Her Soulmate Chapter 9

 

"Life is not about how many breathes you take but the moments that take your breath away"

Mid-December 

It was the time of 6.30 am. Clouds and fog had covered the entire city. Nothing was clear nor has the sun shown its mercy. Everyone is in their houses or beds enjoying the warmth of their houses. 

At that moment, Shaheenabad was full of police officers. A new murder case had come and this was making A. S. P Hassan was furious and tensed. The condition of the dead body was atrocious. Different scars could be seen on the arms and faces of the girl. Torture on her dead body was telling the tale of her heart-wrenching pain and then death. 

Hassan's eyes were red due to the anger.

"Sohail! " 

"Yes Sir! " he came near him. 

"Sent the body for postpartum and asked them to thoroughly examine the girl. It seems that she has also been raped"

"Ok sir"

Sohail left immediately. 

Another police officer came toward him with a poor woman. That woman saw the body and started wailing. She was the mother of that poor child. 

"Asiya! " She was calling her daughter's name while wailing. People gathered around to see this scene, the only thing in which they were good. Hassan's heart was filled with hate and pain with every cry and wail of the woman. 

"My child! My daughter! " That words were echoing in that dark morning. 

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Sleep remained away from Salma's eyes as she kept on weeping and wailing. Different flashes of her past kept on coming in the night which made her more miserable. She was unable to understand why life was playing tricks on her. Why was life bitter on her? What she had done to deserve such treatment of fate? Why was her life deprived of happiness? With these questions, some faces and scenes came in front of her eyes. 

Mid-January 

It was a house in a village where seventeen years old Salma got married. On the foggy morning of Mid January, she became the bride of nineteen years Sohail. Seventeen years of her, sitting on the bed, filling her eyes with beautiful dreams, in her mind she was in a beautiful land with Sohail; that beautiful bride was full of hopes and dreams. 

Sohail entered the room and she quickly lowered her gaze, a smile started playing on her lips. Sohail came near the bed but didn't sit near her or said something sweet to her. Rather, he asked her in order and stern tone to change her clothes. 

"Go and change them. They are disgusting"

This tone and attitude broke her dreams and hopes. She stared at him in disbelief, but seeing his stern and intimidating form, she shivered and stood from her place to change her clothes. Though, The house was an antiquated one it was suitable and contained all accessories for its residents. She changed into a blue dress and entered the room. Confusion and fear etched on her face at seeing him. She stood in the center while he was lying on his side of the bed. Her soul mate didn't give importance to her. She, reluctantly, lay on her side of the bed. After some moments, she felt darkness had engulfed the room. With it, she also felt Sohail's presence near her body, and then his calloused palms on her soft skin. And with it, her weird wedding night came to an end. 

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The next day, her eyes opened due to voices in the room. She saw that Sohail was packing his stuff, and was getting ready to leave. Confusion came into her eyes. 

"Where are you going? " That was her first conversation with her soulmate.

"I'm going to become a police officer. So, I'm going to the city for my papers. Already many days of studies have been wasted in this marriage. "

Arrogance and displeasure were evident in his tone. 

"When will you come back? " she asked the question out of her innocence. 

But, in return, she received a glare from Sohail.

"None of your business! Stay with my mother and helped her with chores. And stop questioning! " his harsh words make her silent.

And after that, Sohail left. 

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There was a mother and brother in Sohail's house. And she was an unwanted addition to the family. Sohail, after leaving the house, never called Salma. Whenever his call came, only his mother received it. Salma just remained busy with her work and months passed like that. 

End of March

That was the end of March when Sohail had to come home. Salma quickly finished the dishes and entered her room to change clothes. She chose a pink dress and wore pink lipstick. She was gazing at her in the mirror when voices started coming from outside. A smile etched on her face because that commotion had told her Sohail is back. 

Mid-December

Salma's eyes opened with the voice of Adhan. She slept while weeping and thinking of her past. When her senses woke up, her eyes fell upon Ayesha, and with it again every memory came into her mind. 

"Why Allah? Why? "

These were her thoughts while doing ablution for prayer. 

"Allah o Akbar" 

She stood for her prayer and started it. 

"Why Allah? Why?"

Again these questions were asked in her dual. She didn't do any duaa, just kept on asking this question while staring into space with vacant eyes. 

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Daneen's eyes opened with the voice of Adhan. She entered the room and found Faris, getting ready for sleep. 

"Where were you? " she asked with gritted teeth

"None of your business" he replied coldly. 

Anger rushed in her veins at this answer but she avoided saying something. She entered the washroom and did her ablution. 

She spread the prayer mat in front of Faris and started her prayer. She knew Faris was awake, so she did this act to give him a silent message. 

"Speech is silver but Silence is gold"

                    ..................... 

In the street of Shaheenabad, Salma, and Ayesha were walking. Many children, clad in uniform and walking into the groups with smiling faces, were going to school. In all that children, Ayesha was walking with a ducked head and fear was on her face. And unlike other children, she was not wearing a uniform. 

When they were passing the school building, one of the teachers stopped them. 

"Ayesha! Where are you going? " Teacher was surprised because it was very rare that Ayesha did any off. She was a bright student in the class. 

Salma stopped and turned toward her. 

"Ayesha is leaving studies, miss. She is going with me to my work, " Salma said calmly. 

"But why? What happened? " Shock was evident on the teacher's face. 

"We have some personal issues that's why" This was the most difficult conversation she ever had. 

"But.........."

"Miss we are going somewhere so please pardon us" Salma concluded the conversation and quickly moved away from the teacher. 

She was now walking with Ayesha's hand in hers. And her heart was aching due to her decision. 

"Due to a monster, my child is suffering. She is the victim of rape and she has to sacrifice her dreams, and her childhood; just because of that person. Why Allah? Why us? Why? "

These words were continuously echoing in her mind. 

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After prayer, Daneen laid down on the bed for some rest. Faris was on the other side and she was totally on the other side. After taking some rest, she left the room and went into the kitchen. Here she found some bread and eggs so she started making breakfast. She was in the middle of the process when the aftershave and manly scent reached her nostrils, and she glanced in that direction, to find him coming toward the kitchen. She ignored him and continued doing her work. 

Faris also ignored her and took a glass from the shelf and poured water into it. 

"How much time breakfast will take?" he asked, disturbed by the deep silence from Daneen. This deafening silence was torturing his nerves. 

"You want breakfast from the hands of an impure girl? " she asked, sarcastically. 

"If I can make such an impure girl my wife, then I can take breakfast from her." he also taunted her and left the kitchen. Daneen's blood boiled with anger. 

        .............................

Faris switched on the television and started doing channel surfing

"Currently, we are standing in Shaheenabad. Here a murder and rape of a girl has been committed. A.S.P Hassan is the investigator officer of this case. We are going to have a conversation with him. 

Assalam o Alaikum A.S.P! Please give us a briefing on this case. "

Now A. S. P Hassan could be seen on this screen. 

"I will not give any comment on this. But I assure you that The Rapist will be captured soon. And he will get a strict punishment "

A bitter smile came on Faris' lips at his words. 

"Strict punishment! My foot! " he thought.              ............................