THE TIMOROUS DUNYA✅

TWENTY-ONE

The pains you feel are messengers. Listen to them.

~Rumi.

Enjoy this cover of Maryam's look above 😍😍❤

*****

"Close your eyes so I could line them." The make-up artist, Lola chirped. Maryam, being brought back from her train of thoughts did so distractedly. Immediately, her mind went back to thinking of the two hundred and one possible miracles that'll possibly cease the occurrence of the next few minutes or hours of her life.

Today, being the third day is the day she'll officially start working. She couldn't start working yesterday__in two days time__ as predicted because her clothes didn't arrive early. And now that it had, Maryam felt like shredding and burning it. Also burying the ashes hundred feet down the ground. They were that bad.

It's funny how she was forced to choose the one she would love to wear amongst the variety of same skimpy, sparkly and sultry dresses. Maryam was paranoid at the mere sight of them. Her eyes welled up with tears and she started sobbing uncontrollably, chanting how she would rather wear rags than them. But ofcause, Madam reminded her that she's always welcome to go back to the special room. That's the torture cell by the way.

Atlast, Maryam chose a-little-close-to-a-decent-one. It was a tight, sleeved emerald dress which reaches just above her knees. It hugged her body like a second skin, too tight that it slowed her breathing.

"I'm done! Take a look now." Lola said, friskily clapping her hands. "Wait. Wait." She halted Maryam's moves by adding a little blush on her left cheek. "Now, Get ready to have your mind blown up!" She smiled, admiring her handiwork.

Maryam was shocked, to the extend that she covered her pink painted lips with her hand. It wasn't an exaggeration at all. Her eyes were lined thoroughly, making it prominent along with the aid of artificial lashes. Lola did a smoky look to her eyes and completed it with a hot pink lipstick. Her face right then was the exact contrary of what she was anticipating, she assumed large rectangular eyebrows done with red, very dark eyes and smeared red lipstick. Atleast that's always the outcome of Zee baby's make-up.

She's certain no one could recognize the image that stared back at her. Heck, she couldn't recognize it herself. That might just be a relief.

Lola fixed her hair again, added last minutes touches and packed up her stuffs. With one last smile and a thumbs up, she strolled out of the room, leaving Maryam as an entirely changed person.

She blinked, and so did the person right before her. "Are you really me?". She asked quietly, staring intently at the mirror. Atlast giving up, she sighed.

"What a shame."

*****

The night breeze hit her exposed body as she stepped out. Shivering, she pulled the hem of her clothe, trying to shield her exposed legs.

"Oh! I forgot my phones. Wait for me in the car while I go and grab them." Madam called, running back into the house.

Maryam held her temples as she walked. She swayed and stumbled before reaching the car, feeling dizzy from crying earlier. She opened the back door with trembling hands and slid in quietly. Wrapping her hands firmly around her body, she felt the tears drop from her eyes.

"Stop crying, will you?, The sooner you accept your new life, the better." Maryam jerked her head up, noticing__for the first time__ the second person in the car. Her eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement before what he said downed on her. It took Maryam some seconds to recall his name; Saleem. She glared at back of Saleem's head__whom sat behind the wheels__ as fiercely as she could with her teary eyes.

"If you can't make me feel better. The least you could do is not make me feel worst." She gritted, the anguish she felt washed away by rage.

Silence settled in the car. Saleem tapped is fingers on the steer wheel, an action which irritated Maryam. Refraining herself from telling him to stop, she leaned on her seat and stared at the nails.

"No one has ever gotten out of Madam's business. The only way out is dying, and there's a big backyard they had buried alot already. They won't blink an eye before doing so to you too, and then your file will be closed." Suddenly, Saleem stated monotonically.

"My sister and I were brought here five years ago. We were in that cell for two months. They tortured us till we lost our minds, till we couldn't sleep nor tell the difference between day and night." His voice was filled with different emotions. Most of all, the voice of a broken, hapless boy. Maryam felt her heart reaching out for him. How terrible can people get? With what is their hearts made of? Is there an ounce of humanity in them?

From his peripheral vision, Saleem caught Madam coming towards the car. "We didn't have this conversation." He muttered sternly, just before Madam opened the car's door.

"Let's get going. Chief hates it when his girls are late." Madam ordered, and the car zoomed out of the massive brown gate right away.

"I brought you a matching purse." Madam effervescently indicated, handling Maryam the white, stone ornamented bag. Maryam collected it, with false felicity and muttered a 'thank you'.

The rest of the ride was spent with Madam telling Maryam all about Chief's background. Apparently, he's their long-term loyal and richest costumer. He's a taciturn man who doesn't tolerate nuisance, doesn't smile much and likes it when you serve him the chilled beer.

After about thirty minutes drive, the car pulled over in a hotel's parking lot. Her stomach tangled in knots and her heart could merely stay behind it's ribcage.

The huge building is old and fenceless. The white paint adorning it has begun to peel off. Several lights sparked the place, illuminating the name of the hotel at top of the building written in cursive letters. Red Valvet Inn. It wasn't at all fancy as she had expected and it wasn't too Local either, just average. Not too eye catching.

"I don't usually tag along when the girls are going for business. But you're new here and I want everything to be perfect." Madam's tone was suddenly serious, reserved for business only.

"Remember, Room 209. When he asks who it is, simply reply with, "It's your girl." Serve him the beer, give him a massage, entertain him." Her voice was frantic as she spoke, for a moment Maryam thought she was having second thoughts on sending her to that perilous place. If only, if only miracles do happen.

She checked and re-checked Maryam's appearance once more before opening the door and they both hurried inside.

"We'll be outside waiting. Make sure you have the money with you."

When Maryam turned, Madam has already disappeared out of the hallway.

She took a sharp breath, here goes nothing.

*****

This one that I'm updating anyhow 🙄. You guys should biko share this book and make me happy.

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AeEeShAtUh♡