Never Got to Apologize

Chapter 4

Soon the smile was replaced by a panicked expression as the sound of guns were heard outside the hallway. He covered his ears, and his heart started beating erratically.

He looked at Ahmed whose face was paled and staring with a horrified expression.

"Ahmed," Arman called for him, and he watched him swallow down the gulp in his throat. The students around them were screaming, crying, and praying. Their instructor yelled at them to lay down.

Arman looked at the door which was near him, and all he wanted to do was run away. Maybe it's just a drill, he told himself, but then again why are guns being fired?

He waited for anyone to come tell him, it's just a drill kids, but no one did.

Soon the auditorium door was pushed open violently, and then bullets were fired. By the corning of his eyes, Arman saw militants wearing vest with guns.

He took Ahmed's hand, and whispered, "Run."

Arman pulled him with himself and ducked down when a bullet was fired near him. He ran with all his strength, and pushed open the emergency door.

Arman's thoughts were about getting him and Ahmed out of there so they could get some help. He wasn't going to leave his Zarmeenay and Bahrawar in there to die. His heart ached when he thought of little Zarmeenay screaming and crying for help.

All he wanted to do was run up to her, and hug her, let her know she was safe. He wanted to tell her that nothing, and no one was going to hurt her.

"Arman!" Ahmed screamed as he tripped over a rock which he didn't see. He fell on to the ground which made a thud sound. He winced in pain as his knees touch the ground. Aman turned around, and told him to get up.

"You run," he said, "I will be right behind you, I promise. Get Bakar out, please."

Arman looked at him as he started to get up, and nodded in agreement. He took off running again, and as he entered the street he heard the gunfire.

His head turned back, and he took a step back to see his best friend. His breath hitched in his throat, when his eyes saw Ahmed lying on the ground, motionless. He wasn't moving or nor breathing. Arman forgot how to breathe, and he gasped for air. He choked, and a strangled cry left his lips. "Ahmed!" Thick tears quickly made their way on his cheeks, and his body shook in small sob. He looked at his best friend one last time, before running to get some help.

He had never run so fast in his life. Arman was crying, and asking God to help him.

All of the memories that he'd had with Ahmed when they were kids replayed themselves in his mind. He cried out loud when the image of Ahmed came into his mind, when they used to sit together in cafeteria.

As he made his way to the front side of school, he saw army dressed in militant clothes.

There were people surrounding the whole school building. Pushing people from his way, he stood in front of his school now.

"My sister and brother are in there," he told one of the officer who was trying to push him back into the crowd.

"Son, we are trying our best to get them out. Just for wait any news," the officer patted his shoulder.

Arman shook his head, when he thought of Zarmeenay crying for her brothers to come save her. What if she wasn't okay? What if she was hurt? Did Bahrawar get there before him, and save their sister?

Deep down in his heart, he wasn't even sure if Bahrawar was okay and alive. He looked up at his school building, and his eyes were on his Art class where he was just painting some hours ago peacefully without a worry in the world.

How can things change so quickly in just minutes? One moment you have your best friend beside you, but the next you don't.

Arman quietly cried, so no one could hear his sobs, but everyone around him was crying. He looked around and found some survivors hugging their parents. He looked around for his own parents, though he found Ahmed's parents instead.

His heart squeezed, when Ahmed's father screamed for Ahmed, "My baccha!" My child.

Arman slowly made his way to them, he opened his mouth to say something, but only hiccups left. It was too suffocating for him to speak anything. Ahmed's father hugged him with all of his might, and kissed his forehead.

"ShukrAllah," he thanked God, "where are Ahmed and Bakar, beta?"

Arman's heart clenched, and he shook his head, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, chacha."

He heard Ahmed's father take a sharp breath, and slowly let go of Arman from his arms. He fell on the ground on his knees with a thud.

Arman couldn't bear to see the pained expression on his best friend's father, so he looked away. He blinked away tears as he closed his eyes. It was his fault Ahmed was gone. He shouldn't have left him behind, he knew the people with guns were behind them. He thought Ahmed was going to get up and follow him behind, but he hadn't known he was going to get shot.

Ahmed's parents were crying with all of the other parents. Right now he wanted to be in his parent's arms, so they could tell him that his siblings were going to be alright.