۰۴

The trio sat in the police precinct listening to the snores of Inspector Dilbar as his hand dangled with a half dipped biscuit. The chai from the biscuit dripping down on his scruffy beard.

Dina cringed as she leaned sideways, wrapping her arms around herself, her sweatshirt providing very little warmth.

Yaseen was watching two lone cockroaches race their way across the floor. All the while he cheered for the fat cockroach to win.

Meanwhile, Momin Bhai was sweating buckets since he didn't want his Gul-e-Rana to stay outside all alone in the sun.

The female inspector, Zeenat Rahman who had arrested them in the first place was sitting and eyeing each of them keenly.

There was no one apart from the four of them in the entire precinct.

"What were you three namoone doing with the dead body? How did you kill the man?" The female inspector, finally spoke. Her hawk like gaze scrutinizing each of them.

"Madam, I told you. Wo mere Abba Jaan hai. Unko me dafan karne waala tha."Momin Bhai cried out, folding his hands on his chest.

( He is my father. I was going to bury him.)

But,the woman was not satisfied with this answer.

"Phir ih dov gadhe tuhade nala ki kar rahe han? Me tenu pendu lagdi hai ki?"

(Then, what are these two donkeys doing with you? Do I look like an idiot to you?)

" I never--"Momin Bhai desperately started to explain, but Yaseen cut him off with his scream.

"Suck it! In your face 'thin cockroach'!" Yaseen jumped, putting his hands in the air. Dina who was leaning on him for support scowled seeing him rejoice the win of the 'fat cockroach'.

"Ih to sachmuch ik namuna hai" Inspector Zeenat exclaimed, as she sighed getting up from her seat. "I honestly don't think you ulle de patte killed that man. But, I can't let you guys go. I am calling the forensic specialist. If he says the man died from alcohol poisoning,like you said. Then you can leave."

(He is really a wannabe)

"Madam, ye sab me kitna time lage ga?" Momin Bhai , questioned straightening his suit jacket getting ready to leave.

(How much time will it take for all this to get over with?)

"Tum na bhaiya apna man bana lo. Tumhara thikana to kal subah tak ye thana hi hai. The forensic specialist comes from outside the city. It will take a lot of time." The inspector said, slapping Momin Bhai on the shoulder. A grin lacing her lips.

(Make up your mind, you are going to be staying here till tomorrow morning)

A gasp left Momin Bhai's lips and Dina shot up in her seat after she made out what the inspector had just uttered.

She couldn't be in the city today.  Her Lala will definitely find her, then her marriage to Zeeshan is confirmed.

Inspector Zeenat headed towards Dilbar and slapped him awake. She then left after warning him to not sleep and keep an eye on the trio.

"Yaseen ke bacche. Maine tumhara khoon pe jaana hai! You can't do one thing properly! I am telling you if Lala finds me today, to phir maine tumhare tukde karke kutton ko khilane hai." Dina screeched infuriated as she grabbed Yaseen in a slam choke.

(I will chop you into pieces and feed them to the dogs)

"P-pagal aurat!! Mujhe bachao isme jinn ghus gaya hai!" Yaseen screamed, flailing his arms trying to reach onto someone or something. Suddenly Yaseen's hand caught onto Momin Bhai's hair who was sitting next to him ,causing him to yelp in pain.

( Mad woman!! Someone save me, jinn has possessed her)

While the trio tried to fight off each other , groans and yelps filled the earlier silent precinct.

Inspector Dilbar struggled as he shouted amidst the chaos ,trying to calm the situation. When he failed after numerous attempts ,he proceeded to grab the handcuffs from off his desk and headed towards the trio.

As he reached them, this time Yaseen's flailing arms grabbed onto Inspector Dilbar's beard, causing the poor man to moan in pain as the handcuffs dropped from his hands.

As the four of them continued screaming, starting with Dina who was now murderously close to breaking Yaseen's neck and Yaseen underestimatedly close to plucking the hairs off from Momin Bhai's head and Inspector Dilbar's beard.

Suddenly Momin Bhai stopped screaming and much to the surprise of the rest was now laughing.

Dina's hold on Yaseen loosened and so did Yaseen's hold on Momin Bhai and Inspector Dilbar, all of them eyed Momin Bhai in shock as he laughed loudly.

" Zaleel aadmi! Momin Bhai ko sadme me bhej diya." Dina whispered, putting her hand on her mouth.

( You have sent momin bhai in shock!)

Yaseen glared at Dina before apologetically looking at Momin Bhai , with a few strands of his salt and pepper hair in his hand.

" Hayee, Khabeeso! Us inspector ke haath ko to dekho." Momin Bhai finally exclaimed, his mouth stretched into a million watt grin.

( You useless people! Look at the inspector's hand)

Yaseen and Dina along with the Inspector Dilbar himself looked at his hand, to find it cuffed to a heavy water cooler.

"Oh my Gawd!" Yaseen exclaimed, his eyes widening.

" Come on let's go quickly before Inspector Zeenat returns" Momin Bhai exclaimed as he grabbed the keys to Gul e Rana from Inspector Zeenat's desk.

"You are a genius, Momin Bhai!" Dina exclaimed as she followed him out.

All this while, Inspector Dilbar stood dejected,accepting his fate. Yaseen having felt bad for him gave him a packet of chocolate biscuits that he had kept from himself and hurried out.

Momin Bhai and Dina were all ready to go as from a good hundred yards away was Inspector Zeenat who was running towards them.

Yaseen quickly plunked himself in the backseat of Gul e Rana just in time for Zeenat Rahman to reach them, but by then Momin Bhai was speeding away.

The trio sighed in contentment as adrenaline rushed through their veins.

"What a morning!" Dina huffed out.

" Mere saare baalon ko noch to nahi diya tune, Yaseen?" Momin Bhai questioned lips pursued as looked into the mirror.

(Did you pluck out all of my hair?)

" Aapke paas waise bhi bohot baal hai. If some come out it won't make a huge difference" Yaseen shrugged.

( You already have lots of hair.)

" Kya manhoo-" Momin Bhai started but Dina cut him off.

"Guys? Where is the coffin? Where is Momin Bhai's Abba Jaan?"

"Don't tell me we forgot him?"Yaseen groaned, closing his eyes in frustration.

"We did, So we have to go back, right?" Dina questioned, rubbing her forehead.

All this time, Momin Bhai was silently calm.

"We are not going back." He finally said.

"What?!" Yaseen and Dina screamed in unison.

" Khuda ne mere muqaddar me likha hi nahi hai ki me unko janaza de paun, jaise unke muaqaddar me likha hi nahi tha ki wo apne biwi aur baccho ke saath insaano waala salhooq kare "

(God has not written in my fate to give him a funeral just like it was not written in his fate to behave like a human with his wife and kids)

The van fell into a deadly silence after  Momin bhai spoke. His words hitting like asteroids on the minds of Yaseen and Dina.

Dina never saw her father, while Yaseen was blessed with an incredible father. It left them wondering what life actually was.

Bus do din ki duniya aur hum pagal insaan apna wujood bhi nahi samaj paate hai.

( Life is short and we foolish humans can't even understand our own existence )

•••

a/n

Hello guys!

How did you find the chapter?

Thoda senti ho gaya end me,lol.

Yaseen watching the cockroaches race be like

My sincerest apologies for not updating earlier. My health was really bad , infact I was showing symptoms of covid. Alhamdulillah I am fine now. But, please do remember me in your dua's.

Do leave your precious feedback!

Cya bye!

~ flawfully