Dedicated to @RandomAwkwardMuslmah a girl whom I've never been able to thank enough... thank you so much girl for ur wonderful support :) And dedicated to all those who've so anxiously waited for an update... here is it.
UNEDITED
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At some point in her search for the blue folder and key, tears had begun to make way down Zahra's cheeks. She kept desperately throwing her things this way and that in the already messed up room, hoping that the said things would magically appear underneath some misplaced cloth or overturned chair. She had to wipe her eyes with her sleeves ever so often as they became bleary with every fresh batch of salty tears. She had looked for them everywhere... even under the bed.
But she never laid eyes on them anywhere in the room, or even outside it. Zahra had been reciting the prayer for lost things under her breath ever since she began the search, but it wasn't working. Maybe she wasn't focused enough... because it always, always worked. Ya Allah! What was she gonna do now?
"I told him not to give me that kind of a job. I told him I wasn't cutout for this. But he just didn't listen," she whined, muttering agitatedly with a kind of frustration in her voice. Maybe it was time she told Mr. Hammond about this. She could imagine all those mean people snickering and laughing openly at her the moment they came to know about it. How would she face them?! Just the disturbing thought of it made her breath hitch in her throat.
So, when the poor girl couldn't hold it anymore, she tiredly sat on the edge of her bed, and wept her heart out. Why were all the bad things always written in her share of fate? She couldn't comprehend who could be this evil to her. Whom had she wronged so much in life that they just couldn't stop hurting her in every way possible?
Zahra sat there, with her head in her hands trying to not think and repent of the moment she had accepted that job, when her phone rang clear and loud. It was an Office number. She began to panic. What would she tell them? Oh! She had dreaded this moment. Nevertheless, she slowly picked up the phone and swiped it to attend the call. "Hello? Ms. Fatimah? Are you there?" A wave of relief passed through her as she heard the calm voice of her former supervisor from the other side. She couldn't handle hearing the mean words of anybody else, or she would break down once again, right into the phone. "Hello? Ms. Fatimah?" he asked again. "S...speaking, sir," the girl let out in a weak voice.
"Is everything alright? Where are you? And why exactly haven't you come back yet? It's been three hours!" The man was clearly frustrated with her. Had she been gone for that long? She hadn't noticed. But... what was she supposed to say? That she had lost all the data? Or the two most crucial things needed to proceed to the next stage weren't in her possession anymore? Answering any of both ways would probably result in her banishment.
If she would tell him now, it would certainly anger him. No, she was determined to find them on her own, In sha Allah. She just had to buy some more time. She would carry out a more thorough search of her apartment. Surely, it wouldn't have disappeared into thin air!
"I...I was not feeling well, sir. So, I...um... I decided to use the restroom," Zahra tried to come up with a plausible reason for leaving in such a hurry. "I was very much dazed when I came out. So, one of my friends sent me home in a cab." How she wished it had been this simple! "Oh!" was all the man could come up with. "I'm sorry, sir. I completely forgot about the meeting. I'd been sleeping all this while. Your call just woke me up." It scared her, the way she had lied so easily.
"It's okay. I remember you weren't feeling well earlier either," Mr. Hammond countered gently. "I should've told you not to go through with that meeting." He felt guilty for shouting at her in the beginning. "But you should take rest. We can reschedule it to some other day, okay. Take care." "I will. Thank you sir," the girl replied, and hung up.
She didn't know why, but talking to that man had somehow lifted a huge weight off her chest. Maybe, it was his relaxed tone that led her mind get lulled into a false sense of security. Because, now that the reality hit her, she was feeling just as empty and exhausted as she did before. The real problem here, wasn't just about losing those things. It was also about the motive behind the ruin that was her apartment, right now.
Had somebody come to steal them? If yes, how did that somebody know she hadn't taken them with her to the Office? Did Mr. Walworth's spies had to do something with it? But, he said he'd remove them. All kinds of questions surfaced her mind. And strangely enough, Zahra had no answer to even a single one of them.
Sighing deeply, she got up and went into the washroom to freshen herself up a bit. And to her horror, all the cabinets and drawers had been ransacked! Everything, from uncorked shampoo bottles to newly washed towels and her undergarments, was gracing the wet floor as thick steam rose up from the over-filled bathtub. No freaking way! After letting the heartbreaking sight sink into her brain, Zahra staggered back towards her room, and lied down on her bed with all the mess still surrounding her.
She didn't have the strength for it anymore. All she wanted was to forget this nightmare, go to sleep curled up in a ball, and never wake up. But this world wasn't really a wish-granting machine, was it? They didn't need much effort this time round. Tears eventually came and soaked up her long, dark lashes on their own. And the poor girl was so knocked out that she went to sleep the instant her eyes closed.
Her cellphone rang again. "What is it mom?! Just let me sleep for five minutes more, can't you?" she exclaimed, half asleep. When the phone didn't stop ringing even after that, the girl fully came to her senses. Looking at her surroundings, Zahra remembered the predicament she was in. It was that Office number again. What did he want from her now?! Wasn't she convincing enough? The idea was alarming, at the least. "Hello?" she asked in a small voice. "Can you tell me why you lied to me, Ms. Fatimah?" Mr. Hammond's frigid tone greeted her once again. Ya Allah! How did he come to realize that?
"Answer me right now! Are you trying to hide something from me?" "N...no sir." "Don't. Lie. To. Me!!" he shouted angrily. Maybe it was time she revealed the truth. Somebody had to know after all. With a deep sigh, Zahra tried again, "How did you find out?" "Ms. Andrews, the secretary, told me she saw you dash out of the meeting room and run straight towards the exit. You didn't look ill at all!"
So, it was that snitching woman who told him everything. Why didn't she think of it before? "But how I came to know about it should be the least of your worries right now," his voice came again. She could sense that the man's patience was running thin. "Look, tell me the truth in the next five seconds, or I'll have to find out myself. It won't make you look good if I had to disclose it to the whole place."
"I'm starting the count now! One... two... three...," "I lost the files and key," she suddenly blurted out. "You what?!" the man asked, shocked to hear what he supposed he'd heard. "I lost the blue folder and the bureau key that Mr. Walworth gave me," Zahra answered slower this time. "I thought I'd left them at home. But they aren't anywhere here either." "Unbelievable!" he ejaculated. "How could you be so irresponsible to leave them like that at home?"
"I didn't leave them like that, sir. Believe me." "Then how did they just disappear into thin air?" Should she tell him about her apartment getting ransacked? No, maybe it was better to leave that bit out. "I have no idea, sir." "Are you sure you left'em at home?" Mr. Hammond asked again. "I'm pretty sure that was the case." "Then call the police." "What?!" now it was Zahra's turn to ejaculate in astonishment. "You heard me. Go get a report filed. Call me when you're done."
It was only after an hour from the call that a policeman came over to scrutinize the apartment and prepare a report. Zahra didn't dare touch a thing before that. After she had provided the description of the lost property in detail, the Officer proceeded to ask general questions. "Hmm. At what time did you say, you came to know that your place was ransacked?" the burly policeman asked, hovering his pen over the writing pad in his hand.
"It was around 11 in the morning. I came back from my Office to get that folder and key, only to find out that the whole place was a mess." "Did you search for'em when you came back?" "Of course, I did!" "Okay," he said, letting out a bored sigh. "Have you seen any suspicious character around the building lately?" "Not that I remember." "Anyone you suspect?" She thought for a bit. The spies came to mind.
"No. I don't think so." "Well, we can't do much about it then. But we'll see. All possible channels will be followed minutely to find out your belongings. You can expect me tomorrow at 5 p.m. with a report on the progress made. Good day." "Alright, thank you. Good day to you too," Zahra replied and saw the man out the door. She was just closing the door behind her, when a gush of wind came and a scrap of paper fluttered inside. At first, the girl didn't give it much thought. But when she saw a large, typewritten "READ!" printed over it, she picked it up out of curiosity.
"There is no need to involve the police. Tell them to stop with the investigation. If you want to have your files and key back, come to the back of 'Fine Dining' deli café near your place at 12 sharp. Come alone. And bring the 'diary' along with you. Remember! One stupid move, and you can say bye to your property forever," the note said. It wasn't signed.
After reading each sentence, Zahra couldn't help but open her eyes a bit wider. How did this person know she had involved the police in the business? Were they watching her? But the million dollar question was, how did this unknown person get their hands on her things? Was he/she the one responsible for breaking into her apartment? It could be the only valid explanation. And why should she go only at 12 in the night?
To be honest, it seemed spooky. What did the person mean by the 'diary'? She didn't possess any special diary of any sort that could mean something to anybody! She was thoroughly confused now. But she had to go. It was her only chance of getting those things back. She just wanted to confirm if the note was really true. Simply checking out a thing never hurt anybody. Or did it? Should she be scared? Why wasn't she scared?!
By the time 12 a.m. arrived, Zahra had totally worked herself up into a jittery ball of nerves. Nevertheless she slipped on her abaya, put on a large overcoat, hid her face with a veil, and went out after locking the door behind her. The girl reached the back of the aforementioned café in less than a minute, only to find there was not a soul in sight. Sh*t! Had she walked herself into a trap? But, what could supposedly be got by tricking a girl like her into a trap? Maybe, that diary was the root cause of it all. What did it contain? And why should it be with her? Was she, in some way, connected with it? There were too many mysteries to solve in so short a time.
About half an hour had passed and Zahra was becoming impatient, not to mention, scared. She fully realized now that she was out into the street in the middle of the night on her own. There could be muggers, or maybe even rapists around, and she would've none to save her if somebody got her. The writer of the note was not showing his, or even her, face any time soon.
She was preparing to leave when suddenly, she saw a tall silhouette appear out of the light haze that had descended upon the city sometime around midnight. Now that he was near, Zahra could see that he had an overbearing form, was clad in casuals, and had his face covered with a thick black cloth. Even then, she could swear she'd seen him somewhere before. "You're late," the girl bravely managed, but her voice unfortunately gave way to fear.
"Where's the diary?" the man asked, his tone heavily mysterious and business-like. "Look, I...I don't know what diary you...you've been talking about. So j...just hand me m...my things, and let me go." "Don't try to get clever with me, girl! How do I know that you're the one I hafta deal with? Get off that veil first." "Aren't you supposed to remove yours too?" "Shut up."
"Look, don't make this difficult for yourself. Just do as I say, or it won't end good." Slowly, Zahra removed her veil, trying to get into the shadows as she did it. She didn't want him to remember her face. "Stand here in the light, so that I can see you!" he growled. But, clearly the man wasn't in the mood for her tricks. "Yes. You're her, all right." This confused and scared her beyond description. "Who are you?! And... and how do you know me??!!"
"Never mind that. I'll do the asking here." "Now, where's the diary?" "What diary?" Zahra asked exasperatedly. "I don't possess a diary!" "Didn't I tell you just now that I'll do the asking here? Don't try to act like you don't have a clue. You very well know what diary I'm talking about!" the man was getting angrier by the minute. "But, I do not have a diary. How many times should I tell you that?"
"In that case, you're not getting your things back," he replied stubbornly. "What?! Are you crazy? I came all the way down here in the middle of the night to go empty-handed! Please, give my things back." Zahra couldn't understand where all this confidence was coming from. But she was desperate. Her job depended upon it. And her parents' life depended upon the money from it.
"You still don't wanna give up the diary, do you? Fine. If you want it the hard way, I'll do it the hard way." And with that, the man came instantly to her side, and Zahra felt something cold stick to her forehead. When he loaded it with a click, she realized what it was. And she froze. "W...what are you d...doing?" she asked breathlessly. "You thought it was all a joke, didn't you? I hope you've come round now. Because I'm pulling the trigger if you try any cheap tricks." What a hypocrite this man was
!
Suddenly, tears blocked Zahra's view as they began to pour down in torrents from her eyes. This was it. The end. She would die this way, and there'd be no way anyone could find her before it was too late. "Pl...please," she begged, sobbing hysterically. "Don't hurt me. I don't know anything about the diary, I swear."
The gangster clicked his tongue impatiently, pushing the barrel of his gun harder into her temple. "Do you know that I loathe obstinate girls?" he breathed in her ear. "Well, you do, now. Just tell me the location, and I'll let you go. Or you don't know what I'll do to you." His told her menacingly, and Zahra panicked.
There was no getting out of it. Anything she'd say would definitely irritate the man even more. For one crazy second, Zahra stood rooted to the spot, and then she cried out, "Idon'tknowanythingaboutthediary, so let me go!" simultaneously kicking the man in his shin. He staggered backwards. Obviously, the gangster hadn't expected that. He let her hands fall from his grasp, and the girl took the opportunity to grab the bag, which most probably contained her belongings, from his other hand. After that, she broke into a run, expecting to be shot and drop senseless any second now.
Zahra ran as fast as she could, panting and shivering uncontrollably hard. She had to get away from that man before he killed her for good. Surprisingly, no shot ever resounded from behind her, leaving her confused. She wanted to know what had become of the man, but she dared not turn around. The girl ran and ran with the bag swinging in her hands, until she saw the front of her apartment building. Oh! It was a welcome sight.
The night guard sat drowsily in his chair as she passed by him, and he looked up, astonished, all weariness leaving him. And then she remembered, she hadn't left from the front gate. It made her hair stand up on end as she realized that absolutely no one would've known where she had gone to, if she'd ended up getting kidnapped and killed in some dark alley far, far away.
The girl shook the horrible thoughts away, knowing that it was all paranoia making her think this way. Once she'd got inside the safety of her apartment, she quickly fastened and bolted the door behind her. Ya Allah! It had been one heck of a day and night for her. But, at least, she got her things back. That was a huge weight off her shoulders, and she breathed a long sigh of relief. Wearily looking at the mess around the place, Zahra moved further inside the apartment, thinking of cleaning up the next day, and deposited the bag onto bedside table. But then, thinking twice, she picked it back up. It wasn't safe to leave it out in the open anymore.
And then, she had an idea. It would be better off inside her cupboard locker. But, before that, she had to search for something that may be impossible to find. Her wild guess was, it was stuck to the ventilator. But, it was impossible to reach it. It was way up on the wall. And, she was way too short. What should she do? After racking her brains for a bit, Zahra came up with a wonderful solution. The garden ladder would just be the perfect tool for this kind of a task. All she had to do now was to bring that huge thing back with her to the apartment from the garden shed, four floors down. At what... like, two in the morning?! And the fun part was, she couldn't use the elevator, for the ladder was fairly long. Yeah, it was easy-peasy, ha ha!! Sarcasm very much intended.
Although, the task had seemed impossible, and not to forget extremely daunting, the girl accomplished it, escaping with only a few small bruises on her hands and legs. Thankfully, the guard didn't see her this time round. Or it would've been too difficult to explain. Nevertheless, Zahra got back to her apartment, staggering at every step forward, and placed the ladder near the ventilator in her room.
'Now, for the real task,' she thought, rubbing her palms in excitement. It filled her with glee, getting back at Mr. Walworth like that. It was just like him to get spies behind her. Well, he'll see when she had the upper hand. But, what if it wasn't there? All her efforts would be in vain. However, she wouldn't know if she didn't check, right? Thinking along those lines, the girl climbed up the ladder. And sure enough, it was right there. The conspicuous camera. Zahra couldn't help smiling, or more like, smirking into it knowingly. She covered the camera with her hands, and slowly twisted it out of its wiring. And in an instant, the small red light on its head went out. Yes!
******SOMEWHERE IN THE WHOLE WIDE-WIDE WORLD******
"Sh*t! What is she doing? How in the world did she know where to find the camera?" the mystery man's assistant ejaculates in shock, gazing at the screen in front of him. It is a view of the many cameras inside the girl's apartment. One of them suddenly turns black. "What the f**k? I need to tell him about this. This is dangerous. How did the girl know about the camera?!" he has his brows furrowed in confused agitation.
The man bursts into the dungeon as the mystery man is busy questioning the old woman. "What is it?" he snaps at him angrily. "Sorry sir. But this is important. The girl has found one of the cameras." Zareena smiles sardonically at that. The two men ignore her. "I don't know how, but she did. And she has pulled it out from its place." "Sh*t! Aren't there any other cameras in the room? "There may be, I forgot to check."
"Then what are you doing by standing here and staring at my face, you idiot?! Go, and see what the bas***d is up to!" However, Daniel also runs along with his follower. But, he slips back in and says, addressing the woman, "If it's your doing, you won't escape my wrath. You don't know what I can do. I won't be long gone though." And with that, he goes out, locking the dungeon door behind him, and leaving the poor woman in complete darkness, once again.
"What is she doing?" the mystery man's follower asks him, confused. "I wish I could know." This time, the girl's back is facing the camera, and it is difficult to figure out what she's doing in her cupboard. She warily looks around her, and then quickly placing something inside, closes the cupboard with a light click of the lock getting into place. Satisfied with her work, she twirls the keys around her index finger, and that's when it comes into the two audience's view.
"So she locked up the cupboard! I wonder why," the mystery man says, rather to himself than to his companion. As an afterthought, he asks, "Has Jake come back yet?" "I think he came about an hour ago. Why?" "Nothing. You just concentrate on operating the cameras. Otherwise, it'll be your head the next time." His tone is calm, but savage. And saying that, he goes out, slamming the door behind him.
He can't help but feel guilty for Jake. The mystery man's angry. And he quickly gets to his seat, as a shudder passes through his broad frame, giving his undivided attention to any slight activity in any of the cameras. The man knows that he'll be in trouble if he leaves the area unmanned for even a second. Because, if the girl did manage to escape, she'd be difficult to find on this earth. What he can't figure out is why he's so intent on trapping her. The psychotic bas***d.
"Did she hand you the diary?" Daniel asks. "No, she didn't." "Why, may I ask, my Lord?" "She said she didn't have any diary." "And you believed her?!" the mystery man asks incredulously, through gritted teeth. "I asked her many times. I even showed her the gun. Every time, she came up with the same answer," Jake replies mechanically. "What about her things that you'd stolen from her apartment this morning?" the man is trying his best to calm himself, but it's difficult. His knuckles keep turning deathly pale with anger coursing through his veins.
There is an eerie silence as the other man takes time forming his answer. "She took it back." "You know I can kill you right now." The mystery man lets out a long sigh of exasperation. "I don't know why I'm letting you off the hook, Jake. But, from now on, I want results from you. And they should definitely please me. Now get out of my sight."
"Why did you lie to me? She knows where the diary is, doesn't she?" Daniel says to the woman, coming back to the dungeons. "Keep thinking whatever you want to. I've already said my part." "Aren't you afraid of me, even a bit?" The woman snickers sarcastically. "Who are you?" "Your worst nightmare." "Really! I didn't notice." Daniel clenches his jaw in order to calm himself. "All this sass won't get you anywhere, believe me."
"Tell me, what will you get by hiding things? I'll still be able to get what I want." "Then surely, you don't need me." "No...no. that's not true. You're valuable. Because, after I get the diary, you'll help me decipher it." "You'll go to hell!" Zareena ejaculates.
And a moment after, she is thrown backwards, feeling as if a brick just connected with her cheek, leaving it sore. Her whole face heats up from the impact. "Don't try to be smart with me, get it?" the mystery man growls hoarsely, making the furniture rattle. "I know how to get things out from your kind."
"And yeah, if you're thinking that I won't harm your girl, you're mistaken. She'll feel my anger, inch by inch as it grows slowly. And by the time I'm done with her, she won't be able to get away.
------AUTHOR'S NOTE------
I can't say that I've been busy when I've not done anything in this past month... But it's been a roller-coaster ride for me, what with college and all. This first semester is taking a toll on me and I haven't studied a thing T_T
I have my semester exams from December, so pleez pray for me guyz... I seriously don't know what I'm gonna do in Math :( Also, pray that I update early :)
Well, the bad thingsaside.... you guyz tell me how ur life's been. And yeah, don't forget to vote n comment :)
Cheers!!
~Amenah