End of the Pain

 It was a beautiful winter night in a small town. There was a half-naked tree in front of the house and the full moon was playing hide and seek with the clouds. In this game of light and dark, once there was darkness then light, and then again darkness.

A beautiful young, girl of sixteen with light brown, curly hair was lying on the bed and reading a book.

 Then there was a shout, “ Joy… dinner is ready, come fast.” She shouted back “okay Mom.“

Then, she excitedly ran downstairs. She hugged and kissed her mother who was sitting at the dining table. She was a thin, brown lady of thirty-nine, and had dark circles on her face.

 The appetizing smell of Biryani was scattered in the house.

 “How’s the Biryani?” Mother asked.

“Delicious like a meal of Paradise” the Daughter replied.

The mother gave an adorable smile.

After a long pause, Joy broke the silence” How was your day?”

“Today, I taught the students about Hemingway, you know that he motivates the people through his writings, and he gives light to the people. Though he failed to find light for himself in the real life.”

“O my sweet pessimistic mom, pass me salad please.” Then, by taking a slice of cucumber in her hand she said, “you can’t judge cucumber without tasting it.”

Mother took cucumber from her daughter’s hand and while eating said, “you can’t judge life without undergoing its trials. Life is beyond imagination, unpredictable and cruel “

“ your life was difficult, it does not mean that life is ugly and not worth living. It’s beautiful.”

“O my little princess, it’s beautiful unless you encounter its dark side.”

Joy picked up the dishes and all the stuff and cleaned the table. Then she moved to the window where her mother was standing and staring at the moon, hidden by the clouds. What do you want?” Joy asked.

Without taking her eye off the moon she replied,” I want to see you a strong woman.”

“And what makes a woman strong?”

“A woman is strong if she is financially strong. A woman must be able to survive on her own. When a woman completely depends on a man she becomes his slave.” Mother turned and held her daughter by the shoulders “ and I can not see you a slave, there is nothing worse than slavery on the land.”

She sat down on the couch, silence prevailed for a while then she spoke with a low tone “ my father was not a bad man but I was always scared of him. I remained his slave for twenty winters, then one day I got married and my master was replaced. I was again standing alone in the middle of the dark sea, on a dark, long stormy night. And I was about to drown when I realized your presence in my womb. Motherhood gave me strength. And now, I’m losing that strength. Oh! I’m too tired. I think I need sleep, a long sleep.” And she went.

“Good night Mom.” Daughter said.

The doorbell rang and a six feet tall and good-looking young man of twenty-one entered the house.

“You, Mr. Ahsan Hayat khan why did you come here,” joy asked.

“Where is Mrs. Khan?”

“O shut up, you know well, she doesn’t like you, just get lost from here.”

“O come on, she is my uncle’s widow and it’s my moral duty to look after you.”

“It’s not your fucking duty. You better stay out of it.”

“Don’t see things from your mother’s eye. I’m not your enemy. You are an adult now. In the future, you will marry. So, You should not hate men. A woman is incomplete without the love of a man.”

“what you want to do?” joy said.

“I just want to see you happy.”

“You better not think about me.”

“Calm down, I just came to see you. I swear I don’t have false intention.”

She took a deep breath, “Alright “

“Is everything ok?” Mr. khan asked

“Yes, all ok”

“Shall we go out for a walk? It’s beautiful outside.

“Let’s go”

She turned off all the lights in the house then she and Mr. Khan walked out on the road. There was no traffic, no streetlight. They walked along the moon to the Sea.

“This Sea is the pride of this small town.” Said Mr. khan “ just like you are the pride of your mother. To be a single mother is a difficult job, you know but Mrs. Khan is a strong lady. She suffered throughout her life but she never defeated.”

“But a long struggle makes you sick and tired.” Joy mumbled.

“What?“

“She seems strange nowadays.”

“Strange?”

“Her behavior. She behaves strangely.”

“Don’t worry, she will be okay. I’m always there for you, my beauty. You are not alone now.”

She looked at him and said nothing.

“Every man is not bad , you are old enough to judge people, you should not follow your mother’s words.”

“what the hell do you want to say?”

“Exactly this, girls of your age do not behave like this. You should not be so aggressive.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean that.”

“I know, you are worried about your mother.”

“Exactly, she will be angry if she saw us together, I should leave now, it’s too late.”

“Stay for a few moments,” Mr. Khan said by holding her hand “do you know love has magic?”

“Magic?” said Joy

Mr. Khan kissed her passionately “did you feel that?”

“You can’t manipulate.”

“I’m not manipulating. Can’t you feel the touch of my love in this winter breeze?” Mr. Khan kissed her again passionately.

The clouds thundered and suddenly it started raining. Darkness prevailed everywhere. They ran towards the cottage near the sea. “There is no one in the cottage “ Joy said.

“Yes, it’s mine.” Said Mr. Khan

“You live here?”

“No, but I often came here to enjoy nature”.

They stayed together till dawn. When she woke up with the whistling of birds she ran toward home. “oh shit.” She locked herself in the room. “ It was a nightmare or reality? I can’t believe, I was not in my senses. Like I was drunk but I was not. I’m sure he must done some black magic on me or perhaps I was possessed by an evil spirit. Whatever.” She looked into the mirror “I’m no more Virgin. I lost my virginity but with that person. Oh my God. Mom will never forgive me for this. She will die if she comes to know. No, no, no. She will never come to know about this dark secret. I will never let it happen.” She took a deep breath and went to sleep.

 ***

The next night, when she entered her bedroom after dinner, she was shocked to see Mr. Khan in her room.

“What the hell, when you come and where you entered from and why did you come now?”

“Relax, I Just come to see you, my love.”

“O shut up, you manipulator.”

“ It was an expression of love and you call it manipulation. That’s not fair.”

“I’m already upset. Just leave.” Joy said.

“Okay, I’ll.” Mr. Khan said and tries to kiss.

But Joy slapped him “Don’t you dare, you bastard.”

Mr. Khan slapped her in response. “Don’t you dare. Otherwise.”

“Otherwise. What?”

“Otherwise I’ll tell your mother everything about last night.”

“She. She will never believe you. She trusts me.”

Mr. Khan laughed. “She will definitely when I’ll tell her about the mole in the middle of your breast.”

“What you want?”

“I want to make my every night like last night. Special and beautiful.”

“You are trying to blackmail?”

“No, I’m not trying. I’m doing.”

“Oh, God. I’m so stupid. I thought that night was an expression of love. We both just fell astray in passion. I was thinking it was the most beautiful night of my life. I was just worried about Mom. But I was wrong. Whatever you said was a trap. Just a trap. You never loved my Pilgrim soul. Oh God, how stupid I’m.” she cried.

“So finally, you confessed that you enjoyed it. Hurry up let’s do it again, my beauty, my love, my lady.”

“Your slave now.” Joy said.

 ***

The next night, mother said, “Joy, you are not slept yet. Go inside and sleep. It’s too late.”

Joy was standing in the front yard of the house, staring at the naked tree. “ It is losing its leaves. It is dead. Without leaves it’s dead.”

“No, it is not dead. It will be green again when the spring will come.” Mrs. khan said.

“How it will survive till the coming of spring without its leaves. It’s not easy Mom.”

“Nothing is easy in this world my daughter. Look at the tree, though it has lost all its leaves still it is standing strong with all its pride.”

“Not every tree has the courage, Mom.”

“Your belief is your courage. Nothing in this world is permanent neither Winter nor Spring ” She patted her back and then she went.

“Everything is changing. How will I handle this?” She fell on her knees and cried while seeing up to the sky, “Oh God, I'm dead, my soul is bleeding. Please help me out. O God—Lord of all worlds please forgive me, and have mercy on me.” She stood up, “I can't take it anymore. I'll tell Mom. I'll tell her everything. She will trust me. Of course she will. I will do it. I will do it as soon as possible." After some time she went to her bedroom where Mr. Khan was already waiting for her.

The same night the mother saw Mr. Khan leaving her daughter’s bedroom. “what the hell, you were doing in my daughter’s room.” She asked.

 “I was come just to say good night to your dear daughter. Mrs. Khan" He replied.

“what the hell?”

"Yes because she can not sleep without my night kiss."

“Shut up, you liar.”

“You know it well, that I couldn't be there in her bedroom without your daughter's will.”

"No, you must be lying. She is innocent."

"yes, she is innocent, though she sleeps with me every night. Every night."

Mrs. Khan slapped him with her full force and said. “I will kill you. Don’t you dare to talk shit about my daughter.”

"Relax, she loves me and I also love her but you don't love me, I know. Don't you worry I'm not going to marry her. Because I can't hurt you. My sweet aunt, Good night. Oh yes one more thing, I love that mole in the middle of her breasts." He said and left the house.

Mrs. Khan was frozen for some time then she uttered, " I'm too tired. I need rest now." and she went to her bedroom. In the morning she was found dead. “Hell—what an evil place to rest.” Was written on the wall with the blood.