Dead Ends: Episode 7

(This is a lengthy story based on actual facts. Episodes will be posted over a span of a few weeks. There are going to be NINE episodes in total. For Episode 6 click here. Enjoy!)

Episode 7

Maheen is in the parking lot of the hospital. She takes out the keys from her purse and collapses on the driver’s seat. She leans her head against the steering wheel and breaks down. She cries and sobs, her shoulders shake violently with grief.

She wipes her tears with the back of her hands and starts the car. Images are flashing through her mind, Sadiq holding her hand against his cheek, Sadiq spinning a bra in his hand, drunk; Sadiq beating her.

She accelerates her car out of the hospital and sees an addict by the road side. She stares at him. Suddenly it occurs to her, her eyes widen in realization. She remembers the welcome party that her cousin Eemaan gave her in America. Her memories play in front of her eyes like a movie; the skinny guy coughing and then administering the morphine and the syringe needle that pierced her lower leg. Her fingers tighten on the steering wheel.

A sudden pain shoots in that same leg and she jolts back to the present. She looks at the road. A woman comes running out of no where right in front of Maheen’s car. She hits the break. The car screeches to a halt. But it’s too late. The woman collides with the car, rolls over it and falls down from the side of the car.

Maheen quickly climbs out and rushes to the body lying there. She’s conscious but is moaning. To Maheen’s astonishment that body was actually of a man who is in womanly attire. She turns him on his back. His face is covered with make up. Blood trickles down his face from his forehead.

“Oh my God! Are you okay? Can you hear me?” Maheen is visibly shaken, her face pale, panicking.

Bahadur doesn’t reply. People gather around the scene. A beggar comes forward.

“Oye you!” He shouts at her, “you killed him! You rich people think that you can get away with everything!

“No! He’s alive! Please someone help me carry him to my car!” She pleads.

“Let me die… Let me die…” Bahadur mutters.

Two men come to Maheen’s help. They carry Bahadur and lay him down on the back seat of Maheen’s car. Her cars plush interior stains with Bahadur’s blood. Maheen quickly reverses and drives the car back into the hospital.

Bahadur sits on a hospital bed as a doctor is bandaging his ankle. There is a bandage on his forehead and stitches on his lip. Maheen is standing nearby. She comes near Bahadur. Bahadur’s head is hanging low. Tears roll down his cheeks continuously.

“I’m really sorry…” Maheen stammers, “I… I was in a shock when I was driving I didn’t see you coming… please don’t cry!”

Bahadur looks up at her, his eyebrows knotted together in agony.

“You think I’m crying because of my injuries? I would have been more than happy if you’d have killed me today!”

The doctor comes up to them, “You are good to go. This lady here has paid your expenses. Take some painkillers. Here’s the prescription.”

He hands it to Bahadur.

“Tell me where you live. I’ll drop you.” Maheen offers.

Maheen drives her car while Bahadur sits at the back admiring the vehicle. She observes him from the rear view mirror.

“Why did you say that you would have been happy if I had killed you?”

Bahadur looks at her astonished.

“Why? You ask me why? Can’t you see what I am? Two years ago I lost my family. Today I lost everything else that remained.”

Both of them fall silent. A few minutes later Maheen’s breast heave as she exhales. her voice cracking, “I too lost everything I had today… And I’m going to lose my life in three years time.”

Bahadur again stares at her wide eyed, “Allah! You are going to die?!”

“Yes. I have AIDS. My doctor told me today. That was why I wasn’t paying attention when I was driving.”

“Wah Wah! What a coincidence!” He laughs sadly clapping both his hands in a typical hijra way, “I was diagnosed with HIV today as well!” He falls silent again and in a serious tone adds, “looks like we both have same fates…”

Maheen slows down her car.

“We are here. Where do you want me to stop?”

Bahadur points at the narrow lane in the middle of the market.

“I want you to take this money,” says Maheen, extending her hand towards him with a thousand rupee note, “for your medicines.”

“Na behn na! Shukria. I have already given you enough trouble for a life time.”

Bahadur gets out of the car, ignoring her outstretched hand holding the money and limps towards the lane. Maheen starts her car again and heads home.

Maheen walks into her large bed room. She puts her medical file and purse on her dressing table and goes into the bathroom. She opens the shower and let the hot water scald her skin, anything to divert her thoughts from the emotional tumult and turmoil within her.

While she’s in the shower, Sadiq returns home early and walks into their bedroom whistling. He throws his jacket and brief case on the bed and stretches. He examines his reflection in the mirror. His eye falls on Maheen’s medical file. He picks it up and goes through it. Suddenly he stops. His eyes widen. His mouth hangs open.

Maheen comes out of the bathroom rubbing her hair with a towel. She looks at Sadiq’s stricken face.

“Sadiq… I don’t know how I got it! I really-”

“You liar! You cheating bitch! How dare you cheat me! How dare you!”

With two long strides Sadiq approaches her and grabs her neck in a death grip.

Maheen chokes. She grabs his hand with both of hers.

“I so want to slit your throat Maheen!” Sadiq’s hoarse whisper is like a death sentence.

“Sadiq! Please let go of me! I did not cheat on you!”

With the other hand Sadiq slaps her face. Her lip cuts open. He throws her on the bed.

“I’m going out!” Sadiq shouts, the vein in his temple throbbing, “and when I come back I better not see you in my house!”

 Maheen calls after him but he pays no heed, he hits a vase with his hand with all his might. It strikes the wall and shatters, spilling the water and the tube lilies. Maheen then hears a car start and accelerate away.

Maheen buries her face in a pillow trying to dampen her wails.

“Sadiq! Sadiq!!” She cries out to the empty room. The house echoes with her calls. She paces up and down the room thinking what to do and where to go. She knew that Sadiq would not hesitate in doing what he threatened. She dig her nails into her scalp, pulling her hair in desperation. He was a maniac and she needed to get away immediately.

She picks up the phone on the bed side table and dials a number that comes to her without realizing who she was calling.

“Hello…? Hello?” asks the voice at the other end. Maheen is stunned to hear her mothers’ voice. In her grief she had unintentionally dialed her parent’s landline instead of her friend’s.

“Hello?” Her mother asks again.

“Hi Mama.”

Silence.

“Mama, it’s me. I…” She breaks down, “I called because I need you Mama.”

“What do you want?”

“I need you.” Maheen repeats her voice cracking.

“Why? Did your loving husband abandon you?” Her mother asks sarcastically, her voice full of hurt and hatred.

“Mama, please! I’m begging you-

“Begging?! Who am I that you are begging to!? All these years you never cared whether we were alive or dead! All these years you never once called to tell us where you were!”

“I was diagnosed with AIDS today! Please help me Mama! I’m dying! Your daughter is dying!”

“I have no daughter!”

There’s a click and the line goes dead.

(stay tuned for episode 8)