CHAPTER 3

Chapter 3 : Shadows in the forest

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Author's pov:-

The long hours of duty finally got over and I sat on the chair , calling Ismail . I wanted to share my loads with someone .

I dialled his number and after a few rings , he finally picked the phone up .

"Hello Chimpo" He greeted and I cringed at this weird nickname he gave me .

"Can you stop calling me that?" I asked.

"No-" He laughed .

"Arghh okay ! Then I am cutting the phone . I am in no mood to deal with you"

"Eh-okay okay. I won't be teasing you . Now tell me what happened?" He asked and his voice was soft this time as if he was genuinely worried ."Another bad day?"

"Hmm" I hummed.

"Okay tell me what happened-I am listening" after hearing his words I started to share how my day went from saving the ladies purse , to being late and then realising I lost my own purse too.

"Tough day" He said .

"Yes-"

"Okay , why don't you do one thing , go home early and rest okay?"

"Not like I have another choice" I sighed .

"Chimpo-relax . Everything wrong leads to something which is right , maybe destiny is leading you somewhere too" He tried to comfort me .

"I don't know where it's leading , but by this pace I believe it's the streets "

"No, don't say this . Astagfirullah . Don't worry a lot . How about you go to the police station? Maybe you can find something good there or possibly news about your stolen wallet . You tried to do good to someone, Allah swt won't do anything bad to you " His words calmed me down a bit and a little hope filled my heart .

"Okay ! I will head to the police station" I said and he chuckled.

"Yes that's great Chimpo"

"DON'T CALL ME CHIMPO" I warned him in a heavy voice , while gritting my teeth in annoyance.

"Haha okay . I will be heading to work , and I will talk with you at night, tell me how it went" he told me .

"Fine , take care"

"Take care too.....CHIMPO" he teasingly said cut the phone . I gasped and clenched my fist angrily.

'Can he stop calling me that already?' I cried to myself.

I gathered my stuff up and hung them on my shoulder . "Safia—how did your day go?" Abhishek asked me while coming from behind , he came to the duty a bit late .

" It's going okay-Hope you have a great day too" I said and walked outside . I didn't want to spend much time talking with anyone , especially him . He isn't bad or anything, it's just he talks a lot and today I wasn't in the mood to talk .

"Is your day going bad?" He asked and I lightly nod .

"Why ? What happened?" He inquired.

"I lost my wallet " I replied .

"How ?"

Here comes the questions.

"Someone stole it , and I didn't realise it at that moment. I will tell you the whole story later , but for now , I have to head back home" I pushed the door of the restaurant open.

"Okay, why not today?" He asked.

"Because I am busy . I will surely tell it to you tomorrow okay ?" I walked out of the restaurant while hanging my bag on my shoulder and started walking away .

While walking , I kept my focus on the bustling streets , to divert me from my thoughts. There were e-rickshaws trying their best to move down the wrong lane to get to their destinations quickly, a man was arguing with someone on phone as he walked past me , a vender was trying to sell of his bhel Puri as he stood on the side of the road where there was the walking side . Everyone was busy in their own lives —I was too.

I saw my one past friend , Ria walking with a group of friends eating ice-creams and laughing about something. She was one of the best parts of college life . She was the only one whom I could trust my feelings with , and she genuinely cared for me .

I would have wanted to greet her happily if the circumstances were different but not now , when I had my kurti destroyed with splashes of sauce every here and there . I wanted to hide from their eyes . I didn't wanted to answer what I was doing with my life or anything — I wanted to disappear and leave zero chances of anyone noticing me .

I was afraid what I would answer , not like I owed them any explanation or that they will remember about it for a long time , that a girl like Safia Yousuf ever existed , but a part of me felt embarrassed.

Embarrassed of being poor . That's what I faced after coming to the city , not with Ria , but with others . People looking down upon me because I came from a small village with Allah knows how many other villages share the same name . I had a lot to catch up to meet their expectations of how I should be , only to realise that I lost my own self . There were many other people with her , what if they judge me .

It was only until last year that I started being the old me again.  Laughing loudly, singing Bollywood songs instead of the Hollywood ones I started to listen and a lot more — Not everyone is like that obviously, but the evil minority is always more louder than the silent and peaceful majority, and I wasn't in mood of facing any other live practical of sociology.

"Safia right?" My classmate Ria asked while coming from the side and I smiled lightly.

"Yeah, how are you Ria?" I clenched the string of my tote bag with nervousness.

"I am doing pretty good . And you?"

"I am doing good too . Thanks for asking" I gave a tight lipped smile .

Scared of the upcoming question about my career .

"So what are you doing nowadays? I really thought you would continue your PhD from Jamia only . I talked with you-" her talk was interrupted by her friend whispering into her ears "We are running late" but it was loud enough for me to hear .

"Yeah just give me 5 minutes . Ask Hamida to wait" Her friend dialled a number , possibly to tell her other friend that they would be late .

I felt weird .

"I believe you are running late for something, we can always catch up later " I told her and she just shrugged.

"Hamida is a drama queen . I can handle her later , but I don't know when I will meet you again " she said .

"Why don't she join us too?" The other girl suggested.

"Yeah , why didn't I think of this" Ria laughed , and I was confused . Join for what ? Join where ? Join—

"Safia , why don't you join us for the small camping . It won't be for long , just till midnight, and then we will head to our homes and hostels" Riya offered while cutting my string of thoughts .

"Huh-"I was too stunned to speak.

"Yes why don't you join us? The more the merrier" the girl said.

"I don't think that will be possible, I have some errands to run" I excused myself . I couldn't spend all those hours chilling , after all I am the one in charge of cooking .

"Come on ! The errands can wait , opportunities don't come twice . It's just us girlies , not a single boy and it's not like I am talking about the whole day , it's just a few hours" Ria insisted.

I was about to refuse again, but my phone rang , it was Ismail .

"I don't think —" I started but Ria technically grabbed my arm while taking me towards the car which was standing on the side .

"Come on don't be boring !" She said .

"See I have to cook—"

"We have a lot to cook there . Almost all of our class girlies will be there , you can't be left out" she said while slightly pushing me in the car and drove the car off. I didn't know what to say or do . I just decided that I will return home in one hour and text my mother about this right now.

I grabbed my phone , but before I could text my mother I saw Ismail's text popping up on the top corner of the screen.

'Chimpo did you file the complaint?'

I stared for a second , and then opened the WhatsApp.

'Not yet 😕'

'Why?'

Generally to anyone else explaining the why—is a tough job but not to him . Apparently he's someone I love to share all the information with.

So I texted him the whole paragraph, leaving out a few details .

'Cool. So enjoy your time , I will file a digital complaint.  Don't worry' He told me .

'You don't need to , I will be back soon anyways 🤭'

'STAY 👹'

'why ? I don't know anyone apart from Ria there'

I tried to reason and frowned at his reply.

'well you will know when you try'

'what if it doesn't work out?' I was skeptical.

The word 'Ismail is typing' gave me a headache . I needed his advice quickly. Not like he took a lot of time to text , but every second was leaving me more and more impatient.

'Then also it's fine , you will know that you tried to have fun . You need a break from all this '

I knew his words weren't wrong . I really did need a bit of rest , which I decided to take . Maybe a few hours won't hurt after all.

'Okay , tysm ' I replied with a smile and he just sent the laughing emoji with the text 'Have fun'

"Your boyfriend?" Ria asked from the side while staring at the screen of my phone and I awkwardly scratched my nape.

"No , a friend . My best friend actually" I told her . I didn't like people peeking on my phone.  Not like I hid something but it felt awkward.

The thought of someone having a glance in my personal life without allowing them to . I didn't mind showing the text , when the person asks and I give the permission. Maybe it's just me—maybe there are others like this too . I could never know . I would like to believe there are others .

"Oh okay —I got a boyfriend " She told me .

"Really ? That's nice" I didn't know what else to say .

"Yup" She pronounced while putting an extra force on 'p' . "He gifted me this ring" She told me and I started at her finger which had a beautiful ring on it.

"It's gorgeous" I complimented . The shiny silver metal band fitted her finger perfectly and the little crystals which were cut in a shape to form flowers complimented the overall look of the ring . It was elegant.

"Yes,it is .When he first gave me this , I thought he was proposing to me" she laughed making me laugh too .

I suddenly started feeling sad about all the moments we spent together and for much of a short time they lasted . I didn't realise that I would miss her until this very much moment of laughing together.

One talk led to the other , and we kept talking , while other girls joined in the conversation.

"Oh we are finally here"Hamida said while chewing the bubblegum in her mouth and opening the door of the car . I looked around while still being inside the car . The scenery looked calm and peaceful.

The tall trees looked beautiful, as the moon peeped in from the middle of the two branches . I always admired one thing about the twigs, that they all grew in different directions and in different ways , just like us humans . They all were different in their pace of growth , the amount of leaves it holds , or should I say the *money* for us humans  , but they all looked beautiful.

"Let's go inside and collect some sticks for the fireee!!" Hamida exclaimed and they all agreed , while going in different directions. I didn't say any words and decided to do what the others were doing . Maybe I can contribute a bit too.

I still held my tote bag on my shoulder , and started walking towards the uneven ground of the forest . The good thing was I was wearing shoes . I found it comfortable to run away and hop from one duty to another , and it turned out useful for walking on this uneven surface too.

I kept walking under the shades of the big dress as my eyes found their way at a Neem Tree .

I remembered all the stories and tales my mother used to narrate me of the jins which lived on these trees .

I could remember one time when I went to my maternal grandmother's house , it had a tall neem tree with its branches spread almost everywhere . My mother used to warn me , but I was very naughty in childhood. When one day my mother scolded me for eating dahi at night , because I could possibly catch a cold , I ran towards the neem tree and climbed on it . I sat on the branch for hours , till everyone got worried and my father found me .

They promised to bribe me with more curd and mangoes if I jumped down , the innocent me did —I didn't get anything except beatings .

I cried a lot that day , but now remembering it a faint smile made its way on my lips.

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??? Pov

"Search that side " I ordered and my two guards ran towards the left , while I walked towards the right , while loading my HK P30L . I wanted to empty all the 17 bullets in his chest at once for daring to even betray me .

I was walking through the forest searching for him everywhere . I clenched my jaw at annoyance for not being able to find him till now . I looked around and my eyes fell on a Neem tree , and behind it there was a girl . I couldn't see her face clearly .

Maybe she has seen him—I thought . And decided to approach her . I walked towards her . Her cheeks were slightly healthy , but her body was thin as if she had barely been eating . She wore a green kurta , which had white pattern around its neckline and hems , with jeans . Her eyes were soft and round in shape, a few baby hairs of her fell on her eyes . Her complexion was fair and her lips —wait why am I noticing this much ? Huh—I frowned at her sudden smile.

'Why is she smiling out of nowhere ?'

I looked closely to check if she had an earphone or something, but her hairs were tied in a bun and it was clear that she had no set of ear pieces .

Why is she smiling then—that too by continuously looking at a darn Neem tree ??? I am not very religious, but I surely do know that supernatural entities reside upon them , or—is she simply crazy ?

Nonetheless I was about to approach her , but a hard surface landed twice on my head . I groaned at the pain and couldn't turn around , feeling my vision dizzy . My knees felt weak and I fell on the ground only to receive another hit .

"HEY STOP!!" A fainted feminine voice rang down my ears , before I felt a strong saline taste in my mouth and fell unconscious.

To be continued....

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Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barkatahu , there goes the third chapter of this story . If you are coming from the draft book, of course a lot of things are very different —because when I write , things never go as I plan .

I start with a vision of one thing and till the end it's completely different , but what I can surely assure you is this version will be full of romance and a better storyline — and pls do notice better chapter names too 🤭♥️