Blustery Illusion

All I remember from last night was that I went to sleep in the comfort of my bed and then suddenly I was startled awake in a parallel universe.

I went to the minimart last night to buy some skittles. My headphones were on as I listened to music.I strolled down the street and I closed my eyes to enjoy the cool night breeze waft enchantingly over my skin as it lightly fluttered my hijab. I was unaware of my surroundings as a sleek black Mercedes pulled up beside me and four men hurried out and pointed a gun towards my head threatening to blow my head off if I did as much as utter a word. With the gun still pointed towards my head one of them carried me roughly and dumped me in the backseat of the car. The only hope I had then was in Allah as I silently recited my Ayaa Kursiy. I tried to scream out and a syringe was pulled out from a box underneath the seat and stuck into my thigh aggressively. My vision started to blur and the world started to spin as I fell into a state of unconsciousness.

I was awaken with a bucked of freezing cold water poured all over my body. I began to notice my surroundings and I realized that I was  in an uncompleted building with four men pacing around the room in an agitated manner as they discussed something I couldn't seem to understand. I was seated in a chair across the room. A rope was tied across my waist perfectly gluing me to the chair and another was tied around my ankles on the front legs of the chair. A gross smelling rag was firmly stuck in my mouth gagging me. I tried my best to force it out and it came off.

I was utterly scared and confused due to the situation I was in but surprisingly, for the sake of my life, I kept quiet not to attract attention from my kidnappers. I was just very happy I had not been noticed yet.

The clouds above drastically turned a shade darker and a heavy storm began. Rain pelted  harshly on the windows of the building as the surrounding area darkened. Inwardly, I muttered  a quick prayer to my Alma matter, Allah because the rain came as a distraction. I frantically searched my coat pockets for my mirror. I broke it silently in my palm and blood gushed from my hand like a sprinkler. I sucked in a harsh breath as particles of glass bit into my skin but I had to stay quiet.

I began to use the broken edge of the mirror to cut the ropes around me. I hurriedly got up from the chair and it toppled over. Unfortunately, the kidnappers attention returned to me and they started to chase me. As I sprinted towards the door, they darted across the room after me. Adrenaline rushed through my veins and my pulse rate increased as I ran. Luckily, I eased my way out of the building into the cold night. During my escape fest, I fell into a puddle of sticky mud and accidentally bumped my head on the hard concrete. I couldn’t hold it in any longer and my scream pierced into the air like an arrow and I was noticed once again.

I heard the beating of footsteps and hurried heaving of breaths heading towards me but I was unable to move. It felt like I was weighed down by an elephant. One of the kidnappers which I was surprised to find out was a lady let out an excited squeal as she sauntered towards me. The others came and like a déjà vu the gun was pointed at my head.

As I saw my brother I knew that all hope was lost. How could this be? I thought he was supposed to be there for me. Fighting all those bad guys off, not alongside them. My thought process is broken as I hear someone incoherently yelling my name. I feel like I'm being transferred into another universe and I begin to hear my name louder and louder. I am startled awake as someone starts to shake me vigorously. 

My elder brother yells as he enters my room. “Maysa wake up” "mmmh” I mumble in response. He shakes me vigorously this time and asks why I am screaming in my sleep. I wake up fully and still don’t answer and I continue screaming but no one seems to understand that I don’t want to get up. My duvet is yanked aggressively from my body and the cold breeze from the air conditioner starts to pinch at my exposed skin.

Every thing from the night before starts to unfold in my head and I realize I just had a nightmare. My whole body is drenched in cold sweat and my head aches. My bed covers are thrashed all over my room and I feel like puking my guts out.

Nothing is as dreadful as going to school not to mention  preparing for it. Forcefully, I drag myself out of bed to brush my teeth and take a quick bath. I quickly go downstairs to eat breakfast and begin the heart wrenching journey to school.