Danger Dead Ahead

Five

Life sure was a mysterious beast. Things you never imagined, could happen and change the course of your existence. Jahan felt like she was at a turning point, and regardless of which forked road she took, she would end up lost. Last year, if anyone had asked her about her plans, she would never have guessed they would include solving a murder mystery. Yet, there she was, trying her best to find out the truth behind Meena's death.

"Are you sure we're on the right track?" she asked the umpteenth time, sure they were lost and Maalik was too stubborn to admit it.

"I know exactly where I'm going," he sighed, "what I don't know is, why are you following me?"

"You said, you knew the family Meena was supposed to visit that day. I want to meet them too and discover why she was going there and then didn't." She understood why his patience stretched thin, but she didn't appreciate his tone, which made her feel like a nuisance.

"If you had waited," he said, while trying to move through the overgrown bushes, "I would've told you everything tomorrow."

"And I should just trust your word? What if you killed her? You definitely wouldn't tell me the truth then."

"Seriously, Jahan," he chuckled, "if that's your reasoning to follow me in the jungle, there's something wrong with you."

His comment made her laugh. He was right, of course. If she suspected him of murder, she wouldn't have followed him like an idiot. But the odd thing was, she trusted him completely. her friends had often called her naive, but she had never believed someone the way she did him.

When they met in the woods and during the dreadful night, she had wondered about his intentions. She had even considered him a murder suspect, but her suspicions didn't last long. And a big part of it was Mahdi's attitude toward him. She might not be worldly, yet she could tell the older man believed Maalik's story, which made it easier for her to do the same.

"I don't get it," she huffed, from exertion and not annoyance.

"What don't you get?" he asked, absentmindedly.

"If someone lives here, why is this path overgrown with vegetation?" Taking deep breaths, she began to doubt her sanity. Maybe she should've waited at the hotel instead of following Maalik. She was no expert hiker and this path was treacherous.

Maalik paused and looked over his shoulder to make sure she was okay. As he watched her struggle, he extended his hand and she took it gratefully. Jahan might have loved hiking but she was no expert. The trail was forcing her to cross her limits.

"I didn't want to drive." He shrugged. "I don't think the family hikes whenever they want to visit the town. It used to be a famous trail but maybe no one has used it in a long time."

She was an idiot because up until then, she thought it was the only way to reach the family they were looking for. The absurdity caused her to cringe, but she tried not to show it. Maalik must already think her a fool. She didn't want to give him more fuel to make fun of her.

Instead, she said, "You might be right. We haven't run into anyone since we started the hike. Even I know that's strange. Thrill seekers love this kind of thing. Don't they?"

"Ahan," he said, without looking up. He was focused on avoiding the rocks that seemed to have appeared by magic.

Jahan followed close behind, her hand still clutched in his. The path had become uneven and slippery. It was like a narrow ribbon, weaving through the thick forest and mountains on one side. The sound of rushing water was the only clue that a river flowed downhill parallel to the trail on its other side. The trees prevented them from seeing water.