Alarms roared behind him as he kept running, utilizing every ounce of energy left in his body. Saleem felt as if his legs were now lifeless, but it was his will which kept him going.

Prison guards hollered in the distance, he couldn’t imagine what bizarre scenes would be unfolding inside that tormenting compound after his treacherous and unfathomable run.

The dried grass crunched like snow beneath his worn out shoes as he kept pushing harder into the depths of the night.

Just a few more meters till you reach the creek! Don’t stop now.

Lights flashed from above, sirens erupted, but he kept running.

Saleem heard the loud click of a rifle loading at the top of the southern tower that he had his back to.

Without wasting any more time, he zigzagged his way, running in random directions. The guard atop the tower took aim and fired.

A bright light issued from the tip of his barrel, shimmering against the lines permanently etched behind the corners of his eyes.

Saleem felt the bullet dig into the earth just at his heels, but he was almost there now. With one huge gasp for air, he jumped into the creek.

It was as if he had plunged straight into wet blindness; the dark night was even darker under water. While planning his escape, he hadn’t taken this into consideration.

With a diminutive sense of direction, he swam with all his strength, staying slightly below the surface so the guards won’t see his exact location.

Bullets fired into the water and continued to pierce through it into the dark oblivion that stretched on forever below him. He used extensive breast strokes to pull his way further in the heart of the creek, but knew he will have to swim up to the surface again for air.

Half a minute later when he did, another rush of bullets welcomed him forcing him to duck back in the water, with barely any more oxygen in his lungs than he had 10 seconds ago,

But he swam for his life. Every muscle in his body screamed with anoxia, the strain on them was immense, but he kept going.

When he reached the shore on the other side, the prison guards were still firing madly into the creek, hoping that one would become the causative agent to his death.

Using the dark to his advantage, he crossed the road that overlooked the ugly facade of his prison and then set foot into the woods on the other side. He would surely have a better chance to escape through the woods than the open road.

The eerily loud chirping of birds welcomed him as owls hooted and cheered him on. Every now and then, he would stumble and fall in the dark due to an oak stump, impeccably camouflaged in the dark. But it won’t be long before he would pull himself back up and continue his sprint. Vines and bushes barred his way as he used his bare arms to part them.

Then, in the distance, dogs barked; they had let the search dogs out.

Saleem ran harder, knowing that it would only be a matter of seconds before their sharp canines pierced into his skin. His lungs felt squeezed by an imaginary force, but he did not have time to pay heed to unsettling sensations.

A thorny vine scraped his leg, tearing his shalwar that would certainly be staining with his blood. The dog’s barking grew louder as he sensed it approaching him. There was no way on earth he could outrun it, so he used his knowledge about them that he had acquired through his years on the streets.

Standing with his back against a poplar tree, he waited as the hound’s barking grew louder until that was all he could hear.

And then he saw its bright eyes in the dark, lit with the taste of blood in its mouth.

I’m sorry.

The dog pounced up at him in full speed as he lashed his right arm out, punching it square in the jaw as it fell back to the grass. Wincing in pain, it whined its way back from where it had come. Dogs were cowards once they looked past their sharp teeth.

He stood there in the dark, knowing that he had made it. Another mile into the forest and he would reach his destination; Saggay waliyan village, the place where he had committed his third and final murder two months ago.
-Assalam-u-alaikum everyone! I know this is very different to Hidden Behind the Veil, but I believe that if I do justice to this plot, it's going to be even better.
Lemme know what you thought about this chapter. Do comment and vote as much as you can and spread the word :)
Tentative date for next update: 22nd June (that's right... we're picking up pace here from the word 'go.')
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