Visit and Questions

"Mama, I did see someone in this room!"

"Mehreen, there is no one here," Mama roamed around my room. "See, nothing." She opened the bathroom door, making me frown.

"B-but..."

"You are just being paranoid, sis," Zaid nudged me. He and I were standing just outside the entrance of my room. I hadn't the bravery to step inside it so was letting my mom check it out. 

Gulping as my eyes swayed anxiously across every corner of my room, I knew that something weird was going on, and I didn't want to find out what.

"You probably saw a reflection against the window," Mama suggested, moving to walk out of my room.

"C-could be, but I am not staying in this room now." I stepping aside, as mama got out and closed the door behind her.

"Well, you can take the room downstairs." She began walking towards the stairs. I frowned.

"Nah, ah," Zaid immediately shook his head, rushing after mama. "I am not staying upstairs alone." He frowned. 

"Okay, then you, guys, can stay downstairs, while Papa and I move upstairs. alright?" She turned around to look at both of us.

I didn't want my parents to shift upstairs. I didn't want them to stay in the room where something weird was happening. It could have been a reflection, it could be my paranoia, but I wasn't willing to take the risk. 

"No...I don't want you-"

"Nonsense." she reprimanded, holding on to the stair's railing. "You and Zaid are moving downstairs, while your Papa and I are moving upstairs. Now quickly come down. I am going to make food for you all."

"Okay." We reluctantly nodded.

 I would make sure that my parents would stay away from this my eerie room.

***

It was late at night. After offering my prayers, I was sitting in my new room which was decorated in the exact same manner as my room upstairs and had its window was opening up to the backyard garden. There was even a small radio placed on its side table. Thankfully, this radio looked brand new.

After reading one of papa's motivational book, I decided to sit on the chair placed next to the window. The bright moonlight was falling into my room, making a square on the bed. I saw the radio light up and a small screeching-squeaky-noise began echoing in the room.

'The crooked man left his son'

'The crooked son was left for non'

Eyeing the radio with caution, my gaze fell upon the silhouette now appearing outside the window. The silhouette seemed a bit far away. It was cleverly standing in the shadows. I closed my eyes again, wanting myself to believe that this was just a delusion. 

'The crooked son hated the taunt'

'He wore a cloak to flaunt'

Immediately that stanza snapped me out of my frozen state and made me rush out of my room. Grown pale and extremely panicked, I was in the hallway corridor when I saw the front door being anxiously knocked.

Someone was out there.

Hurriedly rushing into my brother's room, I anxiously shook him.

"What?" He got up, rubbing his eyes and moving to pick up his glasses from the side table. He hadn't switched off his room's light.

"There is someone out there!"

"Who?" He frowned.

"I don't know," I was feeling extremely petrified and scared to even talk.

Eyeing my worried look, Zaid quickly got out of bed.

Standing nervous, with no clues about what to do and what exactly was going on, we jumped as Zaid's door opened wide.

"What is the meaning of this?" Papa scowled, eyeing Zaid and me with anger.

"Umm...Papa, Mehreen saw something," Zaid wobbled, making Papa raise an eyebrow at me.

"P-Papa, there was someone outside my room and the radio-"

"Mehreen, we have been through this. You are just feeling nervous. " He squeezed the bridge of his nose to calm himself down. "Now go to your room. Uncle Salman just called this evening. He was paying a visit to us in the morning. I don't what you, guys, to act tired in front of him, okay?"

"Uncle Salman is coming?" Zaid grew alert, making papa give him a tired smile and nod. "Yes, and Sarah is coming, too. Now go to bed."

"Sarah?" My voice lost an octave. Suddenly, all the fear got replaced by the feeling of worry. I didn't want to be insulted here. 

"Yes." Papa nodded, unaware of my internal turmoil. "I am leaving now, but I better not hear noise until morning. Okay?"

"Okay," we both spoke, together.

Satisfied with our answer, Papa left.

After having him close the door, I eyed Zaid with a weak look and hesitantly asked.

"Is it okay if we stay up and read the Holy Book together?"

"Sure," he nodded.

***

The morning was tiring. I felt paranoid. The words of the weird riddle, the silhouette; all seemed to be swaying in my head. I didn't know what was happening.

 The coincidence of a cloaked man appearing with the squeaky noise of the radio was creepy. Also, this creepy house belonged to my papa's friend, so I couldn't constantly nag about it. I didn't want to hurt my father's feelings. Although, I was wondering what kind of a creepy house did Papa's friend own.

Wincing as the doorbell now rang loudly in the house, I sat down living room's sofa, while Zaid went to his room, and watched Papa open the door.

"Assalam O Alaikum. Salman," Papa hugged his brother. After preparing food for all, Mama had headed to her room.

"Usman, may we come in?" Uncle Salman pulled away.

"Of course." Papa moved away from the door, smiling as both Uncle Salman and Sarah stepped into the house. Sarah was looking quite uncomfortable and eyeing the place with the blank look. 

"Mehreen," Papa then turned towards me, "Come and greet your uncle."

Nodding, I got up and moved to politely greet my uncle. He seemed a bit reserved, and Sarah didn't even respond when I greeted her.

After settling down in the living room, Papa took Uncle Salman to one of the rooms-downstairs, while I awkwardly sat in the living room with Sarah. She had started texting someone on the phone. 

Soon, after a few minutes, Sarah finally put away her phone and turned towards me.

"Give me a tour of this place," She ordered.

"O-okay," I spoke with nervousness apparent in my voice. The belittling feeling I got, whenever I talked to Sarah, was excruciating. Sometimes I felt like confronting her, but I just wasn't sure about how I could do so. 

Sometimes, I did feel like wanting to see Sarah regret in front of me, but that was just the malicious side of my brain. I knew forgiveness was essential for prospering. I should stoop at a low level. 

Getting up, I nervously started leading the way. I had decided to show her my new room, first. It was the only room I could think at the moment; even though, I was feeling extremely reluctant to enter it. The room gave me the creeps. Yet, I knew that whatever had haunted me last night hadn't actually been in my room...so it made it easy for me to stay in denial and act calm. I knew I couldn't avoid this room forever. 

Now quietly walking down the hallway, with the feeling of self-consciousness flooding me, I nervously opened my room's door. Hesitantly pushing it wide open, my gaze swayed towards the radio set. It was still exactly where I had left it. Somehow, I had expected it to not be there.

Anyhow, upon having the door wide open, Sarah lazily stepped around me and walked inside the room. She was eyeing every corner with a critical look...judging every piece of furniture. 

Moving to pick up the radio, she frowned at its old-fashioned setup.

"Who uses radios, nowadays?" she sardonically mused.

"I-I...many people do." I stepped into the room, cautiously looking around. I was trying not to look outside the window.

'The crooked son wanted to destroy'

'All those who chose to deny'

'The crooked son was ignored by dual'

'He would surely punish the cruel'

Immediately Sarah dropped the radio with a huge shriek and the door behind us slammed shut.

What on earth!

The light had started flickering in our room. 

Immediately turning around, I frantically started hitting my fists against the close door. I didn't even glance at Sarah as she followed my actions and joined me in hitting the door.

We wanted to get out.

It was scary. I felt my heart almost drop as the radio grew eerie quiet behind us.

What was this?

What was happening behind us?

By now, Papa and Uncle Salman had managed to hear our screams and were standing outside our room, anxiously wiggling its doorknob and pushing against it.

"Girls, what is going on?!" Papa worried.

"P-Papa, there is a man here," I nearly sobbed. "Please...get us out of here."

"W-What?"

The radio started okaying behind us, again. And, this time, its volume was hurting our eardrums.

'The Guilty Must Pay'

'The Cruel should never Betrayal'

The radio had started repeating the phrase 'the guilty must pay'.

Overwhelmed by all what was happening, I noticed Sarah faint and fall down on the floor. She seemed to have hit her head, hard. Immediately lowering down next to her, as the radio now maliciously announced.

'The Guilty have started to PAY'

Please, stop!

I wanted to go back to when bullying had been my only worry. This feeling of fright and terror was horrifying. I couldn't believe how I had never knowledged the normalcy as a blessing of life. 

Praying profusely for my safety, without even attempting to move or look anywhere away from the floor or Sarah, my room door finally opened, and Uncle Salman and baba came tumbling in.

"What happened?" Their eyes grew widened and horrified at the sight of Sarah being faint.

"The r-radio-"

"I know," Papa gave a stern nod. "Salman grab Sarah, immediately. "Mehreen, go call your mother. I will get Zaid and the car started. We are leaving this place, right now. Also, leave your suitcases. We will have someone get them, later. For now, let's just go..." He ordered.

Giving him a frantic nod, I quickly got up and began rushing out of the door.

Upstairs, I barged into mama's room. She was sitting on the prayer mat. At my sight, she got up and folded the prayer mat.

"What's wrong?" She frowned.

"Mama, Papa is starting the car downstairs. We have to get out here..." I urged. Sensing the pale look on my face, she immediately understood the urgency of the situation and began rushing out of the door. I followed behind.

Making sure that I was behind her, Mama guided me down the stairs. And, together, we rushed towards the front door. We could hear the car engine running outside. With Mama opening the door and heading out first, I was just about to hurriedly step out when the front door slammed in my face.

'The hurt will be saved'

The crooked son won't cave'

Frantically fiddling with the door handle, I could hear my mother trying to reach me. She was hitting against the door, and I, too, had started hitting my fists aggressively against the door. The door seemed jammed and tightly locked. Rushing towards the small window, I tried budging open the tight window-it was locked; so firmly locked. I even tried punching the window's glass, but the glass seemed to be made out of metal. Something tells me that none of the windows would work now.

The prospect that I was trapped in a house had me growing dizzy. I couldn't turn around.

With the feeling of terror grown immensely and my family loudly-anxiously-calling me from outside, I felt myself grow extremely overwhelmed and fell down on the cold floor.

Slowly, I had drifted away into a state of unconsciousness.