Defining a Terrorist #Wattys2016 (Editing)

Chapter 2

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.

Allen Saunders

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Sitting beside a terrorist and being enlightened that my life might end soon is not something that I had expected when I woke up today. Even breathing the same air as his makes me feel sick.

You want to know how it all started? How I ended up at the same place where a shooting just took place? Where innocent people actually were killed? Well, I'll enlighten you to verify that this is real. To verify that the least unexpected can occur.

As usual I went to the University. It turned out that our last class was dismissed which made me, Anita, Linda, Hanna, Diana and Shona end up in the city. We were chitchatting at a coffee shop after some shopping while sipping over some hot drinks.

After a while a lady with a beautiful headscarf walked in. There was a teenage boy who was enjoying himself with a bunch of friends. They were two tables away from us. When the woman with the headscarf walked out with a cup of coffee the boy threw a comment which made the rest of his group laugh.

"Hallelujah, we are still alive." Clearly indicating that she could have been a threat. Even though it was a joke, I hope she didn't hear.

That is when our discussions took a new turn.

"Why are Muslims getting so much attention these days?" Shona asked frowning.

"Maybe, just maybe because when a human being, which happens to be a Muslim, makes a sin the whole media is splashing the news pointing out the fact that a Muslim did the crime." Diana shrugged with annoyance.

"Well, they think that Islam teaches violence. When people have prejudice about something it is hard to change their minds. And with the media giving fuel to the idea that all Muslims are criminals it doesn't get any better." Anita added with a sigh.

"To be honest, the people hating on Islam is the people who doesn't have the lovely friends I have." Linda smirked and melted my heart. Linda is a Buddhist but the way she supports all religions is overwhelming.

"The problem is the few idiots that doesn't think before committing crimes. They are ruining the image of 1.6 billion human beings." I was really annoyed with the latest news circulating around, especially about the extremist groups popping up now and then around the world.

"But wait, why should 1.6 billion people be held responsible for a crime committed by another human being? It is not like I go around and hold every single man guilty of a rape crime a fellow man committed?" Linda stated.

I shrugged. "It is different when it comes to Muslims." Diana pointed out taking a sip from her chai.

"Anyway, why are we even discussing this? Hopefully we will never encounter a terrorist." I told them with a shrug. The irony.

"Hallelujah for Sweden! Blessed we are indeed." Anita chuckled with delight.

When the evening came we departed from there, the girls would take the subway while I would take the train. I checked the SL app to notice that my train was delayed and I did the stupid mistake of turning back to the city. I wanted to check out a cardigan for my brother.

The weather was chilly today. While passing through the Sergel Square a hard wind took hold of my hair and literally threw it on my face. I accidentally collided with something hard and my bags dropped from my hands. Looking up startled I met two piercing cold blue eyes behind a heart-stopping mask, heart-stopping as in deadly terrifying.

I am not used to bumping into people with masks on and I guess you're not either. I looked around and quickly registered three other masked men, instinctively I took a few steps back and that's when I noticed the gun in his hand pointed at me. You might ask how I didn't notice them earlier? Well, it had turned dark and I am not that observant when walking around alone.