Snarled Heart (A painful journey)

SH*8

If I can't forget you, then how will I live without you!

Khalid_

Khalid drove through the muddy alley with so many stones and mudded holes that splashed mud on their car as soon as the car trampled on it. Amirah watched as Khalid drove deeper into the muddy path. She's sure he has to wash his car after that trip.

He came to a halt in front of a house made of mud bricks and left unplastered. There were other small huts scattered close to the big mud house.

"How did you know this people?" Amirah couldn't help but to ask  as they came out of the car and heeded towards the house.

"There was a case I handled last month. An old man who served as a guard in a factory in the town was murdered, and they suspected the owner of the factory to be a ritualistic as the old guards body was found mutilated without eyes and some other parts." Khalid paused as they neared the entrance and peeked towards her. "This is the family of the old man. I came to see how they're doing."

Amirah sighed and shook her head compassionately.  "So sad. May his soul rest in peace."

"Ameen!" Khalid answered, then clamoured Salam at the entrance of the house.

An old woman with hijab peeped through, when she saw Khalid, she smiled openly and ushered them in.

"Ah, ah, officer welcome, sannunku da zuwa."

She spread mat for them close to the wall of a room. Khalid motioned Amirah to sit down while he took a squatting stool and sat on top.

"Is this your wife officer?" The woman asked as she dropped a jug of cold water for them, and before Khalid could answer, Amirah chirped in quickly.

"No I'm just a friend of his."

"Ayyah." The woman sat down on a wooden stool she dragged close by. "Officer how's work? Thank you so much for checking on us."

Khalid smiled and nodded. "Alhamdulillah, and how are you doing all? What of bala?"

"He just went out. I guess he should be close by." The woman answered, fiddling with her fingers as she looked from Khalid to Amirah.

"Kusha ruwa mana," she looked towards Amirah, and Amirah smiled before filling a cup with water and gulping a little. Khalid did the same too.

They were silent for a while as Khalid kept sipping on the water as if they're forcing him to do that, and Amirah stared at the cup of water in her front.

"Officer thank you so much for bringing justice to the old man's death. May Allah reward you abundantly, and may his soul rest in peace." The woman's countenance altered, revealing a more aggravated mood that destroyed the glint on her face.

"May his soul rest in peace." Amirah said sombrely, affected by the change of air in her surrounding.

Not a moment pass when a young man of khalid's age trudged into the house. Seeing Khalid, he quickly scooted to him and threw his hands open with a smile, and Khalid gladly held his hand.

"Officer kunenan, I didn't see when you guys came and I've been outside for a while." The man grinned toothily, and Khalid smiled too.

"We just arrived. How are you bala?" Khalid held a smile towards bala, and bala opened up all his teeth as he towered over Khalid.

"Just great alhamdulillah. To yazamuyi, na Allah banamu ba.." bala shook his head ruefully.

They chatted for a little while when Khalid rose and stretched, sensing that Amirah is not comfortable with staying longer. He went back to the car with bala and brought a bag of rice, carton of spag and so many foodstuffs for the family, with wrappers for the old woman and one of her daughter that isn't married among her four daughters.

"Ah ah, dawainiya haka," the old woman opened wide her eyes as bala and Khalid took the provision into the house. "Lah, may Allah bless you with Jannatul firdaus. Barakallah fih." She kept thanking and showering blessing upon Khalid with teary eyes, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose in her wrapper.

Amirah was amazed. She felt a special reverence towards Khalid. She love someone who do help the poor, just like she her self. She felt so happy as if she's the one that gave the provision to the poor people. If at all he'd told her his plan she could have brought more for them.

After they've said enough thanks and praises that could fill the surrounding, khalid and Amirah entered into the car and drove away, leaving the grinning bala and the crying old woman.

"You did well." Amirah could not help but to comment on what Khalid did as they drove out of the village.

"Thank you." Khalid sneaked a peek at her and turned to his front.

"So how did the case ended?" She felt the inquisitiveness to know, and Khalid cleared his throat and promulgated;

"It went successfully. After dealing with the factory owner intelligently,  we found out that he sent two people to kill the man and bring his parts for his stupid rituals, so now, the three of them are both in prison serving life imprisonment."

Amirah shook her head pitiably. "This world is turning into something else. All becuase of money human life means nothing as far as it will be useful to them." She sighed.

"This is just little of what we're witnessing. There's no day we will not handle murder case." Khalid said.

As they drove by, the once clear weather suddenly turned sombre dark and windy, swirling around them tumultuously.

"Oh Allah! Rain should not come now, let's get home first."

"That's it." Khalid concentrated on the road as strong gale whirling with sand particles blocked their way out of the village alley, barely giving them a good view of their front. From the village alley to the main road is like thirty minutes drive.

Before they could go further, rain broke down heavily making it difficult for them to move. Khalid meticulously drove to an aluminium kiosk close by and they took shelter in the booth as the kiosk owner set a bench for them which they sat on.

The rain became more heavy, falling heavily on the alluminiun booth that Amirah became terrified it might shatter the kiosk into pieces. As a loud thunder bolt broke, Amirah cringed, cowering beside Khalid who took pity on her frighten state.

"Are you scared of thunder?" He asked when she regained her composure and gave a vast distance between them.

Amirah nodded, unable to utter anything. She was so frightened as the rain heightened in strength. When will they get out of that village?!

By the time the rain had stopped, it was past four PM already, so they set off. They needed to get to town fast and say their asr prayers.

Khalid drove carefully, stepping inside mud and puddle that had formed on the way due to the heavy rain. Not knowing that a particular puddle was a deep hole, he stepped inside and their car stuck in, unable to move forward. All efforts and knacks proved abortive, as they couldn't get the car out of the puddle, and there was no one insight to help them.

Amirah was scared because it was getting dark, and there was no sign of human or vehicle to help them. Khalid had tried several times to get out of the mud but couldn't succeed. When he saw that night was falling, he decided to call a truck to come to their aid. Appa had called Amirah until she got tired and put her phone on flight mode. Appas was angry as she could discern from the sound of his voice. The truck wasted time due to rain before it could get to them.

It was past twelve midnight before Amirah was able to get back home.

"Where are you coming from your line wasn't reaching?" Was Kabir's welcome question to her. "Appa's mad at what you did. You didn't tell him that you're staying long and later put your phone off."

She didn't answer any of kabir's question instead, she sneaked to her room quietly.