Chapter 02

Hayat

I got out of the car as I was greeted by our watchman. “Welcome dear”, the old man in his 50s said as I smiled at him “Thank you, uncle”.

I jogged inside my house, well a little bigger than the normal ones. The front door was opened by our maid, Aunty Jemila. “Assalamualaikum, aunt jemila. Is dad awake?” I asked her as she took my bag from my hands and the other maid took my coat off.

“Yes he's awake in his room”, she replied, smiling at me. I nodded as I went upstairs to see my dad.

I entered his room as I saw him sitting on his wheelchair, staring outside the window. I walked towards him and sat down, placing my hands on his knees.

“Baba? I am back from school. My day went well, I enjoyed teaching those kids”, I smiled talking to him, receiving nothing from him.

“Baba, I'll have dinner with you, okay?”, I said again and there was no reply as usual. I sighed and hugged up.

My dad has been paralysed since 10yrs in a car crash. I lost my mom and my dad became paralysed. Ever since I started to continue what my mom and dad wanted me to. Teach and preach people about Islam. I studied hard and became a well known scholar.

I broke the hug and smiled at my dad, hoping he wouldn't see my tears. Although he is paralyzed, he could still feel and act.

He cries after my mom, he tries to talk too but he can't. I went outside his room and walked towards my room. After freshening up, I went downstairs for dinner.

Aunt Jemila came out of the elevator as she was with my dad. She parked his wheelchair beside me and we had our dinner.

10:00PM

Hayat was offering her Isha prayer (night prayer) peacefully. She finished her prayer and raised her hands to make dua as she felt a presence behind her. As the door of her room was opened, she thought it must be Aunt Jemila.

She heard soft footsteps walking towards her nightstand, placing a glass of milk and walking outside. Hayat remembered to inform her about her schedule tomorrow as she turned out, there was no one.

She got confused and looked at her nightstand. There was no glass of milk or anything else. But it was so real? She literally heard her walk in her room and place the glass. Hayat frowned, confused, she grabbed the prayer mat and folded it.

Azrael

“In the name of Satan, the most powerful and gracious. I sacrifice this woman to you as you demanded for. Take her soul and give me her wealth”.

The poor girl screamed on the top of her lungs. She was wrapped up in a coffin, three lines were carved on her forehead, her skin was torn off and her face was covered with blood. She was laid on a table crying for her life. And that's when Azrael growled and stabbed her with a knife.

Once, twice, thrice.

The woman died as her blood was visible on her coffin. Azrael let out a sigh of relief and smiled, closing his eyes. He walked over another table that was placed on the corner.

A head of a goat covered with blood was placed on it, candles everywhere in the room and around the head. He had kept some flesh and human organs as an offering to his Lord.

He sat infront of the table, crossing his legs and joining the palms of his hands. A prayer pose to his Satan.

“Dear lord, I did what I was ordered to. I am very grateful to your blessings already, I can't help enough but thank you as much as I can. Lord.. I have someone else in my eyes now. I want her wealth, lord. Please allow me to bring her to you and sacrifice her, just like I have been doing. Please lord… let me have her wealth”.

Azrael got up and bowed to the head of the goat. Smiling, he grabbed the dead body, put her in a casket and took her to his backyard. He started to dig up.

The sky was dark and the world was sleeping, it was only him, his victim and the sound of an axe. He'd bury his victims in his backyard for the night and then take them to a forest to bury them permanently.

Azrael admired himself, he was proud of his little good deeds. Atleast he was burying her and not cutting off her organs. That's the bare minimum he could do to a woman.

•••

It was yet another day of Hayat’s lecture, she was already enjoying her time teaching her students. She cared  for and respected each of them. The boys were shy around her and the girls always made her smile because of their cuteness.

Every student had their bond with her and they all were well mannered. But him. Hayat had observed Azrael, how he was a quiet student. He barely had any company and no one really cared about his presence, as if he was invisible to them. Not to hayat, though.

“Azrael?”

Azrael was startled by the voice. He looked at her and blinked in confusion. “Can we talk?” Hayat asked politely.

Azrael nodded and kept his head low. Hayat sat beside him. They were now facing the buildings of their Madrassah (Islamic School). Students were seen walking in the corridors, some were chatting, laughing and having fun.

“Do you live in the dorms or nearby?” Hayat started the conversation since there weren't any signs from Azrael.

“Nea-near, down the street, last house on the right” Azrael managed to speak, biting his lower lip and avoiding eye contact. He clenched on the Holy Quran that he always carried.

“Oh that's great. May I ask you something?” Hayat looked at him.

“Yes?” He was still staring down, nervously tapping the ground with his feet.

“Why don't you sit with your classmates?”

Azrael stopped his movements and looked at her. “Why do you want to know?” His voice was deep and it caught her off guard. “Uhh.. as a teacher I wanted to-”

Before she could complete, Azrael stood up and walked away in a rush. Hayat felt guilty for asking a personal question. She shouldn't have asked that, he was already nervous and hesitant to talk. She sighed, thinking she made him feel uncomfortable.

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