Pain and Trip

The last day of my semester had turned out to be quite brutal. Sarah, hyped up with all the praises she had been getting lately, decided to play a wicked prank on me. Our cafeteria enjoyed the show that was played on my expense.

Feeling extremely low and exhausted, I reached home. Walking into the living room, I saw mama collecting some religious books and placing her Tasbee in her bag. while papa was closing a suitcase that was placed on the couch. Zaid was sitting next to suitcase, doing something on Papa's phone.

All my tiredness and pain replaced with sheer curiosity as I looked at my parents.

"Mehreen," Mama beamed at my sight, placing a handbag on the centre table. "Your father's friend just called. He said that his house in Murree is completely free for the summer vacations and we can definitely spend our vacations there," she announced, happily. 

"Really?" I gave her a surprised smile, letting my college bag slide down my shoulder.

"Yes." She nodded. 'And since today was the last day of your semester, we are heading there, right now. I have packed your bag in the room. Go and get it.”

“And, Zaid-" she then turned towards my brother. "Go and check if your room is locked."

"Of course," he nodded.

I couldn’t believe it.

Going on family trips had been one of my favourite things, 

 Murree had been my favourite place. It was situated among the mountain ranges, right next to our city. Approximately, a seven hours drive was needed for reaching that place. I knew that visiting it wouldn’t make me forget about the pain. But it was something...

Feeling giddy and quickly running up my room, I grabbed my suitcase that was placed on my bed, picked up my favourite book by Maulana Sahib, my jewel-Tasbee, travelling prayer mat, and hurriedly walked out of my room. Mama, Papa, and Zaid had already made it out the door.

Grabbing a red apple from the kitchen, I rushed outside and saw Mama and Zaid already sitting inside our shabby old Civic while Papa was now locking the house door.

The sense of enjoyment. was really improving my mood so much. 

Literally walking with a slight skip in my feet, while placing my suitcase on the porch, I managed to make it to the car and sat down in the back seat, next to Zaid. He was solving some math's problem in his notebook, which he literally carried everywhere.

"Excited?" Mama turned around from the passenger seat to gaze at both Zaid and me.

"Yep," Both of us nodded with glee.

"Me, too," she mused and turned away. Papa had finally locked the front doors and was now placing my suitcase in the car trunk. I hated when Papa carried heavy stuff. I didn't want him to carry my bag, yet there was a strict rule in my house that everyone should try staying away from Papa's car. Once, out of goodwill, I had tried helping him in placing some wood logs in the back of his car's trunk. 

That had been a learning day for me.

Smiling out of the tinted windows of my car, as Papa sat down in the driving seat and finally pulled the car out of the porch, everyone seemed super energetic. Our journey began with Mama sharing some moral stories, playing the Nasheeds for us, and Baba quietly listening; seldom offering small smiles. We stopped at rest stops to offer the travelling prayer. 

Zaid and I were telling our share of stories, too. He was telling about his school friends and I was sharing some interesting facts. There were moments when Papa would finally speak, sharing some religious stories with us...and what how we were to do good deeds, always. And soon, as our car finally climbed up the motorway, everyone grew tired and quietly began looking around.

Lining the motorway were huge fields and lush green trees. There weren't many cars around us, so it felt comfortable driving down the road. Deciding to read a novel, I lazily turned its cover page and began reading its first chapter; this story revolved around bullying and pain. It was a moral story. 

While reading, my thoughts started wandering back towards Sarah, being subtly reminded of her words which caused me to get disturbed. Feeling bitter and quite uncomfortable by the echo of my thoughts, I closed my book and turned towards Zaid; he was writing something in his notebook now. 

My brother was an extremely studious boy. He loved playing with gadgets, technology and was never the one to break the rules. I actually adored his brainy ways. One time, he-in all seriousness-cracked a joke that went like this; he asked me 'Kesi Hou' (An Urdu phrase which is translated as 'How are you' in English) I replied with an 'I am fine'. At that, my brother shook his head and said that he was not saying 'Kesi Hou', but Casio...as in the name printed on the case of his scientific maths calculator. 

Now playfully ruffling my brother's hair, I chuckled as he absently pushed my hand away and readjusted his glasses.

"Do you see that black fog floating above those fields?" I pointed, making him look up and outside the window on his side

"What about it?" He frowned.

"It's quite mystic, isn't it?" 

"Yep, I wonder what would happen if we wandered there?" he frowned, his face near the window.

"Yeah, what kind of things must be-"

"Mmm...hmm.." My mother reprimanded. "Always talk about light and inspiring things."

Zaid and I chuckled.

My family might not enjoy a rich, lavish lifestyle in the eyes of many, but we were extremely blessed and content. I didn't want that lavish style. I wasn't looking for reaching Sarah's status. I just wanted the torment to end because I was extremely blessed with a well-mannered, generous family, and wanted to wholesomely enjoy this gift. 

***

Driving down the night blanket, huge forest trees had now started hovering over our heads. Zaid was sleeping with his head leaned against the headrest, while the rest of us were quietly looking around. Murree was literally engulfed by forests. We had to drive up a road going around the mountain ranges, so the drive seemed so long and tiring-not to forget eerie because of the darkness lingering among the forests.

Soon, finding ourselves on a dark, isolated road, with the mountain edges seeming sharper and edger, I stared down at the dim lights appearing near the base of the mountains. There were several villages situated down below, with the dull moonlight subtly shining down on them. Turning back to look at the rocky sides of the mountain on my right side, I felt like gulping at the sight of intense darkness lingering among the forest tree. I wondered what creatures were hiding there at this suddenly. Suddenly, I noticed someone's silhouette standing among the trees.

What on earth!

Narrowing my eyes, I tried figuring it out what it was and frowned as our car quickly moved past it. It could all be part of me being delusional.

"Papa," Zaid now yawned beside me, stretching his arms. "How far is it?"

"Just half an hour more," He assured. And true to his words, we found ourselves taking several quick turns and stopped in front of two bar gates held up by wooden fences. Behind the bars, we could see a small driveway leading up to a black, slightly crooked, two-story house, which was illuminated by a small bulb light hanging in its front porch, built completely out of wood, Also, its fences were readily keeping the mountain forest at bay. 

"This is the place we are going to stay?" Zaid echoed my thoughts; his face slightly illuminated by the glare of the house's bulb light. Both of us were looking anxiously at the house.

"Yes," Papa nodded. And with that, he got out to open the bar gates. I didn't want Papa to get out of the car when huge forests were hovering around. Who knows what kind of creatures could be hiding in them…

Thus, reciting Prayers as Papa left, Mama turned towards Zaid and me and placed one elbow against the driving seat's headrest.

"So are you enjoying?" she gleamed, oblivious to our internal emotions. We gave her a reluctant look.

"This place looks creepy," I confessed.

"Yeah," Zaid anxiously nodded.

"Umm..hmm.." Mama's niqab shifted a bit. "Don't say this in front of your father. He really is looking forward to enjoying this trip, okay?"

Both of us nodded.

Zaid seemed to be looking visibly scared, so mama then grabbed his tiny hands and consoled.

"It's okay, dear. I am here with you. We will have fun."

"Okay, Mama," Zaid replied in a small voice.

Finally, Papa returned back to the car. And, soon, we were driving down the dark gravel. The ground lining the gravel was unkempt, full of wild grass and covered with brown patches. I had narrowed my eyes to pick out if any creatures could be seen roaming around them.

"Guys, we will leave your suitcases in the car for the night. Let's just go inside for now. “'Papa announced, stopping right in front of the house. It seemed even more crooked, up close.

"Okay," We nodded and got out of the car.

Walking towards the porch, we all huddled around its door while Papa fumbled with a bunch of keys in his hands. It felt quite vulnerable standing in the open. Zaid sneakily had grabbed my hand.

"Are these not the right keys?" Mama worried, standing next to papa, noticing him being unable to open the doors. For a moment, I grew anxious. I hoped the keys worked because if they didn't, then that would mean Papa's friend had tried to fool him. I didn't want my father to ever feel embarrassed. I knew that feeling, so never wanted my family to experience anything close to that.

"They are the right ones. Just give me a minute," Papa stressed, bending a little so that he could have the lock in the line of sight. The winter air seemed to be growing colder by the second.

While having my parents work on the lock, I nervously stared around the front porch; it was nothing fancy, only consisting of a small tool placed at its very end. Also, there was a square, black window situated on the right side of the door. I felt like shivering at the ominous mystery the window was depicting.

"It has opened! JazakAllah" Papa finally announced, making me sigh with relief.

Standing up straight, hr pushed the door wide and we all stepped in, with me squeezing Zaid's hand. The place-inside-was dark; subtly illuminated by the bulb light hanging outside, so I couldn't fully comprehend all of its corners. But, that problem disappeared as someone switched on the lights.

The floor, before us, consisted of a huge, blue-carpeted lounge; decorated only by a green sofa set that was arranged in the middle to form a semi-circle, a door situated on its-right side-wall and a huge chandelier hanging from its ceiling. Also, behind the sofa, which was placed in the middle, there was an eerie dark hallway that led away from the lounge. I shivered at its shadows. Everything just seemed so ominous. 

However, despite the place seeming creepy, the place was well-kept and completely opposite its external image. I felt like I had been reminded about the important lesson of never judging a book by its cover.

"Okay, guys," Mama clapped her hands. "You are permitted to go and explore the house. I will go look for the kitchen and call you for dinner."

"Sure," Zaid and I eagerly nodded.

Heading towards the corridor, I playfully pushed my brother forward. "Okay, you go in first,"

"Yeah right," He pushed up his eyeglasses. "You are the elder one. You lead the way."

"Aren't there any lights illuminating this hallway?" I looked around. But, before I could find any, the hallway lit up with the help of a bulb hanging from the middle of its ceiling. 

What on earth!

Zaid and I shared a confused look with each other. Who turned on the lights? 

Anxiously turning around, we saw our father hanging near the switchboard that was situated next to the main door, while Mama seemed to have headed inside the room behind the closed door. 

Oh...okay...

Feeling a bit uneasy, Zaid and I turned back to the hallway and peered at the three doors situated at the very end of it; there was a door situated at the rear-end, with the remaining on its right and left walls.

"Wouldn't it be creepy if the hallway light had actually lit up on its own?" I spoke, peering into the hallway. Zaid and I weren't brave enough to venture there, alone.

"No way. I would leave this house, immediately," Zaid frowned, making me chuckle. 

"But the house will miss you." I joked.

"Guys," Mama now called out to us, "Dinner is ready. Come quickly." Oh, so the closed door had been the kitchen.

Racing our way towards the small kitchen, we settled down around the kitchen island and waited for the delicious food to be served.

I was extremely fortunate. Getting away and bonding with my family; people who loved me, was a blessing.

This moment, right here, was blissful.      

I decided to offer Nafls of gratitude.