhere really close. For a fleeting moment I wondered if his mother was here and involved in this felony. But when he spoke again after a pause, I knew he was talking over the phone. 

Trying not to let my eyelids flicker, I stayed as still and relaxed as I could bring myself to, hoping he wouldn't notice I was awake, for I could sense his gaze on me.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I know I should've informed you before leaving like that, but trust me I'm fine. I'm not hurt. I'll be okay, and I'll be back in a few days."

He listened to the other side, and then said. "I don't know. I don't know how long it'll take. I can't tell, I'm sorry, Ma . . . No, I'm not doing anything wrong. Why would I do anything wrong?"

Freaking humbug. Lying to his own mother! 

"Come on, you've got to trust me. I'm getting us back something that was ours to own, okay? So do not worry . . . Yeah, I've got to hang up, Ma. I have a guest here, and I think she's awake."

Oh, fuck.

"You should eat." He stated.

I didn't open my eyes. "Did he call?"

"You're burning. Shareef got you Panadol. Eat something and then-"

"Did he call?" My heart welled up. I already knew the answer. 

"No." The reply came. 

A lump formed in my throat, forcing me to choke a sob. Turning my back at him, I turned sides and took my hand to cover my mouth. I gasped a sob, and tears streamed down my eyes. 

"You should eat-"

It fueled me up. With a start I jerked up and snapped around to face him as I yelled. "I DONT WANT TO FUCKING EAT!! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?" I didn't know I had this much energy left in me, though I knew I looked wild and hysteric. "You fucking kidnap me and my father does not give a shit becuase he cares about saving his wealth more than he does about me! And you think food will make things better?!"

"No, it won't." He spoke calmly as if I hadn't just shouted at him, not moving a muscle. "I am asking you to eat because I don't want you to die. I'm not up to deal with the mess."

I stared at him wide eyed and incredulous. I felt the urge to claw his face with my nails, because I had hated no one as much as I hated him at that moment. Breathily heavily, I tried to calm my nerves, but the more I thought about the whole situation, the more it broke me. Giving up, I averted my gaze and scooted back on the charpoy, pulling my knees up to my chest. 

"Shareef got biryani. It's still warm. There's water and the tablet." Gesturing towards the tall stool beside the bed, he got up from the blue plastic chair. "I'm going out. Make yourself comfortable while you eat."