Wednesday 15 April 2009

#9: JESSICA

Nur had a dream about Cinderella. She woke up screaming.

But she couldn’t really remember her dream. It felt like something bad was going to happen.

She looked at the time. It was 2 am. Still a long way to Fajr. But she couldn’t get any sleep so she decided to get wudhu and recite Surat-al-Yaseen. As she was getting wudhu, she recalled the fairy tale of Cinderella. Cinderella was mistreated by her step mother and step sisters. Yet she was a good and honest girl. But in the end, she became a princess so that made Nur smile. After all, after every suffering there is relief. Inna ma’al yusri yusraa.

At breakfast, Nur’s father called Nur and told her, “I’ve got you a new stallion. You’ll like it.” And he went off for work.

The clouds in the sky were bright white and were blocking the harsh sunlight. Nur was thinking of Cherry. The brown mare had been with her since she was 8.

“That horse is old. It needs to be thrown away.” She thought of her father’s harsh words again and again. Tears poured down her eyes. This is my fate, after all Nur thought as she got up from the chair my the window sill to pray Salat-ul-Dhuha. She always prayed Nafl Salat to get closer to Allah.

Nur decided to go take a look at the horse after Aswr. What harm would it do after all?

On the way to the meadow, Nur looked out the window and noticed that the sky looked a bit dark but it was still beautiful.

“What a beautiful sky….,” Nur said dreamily.

She got out of the car and looked around and exclaimed,”Hey, isn’t this where Cherry’s stable was?! ” Then she looked a few meters away, a new raised stable which looked newly built.

“Oh…,” she said, “So dad decided to renovate the stable. Hmmm…that just shatters a few of Cherry’s memories…” she said sadly.

How she missed Cherry! No one understands my feelings…she thought. But only Allah, The Most Kind…

She calmed down herself and walked through the subtle green grass as thoughts crossed her mind making her feel sadder than ever…

The stallion was beautiful. He was white like the clouds she had seen in the morning. He was sturdy like papa had said.

And the horse was calm but he neighed happily when Nur arrived, as though he had no-one and was sad being alone with no true friend who would ride with him. She looked into his quiet eyes and realized how precious and kind he was. But she was on the brink of depression because of all the things she’d gone through. She left him in the stable without riding him. But most of all, without giving him a name……

The evening sky was dark blue. Nur looked up at the sky and imagined how beautiful it was. She always looked at the sky. It was part of her and the sky was always attached to her heart. She felt safe with the sky above her. She dreamed of talking to the sky and flying with the birds all day without any problems, flying freee…….

She realized it was late and walked out of the big beautiful garden and left the stars in the night sky twinkling with each step she took.

The next day, in the late afternoon, when Nur was back from school, she fell shocked of what she saw in front of her.

There was a strange lady sitting cross-legged on the couch. She was wearing horrible clothes showing her whole body and she looked as if she was waiting for someone.

Nur was shocked what does she think this place is- a disco? Who is she anyway? She thought as she whizzed to her room before the lady could spot her.

Climbing the stairs, she saw her dad moving towards the lady and hugging her!

She stopped dead. I’ve got to find out! She thought.

She put her backpack on the chair and sneaked down to hear a bit of the conversation. A word from the conversation was just enough to let her know……she burst into her room, locked the door and fell on her bed.

“What is wrong with people?!!! Why? Why, dad??!! Jessica! She’s even a Christian! she screamed. This was absolute terror for Nur……

At last, Nur composed herself. She hadn’t eaten anything since she came home from school. She went down to the kitchen. Her face looked pale and stern. Her eyes looked as if she hadn’t been getting enough sleep for the past few months… As she passed the dim living room lit up with lamps, she saw her father, looking at the burning fire, and he noticed her. When she saw him, she felt so angry. She was just about to storm off when he stopped her,

“ Nur! Come here! I want to tell you something.”

Nur spilled out almost everything in her heart, “You don’t need to because I already know your plans. How could you do this to me?! I’m your daughter! What will happen to me? She’s not even Muslim! I don’t want a step mother who’s going to spend her days in the disco! Look at the clothes she wore today! I’m so disgusted, papa. I’d rather go to the orphanage!”

“Goodnight, Nur.” Her father said carelessly.

Nur couldn’t believe this! Her father’s stone heart can never melt even for his own daughter. No-one in this world cares for me!

7 comments:

Unknown said...

MashaAllah, one of the finest chapters written! Gets better everytime. ^^

Asmi's Journal said...

Thanks Sir Adib! :)

Sadiyah said...

Subhanallah, i can almost feel her pain

The Light of Islam said...

how sad :(

A. Alamgeer said...

Nothing about Oumed??? I thought he'd get some medical attention soon as he's in so kind hands as yours!!! :P

Don't mind... it was lovely!

Asmi's Journal said...

Aw, thanks, you guys for the comments! And don't worry about Nur, Allah is just testing her :,)

And about Oumed, the next chapter. :)

Nevin said...

awww thats really sad.. i literally felt sorrow for her.. great chapter, it was very clear and you described everything in a great way! i could picture everything :D