Chapter 126: Desperation

The cell was full of her wails and cries. Two persons were on their knees, spilling tears. On

one of the chairs sat him, while on the other sat her restless form, wriggling against the

chains. The room was filled with armed men. Emotionless. Having no mercy on her form,

which was going restless. His eyes were steely, and his stance was formidable. He only

exuded darkness, as if someone had activated his no-mercy form.

Two of those armed men stood next to the two kneeling persons, holding cutters in their

hands. The edges of those steel cutters gleamed. Anyone who looked at those horrifying

instruments would shiver if they realized these weapons were going to be used on human

beings. The men holding the instruments carried no expressions on their faces, as if they

were trained robots. Their eyes were masked with shades. Their well-built bodies were clad

in black t-shirts and pants, the shirts sticking to their forms like a second skin. In one hand,

they held the cutters, while with the other, they held the necks of their victims, forcing them

onto their knees.

"Amna! Hannan!" she cried out, trying to lurch towards them. She felt utter helplessness

consuming her. She wished she could release them and run away with them from this cell.

She never wished this to happen, not even to her worst enemy, let alone to her loved ones.

"Amna!" Sheharzaad's eyes were filled with tears. "Please don't hurt her... she is already

going through chemotherapy. She is weak. Don't hurt her," Sheharzaad begged them, but

those two men remained oblivious to her pleas. They did not even acknowledge her and

kept their gazes ahead. "Please leave her. Don't hurt her! Leave him! Hannan! Leave him! He

is his mother's only son... his brother already died. He... please... if you have any humanity in

you... please leave them. Don't follow what Shehryaar says. He is inhumane. He is truly

inhumane. I know how he is... please help me and help them," Sheharzaad pleaded, but

again, she received no response.

The door to the cell opened, and a third person was brought in and made to kneel down

next to the other two.

"Ahmed!" Amna shouted in fear and pain. Amna tried to wriggle against the tight hold that

grasped her neck, but she couldn't move since it was a steel-like grip. Amna became utterly

restless. Ahmed looked terrible; it seemed as if someone had beaten him.

"Ahmed bhai," Sheharzaad whispered under her breath and darted her eyes towards him.

"Why did you bring him here! You basta—"

He raised his finger. "Language, little lady."

"Let them go! Please!"

"Not that easily," he clicked his tongue. "They will have to pay for your every disrespect," he

announced, paling her face.

"So now, they will have their tongues cut. I had decided to take off your tongue, but I don't

want my beautiful woman to go mute. Yet."

Her heart pounded in her chest. She already felt dizzy. She cast one look at the three

kneeling figures, who were looking at her hopefully, and then at Shehryaar, who seemed

oblivious to the intense pounding of her heart.

"Please! Don't do this. Don't, please," she begged. She wished she could go on her knees

infront of him and show her desperation to him. Her heart felt heavy. She couldn't breathe.

"Please!" She sibbed, "please! Please! Don't hurt them. If you want to hurt me, hurt me as

much as you can. But please, I beg you, I beg you, please don't, Shehryaar Haider. Please no!"

"You may start," he said, ignoring her as he looked towards his men, who began.

The ropes had bound their limbs so they couldn't move, and each of them was held by bulky

men by their shoulders, leaving them completely restrained. In front of each of them, two

men stood, one forcing their mouths open by digging fingers into their cheeks, while the

other, holding a sharp blade, pulled out their tongues.

"Sheharzaad, help!" Hannan pleaded. "Please! Help! For the sake of old times, help me!"

Tears kept flowing from her eyes, yet she failed to notice the dark glint that had entered

Shehryaar's eyes. He now seemed more than eager to see the events unfold.

The men had successfully exposed their tongues and held blades against them, waiting for

Shehryaar's order. At last, he looked toward Sheharzaad.

"You can do whatever you want to do with me," she pleaded. "I will do as you say... just let

them go. Don't do this." Her whole body was shaking by now. Just one word from him could

save them all.

How much power he had, and how helpless she was.

Shehryaar gave no response to her, and that was it for her. She knew nothing would change

his mind. Nothing. It was going to happen.

She closed her eyes, and tears spilled down. When she opened them again, through the

small window of the cell with metal bars, she saw the sky. It was night, yet the moon was

directly visible, shining on her face.

She could see the sky.

A hope.

Hope began to emerge in her.

Through her eyes, she began to speak directly to Him. The One she had always been taught

lived up in the sky. The One her mother had once told her was closer to her than her jugular

vein.

Staring up at the sky and speaking in her heart, she was aware He could listen. She asked for

the safety of her friends. She asked for nothing else—just the safety of her loved ones and a

whole lot of strength to pass through this ordeal, through the tests life was putting before

her.

Finishing her prayer in her heart, she closed her eyes and hung her head low. Her lower lip

trembled, her hands tightened into fists, and her heart pounded in her ears. There was

desperation in her—a desperation for God to listen to her prayer.