A JOURNEY --- BY TEHREEM FATIMA

It was mid August and the Monsoon rainfall had recently started to pour, converting the harsh climate into cold. That day, the pale blue sky had been covered by thick grey clouds and a constant breeze blew with occasional shifts of showers. I sat beside the person who had meant so much to me. In my lap, sat the nine year old orphan, confused and puzzled by the situation.
'Why isn't dad speaking to me? He lays silent... is he angry?' My innocent child inquired.
'No honey! Dad's fast asleep. He was very tired...' tired of life, I thought comforting and hugging her close to my chest.

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My husband had died after two years of serious illness. Before his death, he made me promise to visit Karachi where my parents lived. He believed that I needed them to be able to survive and up bring our daughter. So, keeping his words in mind, I packed necessary possessions and headed towards the local railway station. Komal, who was not used to such crowded areas, asked, 'Why are we here, Mommy? Let's go back.' I had no possible excuse to her request.
'There is no going back in a journey or life.'
We confirmed our tickets and walked towards the train. It was over-crowded with men and women laughing and chatting; children playing and babies whining. The cabin was noisy and dusty. As we sat, Komal began peeping out of the rust window. She was puzzled to see so many strange faces and repeatedly asked, 'What if I get lost, Mommy? Will you find me?'
I replied, ' We will never part, dear. Never!'
The golden times of my marriage; Komal's birth; a life without grief and worries flashed in my mind as peace entered the cabin. The train had started and somehow the noise lessened. I began reciting Quran with all my devotion. Komal commented every now and then on the things, images, places her eyes witnessed but I paid a little attention. We passed by several stations and were half way through when a loud bang crashed the peace around. With a sudden jolt, the train stopped. The blast happened in the last cabin. Panic spread all over; cries and wails mourned every inch of existence; lives ran from one end to the other... I grabbed the hand of my petrified girl and hurried to the cabin door. It was a complete chaos. People fought and pushed each other for safety. I tightened my grip on Komal's hand and jumped into the crowd. We struggled and finally found a way out!
It wasn't long that another bomb blast quaked the area. Fire rose. Black clouds of smoke. Flying metals. Roars. This time the bomb exploded from our cabin. Blood and flesh scattered everywhere. People begged, moaned and yelled for help but no one listened. Komal, frightened and horrified, started weeping and trembling with fear. I could not control my tears too. we hugged each other and cried for a long time; we had just survived death. We'd defeated Death.