"Papa, where are we?"
Noor asked her father through the car window.
"Get down, Noor. I will tell you".
Noor got out of the car and stood in front of her father. Her father kneeled before her. Noor could see his eyes filled with tears. She smelled trouble. Her heartbeat rose to elevated rates.
"Noor, I have got to tell you something. Please don't be sad".
Her father broke down suddenly.
"Papa, please don't cry. What happened to you?"
Noor hugged him tightly. She could still hear her father weeping. Uncle Majeed approached them. He patted Noor's father.
"Fahad has gone to God. Don't worry. He will be happy there".
The world around Noor came to a standstill upon hearing her papa's word.
Noor felt her heart being lynched by someone. She felt numb. She couldn't digest the news that broke out in front of her. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her face and ears turned red. She stood up and looked at Majeed uncle.
"Sorry, dear. I couldn't tell you this".
Tears rolled down his cheeks.
Noor stood there frozen, not knowing what to do next. She looked at her father pathetically. She leaned towards her father's body. She felt weak as if she is paralyzed. As if her soul has left her body.
Father held Noor's hand and walked her to the next compound. She held her head down. She couldn't face the world anymore. Noor saw many feet in front of her. She walked past those feet to where all the footwear's were kept. She climbed the stairs and entered the room. "Noor".
She heard her name in the exclamation of everyone in that room. She saw a foot approaching her. It came close and hugged her. Mamma. Noor hugged her.
Mamma. But she knew that this hug today won't take away her pain, ever. She cried all her heart out, hugging her mamma. After a few minutes, mamma loosen herself and walked Noor to another room. The legs of a cot got her attention. She raised her head slowly to find a white cloth. She raised her head further to witness Fahad, who is wrapped in the white cloth. She couldn't look at him twice. Noor shut her eyes and clung on to her mamma's body. Tears loosen out from her eyes uncontrollably. She couldn't help but wail loudly in front of everyone. Mamma hugged her tightly. She didn't console Noor since she didn't know how to and knew that it was futile. Mamma took Noor to another room. Everyone made way for her as she approached them. No one had a word to calm her down. Noor just lost her safe spot in the world, her brother, her best friend, and her twin. Noor collapsed to the bed in front of her. She held her head in the pillow and cried her heart out. She could only hear her cries. Every other commotion faded into the air. Only sorrow and pain surrounded her. And she felt completely alone amid all her family.
"Noor, come dear, get up". Noor heard her mamma in the background. She forced open her eyes and saw her mamma in front. The dawn has broken. Noor walked behind her mamma to the room where Fahad was laid down. Noor wanted to be near Fahad, but not in this situation. Her heart pounded while walking each step towards him. After a few steps, mamma made her sit in a chair. She saw Sara aunty on the other side. Noor couldn't control her emotion seeing Sara aunty in the distressed situation. She tried to look at the body in between them. There laid Fahad, his body chilled, his blood frozen, his heartbeat stopped and his body stiff. Noor looked at him. She suddenly closed her eyes. With teary eyes, she again looked at him. She stared at her best friend, not with his cheery face, but frozen. She stared at him until she realized that Fahad would never come back. Noor has lost Fahad. Noor raised her hands. She stood up. Moved more closely to Fahad. She touched Fahad tenderly with her hands. She touched his forehead. She felt chill passing down her body. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. Noor looked at his face. He never looked back. His eyes were closed. He never smiled. They tied his jaw to the head with a cloth. Noor touched his hair.
"I love you Fahad." Sara aunty screamed. Noor moved back and hugged her mamma. "Mamma", Noor said. Mamma kneeled to Noor. Her eyes have turned red from crying.
"Fahad will never come back. He is gone".
Mamma hugged her tightly and both of them cried uncontrollably. After some time, she came back and sat next to Fahad. She stared at him until some people came and carried him outside. She could only hear the screams of Sara aunty. Noor felt that her heart is bleeding. She couldn't breathe. Prayers rose in the atmosphere. Fahad was taken away, accompanied by prayers. Noor went to the veranda and saw Fahad being taken away. She stood there until she could not hear any more prayers. Everything fell silent. Everything came to an end.
"How will I ever be happy without my best friend?"
