8. THE ACCIDENT

“And We charge no soul except [with that within] its capacity, and with Us is a record which speaks with truth; and they will not be wronged.” (QURAN 23:62)

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We were walking along the roadside when we spotted a crowd in the middle of the road. Before I could say anything, Hadi was already running towards it. I followed his lead, quickly making my way towards the crowd and pushed through. The first thing I noticed was a wailing woman on the ground holding a bloody child, not more than 3 or 4 year old to her chest. I could feel the blood draining from my face at the sight and a cold shiver ran down my spine. Immediately taking hold of my senses, I dropped down on the ground next to the woman.

I tried pulling the child away from her but she didn't budge. Taking hold of his wrist, I checked for pulse which was weak but still there. I turned to Hadi but he was looking at the mother with a hard face.

"CAPTAIN!!"I shouted which brought his attention to me.

"GET HER OUT OF THE WAY AND CALL FOR AMBULANCE!" I screamed through the wailing of the mother and the noise of crowd. He gaped at me with an open mouth for a moment but then obliged. He ripped the woman's hold off of the child who then lunged for her baby but was dragged away by Hadi. He handed the mother over to some other women who were reassuring her and trying to calm her or atleast hold her down.

Carefully laying the child flat on the ground, I assessed his condition before placing him in a sniffing position using my jacket as a support. I nudged him for response, but he remained unresponsive. His breathing seemed to be noisy with infrequent gasps and there were signs of distress. I suspected broken ribs but in this situation there wasn't much else I could do but monitor him, until the ambulance arrived or his condition worsened.

Assessing the extent of his injury, I noticed a gash on his head from which he was bleeding profusely. Taking off my muffler, I pressed it against his head and checked for his breathing which was faint but still there. His mouth was cut and he had other minor injuries.

I continued to sit there with my hands pressed against his head. Hadi had pushed away the crowd to give me room to work.

"How much longer before the ambulance arrives?''I asked Hadi who was sitting besides me. He had removed his jacket and covered the child with it.

He was about to answer when we heard the Ambulance's siren in the distance. After safely getting him into the ambulance with his mother, I stood there with Hadi staring into the space, where the ambulance was moments ago.

"I hope he is okay." I remarked slowly, closing my eyes.

''You did good.'' On hearing those words, my my eyes snapped open and caught him looking at me with a soft smile and warm eyes. I felt my heart skip a beat and averted my gaze quickly.

"I have to stop by somewhere. You should head back first." He remarked slowly.

Even though, he wanted me to take a taxi, I declined. Right now, I could use some walk. So, I forced him to leave me and go ahead.

I silently kept walking towards the house with my head down. It was starting to get dark now. I tried not to think too much about his scent wafting from his jacket, which he made me wear forcefully, because mine was blood stained.

While I was immersed in these thoughts, I didn't hear someone come behind me. I was still walking with my eyes downcast but stopped in my tracks when, someone came in front of me and blocked my way. I looked up to find the guy from before standing infront of me. However, this time there were only 2 of them. I glanced around to make sure there were enough people, so they don't attempt anything but unfortunately this path was deserted and that's exactly why they chose this place and time.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have, here.'' He remarked with an ear piercing laugh which was joined by the other jerk. I glared at them through gritted teeth, before moving past them. But they blocked my path again.

"Oho. What's the hurry? We came all this way to see you and that's how you're going to treat us." The other sneered.

"Get lost." I cried in disgust before taking a step away from them.

"Now, now. What's the hurry? Why don't we go sit down somewhere and talk, huh? You owe us one you know?" He slurred, inching towards me.

"The hell are you on? Are you mental? Get lost or I'll scream!" I seethed with rage boiling in me. I was this close to punching the shit out of him.

"Wow. Her face might be angelic but she is no saint, huh? Are you that Captain's girl? Is he the only one you put the innocent mask on for—" He couldn't go on because I had swung a punch to his face, which he caught with no effort.

"Woah, missy! Easy there. Let's use words, huh? But if that's what you want, then we would love to get physical with you too—" His disgusting sneer was cut short by the kick I delivered to his shin, although I wasn't going for that. Immediately pulling my hand away from his grasp, I started running away but they caught up with me quickly. He pulled me back by my arm and before I could struggle,

delivered a slap across my face and I fell face down on the hard ground.

"You—! Stop acting so innocent. Best come with us quietly. Your Captain boyfriend isn't going to come save you." He kept going in that slithery way.

"I don't need anyone to save me. I am more than enough for shit scums like you!" And with that, I threw the large rock at his face, which I had grabbed from the side of the road. He screamed holding his eye and swore at me. I took that moment and scrambled to my feet but couldn't get up, because the next moment his hands were wrapped around my neck now, strangling me.

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO MAKE ME GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN?! Why?! Why am I so unforgivable in Your sight?!

I clawed at his face, to no avail. And just when I started to see black blotches in the corner of my vision, his hold loosened on me and was pulled back with a jerk.

I coughed, taking in large bouts of air. As I tried to grab a hold of myself, I saw Hadi, beating them to ground while spouting profanities. With great difficulty, I tried sitting up and looked up to find half dead scumbags on the ground.

I stood up staggering a bit and just before I was about to fall down, I felt strong hands yanking me by my arms.

I looked up to find Hadi, staring down at me with rage burning in his eyes and blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

''Sorry—" I began but almost instantly, lost my balance when pain shot up my twisted ankle.

Instinctively, I grabbed the front of his shirt but he brushed me away roughly and started to drag me to the taxi, waiting on the side of the road. Pushing me into the backseat of the car, he went around to sit in the passenger seat.

When the car stopped outside the house a few minutes later, he stepped out after handing cash to the driver and went inside without looking back.

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I handed the cash to the driver with a thanks and watched the hospital building before going in. I had woken up with an agenda today, to find out the hospital the kid was in—and since this was a small town, there weren't many hospitals to begin with.

'Best get on with it.' I thought with a sigh and pushed open the glass door. I was inquiring about the accident at the reception when she directed my attention to a familiar figure.

I walked over to where Hadi was in discussion with the doctor but didn't call him out, since he had his back turned to me.

It was the doctor who noticed me first and then Hadi followed his gaze. Immediately his face took on a look of coldness that could freeze me to my place but dismissing his cold accusing gaze, I turned to the doctor.

"Are you the doctor who treated the child involved in hit and run yesterday? I wanted to check up on his condition." I explained calmly and the doctor shot a curious gaze to Hadi before returning to me.

"I am. And who might you be?" He inquired blankly. He looked like a senior doctor appearance wise.

"Excuse my rudeness. I am Dr. Aasiya Fahim. I did his first aid yesterday." I answered with a professional smile and felt him shift beside me.

"Oh. Right. It did seem like someone had given him aid before he reached here. I assumed it was the paramedics. His condition wasn't critical. There wasn't internal bleeding in his brain but but he had a few broken ribs. Other than that, he will be fine InshaAllah.'' He continued in a sympathetic tone.

"That's a relief." I added to myself, sighing.

''You're sure that you don't want them to know?'' He had turned to him who gave him a stern no. With a resigned look the Doctor turned away with a sigh. Immediately following that he turned away too, as if running away from my very existence.

"Captain Hadi. Can we talk?" I called out to his back and he stopped in his tracks but didn't turn.

"Please." I pleaded and then followed him outside.

"I—I wanted to apologise, for getting you involved yesterday—" We were standing on the far side of the entrance. Before I could say anymore, he turned away with a scoff and I could only watch him blankly.

"Done?" He inquired coldly and I felt my face turn scarlet from embarrassment.

"What—? My apology isn't good enough for you?" I stared at him in disbelief at which he exhaled a long breath.

"I think Dr. Aasiya, an apology would seem sincere if there were any signs of redemption—which, regrettably don't appear to be the case with you." He continued impassively and I could only gape at him stupefied.

"If your sorry meant shit, then I wouldn't find you in the same situation again and—" before he could continue, I broke in.

"So—! You—what you mean to say is, that I get involved with people like them on purpose—? And for what? Do enlighten me, Captain! Since you seem so versed in the topic!!" My voice cracked as I glared at him through quivering lips, whose eyes had turned cold and unforgiving. I felt the muscles of my neck tightening as I uttered the next words.

"In your capable judgement—I am asking to be kicked—!and raped—! And—!" I couldn't continue because a lump of tears had suffocated the words in my neck. I looked away with a scoff, not willing to shed any tear in front of him.

"I didn—!! You—! You could have run away! Instead of engaging in fights with someone twice your size on top of being outnumbered—! Did you actually think—!" He grabbed my wrist and jerked me towards him.

"Your stupid martial arts—! Or your pathetic little fist—stood any chance against them—!!!" He shouted. His anger raw and deafening as he glared at me through quivering lips. His teeth clenched in attempts to contain his rage but I could see the vein popping on the side of his temple. I winced as he tightened his grip on my wrist but he didn't loose his hold.

"Run away? Why? Why do I have to run away, every time—? How can I run away, when all I want to do is kill them then and there with my bare hands—?" I didn't shout. My voice was levelled, yet, something in my voice made his anger change into shock. My lips quivered and the tears had broken loose. But I wasn't finished.

Pulling away my hand from his grasp with a jerk, I seethed with the hatred boiling in me, since that day.

"Even after a million times, I'll still fight them—!! EVERY.SINGLE.DAMN.TIME!! Even if I die—I'll die fighting! I'll scar them for eternity! Just as they have scarred me!!" By now, my sobs were out loose. I was aware that I must look like a madman to him. But without sparing him another glance, I walked away, with the remaining shreds of my tattered dignity.