Falling In Love

by Emma Easter

  The armed men began going around, snatching purses, wristwatches, earrings, and bracelets. Leila quickly removed her tiny earrings so they wouldn’t tear them out of her ears when they came over. She’d heard horrible tales of armed robbers tearing out earrings from women’s ears when they didn’t remove them from their ears quickly. The earrings were the only jewelry she had on her.

  When one of the men came to her, he pointed the gun at her head and held out his palm. “Give me everything you have,” he said impatiently.

  She gave him her earrings and handed over her purse. However, she sat on the money she’d planned to travel to Nira with, hiding it. She couldn’t afford to hand that over to him or she would not be able to get to Nira from Kazi.

  The man stared at her and said, “Is this all?”

  She nodded and then shuddered as he continued to look at her. Her heart kept pounding and didn’t stop until he finally moved on.

  After what seemed like an eternity, the ordeal finally came to an end. The men got into a car parked some distance away and drove off. Leila took in a deep breath, relieved they were gone. Thankfully, nobody had been seriously hurt.

  Everyone began to stand up to get onto the bus again.

  Leila stood and then gasped in pain and almost fell.

  “Is everything okay?” the woman beside her asked.

  “I can’t walk! My back and my leg hurt.”

  The woman helped her into the bus and sat her down. Leila bit her lip in agony. Her back was on fire. She fought the urge to cry out in pain as the bus began to move again. Some of the women in the bus were still whimpering, while others chanted prayers.

  Leila shut her eyes, trying to shut out the pain in her back and leg, but not succeeding. How will I be able to get to Nira and find Malik if I can’t even walk without excruciating pain?

  They got to Kazi about seven o’clock in the morning. The driver parked in the bus station, and everyone began to disembark. Leila prayed, asking the Lord for help. She got up and started to get off the bus and then bit her lip as pain shot through her back and her leg. She finally managed to get down from the bus, breathing heavily and trying not to think of the pain.

  She saw an empty bench in front of the station, focused on it, and moved slowly towards it, trying as best she could to ignore the pain wracking her body. Just before she got to the bench, a group of girls sat down on it. She groaned and looked around. Tears filled her eyes. She couldn’t stay standing for much longer. She had to find a seat. But there were no empty seats around.

  Lord, what am I going to do?

  How would she be able to go into the bus station, stand in line waiting to pay for her ticket, buy the ticket, and board a bus to Nira when she was in so much pain?

  One of the girls who had taken the seat she was aiming for asked if she was okay.

  Leila shut her eyes, opened them again, she shook her head, and said, “No.” She looked down at the girl and said, “My back and leg hurt. Our bus was attacked by robbers on our way here. They threw me to the ground. When I got up, I found I couldn’t walk well. My leg and my back are aching.”

  The girl got up and asked her to sit down. When Leila did, the girl said, “Do you need me to do anything for you? I can buy your ticket for you if you want.”

  Leila looked up at her in surprise and said, “You would do that for me?”

  The girl nodded.

  Leila thanked her profusely and gave her the remaining money that she had hidden from the robbers. She told her she wanted a ticket to Nira and watched as the girl hurried away into the bus station.

  Some minutes later, the girl came out and handed her a ticket to Nira. “Here you go,” the girl said.

  Leila smiled at her. She whispered a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord. This girl’s help was purely God’s grace and an answer to her prayers.

  Leila sat waiting with her hand on her back, praying that God would give her strength.

  The other passengers on her bus did not start to board until almost an hour later. Leila boarded the bus and sat at the back.

  The hour-long trip seemed much longer and at the same time shorter than she remembered. As much as she wanted to see Malik again, she feared that not only would her leg and back not be able to withstand the strain of finding him, but that she would be seen by Malik’s father and maybe captured the way she and Zainah had been the last time they were in Nira.

  I can’t let that happen, she said to herself.

  The bus driver reached the outskirts of Nira and parked at a bus station opposite the small Nira market. Leila waited until everyone disembarked from the bus before she hobbled down. She stood on her leg to test it. Thankfully, the pain in her leg and her back had subsided. It was still painful, but not as unbearable as it had been in Kazi.

  She dragged her feet as she moved away from the bus. Some distance away, she stood to cross the road. Thankfully, there were hardly any cars on the narrow road. She crossed as best and as quickly as she could, her leg throbbing. On the other side of the road, she avoided the market, not knowing who might be there who might remember her and her connection to Zainah and Malik’s family.

  The memory of her almost-marriage months ago in this town came flooding back to her, and she winced inwardly. If anyone saw her and remembered that she was one of the brides who was supposed to marry one of the richest men in the town but then was rescued by armed men who stormed the community, they would probably go and tell Zainah’s father. That in turn would lead to a manhunt and ultimately to her being found out. Who knew what would happen to her after that?

  She found an empty hut and, once again, lifted up a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord. She entered the hut and sat on the bare floor. When it was dark, she would go out again to search for Malik. He had shown her his house some days before that sham marriage almost took place.

  “Hopefully, you can come and see my house later this evening,” he had said to her as they walked by it. “Right now, there are so many people around, and it would seem a little inappropriate to have a single woman enter the house with me. It’ll be better when it’s dark.”

  She had thought then that what was inappropriate was going to the house with him when it was dark, but she had not told him so. Unfortunately, she had never gotten to see the house. She and Zainah had been thrown into the horrible shack with the single window. They had been locked up for days in the shack until their “wedding day”. Thankfully, Faizan’s friends had rescued them.

  Leila spent the rest of the time in the hut praying and sleeping. She woke up and found the hut was totally dark. She pulled a tiny flashlight out of her pocket. She had brought it along with her specifically for this purpose—to search for Malik. She turned on the flashlight and shined it around the hut. She stood and then pressed her lips together as pain shot through her legs. Sighing, she hobbled out of the hut and began to walk into Nira, the flashlight illuminating her way.

  She felt slightly confused as she walked through a narrow pathway towards what she hoped was the road leading to Malik’s house. All around her were trees and tall grass. She kept praying and hoping she was going in the right direction.

  She walked on, still uncertain about the direction to Malik’s.

  I hope I am going in the right direction. All she could do now was pray and hope that this lonely road she was working on would lead her to Malik.

  Soon, she saw Zainah and Malik’s father’s house. The brick house was the only building that was lit up, clearly by a generator. The other houses around, most of them actually huts, were in the dark.

  Leila walked on the other side of the road, completely avoiding Zainah’s father’s house. She jumped as two men suddenly came out. Switching off her flashlight, she hid in the shadows. She focused on the road in front of her, walking slowly while praying with all her heart that they would not see her. Even though she had switched off her flashlight, light from the house still dimly illuminated the path she was walking on.

  When
she had gone some distance away from the house, she sighed in relief. Neither of the men had seen her.

  “Thank you, Lord,” she breathed when she finally saw Malik’s house. It was very similar to his father’s, only much smaller.

  She paused in front of the house, turned on her flashlight, took a deep breath, and then knocked on the door. “Lord, please let him be at home,” she prayed. She wasn’t sure exactly of the time, but it seemed like it was about nine p.m. A few people were about, but most were in their homes.

  Her heart thudded as she waited for Malik to open the door. She felt excited and nervous at the same time. What would he say when he saw her? Surely, he would be ecstatic to see her.

  After a few minutes, she frowned and knocked on the door again. She waited, but still no one came to the door. She shut her eyes. Where is he, Lord?

  She suddenly jumped and yelped as someone touched her shoulder. Turning around, her eyes widened in shock as she looked into the eyes of Khadija, Zainah’s younger sister.

  “Shh!” Khadija said. “I was just passing by when I saw someone that looked like you in front of Malik’s house. I didn't believe it was you. I didn’t think you would ever come back here after everything you and Zainah went through the last time you were here.” She shook her head and said, “What are you doing here?”

  Leila looked pleadingly at her and said, “Are you going to tell your father I am here in Nira?”

  Khadija shook her head again. “No. I regret even participating in that forced marriage, Leila. I’m glad you and Zainah were rescued from it. I won’t tell my father. But I need to understand, Leila. Why are you here?”

  “I came to find Malik,” Leila answered. “Do you know where he is?”

  “You must really love him to risk coming back here.”

  Impatiently, Leila asked again, “Malik? Do you know where he is?”

  Khadija said, “He’s not here. He has gone to my father’s farm in Dogon.”

  Leila’s heart sank. “When will he be back?”

  “In about two weeks’ time,” Khadija answered.

  Leila closed her eyes and sank to the floor in misery. Khadija knelt in front of her and put her hand on Leila’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

  Leila couldn’t speak. All her hopes and dreams of meeting and finally being in Malik’s arms were for naught. All her dreams to be with him right now melted away. What I am going to do? I don’t want to leave without seeing Malik.

  She looked at Khadija and said, “Where is Dogon? Can you give me directions to the place?”

  Khadija shook her head. “I don’t really know where it is.”

  Leila sighed sadly. Why was she even asking for directions when she didn’t have any money to go there? Plus, her back still hurt like crazy. There was no way she would make it there in her state. She looked away from Khadija, feeling completely hopeless.

  Khadija tapped her shoulder. “I have an idea!” she exclaimed, as a huge smile spread across her face.

  “What is it?” Leila asked.

  “You can stay in Malik’s house until he comes back.”

  “But it’s locked,” Leila said. “I tried to open…”

  Khadija cut her off. “My father has the key to Malik’s house, but I can steal it and bring it here for you.”

  Leila’s heart soared and she said, “That would be a good idea.” It would afford her the opportunity to heal up while she waited for Malik to come back to Nira. And then she thought about something and frowned. “But how will I stay hidden here? Are you sure nobody will find me here somehow and report to your father? Besides, what will I eat?”

  Khadija gave her a small smile and said, “Don’t worry about that. I’ll try to get food for you every day. As for somebody finding you here, you will need to remain locked in the house, of course. I’ll try my best to make sure nobody comes near here.”

  Leila nodded. Aside from the fact that she had no choice, this was the best idea. She looked at Khadija and wrapped her arms around the girl. “Thank you so much! Thank you.”

  When she let go of her, Khadija smiled again and nodded. “Now wait here. I’ll go get the keys. My father will not be in his room now so I can steal them and bring them here for you.” She went away quickly, and Leila tried the best she could to remain quiet so no one would know she was there.

  She waited for a long time, and then became worried when Khadija did not come back. She soon began to wonder if Khadija had been found out trying to steal the key to Malik’s house. Or had she told on Leila so that even now one or more of her father’s men were on their way here?

  Leila’s heart beat in fear. Maybe I should leave, she told herself. But her heart refused to listen. She would see the end of this, no matter what. She had to believe, somehow, that Khadija would come back with the keys to this house.

  She waited some more, but when Khadija still didn’t appear, she knew the girl had told on her. Fear overwhelmed her. At any minute, the same men who had captured her and Zainah and locked them up at Zainah’s father’s command would come and take her away to be locked up again.

  She heard footsteps approaching and her muscles tensed up.

  Khadija arrived and bent down, breathing hard.

  Leila let out a huge sigh of relief and said to Khadija, “What happened?”

  “My mother sent me on an errand immediately I got to the house. I had no choice but to do what she asked me to or I would have been found out. I’m sorry. I ran all the way here.”

  “No need to apologize,” Leila said.

  Khadija quickly unlocked the door and she and Leila entered the house. Leila shined the flashlight around the living room. It was small and simply furnished. She smiled and took in a deep breath. She could smell Malik’s scent here. It was a pleasant mixture of the sun, earth, and musk.

  Khadija left the living room and came back almost immediately holding a candle and a matchbox. She lit the candle and placed it on top of the mantel near the loveseat. “Unfortunately, there will be no light for you here as my father’s generator is not connected to the house right now.”

  Leila chuckled. “I’m used to staying where there’s no light. The camp where I live has had no light for years. In a way, I prefer it.”

  Khadija smiled and nodded. She looked at Leila with a somber expression and said, “What about my sister, Leila? Is she okay?”

  Leila gave her a big smile. “She is better than okay, Khadija. She is in America and she will soon be married to the man she loves.”

  Khadija gasped and then grinned. “Oh, I am so happy. I have been so worried about her.”

  Before Khadija left, Leila enfolded her in her arms, hugged her tightly, and thanked her again for her help. When she left, Leila stretched out on the couch and thanked God for bringing her here safely. She still felt disappointed that Malik was not here, but she was grateful for what God had done. He had worked a miracle in Khadija’s heart and sent the girl to help her.

  Leila smiled and said, “Thank you, Lord, for everything.” She said to herself sarcastically, “Now, all I have to do is hide out in here for two weeks. How hard can that be?”

  Chapter Six

  Faizan opened his eyes and looked around him, feeling disoriented. He couldn’t see anything, as everything was dark. He kept looking around until his eyes adjusted to the darkness, and then he saw that he was in a small room that was completely empty. He shut his eyes, put his hand on his forehead, and groaned. He had a splitting headache. It felt just like someone was continuously pounding on his head with a huge stick.

  He licked his lips. His mouth was terribly parched.

  He groaned again as images of the events that had taken place, and probably landed him here, flooded his mind. He remembered clearly being hit on the head by the man who he’d been trying to save. Confusion filled his mind and he moaned. Why had the man, who he had risked everything to save, hit him on the head? Why had he even risked exposure to save the man?

  He looked up at t
he ceiling and said, “Please, Lord, help me! I made a terrible mistake and because of that, I might never get to see Zainah again.” Images of her came rushing back to him. Zainah making him promise that he would come back on the last day they were together; her laughing face as she told him about shopping with his sisters for her wedding dress; Zainah kissing him, hugging him, and saying ‘yes’ on the day he asked her to marry him. He suddenly couldn’t hold back and screamed, “What have I done? I should never have interfered.”

  But he knew he would never have been able to live with himself if he hadn’t tried to save the women and that man, even though it turned out his interfering had been a huge mistake. The people he was trying to save, at least the man, was in cohorts with the enemy.

  He put his hand on his pounding head and shut his eyes again, trying to sort out the pain in his heart, which was overwhelmingly greater than the physical pain he felt in his head.

  He blinked in surprise as the door to his small cell burst open. Light flooded the room as the bulb on the ceiling lit up. The man he had tried to save back at the Bedouin tent came in. He stared at Faizan as though he was studying a science experiment. Faizan glared back at him in anger.

  Khalid walked into the cell and for a long moment, stared at Faizan with disdain. He finally said, “When Nazeem told me you looked like the leader of his former resistance group who turned on them, I told him it was impossible because I trusted you. But when he insisted it was you and said you had betrayed the group, and that only a few of them had escaped, as most had been apprehended and taken to jail, I decided to test you to see if it was really true. I set a trap for you. Needless to say, you failed the test.” He looked at the man beside him and said, “You can imagine my anger and disappointment, Chad.”

  Faizan glared at him. He felt his anger growing and then forcefully pressed it away. In his former life as a terrorist, he would have tried to attack these men, and maybe he would have succeeded in overpowering them as long as they didn’t have a weapon on them. But now, he was a changed man, and violence didn’t come so easily for him anymore.