Poor Kingdom of the poor King

The khan family has newly shifted from their native village to a city. Mr. Khafa khan is a tall, wide, mighty, and middle-aged retired soldier. He is not a well-educated man but he wants to see his son as a highly educated man. That’s the only reason, he shifted to a city. It’s a beautiful winter morning. Mr. Khan just returned from the morning prayer. As he entered he shouted.

“Where the hell is my morning tea?”

“Dad, your tea.” A gentle voice of a teenage girl touched the ears.

“Can’t you make a cup of good tea? It’s just like the hell, boiled water.” He took a sip and shouted.

“So. Sorry, I will bring you another.”

“Bring me the breakfast first.”

“Dad, but, breakfast is not ready.”

“Why the hell breakfast is not ready yet?”

“Dad, Mom is out of sorts.”

“Now, what’s the new?”

“I don’t know but, she has fever and cough.”

“Couldn’t you stupid tell me this before? I’m going to bring her medicine. Get Ahsan ready for school. Today we are going for his admission.”

“Dad, and my admission?” she asked.

“You do not need to study anymore. You should learn to make a good tea now.”

“what? Sorry, what do you mean?”

“Daughters do not need education.”

“But, Dad, I want to complete my school at least. I’m only fifteen yet. Dad please.”

“Shut up Zaha khan, go and do whatever I said. I’ll be back within fifteen minutes.” He said and went out.

Zaha went to a bedroom where her mother and a little boy of ten were sleeping. “Ahsan. Get up, Ahsan hurry up.” She said.

“Oh let me sleep.” The boy replied.

“Ahsan Khan. Mr. Khafa Khan, the king of this poor kingdom said that you are going to school today for your admission.”

“Oh! No.” he quickly got down from the bed.

“Oh! Yes, you have only ten minutes, hurry up.”

After fresh up, he said, “ where is my breakfast?”

“Only tea for now.”

“Oh! Nothing with tea?”

“Nothing” Zaha replied.

“Ok, so only me and the king are going?

“Yes”

“What about you and Bisha?”

“She is only four yet. So, perhaps dad is not thinking about her yet.”

“She is old enough to get admission.” The boy said.

“Perhaps. your admission is dad’s priority, you know. Maybe he’ll think about her later.” Zaha said.

“Okay and what’s about you.”

“Nothing, it’s getting late. Go and get ready.”

Mr. Khan entered the house. The boy ran towards his room quickly.

“You are not ready yet.” Mr. Khan shouted.

“Only five minutes dad “ The boy replied.

“Zaha, take this medicine and give it to your Mom and tell her to take this after a meal. Okay?”

“Okay dad.” She went.

Mr. Khan with his son Ahsan Khan went out.

Zaha went to her mother and said “ Mom, it’s too late. Get up. Eat something and take this medicine.”

“Oh! Zaha, I don’t want to eat anything.”

“Come on Mom. You have to.”

“Ok. Bring me tea and some cookies here in the room.”

“Okay. “ she said and went.

Twelve years have passed.

It’s a dark winter night. The telephone rang and Mr. Khan received the call. “Hello.”

“Am I talking to Mr. Khafa Khan?” the caller said.

“Yes, who is there?”

“Mr. Khafa, I’m Dr. Hamza Abbas from the National hospital. So, Ahsan Khan is your son?”

“yes, what’s wrong?”

“Your son attempted suicide.”

“Oh! God. No. There must be some sort of misunderstanding. My son can’t do this. I mean why would he commit suicide.? He is a university topper and there is nothing wrong with his life. He was perfectly alright when I met him last month.”

“Relaxed Mr. Khafa. He is out of danger now. He was suffering from depression and he was on drugs too. He needs psychiatric care. We are shifting him by ambulance to your city. Don’t you worry he’ll be alright.”

“Okay, Dr. Thank you.” He hung up the phone and sat down on the couch, sadly.

Mrs. Khan asked, “what happened? Who was there?”

“Bring me some water.”

“Bisha, bring a glass of water quickly.”

“Take it, Mom.” Bisha arrived with a glass of water in her hand.

“Take it and take a deep breath” Mrs. Khan passed the glass to Mr. Khan. “Now tell me, what’s the problem?”

“Ahsan attempted suicide.”

She started crying and mourning.

“He is out of danger. He is coming. He will be here after a few hours.”

“But why? Why did he attempt suicide?”

“I don’t know.”

“Oh my God, I can’t believe it. I just can’t.” she cried again.

“Mom, all will be okay.” Bisha consoled her mother.

“Oh! My heart is bleeding. OO God. Oh, my Prince, my son. What you have done.”

“Mom, Should I inform the sister Zaha about this?” Bisha asked.

“No, she will be upset.”

“Alright.” She said and went.

Mr. Khan was constantly watching the clock. After a few hours, an ambulance stopped in front of the house, and two nurses shifted him to his bedroom. “Don’t you worry he is alright now. He just needs psychiatric treatment now.” One of the nurses said and they went.

“Why the hell, you did this shit? Mr. Khan said.

“Don’t be so harsh. He is not well. We’ll talk about it later ” Mother said.

“No, I want to know. For what he’s depressed. For what he is on drugs. For what he attempted suicide.” Father said.

“What? No. Did you say, he is on drugs? mother said.

“Yes.”

“No, my dear son tell your father that you are not a drug addict.”

“Will you please leave me alone. I don’t want to live in this hell anymore.” The son said.

“Hell?” mother asked.

“Yes, hell. You people ruined my life.”

“you bastard. We ruined?” Father said.

“No, actually it’s only you. You are responsible for my this misery”.

“Shut up. I did everything for your better life for your better future.”

“You are a Hitler dad. You tortured your kids.”

“I invested my whole life for your better education. And you wasted all my efforts.”

“A child needs the love and affection of his father. But you." Pause. "It’s too late, dad. It’s over. Please leave.”

They all leave his room.

In the morning, Zaha arrived with her Twins daughters.

“Zaha, you. Suddenly. Is everything okay? Mother said.

She hugged her mother and said. “I can’t take it anymore.”

“What you mean?”

“He is a psychopath, Mom. I thought everything will be okay but now things are going out of control.” She cried.

“What are you saying?”

“Mom. You pushed me into hell. I endured everything. But now I can’t let my daughters suffer from this.” Zaha said

“I pushed you in?”

“Yes, you forced me into this marriage.”

“It was your own will. And now you are blaming me.”

“You and dad are responsible for all this.”

“How could you say that?”

“Mom I’m not going back to that psychopath. It’s final. And you can’t force me now.”

“Okay, don’t say anything to your father, he is already upset.” Mother said.

“What is the matter.” Zaha asked.

“Your brother, he is on drugs.”

“Oh! No.”

“I’m too much worried about him.”

“Where is he I want to meet him.” She said and went.

At night, after dinner Bisha the younger daughter said. “Dad I want to get college admission.”

“Stay at home. Now I don’t want more mess in my house.” Father replied.

“Really? I mean. It’s your pride, your anger that has ruined everything. And still, you are talking like this.”

“I’m your damn father. How could I? It’s he who spoiled his life, why are you blaming me for your brother's mistakes? It’s actually he who had spoiled my world, my happiness, my hopes, my everything.”

“It's not only about Ahsan, dad” Bisha said.

“Then.”

“oh! Dad, you also had two daughters. You never thought about us. You never thought about our education, our career, our better future. Why dad? Why?”

“I gave you everything that you needed.”

“But you never respected our decisions.” She said.

“I always decided the best for you,” Father said.

“Your misconception, Dad.”

“what do you want to say?”

“Your priority was only your son. You did nothing good to us.”

“How could you say that?”

“It’s over. Dad, your rule is over now. Nothing remains now. Your dear son is depressed because of your anger, Pride, and savagery. Your elder daughter is suffering because of your wrong decisions. But no more, dad.” She said and went.

The next morning, Zaha announced that Bisha has eloped. She has left a letter for Dad. “This is all your fault” was written in the letter. Mr. Khan was shocked at the final strike of fate. He lost his mental balance and repeated, “This is my fault. This is all my fault. I ruined my family, my kingdom. Oh, my poor kingdom. I failed. I failed as a king, as a father, and as a ruler. I failed.”

All the time he used to say “ This is all my fault.”