Episode 10
Jawad stopped the car outside the cremation ground. The scorching sunlight made everything in the distance clearly visible. Now, he was searching for the old man who had once given him hope. He went and sat beneath the same tree. It felt like people were standing around him—though invisible to the eye.
He had just settled there when the same old man appeared from behind the tree.
The old man said, "Ah, child. So, it touched your heart? You've come back? Look, I've brought her kurta. Now I'll finally get my Rubab, won't I?"
Jawad, with tears in his eyes, replied, "Yes, Baba."
The old man laughed and said, "Come on, show me. Where is it?"
Jawad quickly took out the kurta from his jacket, the one that still carried Rubab's perfume. With a heavy heart, he handed it over to the old man.
The old man took the kurta and began chanting something under his breath. As he recited, his eyes rolled upward and his head began spinning rapidly. A pungent stench filled the air, making Jawad nauseous. He was about to step back when suddenly the old man opened his eyes and grabbed Jawad by the hair.
Jawad was completely caught off guard.
He saw the old man's eyes—bloodshot and furious. The old man blew a powerful breath on Jawad, and Jawad collapsed unconscious to the ground.
The old man laughed wickedly, looked to his left, and began speaking to someone.
The shadowy figure asked, "What have you done to the poor lad, Maharaj? He came here for Rubab… why'd you knock him out?"
The old man replied with a sinister grin, "He was the enemy of our friend Payal. Anyone who is her enemy, is mine too. After all, I am Kalidas. Do you think I'd let harm come to my friend?"
The shadow laughed and said, "Forgive me, Maharaj. I'm just a chronicler… you're the wise one. But then, why ask for the girl's garment?"
Kalidas responded, "Because now Payal's life is in my hands. If she ever tries to run from us, she won't succeed."
Both of them laughed together.
Then Kalidas said, "Go, pick up the boy and send him home. You know what to do."
The shadow replied, "As you command, Maharaj."
Kalidas then headed back toward his hut.
— — — — — — — — — — — — —
Haider noticed an elderly man reciting the Qur'an. He greeted him with "Assalamualaikum," and the man replied "Wa alaikumussalam," and resumed reciting from the beginning.
Haider had never seen a face like his—pure white complexion, cheeks as red as apples, a white beard, and a black turban on his head.
Haider couldn't take his eyes off him.
Then, a powerful voice echoed in his ears:
Alhaakumuttakathur..."Your greed for more has distracted you..."
Hattaa zurtumul-maqaabir..."...until you visited the graves."
It felt like an arrow had pierced Haider's heart. He sat down on the ground.
The elderly man continued:
Kalla sawfa ta'lamoon..."No! You will soon come to know."
Thumma kalla sawfa ta'lamoon..."Again! You will soon come to know."
Kalla law ta'lamoona 'ilmal yaqeen..."Indeed, if you knew with knowledge of certainty..."
Latarawunnal jaheem..."...you would surely see the Hellfire!"
Haider felt as if someone had punched him in the chest. He picked up dirt and threw it on his head in grief, while the elderly man kept reciting in a voice filled with awe and reverence:
Thumma latarawunnaha 'ayna alyaqeen..."Then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty."
Haider screamed and ran toward his motorcycle. It felt like if he stayed there any longer, his mind would explode.
As he fled, he could still faintly hear the echo of the voice:
Thumma latus'alunna yawma'ithin 'anin-na'eem..."Then you will surely be asked that Day about pleasure."
Without thinking, he sped away from the graveyard toward home.
Back at the graveyard, the elder closed the Qur'an and raised his hands in prayer.
He said,
"All praise is for the One who created this world and made us the followers of His beloved. O Lord of the heavens and the earth, of the land and sea, the One who shaped man in the best form…
O God of Musa, who saved Ibrahim (AS) from fire, protected Yunus (AS) in the belly of the fish, preserved Yusuf (AS) in the well, and saved Isa (AS) from the cross— I am a mere follower of Your Prophet ﷺ, who cried for us in the depths of the night.
O Allah! By the tears of Your Messenger, I ask You for the betterment of the entire Muslim Ummah. Forgive all buried in this graveyard and across the world who bear the name of Your Prophet.
Guide those who are lost, whose eyes are blind to truth. Grant them the ability to distinguish good from evil. Have mercy on all who are dead and all whose hearts have spiritually died.
Do not disgrace us on the Day of Judgment before You or before our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Ameen."
Those who saw him noticed his beard soaked in tears.
— — — — — — — — — — — —
Jawad regained consciousness beneath the same tree. He tried hard to recall why he was there, but nothing came to mind.
After much effort, when he still couldn't remember anything, he got up and walked toward his car.
Sitting inside, he noticed his phone and saw five missed calls from his mother. He immediately called her back.
She spoke in a panicked voice,
"Where have you been, my son? Do you know how worried I was?"
Jawad replied, "I'm on my way home, just got a bit caught up."
He ended the call. His head felt heavy, as if burdened by something unknown. Still lost in thought, he reached home.
The guests were still there. He entered, greeted everyone, and sat beside his mother. His mind still felt dazed.
Mehrin shook his shoulder and said,
"I've been asking you something. Where were you? I've been calling for three hours!"
Jawad was shocked.
"Three hours? What do you mean? I was only gone for half an hour!"
Trying to change the subject, he said,
"I just went to see a friend who wasn't feeling well."
He got up and said, "I'll go take a shower. Feeling tired."
Mehrin nodded but looked suspiciously thoughtful.
— — — — — — — — — — — —
Haider's mind was still haunted by the earlier events—the elderly man, the intense recitation, the meaning of the verses.
He felt deeply disturbed and decided that he would go see Kalidas after college tomorrow.
Sometimes, we lose the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. Our hearts feel anxious, our minds restless, and yet we don't realize—it's our conscience, seeking the nourishment of God's name.
But instead, we drown it in music or sin.
That night, Haider kept waking up repeatedly.
The verses echoed in his mind:
"Your greed has distracted you… until you visited the graves."
— — — — — — — — — — — —
That night, Jawad went out into the courtyard and saw Rubab standing there.
Bathed in moonlight and chilled by the night breeze, she looked like a delicate doll.
It felt as though Jawad was seeing her for the very first time.
He called out, "Rubab."
She turned and replied, "Yes, bhai?"
Her voice felt unusually sweet to Jawad.
He asked, "Why are you standing here?"
Blushing, Rubab said,
"Well… actually… my engagement has been finalized."
Jawad was suddenly overjoyed.
"Wow! That's great news! And now you're telling us?"
Rubab ran off, shy and embarrassed, while Jawad was brimming with joy.
— — — — — — — — — — — —
The morning felt heavy. Haider's eyes were red from a sleepless night. He got up reluctantly and began preparing for college.
As he wheeled out his expensive motorcycle, the neighbor Uncle Rameez saw him.
Rameez came over and said after a greeting,
"Son, that's a lovely bike! Did you borrow it from someone?"
Annoyed, Haider snapped,
"Uncle, I bought it myself!"
Rameez looked surprised.
"Looks like you won the lottery!"
Haider retorted,
"What's it to you? Whether it's a lottery or a robbery, why are you investigating? Everyone wants to play detective!"
And with that, he sped away on the bike, leaving Uncle Rameez shocked.
"This boy used to be so well-mannered… what's gotten into him?"
— — — — — — — — — — — —
At college, Haider's classmates noticed his new bike.
They gathered around and asked in amazement,
"Haider! Where'd you get this from? Whose bike is this?"
Haider replied angrily,
"Your father's. Don't mess with me early in the morning!"
He stormed off toward class. The others were left stunned.
One said,
"Forget him. When lowlifes get money, this is what they become."
They all headed to class.
After college, Haider left immediately and made his way to see Kalidas.
Ten minutes later, he was back at the cremation ground.
He parked the bike and walked toward Kalidas's hut.
As he approached, he felt like shadows were closing in around him. The hut's door creaked open on its own.
Covering his nose with his arm to block the stench, he entered.
To his surprise, Kalidas wasn't there. Nor were the seven skulls.
He looked around, confused.
Suddenly, he felt something move on the roof.
He looked up—and saw a massive lizard.
He screamed in terror and turned to run—
But from behind, he heard Kalidas's voice,
"Wait, friend…"
Haider turned back in fear and saw Kalidas grinning with evil laughter.
He looked back at the roof—the lizard was gone.
Completely confused, Haider forgot his worries for a moment as he tried to understand what had just happened.
Kalidas stepped forward with a wicked grin...
(To be continued...)
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