A Dark And Stormy Night...

“Finally the exams are over!” I shouted falling on the sofa. 

“Let’s watch a movie,” my brother said sitting next to me, I nodded switching the TV on. There is no good movie, come on this can’t be happening I cried internally.

“What’s up with the weather?” my brother said all of a sudden and with that, the balcony door slammed shut, I looked outside. It was indeed getting very dark and windy.

“Looks like it’s going to rain!” I said getting back to shuffling between channels. 

“Let’s go out for dinner since your exams are over!” my over-enthusiastic dad said.

“Alright!” I nodded and dragged myself out of my warm comforter and headed to change.

It’s been almost 2 hours and we have been sitting in the dining area, still deciding where to go. 

“Ok so let’s go to Delta Mall there is a music show we could watch that and have some food there!” mybrother said, we all agreed. 

45 minutes later...

“Aarohee go take your sister to the washroom!” my mom woke me up from my mini nap. To be honest it was not even that good but apparently everyone except me was enjoying. 

“Come Aku” I said extending my hand for her to hold.

We asked the worker where the washroom was and I led her. The music was blasting and I could even hear it in the washroom. 

Suddenly a loud shot caught my attention, what was that?

The next second, I hear screaming and several footsteps running. I rushed out to see what had happened and another shot caught my attention, as I opened the door a splash of liquid hit my face causing my eyes to shut.

I slowly wiped my face with my hand and I froze seeing the sight. It was blood! 

And before I could comprehend anything else another shot followed and I see a person in black running towards my direction, I started running haphazardly. 

I couldn’t make my mind where to go but I had to run, run for my life. I went and locked myself in the washroom and I saw Aku coming out.

“What happened didi?” she asked innocently and I couldn’t even speak, all I could do was hug her. How am I supposed to tell my five-year-old sister that the place we are in is under attack? 

And all of sudden it struck me, my parents, my brother all of them were inside. And all the negative thoughts flushed my mind, what if they were injured? What if they are trapped inside? 

I pushed the negative thoughts aside and took deep breaths and tried to reassure myself they are fine, and we’ll be fine too! 

My sister broke the hug and made a confused face. 

“Why are you crying didi?” she asked, and that’s when I realized I was crying. I quickly wiped my tears and went to wash my face. 

As soon I turned the tap on I heard another gunshot followed by a scream. I was terrified, “What is happening?”, “How will we get of this?” I asked myself, I was going numb and my feet and palms getting cold, my heart was beating fast and my brain going blank.

“Why is there so much chaos didi?” Aku asked, I turned to her and looked at her innocent face. I have to do something if not for me for her, I have to do something to get her out. 

I heard my ringtone and ran to where I dropped my phone, it flashed ‘Dad’ I quickly picked it up.

“Where are you beta?” he asked in a worried voice.

“Dad I’m in the washroom of the mall with Aku!” I answered.

“No lord!” he exclaimed back, and that was enough for me to understand they had escaped. Thank god at least they are safe!

“I’m coming!” he said in a hurried voice.

“NO!” I screamed back!

A door flung open the next second and I saw a guy dressed in black pointing a gun at Aku, I threw my phone and hugged Aku to protect her. A deafening loud noise pierced my ear and I shut my eyes as my grip onAku went tighter, a small glass, perhaps of my mobile screen, pierced my skin, and the next second I was being dragged out. 

I opened my eyes, as a scream escaped my mouth in pain. 

I could hear Aku cry, I looked at her and felt helpless. I was thrown on the floor and a wave of pain rushed my arm and I cried in agony. I felt a plunge of weight breaking my ribs as Aku’s weight fell on me, I raised my arm and secured her from falling. 

I looked around and saw dead bodies and bunch of fearful, confused and distressed faces around me. 

“Please help us, god!” I prayed joining my hands, and another guy threw a girl wearing a hijab who looked almost my age near me as she screamed in affliction. 

“Kill that man!” another guy shouted from the other end, pointing a finger to our direction and I turned to see the guy behind me fire a bullet, which passed right through the guy trying to escape and he fell on the floor the next second, leaving me terrified, I cried at the ruthlessness of this people.

I felt some weight on my lap and heard some sobbing I looked to see Aku crying, I quickly hugged.

“He’s not a nice person!” Aku said hugging me tighter and I couldn’t agree more with her. 

The guy walked away and another guy came to guard us. 

I cried and prayed internally for the whole night. I hope my dad has had his medicine, I hope my brother and my mother are fine. I want to go back to them. 

I looked down to Aku who had slept in my laps, I hugged her tighter.

“Please help us, god, please get us out of here!” I said lowly.

“Ameen!” the girl next to me said and I looked at her and passed a sad smile to her.

“Allah is with us!” she said in a hoarse voice looking at me and I nodded as tears rolled down my eyes. 

“Leave the hostages!” A sudden a voice caught my attention, a ray of hope perhaps. And the next second I saw some army people walk in. I felt some force trying to snatch Aku away from me, I looked up seeing a man in black pulling her out of my arms. I held her back with all my force making sure she doesn’t get hurt. 

By the time he could take her away from me another man dressed in army uniform shot the man in black aslost balance falling forward, I picked Aku and ran away to where the other people were standing I felt myself losing my balance and the girl in black hijab caught me preventing me from falling. 

“Follow me!” another man shouted leading us out of the place and I ran as fast as I could. I saw the exit and speeded even more. 

Warm moist air hit my face as I exited or perhaps entered the better world, the side of the world I would always want to see.

As I walked a little further I placed Aku down and I could spot my brother at some distance and a wave of relief washed his face as he saw us. I went pulling Akuwith me and I could also see my mom and dad standing by him. My mom quickly joined her hands looking up to the sky thanking god. I did the same. 

I quickly reached my parents, they engulfed us in a hug and felt my vision get blurred as a warm set of tears ran down my face. 

And a sudden splash of water hit my face and I opened my eyes as my hands wiped the water on my face.

“Get up Aarohee! You have an exam!” I heard my brother scream and I saw my surrounding, I was in the room. On my bed!

“Come on brush!” my brother dragged me out of the bed and it took me a while to absorb my surrounding. 

The dark and stormy night never existed, or was it yet to come?