"And sometimes that's how life is destined to be, the things most beloved to us are snatched away from us, leaving us hollow and bare. Life was never meant to be a blissful breeze, there will always be an inevitable  storm
awaiting.
Patience and accepting the decree of Allah, will help us fill the void in our hearts."

-Jauhariy

* * *

He searched Davis's entire house, including the den, but unfortunately he did not even find a single  person present there.

He drove towards Talha's house, hoping that she was there. His heart beat accelerated, he just hoped and prayed to Allah that she was unharmed.

When he reached the house which he vowed never to enter again, he found the front door open.

The house was eerily silent, not one soul could be seen. He went down to the basement, banging the door open.

He saw no sign of Davis or Talha, all he saw was a few of the immoral woman in scanty outfits, huddled around someone.

He really didn't want to go in there, but he needed to find out where Zahra was.

He walked forward, his heart constricted with each step he took forward.

The women dispersed, passing him pitiful glances.

When his eyes fell upon the body that they were all surrounding, a cry left his mouth.

This was not happening...no, no this wasn't her ! This was somone else.

They say that you are upon the religion of your friends and Suhaib couldn't agree more upon that statement, as he witnessed the horrific scene infront of him.

He had been a complete fool, he had thought that he would be a good influence to his so called friends, yet he was unaware of the danger that lurked in the future. As time passed he had realised that they were harmful, but never had this situation crossed his mind, never had he thought that he would experience such a heart wrenching sight.

The cold breeze swept past him causing the hairs on his nape to rise. The wind howled as if grieving along with him for the loss he had experienced. The leaves rustled in the vicious storm, the clouds poured down their burdens, mourning along with him.

He stared down at  the horrific sight. Her body was cold and lifeless, sprawled upon the floor like a discarded piece of insignificant trash.

His heart pounded wildly in his chest.  The pain he experienced was so raw, he felt as if his very own heart had been torn out and trampled upon multiple times.

He knew the image of her lifeless body and horrified face would forever be imprinted in his memory, and no matter how many years passed, the pain would forever be embedded in his heart.

He slumped down besides her cold body. Tears streaked his face , his vision blurred, his heart felt as if it was snatched out of his body leaving him barren and hollow, as he looked down upon her body that was stained in scarlet, her face had been bruised and cut , mercilessly. The only girl he ever loved so dearly stared at him with lifeless , horror struck eyes, drowning in a pool of her own blood.

He shook his head, unable to believe the horrific sight infront of him.
He looked towards one of the women, his eyes filled with tears.

"What happened?"

He questioned one of the woman, his voice barely a whisper. 

She blinked away her own tears.

"Davis was forcing himself on her. When she refused and she defended herself. He pushed her against the wall, he wanted to take away her modesty infront of all of us.  Talha tried to stop him, but he didn't listen to him. She fought back and injured her face with the scratches that you see. She continuously and stubbornly fought. She said she would rather die, than have her innocence snatched away. When he became agitated with her defiance, he just pulled out a gun and shot her thrice. It happened within seconds, we couldn't stop him."

Suhaib stood up, his hands curled into fists.

"Where is he!"

Just then Davis walked out of one of the rooms, a smirk plastered on his face.

Suhaib pounced on him, punching him repeatedly.

He pushed him on the ground, punching his stomach and his face.

Davis threw a few weak punches, he was too old and frail to fight back.

Before Suhaib could deliver another blow, someone held him back.

He squirmed in their grip, tears ran down his face.

"Leave me alone, leave me!
He killed my sister! She's dead!'

He wailed, as he fought in the persons firm grip.

The police officer that held him back, motioned for the other officer to handcuff Davis.

Two officers picked him up, putting his hands behind his back, they handcuffed him.

"You are under arrest, anything you say or do, will be held against you."

Davis glared at someone  behind Suhaib, his eyes cold and full of hatred.

"You betrayed me! Thankfully I  didn't appoint you as the next leader, I knew this would happen one day."

Suhaib turned around, his eyes landing on Talha.

Talha had called the police?! The guy never failed to show him how much he disliked him, he hated him with a passion. Why did he call the police?

As Davis struggled in the officers grip, thrashing and screaming about Talha's betrayal, Talha stared at Suhaib with teary eyes.

Suhaib couldn't comprehend his expression, why was he on the verge of crying? Nothing made sense at all.

After the police had departed and the women exited the basement, only Suhaib and Talha were left in the basement, an eerie silence enveloped them, until Talha finally spoke.

"I once had a younger sister. She was fifteen when she passed away. After I had resorted to drugs, I once brought  a few of my friends home, we drank so much that night that none of us knew what was happening. I passed out, not very long after I downed  my last drink. Her sleep was disturbed with all our commotion, she was very upset, no one could disturb her sleep, she loved to sleep. Two of my friends were drunk out of their minds, they both had taken advantage of her, they had raped her in their drunken state. It broke her, shattered her beyond repair. When she couldn't bear it anymore, she committed suicide  a year later. It made me a bitter person."

Suhaib fell on his knees, beside his sister.

This was all his fault, if he hadn't got into this mess, this would have never happened.

"You made a good decision by leaving Suhaib, if you had to stay you would have had endless problems and no happiness. You would have been  a bitter person like me. I'm tired of this life, I want a better and happier life, I want to wake up every morning, knowing that I have a better life and a brighter future."

Suhaib wished what he was saying was true, but it wasn't at all, it was all his fault that his sister was laying here, dead and cold. It was all his fault that his siblings had lost a sister, his parents had lost a daughter and Taahir had lost a wife.

How would he face all of them knowing that he was the cause of her death!

Zainab held onto Taeeba, as the men lifted Zahra's deceased body. She held her tight, as sobs raked through her body.

She still couldn't wrap her mind around what had transpired. Her baby girl was just with them a few hours ago, excited and ecstatic for her brothers wedding, running around, wrapping gifts, baking biscuits, making sweet meats, she was so looking forward to  her brothers wedding. She was going to help them set the tables and  the hall, bringing the waleema to life with her artistic touch.

How did this happen in such a short span of time?

She tried to quell her thoughts, it was meant to happen. Zahra's time was up, Allah SWT had claimed her soul and she had no right to question it, but it still hurt every fibre of her body. Her Zahra was gone, her Zahra had left this world, her Zahra was no more!

The Janaza Salaah was performed, the body was then placed into the grave, the planks placed over the deceased body, then handfuls of soil was thrown until the grave was completely closed up.

She once wore fine clothing and now she was wrapped in simple white  cloths. She once slept on a comfortable bed, her bed was now the soil beneath her. She once lived in an exquisite home, she now resided in a six feet deep grave, with soil as her walls, her bed and her roof. This is the  abode of every person, no matter how wealthy or poor a perosn is, each ones abode will  be the same, the soil that we dust off our clothing will be the soil that we will reside in one day. 

After everyone left, Suhaib lingered a little longer, his heart aching with pain.

He couldn't bear to live in the same house as his parents, knowing that he was the cause of his sisters death. He whispered some supplications to Allah, asking Allah to enlighten her grave, expand it for her, make it a garden from amongst the gardens of paradise, grant her bedding of Jannah and to save and protect her from the punishments of the grave.

He hastily made his way through the crowded house.

He grabbed a bag, threw in a few essentials and a few sets of clothes, he buckled the back pack, and quickly escaped before any of his family members saw him.

He glanced at the house one last time, before he fled. 

"I'm sorry Ammi and Abba! I'm so sorry Yusaira!"

He whispered as he drove off, he didn't know if he would  ever have the courage to return.

Perhaps he would just settle down somewhere where no one knew him, marry someone else and start a life where no one would know who he was, where no one would question his deeds, where no one would blame him for the death of his sister.

Yusaira didn't deserve someone like him, he was a magnet for trouble. What if she married him and her life was also in danger? He couldn't do that to her.    It hurt to leave, it really did, but this was for the best.
And as the view of the house disappeared, his heart that was already hanging on a thread, snapped off and completely shattered.

He snuggled into her pillow that  her sweet scent still lingered upon, as tears rolled down his cheeks. His eyes had turned red due to all the crying, his heart felt as if though a knife was being stabbed into it repeatedly, the pain only became worse as minutes passed. His beloved, his better half, his lovely wife had departed from this world, leaving him all alone.

It was barely two hours since she had been buried, yet he already missed her so very much. Knowing that she would never return caused him pain that was unexplainable.

How would he live without his Zahra? She was truly a beautiful flower, who had fragranced his life with such sweet memories. She was one strong and beautiful flower and even though his flower had withered away in the cruel tempest of life, her fragrance would forever linger in his heart and mind, for she was a special someone that had stolen his heart and buried it deep within the earth along with her, never to be claimed by anyone else.

* * *

😭My baby Zahra....I didn't want to kill her, but it had to be done...

7 more chapters.