CHAPTER 14

"Okay, stir it till I come. Keep stirring. Don't budge away from

here." Mom handed me the spatula and walked out of the

kitchen.

I held it in my hands and started stirring the chicken broth

slowly.

If he is to find out about me being the sole witness of the

murder, what would he do? I will be punished. Obviously, how

I could I hide it along for this long. To hide such an important

piece of information after a murder had been committed was

an absurd idea. What was I doing? How would I confess this

to him?

I straightened up.

Sir, I wanted to tell you something.

I know that it is too late now and I should've said this earlier.

But, believe me I tried. I tried numerous times but, there were

obstacles. They still are there. Preventing me from speaking

to you.

Why does this sound like I am confessing my feelings?

I shook my head and straightened my back again.

So, as I was saying. This is really important. And, I know I've

committed a mistake but, I hope you forgive me. You seem

like a kind person.

Does he really seem like a kind person?

No.

I have witnessed the murder.

{Pause to see his reaction}

Step one. Making him believe me.

I am not kidding. I swear I've seen it. I can tell you even the

slightest bit of details about it. I am not joking. This isn't a

joke. I know it. I wanted to tell you but, the murderer

attacked me twice.

{Pause to see him nod and believe me}

Step two. Give him reasons for your delay.

I have been attacked by the murder twice. Once when she

stabbed the knife near my wrist and when she pushed me

and I injured my wound again.

{Pause to see him nod and accept my reasons}

Step three. Defend yourself.

You were there when this all happened with me. You know I

am not making things up. The wound is real. Look.

{Hold up your hand and show him your wound}

{Pause to see him nod and stop suspecting you}

Step four. Give him all of the details.

So, sir...

"What have you done, Fatima?" my mother snatched the

spatula rom my hand and pushed me away.

I peeked over her shoulder and the chicken broth was...

"Well, I was thinking about something important." I thought.

"5 minutes. I told you to take care of this for 5 minutes and

you did this. Have you lost it?" she yelled and I flinched at her

sharp tone.

Kitchen visits were horrible all the time. At least for me.

"What will you do when you get married?" she yelled again.

"I'll marry a chef." I blurted out involuntarily.

This was my usual answer every time she asked me this

question.

She turned to me and glared at me for a while. I looked down

feeling guilty.

"Get out. And, don't you ever come in my kitchen again."

"I didn't want to come here in the first place. You called me" I

muttered to myself.

"What was that?" she yelled again.

"Nothing." I scurried away like a mouse.

"Attention." the HM's voice boomed across the ground and we

positioned ourselves in the position of attention.

"Students. I am here to address a very important topic. Please

be attentive."

"What happened at our school a 3 weeks ago was very

devastating and it shouldn't have happened. We are

constantly under the threat of shutting the school down.

Though we haven't received a legal order from the Saudi

ministry of education."

"Officer Badr Al- Din." she paused and breathed deeply.

"He is here to only to investigate the crime but, also to give the

Saudi Ministry of Education an overall report of our school."

"You know how we all arrange ourselves when they come to

visit us."

It was true indeed. The visits from Saudi ministry of education

were considered very seriously. The teachers who weren't

hired legally by the school would go and hide whenever they

paid us a visit each classroom's strength had to be of a specific

number. So, at times we had to shift to a different classroom

simply to put on a fake show. These were some rules

formulated by the Saudi ministry of Education. This wasn't a

legal crime that we committed but, precautions we took in

order to not into trouble.

I heard a few gasps and sounds of astonishment from the

crowd.

"That's the thing. He knows that there are teachers that aren't

hired legally by our school. And, the fact that our classes

aren't exactly arranged according to rules formulated by the

SME. The classes arrangements aren't a big deal. We can

submit a report of our reasons for the class arrangements or if

that's not enough we could submit an apology statement. But

the main problem is of the teachers that aren't legally hired.

We don't know what will be the consequences if they are to

find out that we haven't hired them legally."

"But, for how long? Till how long can we grant them leave?

We don't know for how long this investigation goes on. Your

exams are coming up, portions are due and then we have to

conduct model exams before the final exams."

"Attention everyone." she silenced the silent murmurs in the

crowd.

"He is utterly disgusted with your behavior. He keeps

complaining of your immature behavior. The way you are

scattered across the ground during break time and dispersal

time, the way how you behave in the corridors, the way you all

seem unbothered by the crime committed. He basically has

problem with every single thing about you all. The fact that a

crime has been committed in our school is an enough for him

to be disgusted by us. So, why are you increasing the reasons

for him to despise and criticize you."

"I understand that you are deeply affected by this too. But, at

least show some respect and behave a little ethically and

religiously. At least till he's here."

"Moreover, this will give you some practice. You are girls. You

should know how to adjust. Someday or the other you have to

leave your home and got to some other home. You should

know how to adjust."

I rolled my eyes and Hajera turned around. We sighed

exasperatedly.

This was basically her go to motto. She would say this all the

time. You are girls. You have to adjust. Some day or the other

you would go to some other home. Blaa Blaa Blaa.

"So, I request you all to behave with a little civility when he's

around. Don't give him more reasons to defame your school,

your teachers, your HM like that."

"Yes, ma'am." we all replied in unison.

"Alright. Disperse."

The first line began to walk towards the stairs.

"He's very shrewd. Very wicked. Far more than our

understanding." I shook my head.

"Of course. He is the senior NCO for a reason." Hajera rolled

her eyes.

"I've been promoted to the post of the senior NCO for a

reason, madaam." his deep and scary voice rang in my ears.

I shook my head.

"Have you ever dealt with something paranormal?" I muttered

as we prepared to move.

"One night while I was playing Ludo with my sisters..."

Nadeefa turned around.

"We heard footsteps outside our room. The footsteps sounded

like a person was pacing the length of our corridor."

"Must be your brother." Hajera scoffed.

"No, Hajera." she shook her head dramatically.

"No one was at home that day."

"Then what happened?" I asked her eyeing the line beside us

moving forward.

"We don't know who was there. We kept praying and after a

while..." she paused dramatically.

"Stop being dramatic." Yasmeen rolled her eyes.

"After a while..." she leaned towards Yasmeen who was busy

checking her nails.

"After a while... Boom." she yelled in her ear and Yasmeen

flinched back.

"Guys. Did you not hear what the HM just said?" I stifled my

laugh.

"Okay. Hajera. Your turn."

"My mom told me this story. Her dad. He used to work in the

mines as an engineer. Once his workers and him were working

in a coal mine I guess."

"Coal mine? Gold or a diamond mine would be better." I

smiled.

"Sorry." I muttered when all of them eyed me wearily.

"So, one day they were digging like breaking the stones or

whatever you do to obtain coal. And, they saw red liquid

pouring out. It was blood red. Like it looked like blood."

"Must be Lava." I scoffed.

"No?" I asked her when I saw her looking serious.

"Okay. Sorry."

"And, then they heard a scream. A woman's scream. It was

very mysterious."

"So, what happened?"

Our line began to move.

"I don't know. The workers were given a day off to investigate

a matter but called in the next day as if nothing happened. It

remains a mystery till date."

"Hmm..." I hummed and moved forward.

"What about you? Have you ever dealt with something

paranormal."

I looked up while ascending the stairs and I saw officer Badr

Al- Din descending the third floor, the crime spot. I could see

him through the pole of the staircase.

"I saw a man." I began.

"Go on."

"He was very tall, unusually tall." I watched as he descended

every step slowly.

"He had long arms." I watched as his one hand was in his

pocket and the other waving in the air.

"When he spoke, his voice was very deep and intimidating.

You can't stand still when you hear it." I watched as he spoke

to the guard behind him, waving his hand as he spoke.

"Are you describing a character from your book?" Hajera

turned to me.

"I don't have a book. I don't write. It is real."

"I am describing a mystery. Someone very shrewd."

"He had mysterious eyes. There was something very deep and

mysterious in them. They were warm brown but, still very

intimidating."

"When you look into his eyes. You can't look away at the same

time you can't keep staring in them too. You'll have to look

away. You'll have to look away."

As if on cue he looked down beside him. I was on the stairs on

the first floor. He was on the stairs of the second floor. He was

almost beside me. I looked down. I sensed his gaze on me as

he we moved to the side and he walked past us.

"Is this your paranormal...?" Hajera began.

"This isn't something Paranormal, Hajera. It's something

more than that."

An hour later.

"So, is he investigating us as a class?" I took a bite from an

apple.

"Stop that."

"What? I am just having an apple." I shrugged defensively.

"I don't know. It doesn't look good." Hajera turned away from

me.

"What? This?" I leaned towards her and made loud munching

sounds near her ear.

"For the love of our friendship. Please stop."

I laughed lightly and sank back in my chair.

"It that your pet peeve? Munching sounds." I stated and

munched loudly again.

"What's yours?"

"Officer Badr Al- Din." I munched again.

"Him?" she turned to me.

"I don't like him." I nodded and munched again.

"Why?" she sounded very amused.

"He's so rude. So shrewd. So evil. Suspects us all." I munched

again.

"So, were you expecting something else?"

"I expected some kind of consideration for 15-year Olds. He is

so scary." I munched again.

"Well, we have nothing to do with him and the case. So, why

should we be afraid?" she shrugged.

The memory of Aqsa stabbing Sania and my encounters with

her flashed before me.

"What if the murderer, the actual one gets away with it? Like

how they portray it in the movies and books. One person

commits the crime and someone else gets blamed." I munched

again.

"This isn't a book or movie. We are living a real life in a real

world. Remember?"

"Of course, I remember." I laughed.

I heard a loud knock. We all got up and I didn't know what to

do with the apple so I got up and threw it behind me. It fell

behind the benches against the back wall of the classroom.

I heard gasps and giggles. Hajera turned to me with an

astonished expression.

"What? I didn't know what to do with it." I shrugged.

"You're outrageous, Fatma." she shook her head.

The HM walked in along with a few teachers.

"Girls. After a few minutes you all are going to be interrogated

together as a class. So, be prepared. Act with civility. You are

girls. You have...." she began with her motto again and I

pretended to be deaf.

"Fatima." a teacher called out to me.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Come with me." she nodded.

Fear began to crawl in my veins. It was time. This was

happening right now. I didn't want this. I was not ready. Yet, I

wanted to lift this burden off my shoulders now. It was too

much for a 15-year-old.

Hajera moved out of the way. I gulped and involuntarily my

eyes darted towards the bloody murderer. The one who had

committed child homicide. She wasn't there.

Was she absent?

How did I not notice?

"Hajera." I patted her shoulder.

Is Aqsa absent?"

"I don't know. Maybe, yes."

I smiled.

I should definitely tell this to Officer Badr.

Then he will suspect her too. I thought and smiled to myself.

"Officer has asked you to wait here, Fatma." the teacher asked

me to wait outside the corridor that led to his office.

"When will he come?"

"He has started his interrogation from upstairs. He has to

cover all of the classes."

The wait is long. I thought.

"What do you have to do with this case, Fatma?" She turned to

me.

"I..." I looked around.

"I have to..." I looked upstairs.

"I can only say this to officer Badr Al din, ma'am." I looked

down.

Suddenly she reached forward and grabbed my arm dragging

me into the staffroom that was inside the corridor adjacent to

the one we were standing nearby.

"What happened, ma'am?" I asked her soothing my arm. She

shut the door behind her.

"I realized we weren't alone. The coordinator, our math

teacher was also inside.

"Fatima. Sit down." Fouzia ma'am motioned me to sit.

I rubbed my arm and sat down almost on the verge of crying.

Why were everyone so harsh on me these days? I didn't even

do anything.

"Look, Fatima. As a part of a school, it is our duty to stand

together and protect each other."

I just looked at her blankly.

"Do you consider this school as your second home and us

teachers as your family?" she gazed at me warmly. A kind of

warmth I had never seen in her eyes.

Were they trying to emotionally blackmail me?

I nodded slowly.

"Good." she smiled.

"Now, can you please tell me what happened? And, how are

you related to this case?"

I thought of telling them but, Officer Badr's words stopped

me.

"If anyone of you has even a slightest bit of clue about this

incident, come to me directly. Do not approach your teachers

for it. Come to me directly."

Should I test their intentions first?

I composed my feared delf.

"Ma'am, I think... that"

"I knew Saniya."

The coordinator nodded.

"I met her sometime back and I also met her the day before

the murder." I glanced around.

"I just wanted to tell him that. I fear that if he is to find out

from somewhere else, he might suspect me more."

"More?" she raised her eyebrow.

Why do I have to mess everything up these days?

"Yeah. More. As in like he suspects us all right? So, he must

suspect me too. And if he's to find out about a senior girl

meeting the victim a day before the incident with absolutely

no reason, I will be at the top of his list."

"List?"

"Yeah. List of suspects."

"Just that?"

"Yeah." I smiled nervously.

"You know we trust all of our students. We expect them to be

loyal to us and the school."

I nodded.

"Alright then. If that's all you had to say to him, I trust you.

You can leave." she walked out of the room along with the

teacher.

I sighed.

I walked out and waited.

"I am missing my classes for you, officer. It's very late." I

glanced at my watch.

I had missed two periods.

Great.

Okay. I am done.

I ascended the stairs and walked back to my classroom. To my

surprise, he was inside. Interrogating my class.

Did he do that on purpose? Why would he call me

individually when he was interrogating my class. He could've

called me separately some other time. Why did he not want

me attend the class's interrogation. Should I go in? But if he

wanted me in, he wouldn't have called me out individually. I

should wait here.

I stood outside the classroom contemplating whether to go

inside or not. After 5 minutes or so he walked out glancing in

my direction he stopped. He looked confused. But

nevertheless, he walked past me.

Is this it? Our meetings will keep getting delayed?