•| trapped |•

•••
unki ek hasi se toh meri puri
duniya rukh si jaati hai
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Fidah sat slumped down on the pile of bricks that were in the corner of the under-constructed hut with no ceiling, giving them a clear view of the dark starry night. She fidgeted with her fingers as she heard the fat pot bellied man rant on and off about mosquitoes in the bushes. Zarrar stood not far away, glaring at the strange man, his one arm handcuffed to a window while the other lay to his side, forehead bunched in tension.

"Tumhe pata hai ladki? Ek baar maine ek chuhe jaise mote macchar ko dekha tha! " The man exclaimed, spitting out the paan that he had been chewing for god knows how long.

(You know girl? There was one time when I saw a mosquito as fat as a rat!)

Zarrar's nose scrunched in disgust as the chewed up pile of betel leaves landed straight on his white Adidas leaving a disgustingly large red stain. His skin crawled with fury, almost ready to pounce on the man.

Fidah scoffed back an unconscious giggle that bubbled from deep within her chest. She was supposed to be the damsel in distress, literally stuck with two unknown men, her life a mess and everything that could probably go down in the history of ruination, but apparently the trauma was finally catching up and was getting manifested into inappropriate laughter.

"Tujhe chahiye, puttar?" The man questioned Zarrar, who was  staring at his stained white shoes in deep infuriation.

(You want, son?)

Fidah finally broke down giggling seeing the duo interact with each other, her lips stretching as she threw her head back. This caught Zarrar by surprise, if he thought she looked beautiful before, right now his heart seemed to be dancing to the sound of her giggles.

Almost like breaking away from reverie, Zarrar shook his head diverting his attention from her to the man before him. His features morphing into a glare that could shake a person's existence.
"Just let us go!"

"Hosla, puttar. Hosla. Yeh toh tab sochna chahiye tha jab tum jungle ke beech mein chumma-chati kar rahe the!" The pot bellied man shrugged his shoulders in nonchalance.

(Patience, son. Patience. You should have thought about all this before you were busy making out in the jungle .)

Fidah turned beet red at this statement, the amount of inappropriateness this man was spewing made her dizzy, while Zarrar groaned in frustration as his own ears turned red.
"We weren't doing anything of that sort! "

"Acha jo bhi hai. Just wait. Shafakat Ali ayega phir tum dono ke saath kya karna hai dekha jayega. " The man said, not paying heed as he shook his hands dismissively in the air.

(Whatever it is) (Shafakat Ali will come, after that we will decide what has to be done with the both of you.)

Zarrar's jaw dropped, or more like clenched as this statement. The absurdity was unreal. They had no authority to hold them here without their consent. He silently dialed the number of his friend who was in the police force with the hand that was free, hoping to get out of this disastrous situation before it gets worse but the darned place had no signal.

"Shafakat Ali kon hai, chacha?" Fidah meekly questioned out of nowhere before he could even speak up against the atrocious man.

(Who is Shafakat Ali?)

"Arrey! You don't know Shafakat Ali ? Konsi duniya say ho tum, ladki?" A sudden dramatic gasp escaped the man's mouth, as if she had committed the most horrendous in by asking such a question.

(From which planet are you,  girl?)

"I am sorr—" Her cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment as she began apologizing for-god-knows-what but he cut her off.

"Koi nahi,  waise bhi koi badaa teer nahi maara hai usne. He is a huge Khabees.  Accha hi hai jo tumhe pata nahi hai woh gadha kaun hai. "

(No problem , anyway he hasn't done anything huge.) (Vile) (it's good that you don't know who that donkey is)

Zarrar choked on his spit upon hearing this, and started coughing out loudly, patting at his chest. What even was wrong with this man? How did he turn the tables in a mere second. Surely, he was a deranged mental patient who had escaped an asylum, making their situation that much more critical. This wasn't safe at all. Especially not with her around.

"Haye Khuda! What is happening to him? Daure toh nahi parh rahe hai na? Yahan aas paas hospital nahi hai."
(Is he getting a seizure? There are no hospitals nearby.)

Fidah pressed her mouth tightly with her palm, trying to swallow the laughter bubbling inside her. This was just so comical. She hadn't expected to experience anything like this in her entire life. What a terrific turn of events her life had undergone in mere weeks. Thinking of the past weeks caused a smile to take over her lips and tears started forming in her eyes. The irony.

"Where the hell are you from? You shouldn't even be allowed to roam around freely in the streets." Zarrar screamed, composing himself as he stepped a little closer to Fidah, extremely concerned for her safety. As close as the handcuff allowed him to.

"Mujhe laga tum poocho gay hi nahi, wese toh meri amma sindh ki thi aur abba—" The man started ranting again with a nostalgic look grasping his features but Zarrar hurriedly cut him off, before his train could start.

(I thought you wouldn't ask . My mother was from Sindh and my father—)

"Listen, just let us go. We aren't interested in your nonsense stories.''

The man shot him a glare, as he diverted his attention to Fidah with a look of resignation.
" Aye ladki, why are you even with this zaleel aadmi? Isko chod de, mein teri shaadi ek acche honhar aadmi se karwata hu!"

(Hey girl!) (humiliating man) (Leave him, I will marry you to a nice successful man)

"H-humaari shaadi nahi hui hai."Fidah stammered out, her eyes colliding with Zarrar's for a split second who looked at the man dumbfounded, stepping in front as he blocked the man's view of her.

(We aren't married)

The pot bellied man stared at Zarrar astounded, his eyes widening in stupefaction.
"Tum dono ka nikkah bhi nahi hua hai aur phir bhi chumma-chaati ? Tauba hai! Kids nowadays." He exclaimed dramatically, throwing his hands in the air.
(You both aren't even married and yet you were making out. God forbid)

Fidah bowed her head deeply, hiding behind Zarrar's back, while he looked like he was ready to pounce on the man and knock some sense into his deranged brain.

"Nazakat Ali! " Croaking voice called out causing the man to jerk up straight, the back of his palm wiping the thick layer of perspiration that covered his almost balding head.

"Aa gaya shaytan ka Mamu." He mumbled with repugnance before screaming back out.
"Jee Bhai Jaan. Andar hoon mein."

(Here comes Devil's Uncle)
(Yes, I am inside)

Not even seconds later a man almost identical to the pot bellied man who was apparently named Nazakat Ali, entered the hut through the door frame that stood with no walls, along with the wanna-be inspector who had 'arrested' them leading to their present situation.

"Kya bakwaas kiya jaa raha tha in kaydiyon se?" The pot bellied man's doppelganger pointedly glanced at Zarrar and then Nazakat Ali.
(What nonsense were you telling these prisoners?)

Kaydiyon?
(Prisoners?)
Zarrar scoffed out loudly as he heard the word. These men were so delusional. They had probably all escaped the same asylum and were now picking at his brain.

"Kuch bhi toh nahi, main to bus aapki tareef kar raha tha." Nazakat Ali grinned cheekily exposing his betel leaves stained teeth to his brother.
(Nothing at all, i was just praising you)

The man scoffed out loudly, twisting his lips in distaste.
"Haan, Haan. Zyada bano mat. Mujhe pata hai tum kaisi tareef kar rahe the."
(Don't act over smart. I know the kind of praise you were doing.)

Just like that both of them started arguing pointlessly, just deranged people things, and Zarrar took this as his cue to escape. He eyed the lanky inspector in the corner of the hut, who was trying to kill a bug with his police/security cap. It was all because of this fool they were stuck here. If he hadn't seen them, then they wouldn't have been here. He simply had put the handcuff on Zarrar's hand while one was cuffed to his own and dragged them to this hut, Fidah trailing behind and left them to the pot bellied man's mercy.

Zarrar doubted he was even an inspector. Scratch that, he didn't doubt it, he was sure the boy wasn't an inspector. The boy didn't look like he would be older than twenty. Heck, he even looked malnourished.

Looking over his shoulder he found Fidah listening intently to the brothers bickering, a slight frown on her forehead. Sighing, he turned his attention back towards the boy.

"Pffptt! Aye ladke! Oh hello?! " Zarrar whispered-yelled to the boy, trying to grab his attention.The boy glanced at him once and then turned around thinking he was calling someone else. Zarrar groaned in annoyance before calling out to him again. This time gesturing with his free hand and calling him towards him.
"Haan tum hi, aur kaun hai tumhare peeche, pagal."
(Ya you only, who else is behind you idiot?)

"Tum wahan kya kar rahe the, itni raat ko?" He questioned, as soon as the boy came closer.
( What were you doing there so late, in the middle of the night? )

The boy gulped visibly, clearly intimidated by the question or rather by the towering man who had a taut expression on his face.

"Woh! Wo-woh! Hum inspector hai! "
He answered hurriedly, pointing at his fake- police uniform, trying to sound confident.

(That! T-that. I am a police inspector)

Zarrar suddenly grabbed the boy by the collar causing him to shriek.
"Open these handcuffs this instant if you don't want me to beat you up."

"Aye Ladke. Leave Amir alone!" The other pot bellied man yelled, coming to "Amir's" rescue and pulling him away.

Zarrar glared at the boy one last time before jerking him away. The poor guy stumbled at his feet, before running for his life, almost wailing.

"Just let us go alright? You don't know what I can do. This is going to cost you a lot." He said dangerously slowly, his voice dripping with threat.

"Aye Haye! Bada aadmi hai. Accha, chale jaana par, yeh toh batao. Yeh ladki tumhare nikah mein hai?" The pot bellied man's brother asked, smacking at his lips.
(You are a big man, I see. Okay, you can leave, but first tell me, Is this girl in your nikkah)

Zarrar ignored the looks the pot bellied man was giving him, making cross signs with his fingers, as if asking him not to say anything.

"Nahi."
(No)

Only if Zarrar knew how much this word was going to cost him. His entire life was going to take a full 360 degree turn for the better or the worse from here.

"Tauba hai, Tauba! Chalo tumhara nikkah padana hai. Phir tum ja sakte ho."

(God forbid! C'mon let's get your nikkah done. Then you are free to leave)

•••
(ITS A DOUBLE UPDATE YOU GUYSS)
PLEASE LEAVE LOADS OF COMMENTS FOR DOUBLE UPDATES IN FUTURE!