CHAPTER 56

CHAPTER 56 : Fire at Fair

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She turned to see Khala's son, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled and suddenly everything started to make sense to Safia . It was another way of pushing another suitor on her.

"Moin ! You are here too!" Her mother smiled in delight seeing her nephew who just smiled , "Yes , I was here for work , but my friends forced me here . It's such a delight to see y'all !" He chirped up , almost making it sound as if it was a coincidence, but Safia knew better .

"So , Safia , need an hand ?" He asked again , but she just put the gun in his hand and walked away muttering "If you want to play , just do . Don't bother me"

Moin's lips pressed into a tight smile as he stared at her disappearing figure.

"Please don't mind her. She is just a little sensitive after divorce!" Her mother tried to excuse her behaviour .

"Wait Safia , don't go!" Moin followed her as Murad simply watched from side ignoring the continuous glare he was getting from his mother .

'She got a strand of my hair , there is no way I will sacrifice my life for money'Murad thought and continued to eat the cheese corn in the cup.

Phuphi stared defeatedly at Moin who was busy trying to talk with Safia .

"See , I know what you are thinking but I am not that kind of man to force a lady in a relationship. I was casually trying to talk with you" Moin explained himself , his hands extending to both sides as his shoulders slouched as if he was even in disbelief that he had to give explanation for such a simple thing .

He didn't knew why Safia would even take such a small gesture to be wrong .

They haven't met with each other much, because Safia was in village in her childhood and he was away in Behrain with his grandmother.

Safia stared at him, still not believing him . The son of his khala can't be this normal under any circumstances. It felt way too difficult for her to believe that today her khala suggested to go to fair and she met her khala's son here itself. Was it really a coincidence ?

"Whatever it was , I don't care . Just stay away from me . I hate all men" She stated .

"Even your father and brother?" Moin asked ,

"No , not them . Exceptions are there" she turned her head away heading towards the other stall where the game of throwing a circular hoop was , on some objects . Throw the hoop and win the object . Sounded simple and fun and she wanted to try it . Perhaps it can be fun and a way to avoid Moin.

"Why are exceptions there?" Moin asked her while following her behind , gaining a proud smile from his mother .

They stopped near the other stall decorated with vibrant orange colour . "how much for one round?" Safia asked while already putting a hand in her tote bag where her purse was located to get the money .

"30 rupees ma'am" The vendor said.

"C'mon, stop ignoring me please. Atleast answer why such exceptions?" Moin repeated his question but Safia just pulled the money out of the bag and handled it to the vendor , who silently passed her the hoop giving strange glance to Moin.

"I don't know , ask nature why exceptions are there" Safia said and threw the hoop winning a chocolate , as if she was an ace in it . She clapped her hand slightly cheering herself up and got the chocolate. She unwrapped it and took a bite of it while folding and throwing the wrapped in a nearby dustbin.

"Nature ? There are no exceptions in nature everyone is equal" Moin said , trying to sound like a philosopher who have just completed his theories .

"Well Mr 10th fail , let me give you a basic example , metals are a part of nature right?" She asked and Moin gave a little nod , trying to ignore the insulting tag . " All metals are conductors except Alluminium and Titanium, all metals are hard except Cesium and Mercury , all metals are lustrous except sodium,  similarly all men are freaks and wierdos except my father and brother" saying so she walked away as Moin stood there trying to process what she just said .

Before he could process and realise that it was another insult thrown at him, Safia was out of the sight merging herself in the crowd.

He looked around for her , but when he didn't found her he gave up . "Geez she's a witch ! Murad was right.  She got such a sharp tongue , my kitchen knives would look dull in front of her tongue" Moin cursed as his previous soft and kind boy aura left his body .

Safia on the other hand , had walked towards the other side almost bumping into a tall man . She looked up to excuse herself for her fault , and her eyes met with a middle aged man , with stripes of white hairs in his hair .

"It's my fault,  I am sorry" She apologized, only to be met with a rude remark by a man in black dress behind the elder man .

"Just a sorry?! Don't you know who is she?" The bodyguard asked making Safia more irritated than earlier , but before she could say something a gun shot was heard on the side.

One man of Rashid had detected that something was off in the place with men scattered around , and before he could inform Rashid something, he was shot dead by Kalyani . The only problem here was , her gun wasn't on silencer , and it announced the thing which they were hiding .

The one gunshot was now accompanied by the others , as people were panicking and shouting rushing away . A little girl was walking on a rope under a bowl of fire beside a tent and she quickly jumped gathered the little money which she gained .

A few people's feet stumbled on the fire bowls side and one girl quickly took it in hand and threw it on the side to make room for everyone so that nobody gets hurt with it, but it resulted in the fire coming in contact with the tent on the side . The fire started to spread across the tent with nobody trying to extinguish it .

The unknown man in front of Safia witnessed it all , as she stood in shock .

"Boss we need to head outside !" The bodyguard exclaimed with panic .

"Boss the outside are blocked . They are waiting for you !" Another man said coming with fear there.

"Who?" The boss asked in fear . His throat felt dry . He was here for a consignment not for this.

"Fawad Siddiqui, with his men . Rudhra has rushed out and have a sniper too ! If we go out , we are dead" The man informed . Safia turned her head at the mention of Fawad . Her heart raced at the thought of him being here and her having a chance to see him, but again the memory of him with another girl clouded her mind.

"But we can't stay here too,  we will be turned into ashes" Her thoughts were clouded by the other man , who had earlier talked rudely with her .

She realised that she was mindlessly standing in the middle of the place which was in fire, she turned her feet back and just when she took one step— a harsh grip came into her hairs pulling her closer to the boss of the two men . She screamed.

"He won't harm us . We have his weakness" Rashid smirked . How could he be unaware of the wife of his so called nephew .

"What are you doing?!" Safia grunted as she tried to pull herself away from the harsh grip of the man .

"Don't move filthy rat" He cursed at Safia , but she didn't stop her struggle and harshly pressed her feet on Rashid's toe making him yelp in pain as she got free for a second. But she was Safia, she didn't know how to leave things before making them equal , so in order to return the pain of being held so harshly by her scalp , she swung her tote bag across the Rashid's face making him stumble . She swung it again making him lose his balance and land on the floor .

A guard tried to hold her but she swung her bag in front of him trying to tackle him and run . But instead of him falling back with a thud , he grabbed her tote bag and threw it in the fire making her gasp at the 150 rupees which were now gone forever.

The shock was accompanied by a strong blow of something on her head. She didn't realise for a second the reason for the sharp pain . Her vision blacked out for a minute. She stayed in the position, and regaining her self , she put a hand on her temple where she was hit. Her fingers trembled as she saw blood .

She turned her head towards the man in front of her , who was holding the gun whose backside had taint of her blood.

"Beat her up until she fails to recognise herself , but don't kill her . We still need her" Rashid said , and saw how one man almost dragged her through her hairs to the other side of the fair where the fire wasn't spreaded yet .

Despite being injured she grabbed the man's wrist and dug her nails into it trying to free herself but got a sharp punch by another man.

Tears fell from her eyes but she just started to take deep breaths and look around the ground trying to find something to save herself.

Rashid was impressed. No wonder Fawad chose her .

The pain was too much for her to bear , yet she was trying . The strong fists of the men fell on her face , but she tried to resist it .

A kick was about to land on her belly , but to protect it , she brought her knees closer to her stomach and hugged her body . The kicks fell one by another , injuring her back and legs . She stayed there with resilience, with hopes that maybe something could help her , but it was fading with the her vision.

To be continued....

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3rd update of the day , pls keep voting if you are liking the chapters 🌼